Beltrami

If good things really do come in small packages, then the Beltrami neighborhood can be considered a good thing. The smallest neighborhood in Minneapolis, Beltrami can be found in the heart of Minneapolis only minutes away from the University of Minnesota and the life of the Downtown area. An early influence of Italian-Americans is in part the reason why the neighborhood was named after a 19th century Italian scholar and explorer, Giacomo Costantino Beltrami. A monument in his honor can still be found in the neighborhood.

The modern neighborhood is a mix of diverse residents, representing a cross-section of ethnicities and cultures. If you live in Beltrami you might be among the artists, students, or working class – as all of them can be found to call Beltrami home. It is not uncommon to find working artists with studios in Beltrami as they utilize the diverse spirit of the neighborhood and close proximity to businesses and schools.

The Beltrami neighborhood is also home to Beltrami Park where residents can take advantage of six bocce balls courts, a basketball court, baseball fields, soccer fields, a sandpit volleyball courts, and tennis courts. The homes in the area consist mainly of single-family homes, but there are a few small multifamily buildings available as well. There are large tracts of industrial land covering the southwestern part of the community.

Small as it is, this neighborhood is a diamond in the rough. Just across the river from downtown and across I-35W from the University of Minnesota, Beltrami is a mix of old and new, industrial and artistic. The community was originally home to European immigrants and has since become a hot spot for artists to open up their own studios with the many vacant warehouse spaces in the southwestern portion. Railroad tracks run along the industrial section while the northeastern corner is mainly residential structures. Cheap property rental and sale prices keep the artists coming while the cold industry backdrop and the occasional shady character keep families out.

For a neighborhood that is so close to downtown, the population density is relatively low, giving residents some breathing and elbow room. While nothing except warehouses and the occasional apartment building are within the Beltrami boundaries, residents can take a hop and a skip over the railroad tracks and down to where Hennepin Ave. Central Ave. crossover in the next neighborhood where there are plenty of eating and drinking spots to provide the young of age and/or heart plenty of entertainment. Beltrami locals are also close to several gallery and collective spaces where they can showcase their inspiring work. One can head over to the river about a dozen blocks away or hang out at Beltrami Park where there is a volleyball court and path. Should a resident want to leave the ear via car, he or she can take I-35W, which forms the community's east border. Families or retirees desiring luxury as well as absolute peace and quiet should not think for even a second about living here, but creative minds that do not mind living resourcefully or seeing trains and steel shingles will feel right at home.