U of M to open new Safety Center in Dinkytown [Video]

MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Minnesota will open a new Safety Center below Annie’s Parlour next month in the heart of Dinkytown, with university police and community groups working together under one roof in a first-of-its-kind arrangement.

According to documents, the university signed a five-year lease with the Annie’s owner, Deacon Flats, LLC, to rent the bottom floor of their building on 14th Avenue Southeast, where the bar and music venue Kitty Cat Club operated for nearly two decades before shutting down due to COVID. The university’s rent will increase from $116,000 to $139,770 annually over the life of the deal. 

Nicholas Juarez, who leads community engagement for the university’s Department of Public Safety, said this is the first time the school has ever attempted to create a public safety presence off-campus.

It’s the latest …