Minneapolis Downtown Council Unveils Downtown 2025 Plan

By Gabriel Circiog, Associate Editor

The Minneapolis Downtown Council has unveiled an ambitious 15-year plan for the city’s central business district. Finance & Commerce reports that the plans, which will include the new Vikings stadium near Target Field, are worth around $2 billion.

The plan’s announcement followed input from 80 local leaders, residents, business executives and government leaders. The most questionable item on the list remains the proposed stadium. Plans are still unclear, as the Vikings have repeatedly stated that they would prefer to build in Arden Hills.

Among other key goals of the Downtown 25 Plan:

• To increase downtown’s residential population to 70,000. The plan envisions adding 15,000 housing units, expanding the Class A multi-tenant office space by 3 million square feet, adding 1,100 hotel rooms and building around 200,000 square feet of retail space.
• To revitalize Nicollet’s north end and encourage development of the empty blocks by creating a new linear park. The Gateway Park would stretch from the light-rail station on Fifth Street to the river.
• To extend and renovate the original Nicollet mall segment. The redesigned Nicollet corridor would run from the Walker Art Center through Loring Park to the Mississippi River, and end at the foot of the Father Hennepin Bridge.
• To improve public transportation by increasing transit’s mode share for the daytime commuters from 40 to 60 percent and by installing a Downtown Circulator.
• To increase the entertainment value of the downtown by establishing a sports district anchored by Target Field, featuring a renovated Target Center and new Vikings Stadium, all served by the region’s busiest transit hub: the Transportation Interchange.

Photo Credits: Minneapolis Downtown Council Official Web site