A Kraus-Anderson-Zuri 3 joint venture is scheduled to begin construction this spring on an 8,000-seat amphitheater in north Minneapolis, one of the initial phases of a $350 million plan to redevelop the Upper Harbor Terminal, a 48-acre formerly highly industrial site that stretches a mile along the Mississi River.
The cost of the concert venue is estimated at nearly $50 million and is expected to host about 50 ticketed events a year once construction is complete, expected in 2027.
“An interesting construction challenge will be for us to develop, implement and manage the details surrounding all the utilities, various site conditions, site structures and other features for this Class A site within a fairly tight site,” says Bernard Furlow, President/CEO of Zuri Construction. “It took a lot of coordination time prior to construction to ensure we provide flexibility to our customers and ultimately the North Minneapolis community during the wide range of events planned.”
Other companies involved in the amphitheater The project includes NTH, a real estate and project management firm, and LES Architects, both in Minneapolis.
The overall investment, which includes $20 million from the city, is planned to reconnect North Minneapolis with the Mississippi River and will include affordable housing, a health and wellness center and 20 acres of riverfront parkland.
Plans also call for a seven-story apartment building with 190 units, retail space and 20 townhouses for sale, and the park extends about a mile along the riverfront, including separate bike and pedestrian paths, a new road with parking and a landscaped shoreline.
A riverfront park stretching along the Mississippi River that is part of Minneapolis’ redevelopment plans.
Rendering courtesy of the City of Minneapolis
Five acres of the park will serve as the entrance to the park and connect Dowling Avenue to the riverfront. It will feature an open central square and lawn with various picnic shelters and is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of different events.
Native trees, grasses, woody shrubs and perennials will be planted throughout the park. The project also includes large-scale stormwater treatment and riverfront restoration, including a riverfront, much of this work in partnership with the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.
From 1968 to 2014, Minneapolis developed and operated the Upper Harbor Terminal as an intermodal barge shipping facility. The site served as a hub where goods were transferred between barges, trains and trucks.
The city is redeveloping the property in partnership with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and a group of local developers with additional investment from the state and federal government.
“For generations, the North Side has been cut off from one of its most vital assets by a massive highway and heavy industrialization,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at a news conference. “Little kids on the north side maybe didn’t even know there was a river front because they couldn’t touch it. They couldn’t get to it.”
