After years of wear-and-tear, some city planners say that
Peavey Plaza, a downtown Minneapolis amphitheater and fountain on Nicollet Mall, could use some sprucing up.
Although it's a popular spot for outdoor concerts and other public gatherings, some areas are "depressed and hidden from view," says Chuck Lutz, who is the deputy director of the city's community planning and economic development office.
A couple years ago, the
Preservation Alliance of Minnesota named the plaza an endangered historic site.
M. Paul Friedberg, a prominent New York landscape architect, designed the 1975 plaza, which is defined by lots of concrete, hard lines and multiple levels. Friedberg also did the nearby Loring Greenway, a similarly-styled urban walkway.
The fountain's mechanical system is failing, while the bronze-colored pumps and pipes are visibly distressed. "It's not looking so good," says Lutz, adding that its condition has even raised public safety concerns.
When
Orchestra Hall announced in 2009 that it was embarking on a $40 million expansion and renovation of its adjacent concert hall, the city saw an opportunity to team up, Lutz says.Last year, the state legislature approved $16 million for both projects, with $2 million going to the plaza. The city still needs several more million dollars to pull it off, according to Lutz.
Right now, the city is soliciting ideas for the makeover from four finalist architects, including Close Landscape Architecture, Coen & Partners, Damon Farber Associates, and Oslund and Associates. The public is invited to sit in on interviews with the architects on Nov. 16 at the convention center.
How much of the original design should be preserved is debatable. At this early stage, Lutz says, "We're not asking developers to come with designs already," Lutz says. "It's an opportunity to hear from the four competing firms."
Source: Chuck Lutz, deputy director, Minneapolis community planning and economic development department
Writer: Anna Pratt