Located at the epicenter of the Twin Cities and the galactic hub of the universe, the ECCO neighborhood is the spiritual, historical and recreational heart of Minneapolis.  Within a block or so are the sites of an early Dakota Indian village, the first white residence, and the resting place of H.W.S. Cleveland -- the godfather of Minneapolis parks.  ECCO (East Calhoun) is located southwest of the trendy Uptown Business District and Calhoun Square, east of lovely Lake Calhoun, north of the soulful Lakewood Cemetery, and south of the upscale Kenwood neighborhood.  See Map for street grid layout spilling over into Lake Calhoun.

With its mixture of turn of the century single family dwellings, duplexes and well kept apartment buildings, the neighborhood offers a safe urban habitat for both its sun-loving and snow-loving residents. Because of its proximity to fine ethic restaurants and specialty retail merchants and to the recreational amenities of Lake Calhoun, ECCO is especially attractive to young urban professionals, recent college graduates, and adventurous empty nesters.

With a total population of 2, 574 including 20% still in school (1990 Census), ECCO residents are well educated (over 63% with bachelor's degrees or higher in 1990).  The community is a healthy mix of long-time residents and homeowners, and recent transfers to the neighborhood (business transfers, starter families, single professionals, and college students.  With over 85% of persons over age 16 in the labor force, ECCO residents are typically two-income families (if married) or at least gainfully employed (if single).  Household income levels span the spectrum, fortunately with only a few households living below the poverty line (less than 1%) and with most owner-occupied households earning between $35,000 and $150,000 and with most renter households earning between $15,000 and  $50,000 (1990 census data).

Young and hip in a thoroughly gentrified way, Uptown offers great shopping along lively sidewalks packed with both skateboarders and visitors from the 'burbs.  The business community is anchored by Calhoun Square, an enclosed mall  at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street.  Surface level retail extends west, east, north and south from this intersection. Retailing is predominantly oriented toward small specialty stores, but medium-sized chains such as Ragstock, Pier One, Urban Outfitters and The Gap have also settled down in the neighborhood. Intermixed with the retailing are the numerous coffee houses, ice cream parlors, trendy bistros, and upscale Italian restaurants which range up and down Hennepin and Lake. Further enlivening the community are long-established bars with live entertainment, which feature bluegrass, blues, jazz, and pop rock. Cultural complements are provided by the bookstores, CD record stores , and movie theaters.   Uptown is home to three   movie theaters – Uptown Theater, Lagoon Cinema and Suburban World – where the atmosphere and films are totally unlike the Cineplex-Odeon experience.  Finally, Uptown  also hosts the nationally acclaimed Uptown Art Fair which draws artists and art lovers from across the nation.

Within the immediate boundaries of the ECCO neighborhood, there are two churches - the Minneapolis Zen Center and St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church (the locus of most community events meetings). Located within easy walking and driving distance are churches representing every major religious faith (see Churches for detail listing). Complementing the churches are a rich assortment of other public institutions - Schools, Libraries, Parks - which ECCO and Minneapolis residents are justly proud.   Perhaps the greatest amenity is Lake Calhoun itself, the largest of Minneapolis Chain of Lakes, which provides more people-watching and recreational pursuit activity per square foot than any other lake in the Twin Cities (see Parks for detail parks listing).

The neighborhood is well served by newspapers: the East Calhoun News which concentrates just on the ECCO and CARAG neighborhoods, and the Southwest Journal  which covers all of southwest Minneapolis.

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