The Seward Neighborhood

Seward neighborhood is part of the Longfellow community in south east Minneapolis.

Seward is a parallelogram shape. The Seward neighborhood is bordered by Hiawatha Avenue to the west, the Midtown Greenway (between East 27th Street and East 28th Street) to the south, the Mississippi River to the east, and Interstate 94 to the north.

Most of the neighborhood is residential, with an industrial area along Hiawatha Avenue and 27th Street in the southwestern part of the neighborhood.

Franklin Avenue is the major commercial corridor in Seward neighborhood.

Seward is mostly smaller single-family houses built in the first half of the last century. A large percentage of residents have made Seward their home for many years, and there are plenty of well-cared for homes with well-tended gardens.

The average income for Seward residents is lower than the average in Minneapolis. The percentage of the population living in poverty is comparable to the average for Minneapolis.

Seward is one of Minneapolis' most liberal neighborhoods, voting overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates in local elections.

The Mississippi River is the eastern boundary of the Seward neighborhood. The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway runs along the river with a cycle and walking trail, which connects to other trails in the city.

The Midtown Greenway forms Seward's southern border, a cycle and walking trail that connects to Midtown and Uptown Minneapolis.

Matthews Park and Recreation Center is ten acres of open space in Seward. Matthews Park contains something rare in Minneapolis: A hill. The hill is man-made, constructed to block the view of the nearby industrial area. It's popular for rolling down in the summer, and sledding in the winter.

Seward is very centrally located in the Twin Cities. The neighborhood is about a mile from Downtown Minneapolis, and St. Paul is just across the Mississippi River. Interstate 94 runs along the northern border of the neighborhood, and Interstate 35W runs by the northwest corner of the neighborhood.

The Midtown Greenway cycle and walking path forms the southern border of the neighborhood, providing cyclists with a route along Lake Street to Midtown and Uptown Minneapolis.

Many businesses operate on Franklin Avenue. Restaurants in Seward include the Birchwood Cafe, the co-operatively run Seward Cafe, the Second Moon coffee shop, Pizza Luce, and the Blue Nile Ethiopian restaurant.

Another co-op is the Seward Co-op, a favorite place to shop for groceries and produce.

Memory Lanes, offers retro bowling and a cocktail lounge.

One well-regarded public school is located in the neighborhood, the Seward Montessori School.

The Playwrights' Center on Franklin Avenue, supports new and emerging playwrights and stages new plays in their theater in a restored church.

The Northern Clay Center, also on Franklin Avenue, holds exhibitions of ceramic arts, and provides studio space and classes for artists and aspiring artists.