Office Building to Rise Along Mississippi River

MINNEAPOLIS-Padilla Speer Beardsley, the Twin Cities’ largest locally-owned public relations agency, will anchor a new office building on the bank of the Mississippi River. Ryan Cos. says the city council has approved its proposed development plans for a four-story, 80,000-sf office building at 1101 West River Parkway that will also include space for other companies.

The site is part of a former railroad yard and has been vacant for years. Construction will begin next month and it should be ready for occupancy in January 2002.

The new office building will feature a distinctive two-story glass-enclosed “porch” as part of the Padilla offices on the third and fourth floors. The lighted area will be visible from the Stone Arch Bridge as well as the north side of the Mississippi River.

A combination of rough and smooth textured pre-cast concrete will be used for the building’s exterior in an attempt to evoke the rough-hewn and smooth limestone at the base of bluffs carved by the Mississippi.

The land purchase by Ryan will provide the funds necessary for the city to extend 11th Avenue to West River Parkway helping connect the Downtown neighborhoods to the Mill Ruins Park and the other amenities available along West River Parkway.

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have paid growing attention to rebuilding their riverfronts with office, residential, retail and entertainment facilities. Much of the land had once been devoted to industrial uses, but has been in disuse. In many cases, the land needs to be cleaned up before new construction can begin.

Padilla’s nearly 100 local employees can no longer be accommodated in its main offices on West Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis, which it has occupied since 1970. Besides the West Franklin address, Padilla also has other Twin Cities offices in St. Louis Park and St. Paul, says John Beardsley, chairman and CEO of the firm.

Rick Collins, Ryan Cos. vice president for office development, says the building should help continue the growth and redevelopment along the Mississippi River, retain a long-time local employer and better connect the Downtown Minneapolis business district to the river.