JNS BLOG VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: 2700 Morgan Ave. North a.k.a. "The Salmon House" Demolished, Neighbors Joyful, ALL THE FRIDGE MAGNETS SAVED!

Video shot my Megan Goodmundson, uploaded to "JohnnyHoffa"YouTube profile, blog post by John Hoff

The decrepit former whorehouse at 2700 Morgan Ave. N., known as the "Salmon House," was demolished on Friday, January 14, beginning at about 9 a.m.

One neighbor in a nearby house actually took the day off from work just to watch in quiet jubilation. Another neighbor came out in a bathrobe and...

...can be heard cheering near the beginning of this video. The crew which demolished the "Salmon House" was apparently the same outfit responsible for taking down the "Devil's House" at 3020 6th St. N. and, in fact, they had vivid recollections of neighbors "drinking champagne and dancing in the streets." (Click here for some video)

Due to their involvement in tearing down two notorious whorehouses, Megan has dubbed this crew "the slum slayers."

Prior to the demolition, I personally managed to obtain all the fridge magnets from the door of a skanky-looking, rather small and forlorn fridge in what was left of the kitchen.

And so the unstoppable and massive wave of NoMi revitalization continues, but not everything is lost: some small things are saved, stories are written down, images and video are recorded. Some of the run down houses are NOT destroyed, but fall into the hands of new owners who will transform them. Slumlords are on the run, knowing they will be relentlessly hounded in North Minneapolis for irresponsible behavior. This house at 2700 Morgan Ave. N. belonged to an entity named "Dana D III," who were involved in mortgage fraud, click here.

Consider: For how many years did neighbors cry out "Salmon House" this and "Salmon House" that and fight for change? And then one snowy morning the change arrived and massive transformation took place in only a couple hours.

What does this tell us? That all the other changes we want can happen, too, if we don't lose hope, or lose heart, or cease in our energetic efforts to live in an urban environment that is not just BETTER, not just SAFE, not just DECENT, but something approaching an urban utopia.

2127 Lyndale Ave. N. Makes Dramatic Disappearance...

"Before" photo by Hawthorne Hawkman
"After" photo and blog post by John Hoff

It must have happened during my 10-week absence, but I didn't notice until today: the building I nicknamed "Squat-o-topia" at 2127 Lyndale Ave. N. has disappeared off the face of the earth. This dark brown house was a spectacular hotbed of squatters in recent years, though it was clearly a beautiful and luxurious home when first built. A small house nearby at 2125 Lyndale Ave. N. appeared to be a "coach house" which had been converted into a mother-in-law cottage, but that house at 2125 preceded 2127 in demolition, click here. Hawthorne Hawkman documented the involvement of "Dana D III" in the chain of ownership at 2125, just one more bit of destruction this notorious outfit has brought to North Minneapolis.

Substandard houses are going down in North Minneapolis faster than this blog can document their demolition. It seems futile to keep saying it, but it must be said: we need less demolition and more renovation. The loss of these homes is a tragedy. When will the bleeding stop?

(Do Not Click "Read More")

Slumlord Interests Ousted From JACC Board, And Much More In A North Minneapolis "Tale Of Two Cities"

Contributed photo, xoxo, blog post by John Hoff

In the last 10 weeks, this blog has been less active than any time in its history due to employment obligations which took me across the country to Columbia, South Carolina for a long period of intense training. While I often had free time, I seldom had convenient internet access, plus other obligations (like being an outstanding designated driver to my hard-partying buddies) kept me pretty tied up.

Now, with my fingers comfortably back at the keyboard, and hot content ready to roll in the usual prolific Johnny Northside style, I thought it would be fun to review some of the amazing changes which have taken place during the last ten weeks. It's incredible how quickly our neighborhood changes, evolves, and revitalizes even in a relatively short span of time. Being out of the loop for ten weeks and then trying to catch up gives me a whole new appreciation for just how quickly our neighborhood is changing.

* First, and most recently, three nights ago the Jordan Neighborhood had its annual meeting and (for the second year in a row) managed to elect a slate of candidates to its board without any of the drama which, once upon a time, was synonymous with Jordan Neighborhood politics. In fact, the only drama was something positive: bylaws were changed so that mere property ownership in the neighborhood isn't enough to qualify individuals for board membership, not anymore. What this means, effectively, is shameless slumlords like Keith Reitman will no longer have such a powerful role in Jordan politics.

Best of all, the bylaw change took place right in front of Keith Reitman, but other than barking briefly and in a paranoid manner over whether somebody was "whispering" to the chair of the meeting--saying something, whining something about open meeting laws, blah blah blah, as though open meeting laws ever regulated whispering--Keith David Reitman was powerless to stop the change in the bylaws. As of that moment...

...Rietman no longer has a vote in JACC business. Though this seems like a relatively minor change, progress in our neighborhood is a moving mosaic made up of such minor changes. In my absence, other bloggers kept the neighborhood informed of important developments, such as these:

* Jimmy Carter's visit to the Eco Village, reported in detail by Jeff Skrenes on the Hawthorne Voices blog.

* 1564 Hillside Ave. N. was demolished, reported in detail by Hillside Chronicles.

* Decent people in the Jordan Neighborhood have grown increasingly upset with Steve Meldahl, who has been dubbed "Slumeldahl" by NoMi Passenger. WARNING: Slumeldahl has NOT been approved by the FDA for neighborhood usage, and has been known to have serious side effects, such as urban blight and low curb appeal. The fiery "Irving Inquisition" blog has been on top of Meldahl.

* Thug-on-thug homicidal violence. Yawn. What else is new? There are two different worlds in North Minneapolis, and one of those worlds is actually very safe, comfortable, and enjoyable. And then there are thuggish idiots who kill each other with whatever weapon is available, including a speeding vehicle. Outside observers should not be misled by colorful mainstream media reports of such criminal violence: the "revitalizer" lifestyle is gaining ground in North Minneapolis, and the "thug lifestyle" is retreating. It's my hypothesis that North Minneapolis thugs are killing each other over increasingly smaller territory, and increasingly more limited areas of influence. North Minneapolis is truly a tale of two cities.

* The "Tripping Cows" mural was painted over at the Kemps Dairy facility.

* NoMi resident Brian Reichow married the girl of his dreams. Brian, sorry I missed your wedding. I did get text updates through the whole wedding and reception and almost felt like I was present.

* The "thug memorial riot" took place. Some folks just can't behave themselves, even while mourning their dead. This is another good argument in favor of not allowing "thug shooting memorials" to remain on trees, fences, etc. Did I mention "a tale of two cities?" Yes, I certainly did.

* I was re-elected to the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Board, even while not there to speak in my own favor at the annual meeting. Thank you, friends and neighbors.

* Jerome Kingrussell, the notorious "Imposter Foster" from the Larry Maxwell mortgage fraud trial, was arrested and held without bail.

* Principals of Dana D III pled guilty to mortgage fraud.

All these amazing events happened in A MERE TEN WEEKS, and I've actually left a lot of important stuff out. So what will the next ten weeks bring? What will the next year, the next five years, the next ten years bring to North Minneapolis?

These ten weeks have hammered home two lessons for me:

1. Though I intend to play a large and highly-active role in the positive changes taking place in our neighborhood, change will take place no matter what. Even if this blog grew silent, even if work forced me to leave the neighborhood or the COUNTRY for months at a time, Urban Utopia is headed toward NoMi.

Urban Utopia in North Minneapolis is unstoppable.

2. During times when this blog is unable to play a very active roll, other committed bloggers take up the slack and use grassroots media to move the revitalizer agenda forward.

Because of this--once again--Urban Utopia is unstoppable.

To all the readers who have been so loyal to this blog: I am sorry that I was gone for so long, but it was necessary so I could pay my child support and the taxes on my house. (My goodness, what will the hateful haters have to hatefully hate about in light of THIS development?) I also wish to give a special thank you to neighborhood "super citizen" Megan Goodmundson, who virtually kept my blog on life support in my absence.

But now I am finally heading back home, and tonight I am...

Blogging From Joplin, Missouri

Whorehouse Mattresses Hit The Dumpster At 2700 Morgan Ave. N.

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

The infamous "salmon house" at 2700 Morgan Ave. N. has been boarded up for quite a while now, but in the last few days there was a sudden burst of activity. A dumpster appeared, and the furnishings inside the house--including a bunch of mattresses and box springs--hit the bottom of the bin.

I poked around a bit and took a few pictures. I have to admit, some of the furniture didn't look half bad. If I had a truck I'd be all, like, dude...let's take this stuff to an antique store I know in St. Paul and sell it. THEY don't know it's from a whorehouse.

Besides, I think after you hit the surfaces with Lysol, the fact the stuff is from a whorehouse just adds to the mystique.

(Do not click "Read More")

List Of Slumlord Properties For Keith Reitman, Mahmood Khan, Bashir Moghul, And (Oh Gee) Dana D Roman Numeral Three...

Photo by John Hoff

Above, crap piled up outside 2700 Morgan Ave. N., which was a property of Dana D III.

When my dad and I would go fishing, right before heading ashore we'd take our can of worms and just toss the worms--dirt and all--into the lake. My dad said if we didn't give the fishies some free worms, every now and then, they'd learn worms always have hooks and they'd stop biting on our bait.

And even if it wasn't so, my father pointed out, we could do the fish a favor and give them a meal, since THEY were so often a meal for US.

So it is I have come upon four cans of worms--property lists for four notorious North Minneapolis slumlord entities--but rather than play with the worms, rather than dish up the stuff piecemeal in numerous blog posts--I think I will just open the cans of worms and toss the information upon the wormy waters of the internet. Do with it what you will.

First, Keith Rietman. Oh, how happy I am to have a more current list of properties for Rietman. The last list wasn't very current, click here, and so I'm happy to have a better list. Here it is...

Property List, Keith Rietman, as follows:

Keith Reitman,620 Lowry Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1441

Keith Reitman,2401 James Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1934

Keith Reitman,2522 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1704

Keith Reitman,1910 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2404

Keith Reitman,1405 21st Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2518

Keith Reitman,1600 Golden Valley Rd,Minneapolis,MN,55411

Keith Reitman,1405 W Broadway Ave,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2536 (a.k.a. the "ugly ass chocolate brown building")

Keith Reitman,1409 W Broadway Ave,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2536 (ditto)

Keith Reitman,1408 Golden Valley Rd,Minneapolis,MN,55411

Keith Reitman,1406 Golden Valley Rd,Minneapolis,MN,55411

Keith Reitman,2419 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1701

Keith Reitman,2341 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2432

Keith Reitman,2335 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2432

Keith Reitman,2331 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2432

Keith Reitman,2329 W Broadway Ave,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1732

Keith Reitman,1301 Holden St,Minneapolis,MN,55405

Here are the properties of Dana D III. Word is this entity is in trouble with the authorities, but properties continue to be listed as under the ownership of Dana D III or, as I always say, "Dana Dee Roman Numeral Three."

Danna D Investors III LLC,3609 Logan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-1949

Danna D Investors III LLC,3953 Dupont Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2036

Danna D Investors III Inc,3710 Girard Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2023

Danna D Investors III LLC,2935 Queen Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1058

Danna D Investors III LLC,3026 Thomas Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1035

Danna D Investors III LLC,3126 Thomas Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1037

Danna D Investors III LLC,2659 Queen Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1722

Danna D Investors III LLC,2648 Russell Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1725

Danna D Investors III LLC,3530 Logan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2334

Danna D Investors III LLC,3456 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2324

Danna D Investors III LLC,3530 Morgan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2338

Danna D Investors III LLC,2700 Morgan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1131 (This is the notorious "salmon house" where so much prostitution took place)

Danna D Investors III LLC,2941 Fremont Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1312

Danna D Investors III LLC,2818 Aldrich Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1428

Danna D Investors III LLC,3251 N 6th St,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2621

Danna D Investors III LLC,1008 29th Ave NE,Minneapolis,MN,55418-2168

Danna D Investors III LLC,4653 Bryant Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-1428

Danna D Investors III LLC,2321 N 4th St,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2118

Danna D Investors III LLC,2031 James Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1926

Danna D Investors III LLC,1418 Logan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3172

Danna D Investors III LLC,1723 Girard Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3103

Danna D Investors III LLC,1112 18th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3211

Danna D Investors III LLC,1301 16th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3116

Danna D Investors III LLC,1514 Thomas Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2914

Here are the properties of Mahmood Khan. Arguably, some of Khan's properties are the worst on the list.

Mahmood Khan,4011 Dupont Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-1612

Mahmood Khan,3414 Emerson Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2521

Mahmood Khan,3238 Bryant Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2536

Mahmood Khan,2722 Oliver Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1108

Mahmood Khan,2639 Oliver Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1846

Mahmood Khan, 2631 Newton Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1844

Mahmood Khan,1604 27th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1212

Mahmood Khan, 2906 Emerson Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1362

Mahmood Khan,2714 Emerson Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1358

Mahmood Khan,2813 Aldrich Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1427

Mahmood Khan,410 30th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1525

Mahmood Khan,315 Buchanan St NE,Minneapolis,MN,55413-1600

Mahmood Khan,818 44th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-1403

Mahmood Khan,321 24th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2169

Mahmood Khan,2222 N 4th St,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2719 (This is the property where the body of Anshalike Hamilton was found. This murder is still unsolved)

Mahmood Khan,2135 N 4th St,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2716

Mahmood Khan,2414 Bryant Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2115

Mahmood Khan,2223 Emerson Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2513

Mahmood Khan,1621 22nd Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1949

Mahmood Khan,2116 25th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1828

Mahmood Khan,2123 Oliver Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1818

Mahmood Khan,2008 21st Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2447

Mahmood Khan,1607 Hillside Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1911 (This is the notorious "House of Poop.")

Mahmood Khan,1714 Oliver Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3039

Mahmood Khan,1827 Oliver Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3040

Mahmood Khan,2007 Russell Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2416

Mahmood Khan,2126 Queen Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2435

Mahmood Khan,1204 Knox Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3811

Mahmood Khan,1001 Logan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3816

Mahmood Khan,1800 Lasalle Ave Unit 104,Minneapolis,MN,55403-3611

Last but not least, the humble slumlord empire of Bashir Moghul. Give Moghul credit for this: he has the most geographic diversity, not limiting himself to North Minneapolis but spreading his slummy ways all around.

Bashir Moghul,2942 Tyler St NE,Minneapolis,MN,55418

Bashir Moghul,4206 Colfax Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-1734

Bashir Moghul,3814 Fremont Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2043

Bashir Moghul,2516 Lowry Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1011

Bashir Moghul,3027 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1121

Bashir Moghul,3114 Upton Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1044

Bashir Moghul,3550 Girard Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2418

Bashir Moghul,3347 Fremont Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2404

Bashir Moghul,2646 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1719

Bashir Moghul,2615 Newton Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411

Bashir Moghul,2950 Bryant Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1439

Bashir Moghul,2617 Dupont Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2039

Bashir Moghul,3318 N 6th St,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2624

Bashir Moghul,3248 6th St N,Minneapolis,MN,55412

Bashir Moghul,3200 N 2nd St,Minneapolis,MN,55412-2602

Bashir Moghul,2915 N 3rd St,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1509

Bashir Moghul,428 31st Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1528

Bashir Moghul,318 27th Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1518

Bashir Moghul,2317 53rd Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55430-3373

Bashir Moghul,5209 N 6th St,Minneapolis,MN,55430-3228

Bashir Moghul,4553 Camden Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55412

Bashir Moghul,2110 Lyndale Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2735

Bashir Moghul,1900 5th St N,Minneapolis,MN,55418

Bashir Moghul,2514 Emerson Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2010

Bashir Moghul,2415 Emerson Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2051

Bashir Moghul,2118 Aldrich Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411

Bashir Moghul,2030 Willow Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1813

Bashir Moghul,1900 W Broadway Ave,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2455

Bashir Moghul,1934 Oliver Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-2402

Bashir Moghul,1547 22nd Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-1947

Bashir Moghul,1831 Morgan Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3017

Bashir Moghul,1500 Irving Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3149

Bashir Moghul,704 Penn Ave N,Minneapolis,MN,55411-3626

Bashir Moghul,816 Park Ave,Minneapolis,MN,55404-1135

Bashir Moghul,1917 1st Ave S,Minneapolis,MN,55403

Bashir Moghul,2301 5th Ave S,Minneapolis,MN,55404-3635

Bashir Moghul,2532 Bloomington Ave,Minneapolis,MN,55404-3920


THESE LISTS ARE BELIEVED TO BE CURRENT but if anybody has contrary information, discussion, etc. there are comment threads available.