Minneapolis achieved a construction milestone in 2014, when for the first time it issued $2 billion in new building permits in a single year.
The Star Tribune reports that two major projects—a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings NFL team and the city’s Downtown East redevelopment—accounted for about half of the total worth of the permits issued. About one third of the total permits issued were for more than 2,000 housing units, the vast majority of which will be multifamily dwellings.
More than 65% of the new permits were issued for projects in Minneapolis’s Ward 3, which encompasses the North Loop, Downtown East, the downtown riverfront, and northeast Minneapolis.
Doug Kress, the city’s director of development services, told the Star Tribune that the stadium project has sparked development in the surrounding areas. “There’s a lot of growth in Minneapolis in both downtown and our neighborhoods,” he’s quoted as saying. (Minneapolis ranks 16th as a metropolitan region in population in the U.S., with 3.42 million residents.)
This metro is looking for permit growth to continue in 2015. The Star Tribune reports that at least 10 projects around the city have received land-use approval. And portions of the Vikings stadium and Downtown East projects have yet to be permitted.
Mayor Betsy Hodges believes the permitting activity is evidence of a vote of confidence that investors, workers, business owners, and residents are giving to the city’s future. “I look forward to building on this momentum as we continue to attract new residences, businesses, and investment,” she told the Star Tribune.
Related Stories
MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024
UL Solutions launches indoor environmental quality verification designation for building construction projects
UL Solutions recently launched UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for New Construction, an indoor environmental quality verification designation for building construction projects.
MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024
Nine states pledge to transition to heat pumps for residential HVAC and water heating
Nine states have signed a joint agreement to accelerate the transition to residential building electrification by significantly expanding heat pump sales to meet heating, cooling, and water heating demand. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by directors of environmental agencies from California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024
Oregon, California, Maine among states enacting policies to spur construction of missing middle housing
Although the number of new apartment building units recently reached the highest point in nearly 50 years, construction of duplexes, triplexes, and other buildings of from two to nine units made up just 1% of new housing units built in 2022. A few states have recently enacted new laws to spur more construction of these missing middle housing options.
Green | Feb 15, 2024
FEMA issues guidance on funding for net zero buildings
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently unveiled new guidance on additional assistance funding for net zero buildings. The funding is available for implementing net-zero energy projects with a tie to disaster recovery or mitigation.
Hospital Design Trends | Feb 14, 2024
Plans for a massive research hospital in Dallas anticipates need for child healthcare
Children’s Health and the UT Southwestern Medical Center have unveiled their plans for a new $5 billion pediatric health campus and research hospital on more than 33 acres within Dallas’ Southwestern Medical District.
Architects | Feb 13, 2024
Pierluca Maffey joins Carrier Johnson + Culture as new Firmwide Head of Design
Carrier Johnson + Culture (CJ+C) has hired Pierluca “Luca” Maffey, International Assoc. AIA, as the firm's new Firmwide Head of Design and Design Principal.
K-12 Schools | Feb 13, 2024
K-12 school design trends for 2024: health, wellness, net zero energy
K-12 school sector experts are seeing “healthiness” for schools expand beyond air quality or the ease of cleaning interior surfaces. In this post-Covid era, “healthy” and “wellness” are intersecting expectations that, for many school districts, encompass the physical and mental wellbeing of students and teachers, greater access to outdoor spaces for play and learning, and the school’s connection to its community as a hub and resource.
Office Buildings | Feb 13, 2024
Creating thoughtful tech workplace design
It’s important for office design to be inspiring, but there are some practical principles that can be incorporated into the design of real-world tech workplaces to ensure they convey an exciting, sophisticated allure that accommodates progressive thinking and inventiveness.
Airports | Feb 13, 2024
New airport terminal by KPF aims to slash curb-to-gate walking time for passengers
The new Terminal A at Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates features an efficient X-shape design with an average curb-to-gate walking time of just 12 minutes. The airport terminal was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), with Arup and Naco as engineering leads.
Higher Education | Feb 9, 2024
Disability and architecture: ADA and universal design at college campuses
To help people with disabilities feel part of the campus community, higher education institutions and architects must strive to create settings that not only adhere to but also exceed ADA guidelines.
