The iconic Northwestern National Life Building at the corner of Hennepin and Washington in downtown Minneapolis captures my attention every time I pass. When I heard it was being reimagined as a boutique hotel I was hopeful that this stunning building would be saved. When I learned the developer, Chad Tepley of CDT Realty was working to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places I was even more hopeful that distinctive architectural features would be respectfully treated.
When Minoru Yamasaki designed it and it was built in 1965, he claimed he was designing “a park with a building in it.” It includes a parklike green with sculptures in front of the building along Hennepin Avenue, a reflecting pool along Washington Avenue and a giant front portico at the terminus of Nicollet Mall, opening to the fountain on the way to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, the gateway to Minneapolis.
It was fascinating to see the space before it is converted to hotel rooms… each room will be defined by an arched window separated by the pillared columns… and of course the rooftop will be used for a rooftop bar and restaurants.
They expect the hotel will open in 2028.
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
