Nicollet Architecture Tour, Minneapolis

Take a tour of some of the most spectacular buildings in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Nicollet Architecture Tour, Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407, United States

Created By: Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District

Tour Information

This 18-stop exploration weaves together the stories of Nicollet Mall’s significant buildings, architectural features and the people who created them. This tour was created by architectural historian Richard L. Kronick and photographer Sam Goertz with support from the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District.


Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

INTRODUCTION "The new Nicollet -- completely renovated in 2017 – offers a greener and more pedestrian friendly experience for all who live, work or visit downtown. But the Mall and the buildings that line its 12-block length also have int... Read more
Marquette Plaza(formerly Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis) Architect: Gunnar Birkerts & Associates, 1972 Renovation and addition by Walsh Bishop Associates, 2002 "Built in 1972 and originally designed to house the Federal Reserve Ban... Read more
Minneapolis Central Library (Hennepin County Library System), 2006 300 Nicollet Mall Architect: Cesar Pelli Associates (New Haven, Connecticut) with Architectural Alliance (Minneapolis) Landscape design: Coen and Partners "Some library cons... Read more
Nicollet Mall, 1967 Original design by Lawrence Halprin and Associates Renovation by BRW Architects, 1990 Renovation by James Corner Field Operations, 2017 "Nicollet Avenue has been Minneapolis’ main shopping street for more than 100 year... Read more
The Andrus Building 500 Nicollet Mall Architects: Long & Long 1983 renovation by Miller, Hanson, Westerbeck and Bell Architects 2018-19 renovation by RSP Architects and Mortenson Construction   This 140,000 sq. ft. office building was ... Read more
City Center 1983 Architect: Denver office of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill 2018 renovation by Ryan Companies City Center was designed to lure shoppers away from suburban malls and bring (or keep) them downtown. As part of a tax increment fi... Read more
Gaviidae Common 651 Nicollet Mall, Suite 300 Built: 1989: Cesar Pelli Associates Renovated 2018; HGA Gaviidae Common began life in 1989 as a chic shopping mall. Before that, the site was occupied by the Northwest Bank Building, which burned... Read more
Dayton’s Department Store, 1902 700 Nicollet Mall Architect: Charles S. Sedgwick Additions by Long and Thorshov, 1916-1929, and Larson and McLaren, 1937 & 1947 Renovated, repurposed, and renamed the Dayton’s Project in 2019 In 1902,... Read more
IDS Center / Crystal Court, 1972 717 Nicollet Mall / 80 S. 8th St. Architects: Philip Johnson and John Burgee (New York City) with Edward Baker (Minneapolis) Renovation of Crystal Court by Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, 1998 "The IDS Center ... Read more
Medical Arts Building, 1923 825 Nicollet Mall Architects: Long and Thorshov Addition by Long and Thorshov, 1929 Renovation by Shea Architects, 1993 "The Medical Arts Building is sheathed in bright white terra cotta. 'Terra cotta' translates... Read more
Foshay Tower 1929   Architect: Leon Arnal working for Magney and Tusler Everything looked rosy in Minneapolis on October 28, 1928. A headline on the front page of the Star stated that building permits totaling $23 million had been issued i... Read more
Young-Quinlan Building, 1926 901 Nicollet Mall Architects: Frederick Ackerman (New York) with Magney & Tusler (Minneapolis) Renovation and restoration by 614 Company, 1989 "A reviewer called this 'one of the most beautiful store buildin... Read more
Lafayette Building, 1922 1108 Nicollet Mall Architects: Ernest Croft and Francis Boerner "The Lafayette Building is a perfect architectural translation of the Roaring '20s — a fun-loving, ostentatious bauble of a building that looks like ... Read more
Orchestra Hall, 1974 1111 Nicollet Mall Architects: Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates (New York City) with Hammel Green & Abrahamson (Minneapolis) and acoustical engineer Cyril Harris (New York City) First renovation by Hardy Holzman Pf... Read more
Peavey Plaza 1100 Marquette Avenue Landscape Architect: M. Paul Friedberg (New York City), 1975 Renovation by New History and Coen + Partners, 2019   Peavey Plaza was an instant hit. Downtown workers on lunch break and children of all ages... Read more
YWCA – Downtown 1130 Nicollet Mall Built: 1976 Architect: Freerks, Sperl Flynn Architects; interior renovation in 2018 by 292 Design Group The first free-standing YWCA in Minneapolis was constructed at this location in 1929. It was demoli... Read more
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1897 1200 Marquette Avenue Architects: Charles S. Sedgwick & Warren H. Hayes Additions in 1911 (Kindergarten room by Purcell, Feick & Elmslie; demolished), 1937 (Great Hall, Cloister Hall, and Chapel... Read more
Loring Greenway, 1976 1234 Lasalle Avenue Architect: M. Paul Friedberg and Associates "By the 1960s, the once fashionable Loring Park area had become run down. In response, both the Minneapolis City Council and the Downtown Council (a busin... Read more

 

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