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What Minneapolis looked like in the 1990s Through Fascinating Photos

Minneapolis grew steadily from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, reaching a peak population of 521,718 in 1950. Subsequently, the city population declined until about 1990, when it stabilized, and people moved to the suburbs.

In the 1990s, the last wave of downtown development added 40-story and lower towers to the skyscrapers in the vicinity of Target, Ameriprise, and AT&T. By 1994, Stone Arch Bridge was opened to pedestrians, enabling the formation of a trail connection and providing views of Saint Anthony Falls. The old commercial buildings were adapted for new uses. The Whitney Hotel was built in the former Standard Mill, while the North Star Lofts were renovated from the former North Star Woolen Mills. Other developments, such as Saint Anthony Main and several condominiums and townhouse projects, offer residents the chance to live within sight of Saint Anthony Falls.

The development of vertical residential housing followed the development of corporate housing. Downtown West and former milling districts became dotted with high-rise condos during the 1970s condo boom. Riverside Plaza was the tallest building outside the Downtown area. The complex contains six towers, most of which are mixed-income properties. As opposed to the plain modern and brutalist concrete styles of that period, residential buildings with varying colors and architecture themes appeared in the late 1990s to early 2000s.

These fascinating photos will take you back to the 1990s in Minneapolis.

#2 Anti-Fur Protest, Saks Fifth Avenue, Minneapolis, Sept 1990

#3 The Fairmont Hotel, 9th & Hennepin, Minneapolis, 1998

#6 Sri Lanka Curry House, 28xx Hennepin Avenue, Uptown Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#7 Uncommon Grounds Coffeehouse, 28xx Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#8 New K-8 school under construction, Downtown, Minneapolis, 1998

#11 Shinder’s Books, Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, March 1998

#13 Dayton’s Department Store, Minneapolis, Facade under renovation, Sept 1990

#14 Loring Park & Loring Heights from Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#15 14th Street SE, Dinkytown, Minneapolis, August 1991

#16 Cafe Wyrd, Lake Street at Irving Ave S, Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#17 Hennepin Avenue near 28th Street, Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#18 Java Jacks Coffeehouse, 36th St at Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#19 Blue Mountain Coffeehouse, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, March 1993

#21 Minneapolis Buildings with First Baptist Church in foreground, April 1993

#22 Minneapolis Skyline from Northside Bus Garage (N 5th Street), April 1993

#24 9th Street apartment buildings from Park Avenue, Minneapolis, January 1993

#25 Abandoned Mills, S 2nd Street, Minneapolis, January 1993

#27 Warehouse Buildings, North Washington Avenue, Minneapolis, January 1993

#29 N 1st Street from N 2nd Avenue, Minneapolis, Jan 1993

#30 North end of Nicollet Mall (under reconstruction), Sept 1990

#31 Nicollet Hotel, Nicollet Mall at Washington Avenue, Minneapolis, 1990s

#32 Shinder’s Books, Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, March 1998

#33 State Theater 800 Block of Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, 1990s

#34 Hennepin Avenue 800 block, Minneapolis, March 1998

#35 Watching demolition of The Conservatory, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

#36 Demolition of The Conservatory, 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

#38 Demolition of The Conservatory, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

#39 IDS Center Crystal Court, Minneapolis, March 1998

#42 Minneapolis Sculpture Garden & Walker Art Ctr/Guthrie Theater, Sept 1990

#43 Hennepin Avenue Bridge, Minneapolis – Sept 1990

#46 Brick Apartments, Minneapolis near Nicollet & 14th St, 1990s.

#49 Home along Lake of the Isles, Minneapolis, 1990s.

#50 Burberrys & Cole-Haan, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Sept 1990

#51 Construction underway on Gavidae II/Dain Bosworth, 500 block Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Sept 1990

#52 Gavidae Common, 600 block Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Sept 1990

#56 Anti-fur protest, 7th & Nicollet, Minneapolis , Sept 1990

#59 Dain Bosworth Tower under construction, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#60 Federal Reserve Bank Building, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#61 The Ivy Building, 2nd Avenue at 11th Street, Minneapolis, Nov 1990.

#62 Cranes from Hilton Hotel & AT&T Tower, Minneapolis – Nov 1990

#63 Looking down Marquette Avenue from 10th Street, Minneapolis – Nov 1990

#64 AT&T Tower under construction – Minneapolis Nov 1990

#66 Looking down 7th Street from Plaza VII, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#67 Dane Bosworth Tower UC (now Dane Rauscher), Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#68 Looking down 7th Street from Plaza VII, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#69 The Holiday Inn Minneapolis with the Holidome, 13th & Nicollet, Minneapolis Convention Center in middle of photo, Nov 1990

#70 Looking down 13th Street towards Laurel Village Apartments under construction from Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#71 Looking towards Loring Heights & Loring Park from Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis, Nov 1990

#73 First Avenue at N 4th Street, Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#74 First Avenue at N 2nd Street, Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#75 Home along Lake of the isles, Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#76 Lake of the Isles Twilight, Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#77 Winter Sky, Lake of the Isles, Minneapolis, December 1990

#78 Hennepin & Lake from Calhoun Square entrance, Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#79 Hennepin & Lake from Calhoun Square entrance, Uptown Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#80 Uptown: Hennepin Avenue from 31st Street, Minneapolis, Dec 1990

#85 Nicollet Mall at 11th Street, Minneapolis, May 1991

#86 Construction in downtown Minneapolis: Hilton Hotel at left and foreground, Leamington Garage at right, FirstBank Place/IBM (now Capella Center/225 S 6th) in center background, May 1991

#87 Barge on Mississippi with Minneapolis skyline, May 1991

#88 Minneapolis Skyline from 7th Street Garage, August 1991

#89 Minneapolis Towers from 7th Street Garage, August 1991

#90 Target Center and 6th Street Garage from 7th Street Garage, August 1991

#91 Where Glenwood Avenue Starts from 7th Street, from Garage A (7th Street Garage), August 1991

#92 Core Skyline from Parking Garage A (7th Street Garage), which had recently opened, August 1991

#93 First Bank Place Tower under construction, Minneapolis, August 1991

#95 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Quiet Sunday afternoon in August 1991

#96 Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis, August 1991

#97 Grain Elevator in Bryn Mawr, Minneapolis, August 1991

#99 Minneapolis: First Avenue, looking NE from 6th Street, August 1991

#100 Minneapolis Warehouse District: First Avenue, August 1991

#102 View from Block E to 6th Street, Minneapolis, August 1991

#103 Looking to Glueks from Block E, Minneapolis, August 1991

#104 7th Street from First Avenue N, Academy Theater at left, First Avenue Nightclub (made famous by Prince & The Replacements) at right, August 1991

#105 Academy Theater on Block E, Minneapolis, August 1991

#107 Rail Tracks through Dinkytown, Minneapolis, August 1991

#108 Minneapolis Skyline from Dinkytown (U of M), August 1991

#109 Minneapolis Skyline from 7 Corners Area, August 1991

#111 Church of Assumption, St. Paul, Minneapolis, 1991

#112 Minneapolis Club & First Bank Place, Minneapolis, Sept 1991

#113 First Bank Place (now Capella Tower), Minneapolis, Sept 1991

#114 First Bank Place UC, with Go Twins Banner on skyway, Minneapolis, 1990s

#116 Nicollet Mall at 11th Street, Minneapolis, August 1992

#117 1100 Block of Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, August 1992

#118 1000 block of Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, August 1992

#119 Let It Be Records, 10th & Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, August 1992

#120 Shinders, 900 Block of Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, August 1992

#121 Nicollet Mall kiosk w map, Minneapolis, August 1992

#122 Crate & Barrel Store, 900 block of Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, August 1992

#123 Nicollet Mall at 9th Street, Minneapolis, August 1992

#124 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis from 9th Street, August 1992

#125 Dunn Brothers & Pops Ice Cream, West Lake Street at Humboldt, Uptown Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#126 Mojo’s Coffeehouse, Grand Avenue near 36th Street, Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#127 Parkway Theater & Pepitos, 48xx S Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, Feb 1993

#128 Chicago Avenue (around 49th Street), S Minneapolis, February 1993

#129 Monte Carlo Restaurant, 3rd Avenue North, Minneapolis, April 1993

#130 North 1st Street at N 1st Avenue, Minneapolis, April 1993

#131 Renovated building on North 1st Street, Minneapolis, April 1993

#132 Creamettes Building, N 1st Street, Minneapolis, April 1993

#133 Band Box Diner, 10th Street, Elliott Park area, Minneapolis, April 1993

#135 Ingebretsen’s, East Lake Street – a landmark center for Scandinavian culture in Minneapolis, April 1993

#136 East Lake Street at Bloomington, looking west, Minneapolis, April 1993

#137 Downtown Minneapolis from International Center, April 1993

#138 Penny University Coffeehouse, 50th Street at Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, April 1993

#139 Penny University Coffeehouse, 50th Street at Penn, Minneapolis, April 1993

#140 Convention Grill, Edina, Minneapolis, April 1993

#142 Bagels & Coffee–France Avenue at 44th Street, Edina, Minneapolis, April 1993

#144 State Theater, Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, April 1993

#145 Hennepin Avenue from 10th Street, Minneapolis, April 1993

#148 Minneapolis from North 5th Avenue (near Ford Center), April 1993

#149 Washington Avenue North, Minneapolis, April 1993

#151 Parking Lot next to Schmitt Music, 10th Street, Minneapolis, January 1993

#153 Looking north along Nicollet from Dayton’s Skyroom, January 1993

#154 Overlooking Gavidae from Dayton’s 12th floor Skyroom, Minneapolis, January 1993

#155 10th Street near Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, January 1993

#157 Downtown Minneapolis from about 10th & LaSalle, January 1992

#158 Zumbro Cafe, Linden Hills, 43rd & Upton, Minneapolis, January 1993

#159 Upton Avenue, Linden Hills, Minneapolis, January 1993

#160 Susan’s Coffeehouse, 2399 West University Avenue, St. Paul, January 1993

#161 10th Street from Skyway, Minneapolis, January 1993

#162 Minneapolis from Leamington Parking Ramp, Jan 1993

#163 Downtown Minneapolis from Fair Oaks area, Jan 1993

#164 Fair Oaks Neighborhood, South Minneapolis, Jan 1993

#165 26th Street, looking to Nicollet, Minneapolis, January 1993

#166 South Minneapolis Homes –around 34th & Pleasant, January 1993

#167 Muddy Waters Coffeehouse, 24th & S Lyndale, Minneapolis, January 1993

#169 Giant Globe at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, May 1993

#170 Shops along Marquette, Handicraft Guild Building, Minneapolis, May 1993

#174 Brit’s Pub along Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, May 1993

#175 The Time’s Bar & Cafe, 11th & Nicollet, Minneapolis, May 1993

#176 Nicollet Mall at 11th Street, Minneapolis, May 1993

#177 Nicollet Mall (looking south across 10th Street), Minneapolis, May 1993

#179 Mark Shale Store, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, May 1993

#181 Watching demolition of The Conservatory, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

Watching demolition of The Conservatory, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

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#182 Demolition of The Conservatory, 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

Demolition of The Conservatory, 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 1990s.

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#183 Minneapolis Skyline from Plymouth Ave Bridge, Sept 1990

Minneapolis Skyline from Plymouth Ave Bridge, Sept 1990

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#184 Minneapolis from Dayton’s 12th Floor Skyroom Restaurant, January 1993

Minneapolis from Dayton's 12th Floor Skyroom Restaurant, January 1993

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#185 The Fairmont Hotel/Apts SRO Building, 9th & Hennepin, 1990s.

The Fairmont Hotel/Apts SRO Building, 9th & Hennepin, 1990s.

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#186 Demolition of The Conservatory, Minneapolis, 1990s.

Demolition of The Conservatory, Minneapolis, 1990s.

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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