Minneapolis, MN
These Minneapolis buildings resonate with baby boomers but baffle Gen Z
If it seems as if commercial architecture has been stagnant for a while, you might be right. For most of the 20th century, styles changed every 10 years or so, rolling through the big cities first, ending up on main street later.
The baby boomer generation saw the biggest changes. In the immediate postwar era, downtowns were characterized by old brick buildings with some classical details, but from the 1950s onward, everything built was modern and simplified. The boomers also were familiar with the exuberant kitsch and button-down corporate modernism of the 1950s and ’60s, the mirrored glass facades of the 1970s and the post-modern classical shapes of the 1980s.
The zoomers — a generation born between 1997 to 2012 — grew up with those styles, as well, but they weren’t there to see them new. They were the existing order, a fait accompli, just like the prewar buildings had been for the boomers. It was someone else’s streetscape. Of course, they know what the IDS Center is, but they have no memory of the sunset poking through the girders while it was under construction, or watching the excavation for the Metrodome.
So it goes with every generational shift. Nothing new there. What makes the boomers different is that the smaller details, the interesting characters, the ordinary commercial architecture of their era, are vanishing rapidly, and they’re the only ones who remember them.
Here’s a sampling of familiar streetscape characters that boomers might recall, while zoomers might find them utterly baffling.
Fotomats promised one-day service on developing film and also sold film rolls. (Star Tribune)
Ask a boomer what they were, and you’ll have a prompt answer. The outdoor kiosks were the little yellow huts, the size of toll booths, usually found in parking lots. One could drop film to be processed into photos there, and pick up the prints later. Fotomats started to appear in the late 1960s, and disappeared in the late ’80s — competition from in-store labs and the rise of digital film did them in. The buildings with oversized roofs stuck around for years, and repurposed, until the lot was reused for housing. That was the fate of the Fotomat in Dinkytown at 4th Street and 15th Avenue SE. Some were just removed because they were empty and impeded traffic.
Ask a zoomer about one, and you’ll get blank looks and shrugs.
The Weatherball issued forecasts from atop the Northwestern National Bank building and was a prominent fixture on the Minneapolis skyline. It was erected in 1949 and came down in 1982. (Randy Salas/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
The entire baby boomer generation will have to pass from this Earth before people stop lamenting the loss of the Weatherball. It stood atop the Northwestern National Bank Building from 1949 until it was toppled by fire in the great Thanksgiving Day blaze in 1982. Today, it has been gone longer than it was around.
A new federal report alleges Minnesota’s top officials failed to stop fraud even after concerns were flagged, as Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have both defended their efforts to combat fraud over the years.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A Minneapolis woman who was paralyzed weeks before her wedding is rebuilding her life after receiving a second heart transplant.
Tannhauser later received a successful heart transplant April 3, according to People.
It was her second heart transplant.
Tannhauser’s heart problems began when she was a child. According to a profile by Abbott, she was diagnosed with an irregular heart rhythm at age 8 and underwent more than 10 surgeries over the next five years.
She received her first heart transplant on Sept. 7, 2011, when she was 17, Abbott said.
After that transplant, Tannhauser earned a biomedical engineering degree and went on to work with Abbott’s vascular team as a field clinical specialist, helping with cardiovascular clinical trials, according to the company.
Now, the fundraiser is helping Tannhauser and Pfaff pay for medical bills, rehabilitation, accessible housing, and transportation.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – This year, the Fourth of July is on a Saturday as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence.
It’s a time where we celebrate our freedom, get outside in the summer and check out some fireworks. If you want to go see a fireworks display this year, but aren’t sure where to go, here’s a list of some popular displays.
Fourth of July Fireworks displays
Minneapolis – Red, White & Boom
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is thrilled to bring back Red, White & BOOM! returns to the Mississippi Riverfront – bringing a full day of free programming, community celebration, and one of the most anticipated fireworks shows in the state.
With more than 50,000 attendees, this all-day event stretches from morning movement to late-night music, ending with fireworks over the river at 10 p.m.
On Saturday, July 4, fireworks will be on display between 8-10 p.m. at Water Works Park and along West River Parkway.
My St. Paul Fourth of July
Celebrate the holiday at the Fourth of July Parade in the St. Anthony Park Neighborhood. Kick things off with an early morning distance race. Enjoy the colorful parade at 11 a.m., then stake out a patch of grass starting to enjoy the program and live music at the Langford Park bandstand.
Edina Fourth of July
Sponsored by Explore Edina, Independence Day fireworks will be held near dusk July 4 at Rosland Park, 4300 W. 66th St. The First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band will perform at 8:30 p.m. The fireworks will follow.
Bemidji Fourth of July
The Annual Water Carnival is organized by the Bemidji Jaycees. A celebrated feature of this event is the Red, White & BOOM Firework Spectacular, which will illuminate the skies over Lake Bemidji on July 4 at dusk. For optimal viewing, head to the southern end of Lake Bemidji.
Excelsior Fourth of July
Celebrate Independence Day and enjoy the only public fireworks display over Lake Minnetonka. Explore downtown Excelsior, support local businesses, and find a spot in Commons Park or near the water to see the fireworks at dusk on July 4.
Lakeville Fourth of July
Enjoy this year’s fireworks display at dusk on July 4, which helps kick off the PAN-O-PROG (“Panorama of Progress”) festival.
Mankato Fourth of July
On July 4, view the Red, Hot & Boom fireworks display from the Minnesota State University Mankato Athletic Fields (191 Stadium Road). Fireworks will begin around 10 p.m. Choreographed music can be heard on FM stations 93.1 (KATO), 94.1 (KXLP) and 96.7 (KDOG).
Pequot Lakes Fourth of July
The Stars and Stripes Days fireworks display will be held July 3 at dusk at Pequot Lakes High School practice field. Great viewing locations include Trailside Parks, Pequot Lakes School, and the TDS parking lot.
Shakopee – Canterbury Park
Canterbury Park hosts a family-friendly celebration on July 3, featuring live racing, music, face painting, pony rides, and more. Following the races, a spectacular fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m., viewable from the outdoor seating area.
Lake Waconia Fourth of July
The Lake Waconia Fireworks Festival, a cherished July 4 tradition, begins. Ideal viewing spots include Lake Waconia Regional Park, Lola’s Lakehouse, InTowne Marina, Sovereign Estate Winery, Vandy’s Grille, or on a boat out on the lake.
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