Minneapolis City Hall - Architecture

Architecture

The building replaced an earlier City Hall that existed from 1873 until 1912 near the old intersection between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue. That structure eventually was razed to make way for Gateway Park, which continues to occupy part of the old City Hall site. The building also replaced an earlier courthouse and also the earlier Hennepin County Jail, which was located where the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome now stands.

The building, located at 350 South Fifth Street, is an example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The design is based upon Henry Hobson Richardson's Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Washington School, the first schoolhouse in Minneapolis west of the Mississippi River, was demolished to make way for the new building. Groundbreaking took place in 1889, and the cornerstone was laid (a story off the ground) in 1891. Construction did not officially end until 1909, although the structural exterior was essentially complete by the end of 1895. The county began moving in to its side (4th Ave.) shortly after that, although the city (3rd Ave.) side was not fully occupied until 1906. Cost was about $3,554,000, which works out to 28¢ per cubic foot ($10/m³).

When constructed, the building claimed to have the world's largest clock. At 23 feet, 4 inches (slightly over 7 meters), the faces are four inches (10 cm) wider than those of the Great Clock in London (which houses the famous hour bell Big Ben). The tower housing the clock reaches 345 feet (105 m) in height, and was the tallest structure in the city until the 1920s when the Foshay Tower was built. A 15-bell chime in the tower is played regularly, with noontime concerts provided to the public on holidays and on Fridays and certain Sundays during the warm months. The chime was originally 10 bells, and it was first played on March 10, 1896.

The building is built of Ortonville granite, with many stones greater than 20 tons in weight. The granite was originally only going to be used for the foundation of the building, with brick used for the upper portion. However, the public appreciated the appearance of the foundation so much that they lobbied for the entire building to be made of granite. This may be a reason for the significant cost overruns — it was originally expected to cost only $1.15 million.

Unlike most buildings in downtown Minneapolis, there aren't any skyways connecting the city hall to the rest of the city. Since any attempt at that would have been architecturally disastrous, tunnels were constructed instead. Public pedestrian tunnels connect the building to the Hennepin County Government Center under 5th Street, and to the U.S. Courthouse under 4th Street. There are also restricted tunnels for use by the sheriff connecting under 4th Avenue to the Hennepin County Jail and to the Government Center. The Blue Line light rail line has a stop on the south side of the building: the Government Plaza station.