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MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - On Tuesday, the Nicollet Mall construction project reached about 75 percent completion.
Planners say that while the mall doesn’t look too different yet, visitors and employees will notice a dramatic difference in a few weeks.
“The new mall coming on line now has a clear pedestrian walk zone all the way through and more space to be used and activated by sidewalk cafes and whatever other activities we want to do,” said Don Elwood, Minneapolis director of transportation engineering. “And it’s a much cleaner, open, friendlier pedestrian environment.”
With road and sidewalk construction largely done, crews are now installing the artwork that will dominate two full blocks of the mall.
The project has taken two years and $50 million to complete.
According to the Downtown Council, it was all worth it. The proof, it says, is in the new businesses moving into the mall.
"Everything from the recent opening of HopCat, to the September opening of Nordstrom Rack, to the infrastructure investments that some people are doing in the redevelopment of spaces…we're excited about all of that coming together as this project wraps up here in November," said Leah Wong with the Downtown Council.