The Sorenson neighborhood is located in central St. Louis Park and is a part of Ward 1. Sorenson has a total population of 1,500 residents and is bordered by Minnetonka Boulevard to the north, Highway 7 to the south, CP Railroad to the west, and Highway 100 to the east. The neighborhood is comprised of around 207 acres, which is 17 residential blocks. Approximately 1.5 percent of Sorenson is residential and 2.7 is industrial/commercial.
In the early 1880’s, the City of Minneapolis continued to expand westward past France Avenue. Expansion stopped, however, with the incorporation of St. Louis Park in 1886. The original site of the central village is now the Sorenson neighborhood. Before automobile transportation, the St. Louis Park Trolley served as the main means of transportation to Minneapolis. Sorenson is also home to the first circular cement grain elevator or tubular elevator. The elevator still stands today and is registered to the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the Sorenson neighborhood is home to the main business district in St. Louis Park with its central location. The neighborhood also contains some of the oldest developments in the area that date back to 1887. Overall, there are 756 housing units. Of those units, 457 are single family homes, 16 are townhomes, 261 are apartments, and 22 are duplexes. The average age of Sorenson houses is 1941.
Sorenson’s neighbors group was formed back in 1999. The group is responsible for hosting a Beer, Cheese, and Wine fundraiser STEP, a Fall Social, and organization of the community garden at Webster Park. The Sorenson neighborhood is also home to the city’s historic, annual celebration known as Parktacular. Since the early 1900’s, the events has served to bring the community together with games, competitions, food, and music. One of the event’s most popular features is the Grand Day Parade and food trucks, where residents can enjoy burgers, fries, onion rings, pork burritos, vegetable tamales, italian ice, cheese curds, and more. Parktacular also hosts an expo and kid’s games.
Numerous dining options can also be found in Sorenson, including Gael’s Gourmet. The local shop offers full meals and snacks such as roasted eggplant, pulled pork, and their popular mac and cheese pizza. Night entertainment can be found at Park Tavern & Entertainment Center. Local come here for to watch the play darts, pool, arcade games, bowl, or watch the big game. Park Tavern’s menu consists of an angry cow burger, a beer-marinated beef patty with ghost pepper cheese and jalapeno-bacon jam, and other common bar food.
Three parks are located in Sorenson for residents to enjoy outdoor recreational activities. Webster Park hosts the neighborhood events throughout the year and has a small playground for kids to enjoy. Alabama Park features an open field for outdoor activities. Roxbury Park offers amenities such as a playground, basketball courts, and a picnic shelter.
If you have any questions regarding the Sorenson Neighborhood, the city of St. Louis Park, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the area, please feel free to give TwinCitiesPropertyFinder.com or call 1-800-909-1953.
