Tour Day 2023: Modernism and Saint Paul's Urban Renewal – Saturday October 28, 2023; 1pm-4pm.

Ecolab Osborn building by Bergstedt, Wahlberg and Wold (1968).

​Join Docomomo US/MN in Downtown Saint Paul for a guided walking tour, as we explore modernist buildings that were developed as part of urban renewal efforts in the capital city. 

Saturday, October 28, 2023
Walking Tour: 1pm-3pm.
Reception: 3pm-4pm
​
Like many downtown cores in the 1960s, Saint Paul was yearning to counteract the flight of businesses leaving for the surrounding suburbs. Yet private investment was lackluster until the Metropolitan Improvement Committee commissioned the Capitol Centre plan, in which the city would purchase twelve blocks of blighted buildings and then resell them to private developers.

Supported by a $19 million federal grant, the fabric of downtown Saint Paul was remade between 1965 and 1974 with modernist office towers and plazas.

This walking tour will explore these and other highlights of modernism, including the 1966 gleaming aluminum and glass Ecolab building by Bergstedt, Wahlberg and Wold (1968), the Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Building by Ellerbe Associates (1955), and the Northwestern National Bank Building by Grover Diamond Associates (1971). 

The tour will meet in the public plaza outside the Osborn Building at 1pm sharp – 370 Wabasha Street North. We will walk approximately 1.5 miles on public sidewalks. Some stair climbing may be necessary.

Just Announced! Immediately following the walking tour, Docomomo US/MN will host a short reception on the 4th floor of the Osborn Building, featuring photos and additional resources on St. Paul's Urban Renewal, plus refreshments! 3pm-4pm.

Registration is required! This event is free for Docomomo US/MN Members and students. $25 for nonmembers.

This tour is presented by Todd Grover FAIA. A longtime Saint Paul resident and Docomomo US/MN board member, Todd is a partner at MacDonald & Mack Architects in Minneapolis. He also serves as the national VP of Advocacy for Docomomo US. 

AIA Continuing Education: This event qualifies for 2 LU credits. Please have your AIA member number at the event to take advantage of this opportunity!


​Banner Image: Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Building by Ellerbe Associates (1955).
Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

​About Docomomo US Tour Day:
The only national program of its kind, Tour Day is devoted to the appreciation of modern architecture in the United States. Tours and events focused on architecture and design of the Modern Movement are hosted, coast-to-coast, by Docomomo US chapters, partners, and leading voices in preservation. 

This year's thematic focus is Revisiting Urban Renewal. Urban and suburban development led to radical changes in the way we live, work, and gather. Docomomo US explores the multifaceted theme of urban renewal as the 2023 annual theme seeking to revisit and better understand the complexity of the projects that were built, their significance, positive and negative impacts, and their legacy today.