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Midtown Exchange

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The Midtown Exchange is a historic structure and mixed-use building located in the Midtown neighborhood of Minneapolis , Minnesota , United States. It is the second-largest building in Minnesota in terms of leasable space, after the Mall of America . It was built in 1928 as a retail and mail-order catalog facility for Sears , which occupied it until 1994. It lay vacant until 2005, when it was transformed into multipurpose commercial space. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Sears, Roebuck and Company Mail-Order Warehouse and Retail Store .

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56-416: The first phase of the building, along Elliot Avenue and Lake Street , was built in 1928. It was expanded in 1929, 1964, and 1979, resulting in 1.2 million square feet (110,000 m²) of space. A central tower along Elliot Avenue rises 16 floors to 211 feet (64 m). After Sears closed the site in 1994, it laid vacant as development proposals came and went. The city of Minneapolis acquired the site in 2001 and sold

112-444: A Democrat. The town was placed in this district, which includes traditionally liberal segments of Minneapolis, in the redistricting after the 1990 census. Before that, St. Louis Park had been part of the 3rd congressional district, along with Edina and other more conservative suburbs. The 3rd district was represented by Republicans Clark MacGregor and William Frenzel from 1961 until 1991. Succeeding Jake Spano, mayor Nadia Mohamed

168-501: A home rule charter that gave an overwhelmed St. Louis Park the status of a city. That enabled the city to hire a city manager to assume some of the duties handled by the part-time city council. Several bridges built during that time are now being repaired or razed. In those days, the primary concerns were the physical planning of St. Louis Park, updating zoning and construction codes, expanding sewer and water systems, paving streets, acquiring park land and building schools. According to

224-495: A pedestrian and bicycle path .Alternatives looked at enhanced bus service on Lake Street, a rail transitway within the Midtown Greenway, and a dual alternative that features both enhanced bus service and a rail alternative. The dual option of both improved bus service and a rail alternative was selected in 2014. The $ 20 million I-35W & Lake Street station was constructed on Lake Street at Interstate 35W to serve

280-422: A single burst of construction from the late 1940s to the early 1950s. Residential development was closely followed by commercial developers eager to bring goods and services to these new households. In the late 1940s, Minnesota's first shopping center — the 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m ) Lilac Way — was constructed on the northeast corner of Excelsior Boulevard and Highway 100 . (The Lilac Way shopping center

336-654: A synchronized swimming program. For many years, a fixture at Park athletic events was the school dance line, the Parkettes, who served as cheerleaders for the Minnesota Vikings from 1964 to 1983. Athletes to come out of St. Louis Park include former NBA player and current Timberwolves broadcaster Jim Peterson (1980), NFL coach Marc Trestman (1974), former NHL player Erik Rasmussen (1995), Junior All-American cross-country skier Andrew J. Cheesebro, and former MLB player T. J. Bohn (1998). 1965 graduate Bob Stein

392-614: A wide variety of shopping, dining, events and rental. At 15th Avenue South, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre repurposed its Historic Avalon Theatre. East of Hiawatha Avenue, Lake Street stretches through the Longfellow and Cooper neighborhoods. This section represents the last remnants of Scandinavian investment for which Longfellow is well known. Recent investment in eastern Minneapolis includes new development at

448-519: Is accountable to the City Council. St. Louis Park voters elect the mayor and six (two at-large and four ward) City Council members to four-year terms. The mayor and at-large council members represent all residents; the ward council members are primarily responsible for representing their ward constituents. St. Louis Park is in Minnesota's 5th congressional district , represented by Ilhan Omar ,

504-585: Is developing plans to reconnect the street grid with Lake Street. Construction is expected to start in 2025. Efforts to redevelop more multi-use and density have been successful. Public investment and private redevelopment has occurred throughout the Lake Street corridor with a new public library near Minnehaha Avenue and the new mixed-use anchor building at Chicago Avenue, the Midtown Exchange . Streetcars began running on Lake Street in 1905. With

560-561: Is home to the Sabes Jewish Community Center and several synagogues including Beth El Synagogue and Kenesseth Israel Congregation. It is estimated that around 38% of Jews in the greater Minneapolis area live in St. Louis Park. Due, in part, to mass immigration from former-Soviet states, St. Louis Park has a large Russian population around its Aquila area. The Russian language is the second most spoken language in

616-485: Is the first elected Somali American mayor of a US city. She won election to the position on November 7, 2023. The St. Louis Park School District, Independent School District 283, is home to seven public schools serving about 4,200 students in grades K – 12 students. St. Louis Park is the only school district in Minnesota in which every public school has been recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by

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672-770: The Classic Lake Conference and into the North Suburban Conference . In 2013, the school moved out of the North Suburban Conference and into the Metro West Conference . The school won the boys' state basketball tournament in 1962 under coach Lloyd Holm, and had a resurgence in boys' basketball in the 1970s under coach August Schmidt. The girls' basketball teams won two state championships in 1986 and 1990 under head coach Phil Frerk. The school also has

728-724: The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway system and the more rustic Winchell Trail for hiking. Beneath the Lake Street-Marshall Bridge is the Minneapolis Rowing Club Boathouse. While originally developed around the Selby-Lake streetcar, Lake Street became a heavily automobile oriented corridor, especially after the removal of streetcars in the 1950s. Lake Street and University Avenue were two of

784-559: The Metro Orange Line , a bus rapid transit line that connects downtown Minneapolis south along I-35W to Burnsville. In the future, the Metro B Line will travel on Lake Street between West Lake Station connecting with Southwest LRT to downtown Saint Paul at Saint Paul Union Depot . The B Line will largely replace Metro Transit's Route 21 which travels along Lake Street. Route 21 has the second highest ridership for bus routes in

840-682: The Mississippi River where it crosses the Lake Street-Marshall Bridge into St. Paul and becomes Marshall Avenue. Lake Street has historically and, in the late 20th century, become the official boundary of several Minneapolis neighborhoods. From west to east these include: Cedar-Isles-Dean , East Isles , East Calhoun , Lowry Hill East , South Uptown , Whittier , Lyndale , Central , Phillips West , Midtown , Powderhorn Park , East Phillips , Corcoran and Longfellow . Informal commercial districts begin at

896-474: The U.S. Department of Education . In the 1960s, the proportion of school-age children in St. Louis Park was much higher than it is now, although the population has not changed much. Due to declining enrollment over the years, there have been several changes to schools in the district: St. Louis Park's athletic teams are called the Orioles. The school colors are orange and black. In 2005 the school moved out of

952-519: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 10.86 square miles (28.13 km ), of which 10.64 square miles (27.56 km ) is land and 0.22 square miles (0.57 km ) is water. Interstate 394 , U.S. Highway 169 , and Minnesota State Highways 7 and 100 are four of the main routes in St. Louis Park. As of the census of 2010, there were 45,250 people, 21,743 households, and 10,459 families residing in

1008-721: The 1927 Sears Mail Order Building in Los Angeles and the Crosstown Concourse (1927) in Memphis . Similar Sears warehouses existed in Philadelphia (1919) and Kansas City (1925) but were demolished in 1994 and 1997. Lake Street (Minneapolis) Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare between 29th and 31st streets in Minneapolis , Minnesota United States. From its western most end at

1064-413: The 1979 expansion portion in 2002 to be used by the neighboring Abbott Northwestern Hospital as a parking ramp . Two years later, Ryan Companies was given exclusive development rights to the site. The resulting plan divided the structure into a mixed-use site with about 300 residential units, plus office and retail space. In 2004, Allina Health announced plans to move their corporate headquarters to

1120-557: The Blue Line. Beginning in August 2012, police have increased patrols, added 24 new high definition cameras, and even added classical music in an effort to deter troublemakers. Metro Transit conducted a study to determine the potential for a future transitway along Lake Street and the Midtown Greenway corridor. The Midtown Greenway is about a block to the north of Lake Street and is a former freight rail bed that has been converted into

1176-540: The Lake Calhoun area which marks the end of West Lake Street, followed by Uptown, and then by Lyn-Lake . These areas generally have high property values and fairly high density. In the early 20th century this was one of the busiest areas outside of downtown as the streetcars headed west to Lake Minnetonka . Today they are among the most popular entertainment and nightlife areas in South Minneapolis , and

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1232-883: The Minneapolis Land and Investment Company to focus industrial development in Minneapolis. Walker's company also began developing St. Louis Park for industrial, commercial and residential use. Generally, development progressed outward from the original village center at the intersection of the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway with Wooddale Avenue. But Minneapolis soon expanded as far west as France Avenue, and its boundary may have continued to move westward had it not been for St. Louis Park's 1886 incorporation. By 1893, St. Louis Park's downtown, then located along Broadway (current-day Walker Street) near Lake Street, had three hotels and several fraternal meeting halls, and many newly arrived companies surrounded downtown. Around 1890,

1288-618: The Third Precinct Police building. In the next four years $ 100 million, collected mostly from private donations, was spent on restoring buildings or building new buildings in the area. The arson-damaged Coliseum Building and Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and underwent a $ 28 million renovation. The Kmart at Nicollet Avenue was torn down in November 2023 and the city of Minneapolis

1344-703: The Twin Cities. Lake Street is a Hennepin County Road. This road is currently 4 lanes wide but Hennepin County has plans to make changes to the road to improve safety of the corridor. Hennepin County received a RAISE grant to reduce the road to 3 lanes, add a bus only lane, and improve pedestrian accessibility and safety. St. Louis Park, Minnesota St. Louis Park is a city in Hennepin County , Minnesota , United States. The population

1400-401: The average family size was 2.81. In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 37.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males. The median income for a household in the city

1456-907: The building from rioting and looting by patrolling the area with baseball bats. The Sheraton Hotel was used as a temporary sanctuary by activists for unhoused persons, but they were later evicted after several safety incidents, and the hotel remains shuttered as of July 2021. Midtown Exchange has a sister building called the Landmark Center in Boston, Massachusetts . Both were built in the 1920s and their designs are nearly identical. Both are former Sears warehouses that have since been renovated into commercial space. Other adaptively reused Sears warehouses include those in Atlanta (1925), Chicago (1906), Dallas (1910), North Kansas City (1913), and Seattle (1912). Similar sites under construction include

1512-597: The building, taking up most of the allotted office space. Much of the residential space is known as the Chicago Lofts located on floors 9-16 and Midtown Exchange Apartments located on floors 2-8. The building also includes the Midtown Global Market , which is home to a variety of small independently owned restaurants, cafes, and specialty grocers, and hosts community programs including music, dance, and children's activities. A prototype Sheraton Hotel

1568-573: The city after English , and the Hennepin County Library 's St. Louis Park location has an extensive Russian language section. St. Louis Park operates under the Council/Manager form of government. An elected City Council sets the policy and overall direction for the city. Then city workers, under the direction of a professional city manager carry out council decisions and provide day-to-day city services. The city manager

1624-535: The city limits, Lake Street is coextensive with Minnetonka Boulevard running nearly a mile into St. Louis Park and then separates from Minnetonka Boulevard (which continues westward all the way through St. Louis Park) and runs diagonally southwestward. In the Uptown commercial district, the road is one-way and paired with Lagoon Avenue one block to the north to improve traffic flow. The street runs eastward past Interstate 35W and State Highway 55 (Hiawatha Avenue) to

1680-632: The city's limits, Lake Street reaches the Chain of Lakes , passing over a small channel linking Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles , and at its eastern most end it reaches the Mississippi River . In May 2020, the Lake Street corridor suffered extensive damage during local unrest following the murder of George Floyd . In August of the same year, city officials designated East Lake Street as one of seven cultural districts to promote racial equity, preserve cultural identity, and promote economic growth. West of

1736-460: The city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile (1,591.7 persons/km ). There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 units per square mile (762.6 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 88.91% White , 4.37% African American , 0.45% Native American , 3.21% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 1.28% from other races , and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.93% of

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1792-443: The city. The population density was 4,252.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,642.0/km ). There were 23,285 housing units at an average density of 2,188.4 units per square mile (844.9 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 83.3% White , 7.5% African American , 0.5% Native American , 3.8% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.8% from other races , and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of

1848-514: The construction of the original Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge in 1906, streetcars extended from downtown Saint Paul to almost Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis primarily along Selby Avenue and Lake Street. Streetcar service ended in 1953 when the line was replaced by buses. Lake Street developed into a busy commercial corridor because of the Selby-Lake streetcar line. At the peak, streetcars came every 3 minutes and ridership per mile along Lake Street

1904-410: The corner of West River Parkway and East Lake Street, anchoring the Lake Street-Marshall Bridge. This area is populated with middle-class homes and businesses, with property values rising as the street approaches the Mississippi River . The north-south stretch where Lake Street meets the river is a popular recreation destination, providing residents and visitors access to multi-use trails that are part of

1960-402: The corridor and the used car businesses focused on lower-end vehicles. In 1977, the construction of a Kmart closed off Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street and combined two city blocks. Many traditional streetcar-era buildings were razed during the auto era and much of Lake Street contains 1960s-era auto-oriented businesses with parking lots. Near the intersection of Lake Street and 27th Avenue

2016-486: The corridor, as most of this section of the corridor was branded with the Midtown neighborhood name. East Lake Street continues to undergo massive refitting to help reduce crime, boost property values, and attract more shoppers. Improvements to the area brought concerns for the many immigrant business and property owners on the street who are being assessed for the new sidewalks and street paving. Non-positive gentrification

2072-510: The first "talkie", The Jazz Singer . The Coen brothers set their 2009 film A Serious Man in St. Louis Park c.  1967 . It was important to the Coens to find a neighborhood of original-looking suburban rambler homes as they would have appeared in St. Louis Park in the mid-1960s, and after careful scouting they opted to film scenes in a neighborhood of nearby Bloomington , as well as at St. Louis Park's B'nai Emet Synagogue , which

2128-424: The most auto-oriented corridors in the Twin Cities. Poet John Berryman referred to Lake Street in a poem as, "Lake Street where the used cars live". In 1955, Lake Street had 14 new car dealerships and almost 60 used car businesses. As suburban retail grew and wealthier households in south Minneapolis moved further south of Lake Street or to the suburbs, businesses on Lake Street deteriorated. New car dealerships left

2184-648: The population doubled from 2,281 to 4,710. Vigorous homebuilding occurred in the late 1930s to accommodate the pent-up need created during the Depression. With America's involvement in World War II , however, all development came to a halt. Explosive growth came after World War II. In 1940, 7,737 people lived in St. Louis Park. By 1955, more than 30,000 new residents had joined them. From 1940 to 1955, growth averaged 6.9 persons moving into St. Louis Park every day. Sixty percent of St. Louis Park's homes were built in

2240-409: The population. There were 20,782 households, out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.2% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and

2296-441: The population. There were 21,743 households, of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.9% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

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2352-501: The second-largest medical clinic in Minnesota (after Rochester's Mayo Clinic ). During the period between 1950 and 1956, 66 new subdivisions were recorded to make room for 2,700 new homes. In 1953 and 1954, the final two parcels — Kilmer and Shelard Park — were annexed. These parcels (originally in Minnetonka ) came to St. Louis Park because of their ability to provide sewer and water service. According to Al Franken , whose mother

2408-463: The site of rapid condominium development in recent years. The section of Lake Street stretching from Interstate 35W to Hiawatha Avenue has been in the past known for crime, prostitution, and drugs, especially in the late 1980s and early '90s. The street marks the southern boundary of the Phillips neighborhood, which was plagued with violence during that time. However, there has been reinvestment in

2464-544: The village had more than 600 industrial jobs, mostly associated with agriculture implement manufacturing at the massive Moline Plow Company factory once located just south of downtown. The financial panic of 1893 altered developers' plans and put a damper on the village's growth. Walker left St. Louis Park to pursue other business ventures. In 1899, St. Louis Park became the home to the Peavey–Haglin Experimental Concrete Grain Elevator ,

2520-511: The world's first concrete, tubular grain elevator , which provided an alternative to combustible wooden elevators. Despite being nicknamed "Peavey's Folly" and dire predictions that the elevator would burst like a balloon when the grain was drawn off, the experiment worked and concrete elevators have been used ever since. At the end of World War I , only seven scattered retail stores operated in St. Louis Park because streetcars provided easy access to shopping in Minneapolis. Between 1920 and 1930,

2576-399: Was $ 49,260, and the median income for a family was $ 63,182. Males had a median income of $ 40,561 versus $ 32,447 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 28,970. About 3.0% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over. The city has a relatively high Jewish population for Minnesota, and

2632-436: Was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 18.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 36.4% were from 25 to 44; 24% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in

2688-505: Was 50,010 at the 2020 census . It is a first-ring suburb immediately west of Minneapolis . Other adjacent cities include Edina , Golden Valley , Minnetonka , Plymouth , and Hopkins . The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting , which has a major collection of antique radio and television equipment, is also in the city. Items range from radios produced by local manufacturers to the Vitaphone system used to cut discs carrying audio for

2744-511: Was a realtor there, in the Twin Cities the area was nicknamed St. Jewish Park, given that 20% of its residents were of Jewish background. He states also that there appeared to be a tacit agreement between bankers, developers and real estate agents to ensure redlining , in order to prevent the spread of Jewish and Afro-American families across streets like Texas Avenue into areas with a different ethnic composition. In 1954, voters approved

2800-560: Was a large industrial complex that eventually served Minneapolis Moline . By 1972, the Minneapolis Moline factory shut down and a Target store opened in 1976. More suburban oriented developments with large parking lots and businesses set back from the street followed in the area including a Rainbow Foods in the mid-1980s. Protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 caused widespread damage along Lake Street. More than 30 businesses were damaged or destroyed including

2856-514: Was also a concern. An example of renewed interest in the area is the refurbishment of the Midtown Exchange building at East Lake Street and Chicago Avenue South. Formerly one of the most notoriously crime-ridden intersections in the city, is now home to an Allina Hospitals and Clinics expansion that brought 1,500 new employees to the area; the Sheraton Minneapolis Midtown Hotel and the Midtown Global Market with

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2912-683: Was an All-American end at the University of Minnesota and the youngest player ever to play in a Super Bowl, for the Kansas City Chiefs . He later served as the President of the Minnesota Timberwolves from 1987 to 1994. Former Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans President Jeff Diamond is a 1971 St. Louis Park graduate. There are over 2,700 businesses in St. Louis Park, including: The city employs 252 people and

2968-663: Was built in the former Sears parking lot. The building and hotel have direct access to the Midtown Greenway . The area around the Midtown Exchange building was heavily affected by civil disorder during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul that began in late May 2020, with several nearby buildings entirely destroyed by arson . Residents of the Midtown Exchange fended off threats to

3024-457: Was later sold and converted into a school. The name "St. Louis Park" was derived from the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway that ran through the area; the word "Park" was added to avoid confusion with St. Louis, Missouri . The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1886, and from 1887 to 1890, its post office was called "Elmwood". In 1892, lumber baron Thomas Barlow Walker and a group of wealthy Minneapolis industrialists incorporated

3080-552: Was the highest in the Twin Cities. The Metro Blue Line light-rail, (formerly known as the Hiawatha Light Rail line), serves Lake Street at Hiawatha Avenue with the Lake Street/Midtown station . The station itself is one of the most expensive along the line because it had to be elevated above a busy intersection. Furthermore, the Lake Street station has become one of the most crime-ridden stops along

3136-431: Was torn down in the late 1980s to make way for redevelopment.) Miracle Mile shopping center, built in 1950, and Knollwood Mall , which opened in 1956, remain open today. In the late 1940s, a group of 11 former army doctors opened the St. Louis Park Medical Center in a small building on Excelsior Boulevard. The medical center merged with Methodist Hospital and today is Park Nicollet Health Services, part of HealthPartners ,

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