Five Things To Know About Blake Road

The Blake Road corridor is at a turning point.

The historically troubled area has seen significant gains in the past few months that could remake the corridor's reputation. Keeping track of all the changes isn’t easy, though.

Here are five things you need to know about Blake Road:

Decaying properties look a bit better: The abandoned gas stations and decaying apartment buildings that once lined the corridor are on their way out. bought one of the gas stations , while Holiday Stationstores as a service station by July. Meanwhile, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District two apartment buildings that obscured , along with an office building and two homes.

New community assets are coming: Those buildings that the watershed district tore down? Well, they’re making way for more parkland. The watershed district bought about two acres of land south of Cottageville Park as part of a partnership with the city. The new park should include —at least for this year. And the watershed district wants to consider . All in all, there are .

Police initiatives are paying off: Over the past few years, into improving the Blake Road neighborhood—long a troublesome crime spot. Officers did more patrols in the area and checked on those areas hidden from passers-by. The extra attention paid off in lower crime. 

Blake Road is a key part of Hopkins’ future: Community leaders envision a massive makeover for Hopkins—especially when it comes to the planned Southwest Transitway. One of the light rail line’s stations will be on Blake Road, meaning some of the are in the Blake Road corridor. This creates opportunities but also about what Hopkins’ future should look like.

Work still remains: With all the corridor’s promise, the area still faces challenges—from to . The success of these efforts will depend on community participation. Stay tuned to Hopkins Patch for the latest developments.