North Loop, Minneapolis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Loop
Location of North Loop within the U.S. city of Minneapolis
Location of North Loop within the U.S. city of Minneapolis
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Hennepin
City Minneapolis
Community Central
Population (2000)[1][2]
 - City 1,515
 - Urban 387,970
 - Metro 3,502,891
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 55401, 55403, 55405, 55411
Area code(s) 612

The North Loop is a neighborhood which is part of the larger Central community of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although "North Loop" is the official name of the neighborhood many people still refer to it as the Warehouse District

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

.

Contents

[edit] Location

The North Loop is located just northwest of the central business district between downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River. Streets in the North Loop are oriented to be parallel to the river, which means that they run at a 45 degree angle to those in most of the rest of Minneapolis.

Although the extent of the neighborhood technically extends further to the south, the main residential and commercial area of the North Loop is roughly a rectangle bounded by Hennepin Avenue (in the southeast), Plymouth Avenue (in the northwest), the elevated 4th street freeway entrance/exit in the southwest, and the Mississippi River in the northeast. Washington Avenue is the main thoroughfare through the neighborhood.

The James I. Rice Park, which is in the northeast portion of the neighborhood along the river, is popular with residents during the summer months. The bike trail and the West River Parkway that runs through the park are part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway.

[edit] History

Minneapolis Warehouse Historic District
(U.S. Registered Historic District)
A look down First Avenue in the Warehouse District.
A look down First Avenue in the Warehouse District.
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Architect: Multiple
Architectural style(s): Classical Revival, Other, Romanesque
Added to NRHP: November 3, 1989
NRHP Reference#: 89001937[3]
Governing body: Private

For most of its history, the North Loop was an industrial area. It was home to a large railroad yard and numerous warehouses and factories. Much of the warehouse district (very roughly bounded by Second Street North, First Avenue North, Sixth Street North, and the BNSF Railway tracks, except for the Interstate 394 and Interstate 94 ramps) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The warehouses that characterize the district are mostly six to eight stories high, and about 62 structures on seven square blocks contribute to the district. The predominant form of design is the Chicago Commercial style, but many other styles were built, including Italianate, Queen Anne style, Richardsonian Romanesque, Classical Revival, and early 20th century commercial styles. The warehouse district was in turn associated with the railroad transportation network that was under development at the time, which connected Minneapolis with the rest of the Midwest and the rest of the country. These warehouses were used for wholesale and storage of goods related to milling and manufacturing. The nomination for the National Register of Historic Places states that the district, as a whole, comprises a cohesive district of buildings with a common physical appearance, as well as a common age and original use.[4]

The Warehouse district was a prominent home of the Minneapolis Arts Scene until the buildings became more commercially desirable in the 1990s. The Soap Factory in particular started across the street from the current home of the Jeune Lune Theater.

[edit] Today

While some industrial tenants remain (particularly in the area southwest of 4th Street), many of the old factories and warehouses have been converted to commercial space or loft condominiums and apartments. The area still retains some feel of its industrial past, as many newer buildings have attempted to replicate the style of the old warehouses.

Since the mid-1990s, when the gentrification of the neighborhood accelerated, thousands of people have moved into the North Loop. The neighborhood is particularly popular with people who work in Downtown Minneapolis, who enjoy the ability to walk, bike, or take a short bus ride to work. Coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and small stores have also moved in.

The Tony-award winning Theatre de la Jeune Lune and the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art, an artist cooperative and exhibition space, are located in the eastern part of the neighborhood. The largest employer is the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, which is located at the southwest end of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge.

[edit] Future

In September 2006, the North Loop Neighborhood Association received funding to build a dog park for North Loop residents.

The new Twins Ballpark, which is scheduled to be completed in 2010, will be on the southeast edge of the neighborhood. As of October 2006, current plans call for the construction of condos and apartments for as many as several thousand new residents near the stadium.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Twin Cities Region Population and Household Estimates, 2006 (PDF). Metropolitan Council (2006-04-01). Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  2. ^ Table 2: Population Estimates for the 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas Based on July 1, 2006 Population Estimates: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau (2007-04-05). Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
  3. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2006-03-15).
  4. ^ Certificate of Appropriateness for New Construction for the Parking Ramp Component of the Pacific Development Project. Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission (November 28, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-03-08.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 44°59′13″N, 93°16′35″W

v • d • e
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Park Service logo