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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | New Upper Harbor Park Reconnects North Minneapolis With the Mississippi River
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (September 26, 2026). A new regional park has opened along the Mississippi River at the Upper Harbor redevelopment site, marking a significant milestone in the effort to reconnect North Minneapolis residents with a riverfront long separated from surrounding neighborhoods by industrial activity.
The park forms part of the first phase of the Upper Harbor redevelopment, which is transforming a former industrial shipping terminal into a mixed-use riverfront district.
The broader plan includes approximately 20 acres of parkland, affordable housing, employment and commercial space, improved pedestrian and bicycle connections and an outdoor community performing arts center.
The City of Minneapolis describes the redevelopment as an extension of the McKinley neighborhood and a major community-building investment for the North Side. New streets and utilities have been under construction since 2022.
Construction of the planned 8,000-capacity amphitheater began in May. The venue is expected to open in 2027 and host approximately 50 ticketed events annually, in addition to community programming.
The park opening carries particular significance for North Minneapolis. Industrial facilities, rail infrastructure and restricted access have separated several neighborhoods from the Mississippi River for generations. The new public space gives residents direct access to the river while additional portions of the redevelopment move forward.
The project’s long-term impact will depend on whether its housing, employment and commercial components produce lasting benefits for existing North Minneapolis residents. The park represents an important opening, but it is not the completion of the redevelopment.
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