The Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) has been making a significant impact on the Minneapolis-St. Paul community by fostering local entrepreneurs and helping them develop their businesses. With a focus on providing funding, business mentorship, and affordable leasing options, NDC has been instrumental in supporting small businesses. However, while the organization was busy empowering others, its own office space had been neglected.
Situated on the second floor of a local bank in St. Paul, Minnesota, NDC’s previous office lacked character, with no signage or inviting entrance. The workspace was insufficient, failing to cater to the needs of both employees and clients.
Recognizing the importance of a functional and inspiring workspace, local architect Betsy Vohs, the founder and CEO of Studio BV, took on NDC as a pro bono client in 2018. Her goal was to create a space that not only served the organization but also reflected the vibrant community it nurtures.
“We wanted to create something that was like a living room for the community,” Vohs explained. “NDC’s dream was to create a space where anyone with a business idea could come in and have coffee, a conversation or a meeting and work on their business plan. We wanted to make it magic.”
The result is a new 13,000-square-foot office in St. Paul that exudes energy, art, and bold colors. It is not only visually appealing but also highly functional. Previously, NDC had to hold meetings in the break room or search for offsite locations. The revamped office now offers ample work areas and meeting spaces spread across four levels.
Building Businesses
For over three decades, NDC has been assisting entrepreneurs, particularly first-generation immigrants who often face language barriers and difficulty securing conventional business loans. Vohs explained that many aspiring business owners come to NDC without a business plan, seeking to start ventures such as restaurants. NDC helps develop their plans, provides coaching and mentorship, and offers loans as a lender.
In addition to its support services, NDC also owns real estate in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and leases spaces to its clients at below-market rates, reducing their initial costs and controlling rent expenses. The organization’s Midtown Global Market, a food hall and incubator opened in 2006, has been a launching pad for many of its business owner clients.
However, the previous office space failed to showcase the potential success that NDC could help entrepreneurs achieve. Prospective business owners arriving at the second-floor suite of a bank were greeted with unwelcoming chairs and limited information. Vohs emphasized that this environment did not inspire or create a sense of community, despite the immense bravery and determination of the individuals seeking assistance.
Making Room for Community
Furthermore, the NDC staff faced numerous challenges due to space constraints. They had to share offices and workspaces, and their conference room, break room, and copy room were all squeezed into one area. Employees resorted to hosting community gatherings and meetings at external locations, such as the local library.
To address these limitations, the new NDC office occupies the first few levels of a mixed-use building in St. Paul. The upper levels house affordable apartments for many of NDC’s clients, while the first floor accommodates retail spaces for its business partners. The second floor, designed for community-facing partners, features a community wall that showcases success stories and photographs to inspire future business owners.
The top level, accessed via a central staircase in a light-filled atrium, houses the operational aspects of the business, including lending and banking. The staircase itself is an artistic feature, designed by artist Seitu Jones, with playful cutouts in plywood allowing natural light to filter through.
Driving Design Forward in Minneapolis
Recognizing the diverse needs of NDC’s employees, Vohs and her team customized work areas to support specific functions. For example, an edit suite was built to assist business owners with branding and website design. The building now offers a range of flexible meeting spaces, from large conference rooms with garage doors to small studios and booths near the coffee bars on each floor. Each level also includes a lounge area for informal work.
The fourth level stands out as a large community and social space, featuring a café and garage door meeting rooms that can open up to create a single expansive area for events. It includes a fully equipped kitchen that can serve as a test kitchen for entrepreneurs experimenting with recipes or menu items.
Throughout the design process, Vohs and her team used plywood as a motif to reflect NDC’s mission. Plywood, an everyday material, symbolizes NDC’s role as builders, developers, and the foundation of family legacy communities. The use of vibrant paint and bold colors played a crucial role in creating an energetic and inspiring atmosphere, signaling to visitors that the space is full of possibilities.
Studio BV’s work on the NDC office falls under its pro bono division, Design Forward, which aims to provide nonprofit organizations with new office or retail spaces at no cost. Vohs dedicates a portion of her projectsto giving back to the community and believes that design can play a transformative role in improving people’s lives.
The new NDC office has become a hub of activity and a symbol of hope for aspiring entrepreneurs in the Minneapolis-St. Paul community. It not only provides a functional workspace for NDC staff but also serves as an inviting and inspiring environment for clients and community members.
With its bold design, flexible meeting spaces, and emphasis on community engagement, the NDC office has become a vibrant center for networking, collaboration, and business development. It has enabled NDC to better fulfill its mission of supporting local entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth in the community.
The success of the NDC office renovation project serves as a testament to the power of thoughtful design in creating transformative spaces. By investing in the physical environment, organizations like NDC can enhance their impact and create spaces that truly cater to the needs of the communities they serve.
The revitalized NDC office stands as a testament to the importance of creating spaces that reflect the ambitions and aspirations of the individuals and communities they serve. Through this transformative workspace, NDC continues to empower local entrepreneurs, fuel economic growth, and inspire the next generation of business leaders in Minneapolis-St. Paul.