The Neighborhood

Access to the Midtown Greenway is one block north of Spirit on Lake. The Greenway is a quiet place in the heart of the city. At its center is a nonstop bicycle and walking path within a wider corridor of plants, trees, and outdoor art. It runs parallel to Lake Street from the Mississippi River to Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles. The long-term plan is for streetcar trolleys to run along the Greenway. This would connect Spirit on Lake with Uptown and with the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit Line.

Two blocks to the south is Powderhorn Park. Powderhorn is the largest neighborhood park in Minneapolis, with 65 beautifully landscaped acres wrapped around a 12-acre pond. The park hosts an annual July 4 celebration, the Powderhorn Arts Festival, and the "In the Heart of the Beast May Day Festival." It's the perfect place for a walk or a picnic.

Two blocks to the west is the Midtown Exchange. Formerly the Sears building, it is the largest building in Minneapolis and is now home to 350 condominiums and lofts, corporate offices, the Sheraton Midtown Minneapolis Hotel, and the Midtown Global Market, with over 40 independently owned shops and restaurants that feature products and cuisine from all over the world.

Immediately north of and connected to the Midtown Exchange by skyway is Abbott Northwestern Hospital. This is the largest non-profit hospital in the Twin Cities area and is home to the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute.

Three blocks east of Spirit on Lake is the vibrant intersection of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue. This area has been the heart of the Latino community in south Minneapolis for the past several years and boasts many fine restaurants and stores, several of them housed in Mercado Central—described in the City Pages as "the Calhoun Square of the Latino community."

On the way back from Mercado Central and right across the street from Me Gusta (an authentic Mexican restaurant) is the In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater. For over 30 years, the theater has been exploring and celebrating the human experience and the wonders of the world's natural and cultural richness.

Ten blocks east of Spirit on Lake, connected by bus, is the Hiawatha Line (Light Rail Transit). The light rail service offers quiet and fast travel all the way from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America, with stops at Minnehaha Falls, Fort Snelling, and the Minneapolis / St. Paul airports along the way.