Water Works Progress Photos from Mill District Resident Doug Verdier

Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier continues to document the progress of the Water Works project. Below photos were taken on October 14.

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Attached photos of infrastructure work currently ongoing related to Water Works Park project. Much of work on 1st Street S and 5th Avenue S are Public Works projects as well as Xcel Energy, which is burying power lines along 1st Street S. Meanwhile, work continues in the park area itself as rehabilitation on former Bassett Sawmill and Columbia Flour Mill buildings, and excavation of former Occidental Mill site.

Materials for stormwater line replacement lined up on 5th Avenue S near 1st Street S.

Corner of 1st Street S and 5th Avenue S installing new storm water line. Excavation required a combination of mechanical and hand shoveling.

Looking toward downtown at intersection of 1st Street S and 5th Avenue S, RiverWest Condo on right.

Site in front of Crown Roller Mill building along 5th Avenue S.

Excavators removing reinforced concrete debris from site of Occidental Mill. Machine on left was crushing concrete pillars to remove concrete from encased metal reinforcing bars. Machine on right is removing remains of Occidental Mill foundation.

View of site from 3rd Avenue Bridge. Masonry restoration is ongoing on walls of former Columbia Mill on left with scaffolding erected.

Xcel Energy workers preparing site along 1st Street S to bury power lines. 

Water Works Progress Photos from Mill District Resident Doug Verdier

Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier continues to document the progress of the Water Works project. Below photos were taken on September 10, 2019.

Above, excavators removing debris from basement level of the ruins of the Columbia Flour Mill. Built in 1882, the brick upper level of the six-story structure collapsed in January 1941, and the mill was destroyed four months later in a major fire. Once debris is removed from the lower level of the Columbia Mill, the remaining stone wall will be reinforced on the inside. The wall will be incorporated into the park design overlooking a plaza on the river side.

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Three excavators are working as a team to remove rock, dirt, debris and brick and lift it to street level.

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Among the remnants of the Columbia Mill machinery found in the lower level of the mill was this spool of steel cable.

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Another part of mill machinery. Some of the rubble from the 1941 fire can be seen behind the wheel.

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This piece of mill machinery was caked with mud when it was brought up. The iron section is still bolted to part of a heavy wooden beam. Evidence of the 1941 fire can be seen on the wood.

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Excavation machines at work as seen from W. River Parkway.

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Scaffolding has been erected on the river side of the Columbia Mill wall in preparation for restoration.

Water Works Excavation - A Delicate Operation

Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier has been documenting the digging taking place during late July as he monitors the progress of the excavation phase of the Water Works project. Below is a photo essay of some recent activity.

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Taken from West River Parkway side of the Columbia Mill. Digging to locate a railroad scale that was buried there years ago, and to locate depth of foundation wall. People in photo are the contractor and archaeologists who are overseeing project. They found the scale! It is said to be about 50 feet long and was used to weigh rail cars when loaded with grain. Not certain what will be done regarding the scale at this point. It’s down pretty deep.

Some of the debris excavated from around the Columbia building foundation. A lot of junk and debris was dumped there at one time.

Digging to locate base of foundation of Columbia building on West River Parkway side.

Wide shot of excavation of Columbia foundation. RiverWest is in the background.

Exterior wall of Columbia structure showing temporary stabilization.

Taken July 25, 2019 - Excavating interior of Columbia Mill wall and foundation.

Taken July 25, 2019 - Excavating interior of Columbia Mill building. Fuji Ya can be seen in background.

Closer shot of excavation showing Columbia Mill exterior wall and Fuji Ya exterior wall.

Shot of work site from S 1st Street.

Following are additional photos of excavation of Columbia Mill interior taken July 26. Workers are removing old tires and brick that were placed in window openings of the building when the foundation was filled to prevent collapse of the wall. 

Clearing old tires and debris (mostly dirt and old brick) from window openings must be done by hand to prevent damage to remaining structure.

Archeologist in foreground monitoring excavation.

A-Mill Hydro Update

Attached PDF are letters to FERC from Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service and the MN Dept. of Natural Resources that provide comments and recommendations regarding the proposed A-Mill hydro project. Both documents are extremely detailed and focus on specific concerns regarding each agency's area of responsibility. These responses to FERC indicate that these government agencies take their missions very seriously. Worth the time it takes to read them.

Letter from Doug Verdier to FERC re: Symphony Hydro

Local Hydro activist Doug Verdier weighs in on the proposed Symphony Hydro project, cites need to keep lock functional for emergency contingencies:

Download the letter...

Crown Hydro Seeks New Location on St. Anthony Falls Lock & Dam Property

From local resident Doug Verdier: 

This latest effort by Crown Hydro to advance the hydro plant at Upper St. Anthony Falls indicates that they now are trying to cut a deal with the Corps of Engineers to build the plant on Corps-controlled land, thus bypassing the MPRB and local government authorities. This letter announces that Crown wants to amend their license again so they can proceed with the project.

View a digest of Crown Hydro documents...

Crown Hydro Update

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board will vote to approve its 2012 Legislative Agenda during the next regular MPRB meeting Jan. 18. One of the items on the Legislative Agenda is the following which addresses the Crown Hydro proposal:

PROTECT LOCAL CONTROL OF PARK LAND: Attempts were made last year to force the Park Board to grant a private entity the right to use park land for a hydroelectric facility. The Park Board and other local governmental units had serious concerns about the constitutionality of the legislation and the usurpation of local control, and no such legislation was passed. We will again fight any efforts to force the Park Board to relinquish control of its land to private entities.