Rendering courtesy Gensler Minneapolis
Dayton's Project Rendering - Food Hall
Terrazzo floors! Unearthed, beneath the white tiles on the first floor of the iconic downtown Minneapolis department store building now called the Dayton’s Project. As demolition continues inside the 1.2 million-square-foot space, which is being totally repurposed with a mix of office, retail, and dining, new revelations keep coming. Like a marble drinking fountain, discovered in a wall on the fourth floor near the art deco women’s restroom (which is being preserved), and Spanish tile under the carpet in the old J.B. Hudson space.
Tile under carpet in J.B. Hudson space at Datyon's Project
Spanish-style tile was discovered under carpet in J.B. Hudson space at the Datyon's Project.
So far, 1,200 dumpsters worth of materials and debris have been removed from the building at Seventh and Nicollet. About 75 percent of it is recyclable, says Bob Gardner, CEO of Gardner Builders, one of several entities involved in the project.
Dayton's Project first floor terrazzo unearthed
Terrazzo was discovered beneath tile on the first floor of the Dayton's building.
Anxious to keep the excitement going with work happening behind walls, developers offered the media another peek inside the construction zone on Tuesday to see the progress. Other than the 40,000-square-foot Andrew Zimmern-curated food hall designated for the lower level, no retail or office tenants have been announced.
While leasing talks are underway, design elements continue to be adjusted with each new building discovery: elevated platforms by the first-floor windows facing Nicollet; staircases that can’t be removed. New renderings of the public areas of the building feature 1920s art deco details and lighting in bold colors.
Rendering courtesy Gensler Minneapolis
Datyon's Project Rendering
The complicated project requires construction managers to meet every week with an historic preservation expert on redevelopment decisions. New owners hope to get the property added to the National Register of Historic Places, which would make it eligible for tax credits.
