Does Minneapolis Need a New Tallest Building? (Nicollet: rent, home)

[west336]

"Need"? No. But would it help launch its status from "big" to "major" U.S. city -- maybe....

I would only approve if it was something that the entire city embraced, and was architecturally-magnificent, like the IDS, Norwest (Wells Fargo) tower, or 225 S. 6th (Capella) tower.

[ocsid]

I doubt it will happen. The trend has moved away from marquee skyscrapers to sprawling office campuses (I'm sure much to the chagrin of urbanists).

Look at the largest companies in the area.

Best Buy moved from one campus in Eden Prairie where they couldn't expand, to their new massive campus in Richfield, and their old campus was taken over by SuperValu.

Medtronic, which already had a huge campus in Fridley, built another one in Mounds View.

Cargill moved out of downtown in the early 70's to the campus in Minnetonka, and since they can't expand there, built a second campus in Hopkins.

Wells Fargo, which has a marquee skyscraper, purchased the old Honeywell campus in South Minneapolis, rather than expanding downtown.

Target, which is also based downtown, built a massive campus in Brooklyn Park, with room to expand if need be.

Also, I believe the old State Farm insurance campus in Woodbury is still vacant, as is the old Northwest Airlines HQ in Eagan. The large Lockheed-Martin building in Eagan will soon be vacant, as will the Ford Plant.

United Health and Blue Cross are also headquartered in large suburban developments.

Even Sears in Chicago left their namesake Sears Tower years ago to move to a new campus in the suburbs. As long as land is cheaper, and tax breaks are available, we aren't going to see the kind of skyscraper development we once did. The exception is probably NYC, simply because of the high land costs out there. Of course land costs are high on the West Coast as well, but they really can't build those kind of buildings because of the earthquake factor.

[MinnyKid]

Everyone is focusing on office buildings, but maybe people should be thinking in the other direction. Apartment and condo vacancy rates in Minneapolis are the lowest that they have been in years. Is there possibility for mixed-use or luxury apartment supertalls?

[iNviNciBL3]

Lets build this in Minneapolis!
Kingdom Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[green_mariner]

It could put Minneapolis on the map nationally, and make it even more well known. Seattle is known by its Space Needle. Toronto is known by its CN Tower. Why not Minneapolis have the next tallest skyscraper?

That being said, there has to be a purpose for that skyscraper. It has to serve a purpose.

[Glenfield]

Many people don't want to work in a giant skyscraper since 9/11.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

Many people don't want to work in a giant skyscraper since 9/11.

Well they are building multiple giant skyscrapers at the site of the attacks. I highly doubt it worries much people

[City Data Guy]

I don't know if Minneapolis can make a mark on a global scale unless its population is at least one million. But, yeah, I think a new tallest building would be cool. But like others have said, it probably doesn't NEED one.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

Well they are building multiple giant skyscrapers at the site of the attacks. I highly doubt it worries much people

The fact that they are building them doesnt really mean anything. I know plenty of people who work in offices in NY's financial district and they are not all that comfortable with the idea, but the people who work in the offices aren't the ones who decide to develop the property or sign the leases. I'm just saying how many of the worker bees feel about it.

By the way, though it did tick down ever so slightly this year, the vacancy rate in Minneapolis is still almost 20%. I don't think there's any demand for this here right now.

[jaxontwinz]

Doesn't need one, however, the Twin Cities are thriving and there should be an icon to say that. I'm not talking a supertall. But a 850-900 tower to make the city stand out even more could really be cool. With all the new residential projects going up in both St. Paul and MPLS, a residential skyscraper could be used as well, or mulit-purpose with some office space. There really are a lot of surface parking lots downtown that could really be transformed and benefit the city; a skyscraper would do it.