Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Thank you to Doug Verdier for submitting his photos from the October 28 Third Avenue Bridge re-opening celebration. Per Doug, turnout was fantastic, with hundreds of people enjoying all there was to see and do across the bridge. The event was well organized, with a variety of activities for adults and kids.
No grand reopening would be complete without a few remarks and ribbon cutting. I don’t know where they found the huge shears, but given the size of the project, they filled the bill. Great job by everyone involved in the project.
Visitors could sign up for a guided tour of the bridge to learn all about what had been done and see some of the equipment used during the construction.
A memorial to some MnDOT employees was also on view.
Some of the equipment used during the job was on display so people could get an up close view (and touch) some of the vehicles.
Lots of booths lined the renovated bridge where folks could pick up a souvenir or something to eat or drink while checking out the new bridge.
Kids and a few adults enjoyed decorating a MnDOT van with markers provided for the fun. You did not have to color inside the lines if you didn’t want to, either. Can’t wait to see this vehicle on the road.
It’s never too chilly for some hot licks, and these guys delivered. The portable heaters helped keep fingers warm.
Right behind the bandstand was this lovely view of Minnesota autumn leaves along Third Avenue. Great backdrop for a family friendly activity.
This exhibit had vests and kid-size hard hats that kids could wear for photos of the event.
The Cafe Cairo food truck was a popular place for many.
The smell of fresh popcorn attracted visitors to the spot for a complimentary bagful.
With Halloween just around the corner, free pumpkins were available for decorating.
There were plenty of pumpkins to be painted and lots of folks who applied their artistic talent to the task.
These folks were among the many who stopped to paint a pumpkin.
Thanks MnDOT - and everyone involved - for putting on these activities for the community and neighborhoods!
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Editor's Note - Words cannot express our appreciation to Doug for photo-documenting this project from start to finish (along with other projects such as Water Works and the Father Hennepin Bluff Park refurbishment).
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Lots of changes can be seen during a quick walk around around the riverfront beneath the Third Avenue Bridge. Barriers and equipment have been removed from some areas, and grassy areas that were used to stage equipment have had fresh soil emplaced and hydro seeded to refresh the green spaces. Following are some images showing the progress noted just this past week.
This waterway beneath the bridge next to the walking path was formerly filled with crushed rock to enable heavy equipment access to the underside of the bridge as well as inside. The waterway beyond the bridge pier once had much debris floating in it. That was also removed during the cleanup.
The area in this photo was used for equipment and material staging during construction. That and the fencing that once surrounded the area has been removed and the grassy area restored with hydro-seeding.
The partially completed concrete retaining wall can be seen from the iron bridge passing over the woonerf above First Street S. The West end of the Third Avenue Bridge with the reinstalled railings can be seen above the work below.
New light fixtures are being installed on both sides of the bridge.
Another view of the new light fixtures along the barrier protecting pedestrians from the bridge roadway.
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Editor's Note: As of today, the project page states, "Let’s celebrate the reopening of the Third Ave. Bridge this October. More details coming soon." So, the end is in sight!
Submitted by Doug Verdier
In December 2022, sheets of plastic covered a cement retaining wall that was constructed below First Street S between the woonerf and the end of the Third Avenue Bridge, at the intersection with First Street S. The above photo was the scene throughout the winter months.
This July the plastic was removed, and in August workers began the next phase of the project, which will see forms installed and concrete poured to create a solid wall that will extend from the woonerf to where the bluff ends at Third Avenue. The workers here are preparing the surface for construction of forms and concrete pouring.
Work on the Third Avenue Bridge surface has continued with the pouring of concrete barriers between the vehicle lanes and the guardrails along the edge of the bridge to form lanes for pedestrians and bicycles. The original ornamental guardrails can be seen along the edge of the bridge where they are being installed between new concrete pillars. They were removed at the start of the project and repaired as needed so they could be reinstalled now.
The new surface of the bridge looks very smooth and you can see the protective barriers for pedestrians and bicycles along the edge of the traffic lane.
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Editor's Note: As of today, the project page lists October, 2023 as the tentative opening date. Fingers crossed!
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Thank you to Doug Verdier for sharing these photos showing the new walking and biking paths through the newly re-opened Father Hennepin Bluff Park.
Newly paved bike path and walkway into the park along Main Street.
Some new grass that was seeded throughout the park this spring still needs more time to establish before remaining fencing can come down and the park can fully reopen.
The new restroom building next to the Stone Arch Bridge is open, along with a new drinking fountain and water dish for dogs.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
"Opera Under the Stars," featuring Overdressed, presented a stellar performance of classical music with a twist on Monday, June 5 at Water Works Park. A crowd of about 500 music lovers enjoyed a variety of music on a balmy evening that was softened by a cool summer breeze throughout the performance.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
This new bronze plaque was recently installed near the Third Avenue Bridge entrance at First Street S. The plaque notes the original dedication date of June 14, 1918 and rehabilitation dates of 1980 and 2023. The bridge remains closed as work continues daily.
Submitted by Doug Verdier (photos taken April 17, 2023)
The recent warm weather earlier this month resulted in significant snow melt, which has caused the Mississippi River water level to rise significantly as other rivers and creeks feed water into the river upstream. These images show some of the local impact of all that melted snow as it races through the City. Numerous low-lying communities along the rivers path are bracing and preparing for localized flooding.
The doors of the Upper St Anthony Falls Lock were opened to allow the surge of water resulting from snow melt upriver to flow downstream. Normally, the lock doors are closed and all the water coming downstream would go over the St. Anthony Falls on the right in this photo. That’s foam on top of the water, not snow. It’s moving very fast!
Looking toward the Third Avenue Bridge from South First Street gives a good sense of how fast the river is moving and how much deeper than normal it is as a result of upriver snow melt. The white foam on top of the water is a good indicator of how fast the water is moving.
The three yellow concrete structures bordering the canal show how much deeper the water level in the canal is due to the amount of water entering the river from upstream snow melt. The increased river level can also be seen beneath the plastic sheet-covered walkways surrounding the base of the pier during work on the Third Avenue Bridge. In more normal times the distance from the base of the walkways to the river is a couple of feet.
St. Anthony Falls as seen from the Stone Arch Bridge. Foam, spray and amazing sound are something to experience.
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Editors Note:
When I drove home from work last night I was astounded at how much the Mississippi rose yesterday alone. In several spots between the 94 and Washington bridges, water had flowed over the cement barrier and covered both lanes of West River Parkway. (To be on the safe side, I opted for the Riverside route to Franklin Avenue this morning!)
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Work continues on the Third Avenue Bridge project despite bitter cold and snow. The photo here was taken before the “Blizzard of 2022.” Shown here is work to construct a retaining wall in the area below the intersection of First Street S and Third Avenue S. The post office building is seen in the background.
The previous earthen bank and retaining wall were severely deteriorated and collapsing, so those features were removed earlier this year. Shown here is a new concrete retaining wall with what are called “soil nails” inserted along the front of the wall. Sometime in spring 2023, this part of the project will be completed and landscaping will take place as previously planned. Residents who would like to view this location can do so by walking along the woonerf below First Street S toward the North end of Water Works Park. Please exercise caution when in the area and do not attempt to enter the trench in front of the retaining wall or climb on the structure now protected by plastic.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Excellent weather conditions enabled construction crews on both the Third Avenue Bridge and Father Hennepin Bluff Park projects to move along well.
The four tower cranes were removed from the bridge project a couple weeks ago, but smaller mobile cranes picked up the slack as additional concrete repairs on the bridge arches and one of the bridge bases continued. The photos that follow illustrate the sort of work being done in the past week.
Smaller and more mobile cranes were positioned in a variety of places on the bridge deck as needed for the work going on. Notice the red U-shaped steel device that is lowered by crane and inserted between spandrels to perform certain operations on the sides of the vertical spandrels and above where the lower section is inserted. Also visible in this image is the dried up spillway that has been created to permit work on the base of the pier above.
A closer look at the red platform being inserted between spandrels.
Temporary work platforms provide workers access to the underside of the bridge and arches so they can remove damaged concrete and make repairs. These also serve as the first layer of environmental protection, keeping debris from falling into the river while the contractors do their work. The area around the bridge pier base on the right in this photo is being prepared for a new reinforced concrete exterior to be constructed to a depth below the normal water line. Forms can be seen in place on a temporary crushed rock area surrounding the pier prior to being placed on the pier base over the steel reinforcing rods that have been put in place.
Meanwhile, at Father Hennepin Bluff Park, a variety of new trees are being planted as part of the overall landscaping plan.
With the new park outdoor pavilion nearing completion, a worker is putting mulch around the base of one of the many newly planted trees. More landscaping in this area continues. The side of the new performance stage is visible behind the worker planting the tree, while restrooms are in the back of the structure near the yellow door and worker in a yellow shirt.
New pathways are being installed throughout the park. This image shows a section of the path and a couple of new trees.
Unrelated to these two projects, but definitely worth sharing:
The brilliant red of the maple tree along Main Street near the iron bridge to Nicollet Island Inn jumps out at anyone passing by. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and even a couple vehicles stopped at the intersection to take photos. It’s a great relaxing place to just pause and enjoy nature and Fall in Minnesota.
Submitted by Doug Verdier, who continues to document the Third Avenue Bridge refurbishment project.
Work continues on many areas of the Third Avenue Bridge project. This past week saw an excavator scooping up crushed rock from the riverbed below the Horseshoe Falls. The rock apparently had been deposited by the river and falls flow over the past several years and had formed something like a peninsula out into the stream. Once the rock was piled into mounds, it was scooped up by a clamshell attached to a crane and lifted to the bridge deck above. The excavator also was lowered and raised to and from the work site by crane. An interesting operation to watch over a few days.
Article and photos by Doug Verdier
A milestone was reached this past week in the Third Avenue Bridge rehabilitation project with the removal of the two remaining tower cranes that had been in place on the bridge since the early stages of the project. Each crane had to be disassembled and lowered to the bridge surface where the sections were loaded onto flat bed trucks to be removed from the job site. The whole operation took most of four days to accomplish.
The photos below show the various elements of the two cranes being removed one at a time from the towers and lowered by another crane (the yellow one). Anyone watching the operation had to be impressed by the skill and precision of the workers, especially when they were climbing around on the cranes to detach each section from the others and connect the cables from the other crane that would safely lower each section. The workers on the ground also had to ensure that each piece being lowered was brought down precisely where it was, then detached from the crane and prepared for loading onto the awaiting flatbeds. The entire process was well orchestrated to keep the operation moving on schedule and, above all, safely.
The first crane to be disassembled was the one closest to the First Street end of the bridge. Here the front section has been removed and is being lowered by the yellow crane.
Another view of the front section coming down. While this is going on, the workers on top of the tower are starting to disconnect the rear section of the crane (the horizontal red portion with the flag on top) from the control unit. That will be the next piece to be removed and lowered.
Rear section is connected to cables for lowering it before final disconnection is made.
Rear section about to be lifted. Note the worker at the left end of the red section making sure the disconnection and separation goes smoothly.
Here comes the rear section of the first crane to the ground. Note the other tower crane to the right. It will be taken down the following day.
The crane operator’s cabin is next to be removed from the tower and lowered.
Workers beginning to prepare sections of the tower to be removed. The horizontal section of the second tower crane can be seen to the right of the tower being worked on.
This is the second (and last of the original four) crane being disassembled and lowered. Cab of flatbed truck can be seen on the bridge awaiting the sections of the crane as they are brought down. Several flatbed trucks were required to transport all the various section of the cranes as they were taken apart.
The rear section of the crane coming down. The red front section can be seen laying on the bridge. It will be disassembled into sections that can be transported off site.
Almost there! Once on the ground, the “ALL” signage and other elements will be removed before the remaining section will be prepared to be loaded onto flatbed truck transport.
Pieces of the tower being placed on flatbed. Just two vertical sections remain standing.
The last tower section is on the ground.
A closer look at the last tower section before it is laid down in preparation for loading onto the flatbed.
By Doug Verdier
Mill District residents might have observed the recent removal of one of the four tower cranes that had been in place on the Third Avenue bridge for the past many months. The operation took two days, as the horizontal section and operator cab were removed first, then the vertical tower was taken apart section by section and lowered to the bridge deck by the yellow crane.
Prep work is currently underway to repair the base of the bridge pier below the location where the tower crane had been. Crushed rock is being placed in the water around the base of the pier to form a solid platform for workers and equipment to operate from. A cofferdam barrier will be erected around the pier base to create a dry working area and prevent water from flowing around the pier while construction takes place down to the river bottom. The same process was used during repairs of two other piers in mid-river.
By Doug Verdier
Between musical performances throughout the afternoon and early evening, the audience had an opportunity to visit with friends and neighbors and grab a snack and beverage at nearby refreshment trailers.
The schedule says it all. Music, Music, Music!
Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera got audience feet tapping (and some folks dancing) with his signature hot classic Cuban piano Latin jazz. Once described in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as, “Hotter than the burning tip of a contraband Cuban cigar. Stronger than a straight shot of Havana rum…,” he and his band mates kept up the pace for about 45 minutes of non-stop exciting music to close out the festival’s musical performances.
The lines at the food and beverage trailers next to General Mills Plaza moved quickly even during breaks in the musical performances.
By Doug Verdier
The current project to renovate and improve Father Hennepin Bluff Park is moving along nicely, as construction of a new performance stage and attached seasonal restroom facility currently is underway and on schedule. The photos below show some of the recent progress.
Supports are in place to install a roof above what will be the new outdoor concert stage area. New restrooms are built into the back side of this structure.
Shown above is the entrance to the restroom area beneath the cantilevered roof being placed at the rear of the new structure behind the stage shown in the previous photo.
The existing bandshell seen above will remain. Original plans were to refurbish it and remove the roof, but budgetary considerations resulted in a change. According to park officials, plans now call for dressing up the front of it, removing much of the concrete that was there, and simplifying the approach to it. Since the new building will now be where performances are held, the existing bandshell area can take on a simple look and feel.
Extensive landscaping and stormwater management throughout the park has been happening since the project began in April 2022. Work is expected to be complete in Fall 2022.
By Doug Verdier
July 1 saw movie-goers gathering early at Water Works Park for a showing of the 1975 film Mahogany, staring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams. The Mezzanine Lawn overlooking the riverfront provided the perfect location for the big screen (inflatable, no less!) to enjoy a film about a poor Chicago secretary (Diana Ross) who takes the fast lane to fame as a model and fashion designer. It received an Oscar nomination for music (original song). The music throughout the film was great.
On June 14th, MPRB’s Music in the Parks series kicked off with perfect weather for a performance by Blue Dog Blues Band next to the park pavilion building.
Many other concerts, classes and activities are programmed throughout the summer. View the complete listing online.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Earlier this month (June 9) West River Parkway was temporarily closed to vehicular traffic between 4th Avenue N and Portland Avenue for a couple of hours. The closure was necessary to allow a repair along the foundation of the former Columbia Flour Mill structure near General Mills Plaza fire pits in Water Works Park.
Built in 1882, the Columbia Flour Mill was originally six stories high with a basement. It was located between the Bassett Sawmill buildings (now the site of the Owamni restaurant and park pavilion) and the Occidental Feed Mill. The Columbia Flour Mill was destroyed by a fire and collapsed in 1941, and the area was used as a dump for many years. In more recent times, the area was filled and used as a parking lot for several years until the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) together with the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, began work to create a new Downtown park, now known as Water Works Park.
During excavation in preparation for work on the new park, a 55-foot-long rail car scale was among the artifacts uncovered in the vicinity of the Columbia Mill ruins. Other artifacts and machinery from the milling era were also found in the basement of the Columbia site after the fill material was removed from inside the remaining outer walls of the mill building. These were examined by archeologists before the structure was reinforced and filled again to its current level. This area is now an outdoor terrace and lawn used for events and outdoor seating for Owamni patrons.
The repairs that were made recently were likely the result of some settling of the fill material that was placed inside the reinforced walls of the former Columbia Mill structure. Some shifting of fill likely occurred around machinery and other items that were covered with a geotextile cell fabric material that is commonly used for soil stabilization in construction projects.
Two blue Cemstone trucks delivered and pumped the fill material to the repair site.
Workers inserted a hose from a Cemstone cement truck along the foundation of the former Columbia Flour Mill building to pump “flowable fill” beneath the structure. Workers closely monitored the fill while it was being pumped.
According to Jon Duesman, Construction Project Manager for the MPRB, the repairs involved pumping what is called flowable fill beneath the corner of the structure to fill the gap caused by the settling. Flowable fill consists of water, fly ash, sand and cement, and was delivered to the site by Cemstone. The liquid mixture will find any gap and fill it and it is self-leveling. The process took less than an hour to complete and used only a few cubic yards of the flowable fill material.
There will be some finishing along the top surface of the area where the fill was inserted, but that is not a major project, according to Mr. Duesman. MPRB employees will complete the job.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
Visitors to Father Hennepin Bluff Park are able to observe the construction underway to build a new performance stage and attached seasonal restroom facility near the South end of the Stone Arch Bridge. Other improvements are also underway throughout the remainder of the park. These include: upgraded lighting, path connections, way finding signage and trail markings, as well as landscape and stormwater management improvements. Construction began in mid-April and is expected to be completed in Fall 2022. The park remains open to visitors with some restrictions in areas under construction. Project Info
Foundation for the new performance stage building is well underway, while landscaping work continues throughout the park.
Submitted by Doug Verdier
This past Saturday morning found a group of folks engaged in a High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) Workout on the grassy plaza of Water Works Park. Basecamp Fitness North Loop provided equipment and instruction, which gave participants a full-body workout designed to tone, define and add muscle mass. Perfect weather and a slight breeze were most welcome. The photos below show some of the activities during the session.
Future outdoor classes are scheduled Saturdays throughout the summer months from 10-11am (except June 11 and June 18). For more information, call 612-870-8080 or email northloopmn@basecampfitness.com.
The colored squares provide agility training.
The park’s inclined ramp provides a perfect space for a quick jog between other activities.
All done, all smiles! Great workout everyone - see you next week!
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 10:20AM