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The Minneapolis Fed
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is located
at the north end of downtown Minneapolis along the Mississippi River from
Hennepin Avenue to Second Avenue North, a site commonly referred to as
the Bridgehead Site.
The building design by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum strikes a balance
between the stability, security and strength of the Federal Reserve and
the physical and historical significance of the site itself. The design
respects the Warehouse District to the south and west and the Mississippi
River to the north while meeting the functional needs of the Bank.
General Building Information
Architect:
Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, St. Louis, Missouri
Interior Design:
Walsh Bishop Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota
Structural Engineer:
Siebold, Sydow & Elfanbaum, St. Louis, Missouri
Mechanical Engineer:
Michaud Cooley Erickson, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Construction Manager:
McGough Construction Company, St. Paul, Minnesota
Telecommunications:
Norstan/Fujitsu/FORE
Cost:
Approximately $100 million
Timetable:
Demolition, Spring 1994; Construction, Winter 1994; Occupancy, August
1997
Lobby Art Commission:
Minneapolis artist Aldo Moroni's “This River, This Place”
Plaza and Grounds
In addition to the trees and benches on the plaza, there is a specially
designed bus shelter and a 16-foot diameter city map which orients
visitors and residents alike to the area's historic sites: St. Anthony
Falls, the Warehouse District and key buildings in the downtown area.
Six beacon lights separate the plaza at the street level from the
handicapped-accessible walkway that leads down to the parkway and
complement the lights atop the Hennepin Avenue Bridge.
Along the plaza walkway that leads to the riverfront are five interpretive
exhibits that depict the history of the site. They are titled respectively:
A Great Waterfall (1805), Gateway to the West (1875), Growth of Commerce
(1895), Civic Improvements (1925) and Transformations (1995). At the base
of the plaza is the pergola, an arborlike structure that overlooks the
river. The Second
Avenue North end of the Bank's property is planted with prairie grasses
and wildflowers and surrounded by a decorative wrought iron fence. In
all, landscaping includes 148 deciduous trees, 59 evergreen trees and
6,945 shrubs.
Special Features
Conference Center
The conference center, located on the lobby level of the tower, features
10 meeting rooms, the largest of which is the River Room, with auditorium-style
seating for 200. Thirty-five other meeting rooms are located throughout
the building.
Video Monitors
Video monitors throughout the building continuously display messages and
announcements. The new system, which replaces traditional paper-based
bulletin boards, is capable of incorporating video clips, photos and animation.
New Address
90 Hennepin Avenue was selected the Bank's new address to signify that
the Bank represents the entire Ninth Federal Reserve District (because
the Bank is located on the even side of the street, 9 was not an option).
Time Capsule
A time capsule was sealed and placed in the building cornerstone at First
Street and Hennepin Avenue in June 1997. Items selected for inclusion
highlight current Bank operations, depict employee life, detail construction
of the new building, and include current Bank and local news publications.
A duplicate set of materials is stored in the Bank's archives to be opened
at a later date-perhaps the 100th anniversary of the Bank.
Linking the past and future,
fedgazette, October 1997
Comments at the dedication of the building
A look back at the first Minneapolis Fed building,
The Region, September 1996
“This River, This Place”, an epic stoneware wall sculpture of the Ninth Federal Reserve District by artist Aldo Moroni
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Helena Branch
