With this goal in mind, the City of Minneapolis embarked on a comprehensive reconstruction project to improve over a mile of city streets. The success of the Historic North Loop Public Realm Reconstruction project involved thoughtful involvement of stakeholders and a dedicated vision of preserving historic elements and charm while adding modern amenities and accessibility.
The City hired Stantec to work with city planning and engineering staff to reach a preferred design for each heritage street and to outline a possible funding and implementation plan. Building on the Warehouse District Heritage Street Plan guidelines developed by Stantec and the City, Stantec prepared plans to reconstruct deteriorated pavement and improve pedestrian safety, while respecting and enhancing its historic character.
Stantec worked closely with the City to finalize preliminary design, including historic preservation treatments, and delivered a final detailed design package.
Developing consensus
This project involved many stakeholders throughout the development of the Heritage Street Plan and its subsequent street projects, including City engineers and planners, residents, companies with major real estate investments, small businesses, historic preservationists, potential investors, and the City’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
Onsite stakeholder tours and meetings helped bring disparate viewpoints to light and then built consensus through those conversations. As a result of this proactive approach, the community was enthusiastic to see its input realized by the time construction was underway.
Enhancing the environment
Because this area had been industrial for so long, it had not supported any greenspace or street trees for over a century.
With input from stakeholders, the City and Stantec learned that residents wanted trees incorporated into the new design for to enhance greenery. In addition to improving neighborhood aesthetics, the decision to include tree planting provided an opportunity to incorporate green infrastructure stormwater management facilities with the tree planting areas.
Tree beds were designed to receive sidewalk drainage to infiltrate the runoff, nourish the trees, and improve the quality of the stormwater that drains into the adjacent Mississippi River. Keeping historic character in mind, tree placement was also carefully planned to not impact loading docks or significant historic facades.
Maximizing authentic resources
In preserving the neighborhood’s historic roots, it was a priority to salvage as many original details as possible as part of the reconstruction project. Preservation included reusing existing materials such as vitrified clay paver bricks and granite curbs that had been installed in the early 1900s.
