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History of the Minneapolis North Loop

October 2, 2024

History of the Minneapolis North Loop

Photo courtest of the Hennepin County Library

Like people, municipalities go through different stages, events, and experiences that cause them to change. Many times, those community changes come from redevelopment. Often, redevelopment in specific neighborhoods takes a back seat when we think of Public Works Projects. However, redevelopment of downtown streetscapes or neighborhoods is integral to the public works industry.  One of the most significant redevelopments happened in the City of Minneapolis, MN, in the North Loop Neighborhood.

The North Loop Neighborhood was the central commercial district in Minneapolis when Minneapolis was a main shipping hub for the Midwest. The buildings that make up North Loop today once were warehouses and factories. Some major manufacturing companies that occupied those buildings were Lindsay Brother, Deere and Weber Co, Maytag, Creamette Company, Sherwin Williams, and five historic hotels.

After the Great Depression, as manufacturing evolved and technology progressed, companies started to pull out of the historic buildings. The once proud center of business in Minneapolis became a ghost town. These historic buildings were left vacant for a handful of years. The vacant building became home to homelessness and crime. 

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the City of Minneapolis partnered with several developers, architects, and engineers to redevelop buildings into apartments, condos, restaurants, coffee shops, and offices. These entities came together through various concept plans and downtown masterplans to create a vision to redevelop these vacant historic buildings into new opportunities that can bring life back into the area.

Today, North Loop is one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the City of Minneapolis. The North Loop is home to some of the Midwest’s top restaurants, and many nationally recognized companies call it their home.  

The history of the North Loop and its ability to be redeveloped into a thriving metropolis provide an excellent road map for our many different professions and disciplines in the public works industry to come together and help municipalities flourish.

Learn more:

Loop Back: The North Loop's Colorful History (Overview) - North Loop Neighborhood Association

Loop Back: From Saloon Spittoons To Craft Cocktails - North Loop Neighborhood Association

 

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