MINNEAPOLIS—The City of Minneapolis has just approved Kraus-Anderson's plan to build a new five-story, 100,000-square-foot headquarters at 8^th St. and 5^th Ave. in downtown Minneapolis' Elliot Park neighborhood. The company will double the number of employees it currently has working downtown by consolidating its suburban operations into the new building. In doing so, KA will be just one of the many firms to take advantage of the desire of many in the modern workforce to adopt urban lifestyles.

KA has been headquartered in downtown Minneapolis since 1897. Its current building at 525 S. Eighth St. was constructed in the mid-1970s. Last year, the company announced plans to consolidate its Twin Cities operations under one roof in a new, build-to-suit LEED facility. Groundbreaking ceremonies will take place at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, April 28.

“Our satellite offices were a result of Kraus Anderson's growth over the years and a lack of space to appropriately accommodate the team,” Mike Hille, KA's senior vice president for development, tells GlobeSt.com. “The KA Block project allows us to continue our commitment to the city of Minneapolis, strengthen our relationship as a community member in Elliot Park, and bring our team together in a collaborative and inspiring environment. This location will also centralize our businesses bringing all of us closer to our clients and business partners also located in downtown Minneapolis.

During new construction, KA staff will move into a temporary facility located at 3433 Broadway St. NE and will occupy their new building in late 2017.

The new headquarters will house about 300 employees and combine those from the construction office in Circle Pines, and Kraus-Anderson Realty Co. and the development offices in Bloomington. The new building, which will utilize a collaborative design and upgraded technology, will also house Kraus-Anderson Mortgage, as well as the parent corporation, Kraus-Anderson Cos. Kraus-Anderson Insurance, a privately held independent insurance and risk management firm, will continue to operate from its offices in Burnsville.

Designed by Pope Architects, planned amenities include a fitness center, educational training center, rooftop deck, cafeteria, formal and informal meeting areas, and an appealing, well-landscaped exterior. The plan also includes two levels of underground parking to serve KA's office employees.

The state's Dept. of Employment and Economic Development has provided grant funds to assist in the site preparation.

But KA has done more than design a headquarters building. It teamed with Minneapolis-based ESG Architects to develop the master plan for the entire block. In addition to KA's new office building, the plan calls for a mixed-use redevelopment of the company's current downtown block to include a 17-story, 307-unit multifamily housing project, and an eight-story, 158-unit hotel connected to FINNEGAN'S brewery event center and FINNovation Lab.

“The exciting full-block redevelopment will transform a largely windswept surface parking lot into a vibrant, urban mixed-use destination and new generation residential community,” says Dan Engelsma, president and chief operating officer of Kraus-Anderson Realty.

During new construction, KA staff will move into a temporary facility located at 3433 Broadway St. NE and will occupy their new building in late 2017.

The state's Dept. of Employment and Economic Development has provided grant funds to assist in the site preparation.

Instant Insights /

Kraus-Anderson Gets Green Light for Downtown HQ

Related Stories

Recommended For You