Minneapolis City Center
Minneapolis City Center is a downtown Minneapolis mixed-use shopping and office complex organized around a multilevel indoor retail atrium and linked to the city's skyway network.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Minneapolis City Center is an indoor shopping and mixed-use complex in Downtown West, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The property occupies a large downtown block bounded by Hennepin Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Sixth Street, and Seventh Street. Its three-story retail atrium is integrated with the 33 South Sixth office tower, the Minneapolis Marriott City Center hotel, and a seven-story parking structure. Six enclosed connections link the complex to the Minneapolis Skyway System, giving it more skyway connections than any other building in the city and making it an important part of the downtown pedestrian network. The project emerged from Minneapolis redevelopment plans during the 1970s. City Center was formally announced in 1975 as a major effort to reinforce the economic role of the downtown core, attract department stores and office development, and replace or reorganize a block containing older commercial and hospitality properties. The redevelopment required the relocation of 69 businesses and the removal of historic or familiar structures, including the Hotel Dyckman, which was demolished by implosion in November 1979. Oxford Development Properties was selected as developer, later becoming BCE Development Properties during construction. The architectural design was produced by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. City Center opened in August 1983, following the earlier opening of Donaldson's new flagship department store in the complex. The development combined retail, restaurants, offices, parking, and skyway circulation in a format intended to support downtown commerce throughout Minnesota's colder months. Its design used modern and brutalist elements, with a gray precast-concrete exterior and a large internal atrium. Although the property was praised for its location and connectivity, the exterior was frequently criticized as austere or unattractive. The building was sometimes informally compared with other highly monumental Minneapolis structures because of its heavy concrete appearance. The tenant mix changed repeatedly over the decades. Former and current retailers associated with the complex have included Donaldson's, Carson Pirie Scott, Montgomery Ward, Filene's Basement, Saks Off 5th, Marshalls, Office Depot, Sports Authority, Allen Edmonds, Bath & Body Works, Brooks Brothers, Sam Goody, Victoria's Secret, and other national and regional businesses. Restaurants have also occupied prominent spaces, including Scottie's on Seventh, Paramount Café, Mick's Restaurant, and later establishments such as Fogo de Chão, Leeann Chin, Cardigan Donuts, and Tom's Watch Bar. A sequence of renovations altered the property's circulation and retail strategy. A 1989 escalator project improved movement between the second-floor corridor and the third-floor food court. The first major interior renovation, completed in 1993, redistributed space formerly occupied by department stores, improved visibility toward Nicollet Mall, and added lighting, banners, awnings, and new corridors. A later renovation announced in 2003 converted much of the third floor from retail to office use and removed the food court, concentrating remaining stores on the first two floors. Retail occupancy subsequently remained relatively modest, generally reported at approximately 60 to 70 percent annually. In 2018, an unidentified foreign buyer acquired City Center and the adjoining 33 South Sixth building. Ryan Companies became associated with management of the retail complex and announced plans to improve circulation toward Nicollet Mall. Work on the eastern facade began in 2019, including removal of precast panels and construction of a redesigned corner entrance. The entrance reopened in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these improvements, the property continued to face the broader challenges affecting downtown urban retail, including declining foot traffic, changing office patterns, and the departures of major anchors. Saks Off 5th closed in 2021 and Marshalls closed in 2023. City Center remains active as a mixed-use downtown property, but its current retail offering is substantially smaller than at its peak.
History
Minneapolis City Center was conceived as a large-scale downtown redevelopment project during a period when Minneapolis sought to strengthen its central business district through new retail, office, hotel, parking, and skyway infrastructure. The project was announced in 1975 under the working name City Center '75. It was intended to consolidate a full downtown block and support the construction or expansion of major commercial buildings. Public assistance was used to secure property rights, while dozens of existing businesses were relocated before construction. The site had previously contained the Hotel Dyckman, the Minneapolis Merchandise Mart, restaurants, shops, and other commercial premises. The Hotel Dyckman was demolished by implosion on November 19, 1979. Although preservationists and newspaper commentators expressed concern about the loss of historic buildings, most of the site was cleared. The Art Deco interior of Scottie's on Seventh, which had occupied the former Forum Cafeteria site, was preserved through disassembly and reconstruction inside the new complex after litigation between the restaurant and the developer. The restaurant space later became Paramount Café and then other dining uses. Oxford Development Properties was selected after Minneapolis officials surveyed comparable North American developments. The project was subsequently associated with BCE Development Properties during construction. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the complex in a modern style incorporating brutalist elements. City Center opened in August 1983, approximately a year after Donaldson's flagship department store opened within the development. The completed complex combined approximately 456,878 square feet of leasable retail and office space with a parking garage and an unusually extensive set of skyway links. During the 1980s, City Center attracted a broad mixture of department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and entertainment businesses. Victoria's Secret opened a prominent skyway-level store in 1986, while other tenants included Aladdin's Castle, JoAnn Fabrics, Laura Ashley, McDonald's, and Things Remembered. Donaldson's became Carson Pirie Scott in 1987 following a corporate merger. The center also participated in discussions about redevelopment around Block E, an area across Hennepin Avenue that was associated at the time with increasing crime and declining activity. The property's layout evolved in response to shopper behavior and changing downtown retail conditions. In 1989, new escalators were installed to improve circulation between the second-floor corridor and the third-floor food court. A substantial renovation in 1993 reorganized space from the former department-store areas, improved sightlines to Nicollet Mall, and introduced additional corridors, lighting, banners, and storefront treatments. The changes were intended to make the interior easier to navigate and to distribute shoppers more evenly through the complex. By the early 2000s, the traditional enclosed-mall model was under pressure. A renovation announced in 2003 converted the third floor into office space, consolidated retail on the first two floors, and removed the food court. The property retained a mixture of national chains, smaller stores, restaurants, and services, but reported retail occupancy generally remained between 60 and 70 percent. Several former anchors, including Carson Pirie Scott, Montgomery Ward, Filene's Basement, Office Depot, Sports Authority, and Saks Off 5th, eventually departed or ceased operating under their former names. In 2018, City Center and 33 South Sixth were sold to an unidentified foreign buyer. Ryan Companies became the retail manager and proposed improvements designed to strengthen the relationship between City Center and Nicollet Mall. A facade renovation began in August 2019, including removal of precast concrete panels and work on new entrances. A redesigned corner entrance reopened in September 2020. The intervention improved the appearance and accessibility of part of the complex but did not reverse the longer-term decline in downtown retail activity. Saks Off 5th closed in 2021, followed by Marshalls in 2023. City Center continues as an active mixed-use complex with offices, restaurants, services, parking, hotel adjacency, and skyway connections, while its retail component is now more limited than during its department-store era.
- 2020
Renovated entrance reopens
[1]A redesigned corner entrance reopened in September during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2019
Facade renovation begins
[1]A project focused on the eastern facade and entrances began, with the stated aim of improving circulation toward Nicollet Mall.
- 2018
Complex changes ownership
[1]An unidentified foreign buyer acquired City Center together with 33 South Sixth, while Ryan Companies became associated with retail management.
- 2003
Retail space converted to offices
[1]Plans were announced to convert the remaining third-floor retail area to offices, consolidate stores on lower floors, and remove the food court.
- 1993
First major interior renovation
[1]The mall reorganized former department-store space, improved visibility toward Nicollet Mall, and introduced new corridors and storefront treatments.
- 1989
Additional escalators improve circulation
[1]New escalators connected the second-floor hallway with the third-floor food court to redirect and improve pedestrian movement.
- 1986
Victoria's Secret opens a major store
[1]Victoria's Secret opened a 1,200-square-foot skyway-level location with upgraded fixtures and interior finishes.
- 1983
City Center opens
[1]The indoor shopping and mixed-use complex opened in August, following the earlier opening of Donaldson's flagship store.
- 1979
Hotel Dyckman demolished
[1]The Hotel Dyckman was demolished by implosion on November 19 as part of site clearance for City Center.
- 1975
City Center project announced
[1]Minneapolis formally announced a major downtown redevelopment project intended to combine retail, offices, hotels, parking, and pedestrian connections.
Products and positioning
A centrally located downtown mixed-use destination whose principal differentiators are indoor circulation, direct skyway access, adjacency to office and hotel uses, and a large urban retail footprint. Its role has increasingly shifted from department-store-centered shopping mall toward a smaller combination of restaurants, services, offices, and pedestrian infrastructure.
Retail environment · 1983
Indoor retail atrium
The central three-story atrium is the property's defining retail environment. It has housed department stores, specialty chains, restaurants, services, and temporary tenant concepts over its history. Its layout has been repeatedly altered to respond to changing retail demand and pedestrian patterns.
Pedestrian infrastructure · 1983
Minneapolis Skyway connections
City Center connects to six parts of the Minneapolis Skyway System, including nearby office, hotel, retail, medical, and commercial buildings. These links are central to the complex's downtown role and provide enclosed pedestrian access between multiple destinations.
Commercial real estate · 1983
Office and mixed-use space
In addition to retail, the complex includes office space and is physically associated with the 33 South Sixth office tower, the Minneapolis Marriott City Center, and a parking garage. The conversion of much of the former third-floor retail area to offices reflects the property's evolution beyond a conventional shopping mall.
Food and services · 1983
Dining and service tenant spaces
Restaurants and service businesses have remained an important part of the tenant mix as large-format retail has contracted. Reported current or recent examples include Cardigan Donuts, Fogo de Chão, Leeann Chin, Tom's Watch Bar, and the UPS Store.
Brand decisions
2019
Eastern facade and entrance renovationStrategyBackground
City Center faced criticism for its heavy exterior and a long-term decline in retail activity.
Action taken
A renovation began on the eastern facade, including removal of precast panels and construction of improved corner entrances intended to aid circulation toward Nicollet Mall.
Aftermath
A redesigned entrance reopened in 2020 and was viewed as an aesthetic and access improvement, although the work did not eliminate the property's broader retail challenges.
Renovation cost. US$3 million (2019 renovation)
2018
Sale of City Center and 33 South SixthM&ABackground
The property was marketed as part of a larger downtown office and retail complex.
Action taken
An unidentified foreign buyer acquired City Center and the adjoining 33 South Sixth building. Ryan Companies was identified as the retail-complex manager.
Aftermath
The new management announced plans to improve circulation and strengthen the connection between the mall and Nicollet Mall.
Reported transaction value. US$320 million (2018 transaction)
2003
Convert upper-level retail space to officesStrategyBackground
The property was experiencing the pressures affecting enclosed downtown retail and had a large amount of underused upper-level space.
Action taken
Management announced plans to convert the remaining third-floor retail area into office space, consolidate stores on the first two floors, and eliminate the food court.
Aftermath
The change reduced the mall's retail footprint and contributed to its transition toward a mixed-use office, restaurant, service, and skyway-oriented property.
Recent events
- 2023
Marshalls closes at City Center[1]
Other
Marshalls, the last major anchor identified for the property, closed its location, leaving City Center with a substantially reduced retail presence.
- 2021
Saks Off 5th closes at City Center[1]
Other
Saks Off 5th, one of the property's later anchor retailers, closed its City Center location.
- 2020
City Center entrance reopens during the pandemic[1]
Other
One redesigned corner entrance reopened after the facade project. The improvement was viewed as a visible upgrade, although commentators also connected the work with efforts to slow the property's retail decline.
- 2019
Eastern facade renovation begins[1]
Other
A renovation intended to improve the property's connection with Nicollet Mall began with the removal of precast facade panels and work on new corner entrances.
- 2018
Unidentified foreign buyer acquires Minneapolis City Center and 33 South Sixth[1]
M&A
City Center and the adjoining 33 South Sixth office tower were sold to an unidentified foreign buyer in a transaction reported as a record-setting sale for Minnesota office-designated buildings. Ryan Companies was identified in city documents as the new retail-complex manager.
Sources1 sources
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