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Riverside Plaza (Cedar Square West)
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Two of the taller buildings at Riverside Plaza.
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| Location: | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Built: | 1973 |
| Architect: | Ralph Rapson |
| NRHP Reference#: | 10001090 |
| Added to NRHP: | December 28, 2010 |
Riverside Plaza is a modernist and brutalist apartment complex designed by Ralph Rapson that opened in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1973. Situated on the edge of downtown Minneapolis in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, and next to the University of Minnesota's West Bank, the site contains the 39-story McKnight Building, the tallest structure outside of the city's central business district. Initially known as Cedar Square West, the exterior shots of the complex were featured on television as the residence of Mary Richards in later seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
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The imposing concrete structures use multi-colored panels (attempting to emulate Le Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation design), which strongly dates the period of construction. Many local residents consider the brutalist complex an eyesore.[1] Interstate 94 and I-35W both pass nearby, giving good highway transportation options for occupants, but the corridors also act as barriers to pedestrians. Despite these drawbacks, the complex has been successful in maintaining a high occupancy rate, rarely dipping below 90% in three decades.
Riverside Plaza is composed of six buildings and has 1,303 residential units, making it the main feature of the city's Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Each building has a different height, intended to reflect the diversity of its population. Rapson was inspired by the time he spent in European cities where people of different ages and levels of wealth coexisted in close quarters. The area was developed with support from the U.S. federal government's "New Town-In Town" program, and was originally planned to be part of a utopian design that would have seen 12,500 units spread across four "neighborhoods" housing a total of 30,000 people.
The complex was thus initially a mixed-housing initiative earmarked for both high-income and low-income residents, including renters and leasers. However, the buildings' new owners converted the structures into subsidized housing to benefit from a 10% state subsidy in addition to regular rental revenue. According to Rapson, who designed the towers and still lived and worked in the neighborhood, they also did not take proper care of the buildings, which led to nicknames such as the "Ghetto in the Sky" and the "Crack Stacks".[2] A string of homicides in the early 1990s also contributed to a negative image.
According to local police, however, neighborhood crime has fallen over the years following the deployment of a few additional patrol officers.[3] The Plaza has also evolved into a lively haven for new immigrant families,[3] particularly from Vietnam and Northeast Africa. The apartment complex's nickname has thus changed to "Little Somalia", reflecting its modern makeup.[2][4]
As of 2011, Riverside Plaza has over 4,500 tenants living in 1,303 units, split equally between market-rate and subsidized apartments.[3] The average duration of occupancy is three to four years, a relatively quick turnover owing to the upward mobility of the newly-arrived tenants, who are using the apartments as a temporary housing solution while they get on their feet.[3]
The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 28, 2010. The statement of significance cites its importance as a well-preserved example of urban redevelopment spurred by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the first to receive Title VII funding. It is also locally significant as one of the most prominent examples of Ralph Rapson's work.[5]
Problems with the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems of the almost 40 year old buildings have prompted the need for major renovations.[3] In response, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which views the complex as an example of effective multi-family public housing, is loaning almost $50 million for upgrades to infrastructure.[3] Part of a $132 million financial package put together by the federal and municipal governments as well over a dozen public and private funders, the initiative will also feature renovations to Riverside's fading multi-colored exterior panels.[3] In addition, the Plaza's current proprietor, Sherman Associates, is contributing $3 million to the makeover.[3]
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