Nicollet Design Tour, Minneapolis

What went into the design of the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis?

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Nicollet Design Tour, Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407, United States

Created By: Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District

Tour Information

Have an eye for art, design, and landscape? Take a design tour in downtown Minneapolis' Nicollet Mall district!

Nicollet Avenue has been Minneapolis’ civic “Main Street” for more than 100 years. People come to Nicollet to work, eat and shop year round, and it’s the first impression many visitors get of the entire metro area. Host to the busiest light rail station and several bus routes, Nicollet provides key connections to many other downtown points of interest including the Mississippi River, Loring Park, the Minneapolis Convention Center, Target Field, Target Center, the Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and U.S. Bank Stadium.

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What You'll See on the Tour

Nicollet Avenue has been Minneapolis’ civic “Main Street” for more than 100 years. People come to Nicollet to work, eat and shop year round, and it’s the first impression many visitors get of the entire metro area. Host to the busi... Read more
  30 S 3rd Street Throughout most its history, Nicollet Avenue was a Main Street – a place for retailing and socializing. First horse-drawn wagons and then cars parked in front of Nicollet Avenue businesses and stores. Then in the 1960... Read more
250 Nicollet Mall The new Nicollet is a green street that offers substantially more tree canopy, providing more shade for pedestrians and reducing urban heat island effects. The designers were inspired by the contrast of Minneapolis’ str... Read more
300 Nicollet Mall A series of destinations along Nicollet encourage visitors to use the Mall in a variety of ways and walk it from end to end. These features provide places for people to come together and gather and are thoughtfully placed... Read more
404 Nicollet Mall The new Nicollet plays a vital role in Minneapolis’ competitive edge both as a place that attracts investment and a place that people want to live. Its renovation was central to the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s 2025... Read more
651 Nicollet Mall Nicollet’s 12-block long design is conceptually divided into three character zones: the Woods, the Groves and the Center. Nicollet gradually transitions from being the greenest at the ends in the “Woods” to the most... Read more
747 Nicollet Mall Quality lighting is essential to the success of public spaces, especially for northern locations like Minneapolis, where there are many dark months each year. Lighting on Nicollet enhances the street’s vibrancy, vitalit... Read more
800 Nicollet Mall Moveable furniture helps to socially activate Nicollet as well as provide necessary functions for a clean and safe public space. The signature seating element is the Nicollet Moveable Chair. These lightweight, moveable, c... Read more
921 Nicollet Mall “Through Walk Zones” are a key pedestrian circulation feature on Nicollet. They are typically ten feet wide and adjacent to the buildings on both sides of the street bringing pedestrian traffic in closer proximity to ... Read more
1033 Nicollet Mall Nicollet is the most walked street in Minneapolis—more than 20,000 pedestrians pass through its busiest intersection each day. The primary goal of the Nicollet renovation was to serve these people by creating a livelie... Read more
1130 Nicollet Mall The intersections on Nicollet are designed to make it easier and safer for pedestrians. Crosswalks are generously sized and clearly marked and curb extensions shorten the crosswalk distance where possible. Most intersect... Read more
1300 Nicollet Mall At less than 1-mile, Nicollet is a walkable street. The Mall serves as a major spine and connector, linking together many adjacent places and neighborhoods. The design vision extends Nicollet with intensive greening to c... Read more

 

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