Welcoming "Likeable Larry" To The Eco-Village

Photo By John Hoff

A couple business partners managed to snatch the crown jewel of the Eco-Village, which is the property at 3000 Lyndale Ave. N., and they didn't even KNOW they were in the Eco-Village project...

Peter Teachout and I met one of the partners while we were dashing off for some Taco Bell after spending all day moving stuff out of Peter and Joy's kitchen area in preparation for the eventual renovation project. I saw a moving vann at 3000 Lyndale Ave. N. and that was all it took.

"PULL OVER!" I told Peter. "Let's meet these folks."

Peter's title as Chairman of HACC opens every door and gives him every reason/excuse/opportunity to meet and greet. We met a guy named Larry, a personable fellow and a former Navy vet. (I picked up on Larry being a Navy vet right away with my Army-issue "squid detector.") Larry is most recently from Texas and we've both spent some time in San Antonio.

At least one of Larry's relatives was helping to unload stuff from the moving van, and like a true Navy vet Larry barked, "Can you keep it down?! We're trying to have a conversation, here!" Larry told us he went in on the house with a partner, seeing it as a great investment property. They have plans to do a bunch of renovation. Beyond that, plans are uncertain but might include continuing to reside at the property. Or selling it.

My immediate gut response--and I told Peter this in the vehicle--was I hoped Larry, et al would stick around as valuable additions to the community.

Peter provided Larry a bunch of basic info about the Hawthorne Neighborhood, the useful and convenient Minneapolis 311 system, and the need to call in any drug dealing at the corner of 30th and 6th.

"You see that corner?" I said to Larry. "You see how there's NOT anybody hanging out on that corner right now?" I informed Larry this was due to our constant efforts to call in drug dealing, but the corner of 30th and 6th was always up for grabs and continued monitoring was necessary to keep the open air drug market from coming back in the next month, week, or even the next hour.

Of all the properties in the 4-block Eco-Village area--and there are some nice ones--3000 Lyndale Ave. N. is the biggest, the most spectacular, the most roomy. It is a mansion fit for a king and right now it looks like a dual-regency between "King Larry" and his business partner.

Welcome, "Likeable Larry" and company to the Eco-Village.