Former Film Vault Offers Housing Solution for Minneapolis Indigenous Community

When the city of Minneapolis shut down the Wall of Forgotten Natives homeless encampment in 2018, hundreds of indigenous residents were displaced. Now, thanks to tireless efforts from Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative and other key partners, many of those people have a place to call home.

That home is called Bimosedaa, a word meaning “let’s walk together” in Ojibwe. It’s an apt moniker for the affordable housing development, which aims to serve homeless indigenous Minneapolis residents who are suffering from mental illness, substance abuse, or other issues that may prevent them from securing safe housing.

“Bimosedaa is a building with a purpose,” says Joan Bennett, senior project manager at Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. “It’s one of the few buildings in this affluent neighborhood that provides deeply affordable housing with on-site services tailored to a resident population that is primarily indigenous.”

Currently at full capacity, Bimosedaa boasts 48 income-restricted studio apartments. The community is highly inclusive, and residents aren’t screened out for rental, credit, or certain types of criminal history. Nonprofit organization Avivo also provides residents with a slew of on-site services, including benefit assistance, financial management guidance, employment help, mental health case management, rehabilitation, and more. There is also a designated space for external health care providers.

The $30.2 million adaptive-reuse project marks a new life for the historic building—a former motion picture film vault built in 1915. And though the property’s original terra-cotta facade remains, it required significant restoration work that added both time and cost to Beacon’s development plans. Ultimately, the effort was well worth it, helping to preserve Bimosedaa’s storied past while ensuring the safety of all who visit downtown Minneapolis. 

“While common in other cities, a full terra-cotta facade is unique in Minneapolis,” Bennett says. “Without this preservation, a prominent and rare local example of this historically significant construction technique would have been lost. Additionally, the vacant building would have likely proved dangerous to the public because loose terra-cotta bricks could have fallen onto the sidewalk.”