North Loop Green Transforms a Minneapolis Parking Lot Into a Mixed-Use Destination

North Loop Green is a mixed-use development in the historic North Loop in downtown Minneapolis. The project, which sits on the site of a former vacant parking lot, features a 34-story residential tower—which includes short-term hospitality units—with luxury amenities, a sky lounge, dynamic social spaces, and work-from-home hubs. 

A sky bridge connects the adjacent office tower where the 14th floor hosts shared amenities and a 360-degree view of Minneapolis, including into the Minnesota Twins’ baseball stadium, Target Field, located next to North Loop Green. 

“On the 18th level of the residential tower, that is where the amenities converge into the 14th level of the officer tower. At the end of the corridor facing the ballpark, there is an unbelievable view inside the stadium. It’s essentially like a skybox within the stadium,” says Aaron Roseth, president and principal at project architect ESG Architecture & Design.

The development delivers strong curb appeal through a refined material palette of concrete, blackened steel, warm wood, and glass. Massing is broken into articulated forms that respond to human scale. The sky bridge connecting the two towers is not only symbolic to the area—the Twin Cities—but also a dynamic design element. Roseth notes the project’s success in activating the ground level and engaging with the neighborhood. Retail spaces are integrated at the street level to activate the public, and a grand staircase activates a 1-acre central outdoor plaza, The Green. 

“In any mixed-use development, keeping a relationship with the street and pedestrian traffic is critical,” Roseth says. “Making them as transparent as possible with outdoor seating, inviting entries, making good connections to the sidewalks are critical in any mixed-use development.”

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Pete VonDeLinde

Pete VonDeLinde

Pete VonDeLinde

Pete VonDeLinde

Pete VonDeLinde

Corey Gaffer

The Green is a public park and plaza that serves as a community gathering space and event venue, with year-round programming such as yoga classes, outdoor concerts, and seasonal pop-ups. 

“This community gesture will give the project a future that becomes part of the cultural understanding of the city,” Roseth says. “When projects engage the community in a way that isn’t totally for self-serving interests, the project will benefit into perpetuity.”

The residential units at North Loop Green are designed with space-conscious layouts and expansive views, especially those overlooking the neighboring baseball stadium. Common areas are designed for flexibility, with indoor and outdoor gathering spaces that accommodate a range of uses, from social gatherings to organized events. Office floors prioritize natural light, air quality, and flexible layouts to meet the needs of evolving work styles.