Tre Ministries proposes redevelopment in All Saints neighborhood

The nonprofit Tre Ministries is bringing forward a plan to turn property at 18th Street and Minnesota Avenue into a new campus.

The organization was founded by youth ministry director Sandy Berven in the former Tre Lounge in 2018 — hence the name — and then moved to 900 W. 11th St. where it has run out of room, according to a letter sent to residents in the All Saints neighborhood.

A meeting will be held to introduce the plans at 6 p.m. today at the Downtown Library, but the letter detailed the concept.

“Tre seeks to expand its organization with an entire campus focused on furthering their mission of being a place of belonging, purpose and hope to young adults,” the letter reads.

“The property at 18th and Minnesota is the site that Sandy and her team feel is the perfect location to expand their mission.”

The mission of Tre Ministries is to “empower and equip young people to live out their God-given purpose,” the letter said, providing a “positive, loving environment and community for young adults regardless of their background.”

Tre Ministries has not yet purchased the property and is going through preliminary design work. The letter does not define the boundaries of area. Johnson Properties owns all the lots from 18th to 19th streets between Minnesota and Dakota avenues, some of which are vacant.

The campus in the All Saints neighborhood would consist of two separate buildings with a parking structure contained between them, the letter states.

One building would run along Dakota Avenue and 18th and be used for Tre Living, a program designed for young adults as a new leadership program and would offer more than 30 apartments.

The second building would face Minnesota Avenue. Plans for it aren’t detailed in the letter, but Tre currently is a place for young adults to gather, have coffee and make friends after they’ve graduated from high school.

The development includes removing four houses, with a building plan that includes ample green space, the letter reads.

“Our goal behind the design is to adhere to the historic district standards while providing enough units to sustain the Tre Living program,” it reads.

“Some of the design elements implemented in our plan to support the historic district’s requirements include lap siding, double-hung windows, decorative soffit/facia features and other elements that align with the historic district standards. In an effort to maximize the parking requirements for the property, we are proposing to create diagonal parking on Dakota Avenue in front of the apartment building. We will gladly receive any advice or suggestions to improve the design of the development. It is our goal to make this a successful project for all parties involved.”