The Southeast Como neighborhood, located between the University of Minnesota campus and the city’s Northeast industrial corridor, has its origins in the late 19th century as a working- and middle-class residential area. Named after Como Avenue, a key east-west corridor that runs through the neighborhood, Southeast Como developed alongside the expansion of the University and the rise of Minneapolis as an industrial powerhouse. The neighborhood’s early residents included Scandinavian and Eastern European immigrants who worked in nearby railroad yards, grain mills, and factories, as well as faculty and staff from the growing University of Minnesota. Modest single-family homes, duplexes, and small apartment buildings characterized the built environment, creating a stable, tight-knit community.

Throughout the 20th century, Southeast Como retained much of its residential identity while also adapting to the changing needs of a growing metropolis. The University’s continued expansion and the development of adjacent industrial areas brought a mix of new populations and land uses to the neighborhood. Industrial facilities along the northern edge of the neighborhood—such as grain silos, rail spurs, and manufacturing plants—coexisted with quiet residential blocks and neighborhood businesses along streets like 15th and Como Avenues. In the postwar era, student renters increasingly moved into the neighborhood, drawn by its proximity to the University and its relatively affordable housing stock.

In recent decades, Southeast Como has become a unique blend of long-term homeowners, student renters, artists, and urban gardeners. The neighborhood has been at the forefront of sustainability and environmental efforts, with initiatives such as community gardens, urban farming, and partnerships with groups like Metro Blooms to improve green infrastructure. While the industrial edge of the neighborhood still plays a role in its identity, much of the area has embraced walkability, green living, and a strong tradition of civic engagement. Today, Southeast Como remains one of Minneapolis’s most distinctive neighborhoods—defined by its modest scale, vibrant community life, and deep connection to both the land and the University that borders it.