City: Minneapolis, MN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (612) 339-4343

Address: 100 North Sixth St.

Description: Butler Square is perhaps the finest example of a renovated warehouse in Minneapolis. The building, formerly known as Butler Brothers Warehouse, is situated on the southwestern edge of the historic Warehouse District. The Warehouse District is filled with classic buildings that once housed Minneapolis’s bustling industrial and shipping sector.The Warehouse District, like much of the city, was neglected in the era following World War II as people flocked to the suburbs. Many businesses closed or left the warehouses for the suburbs, and much of the district sat dormant, a fate much better than that met by the neighboring Gateway District of downtown, which was largely torn down. The Warehouse District was spared the wrecking ball because the area was too far from downtown and was not considered financially lucrative. In the 1970s urban revitalization gradually began in the Warehouse District, and Butler Square was the first converted for modern use. Today the once-moribund section of Minneapolis is filled with converted warehouses that serve as office space, restaurants, bars, art galleries, and retail shops.Butler Square’s architecture is based on its past strengths combined with a superb renovation in 1973. The exterior is dark brick, and it distinguishes itself with a Moorish-style turret atop the building. The interior is where the building sets itself apart. The renovation maximized the building’s open space. The original wood beams were cleaned and left exposed, and windows were installed to gaze out at the atrium. There are two large atriums from floor to ceiling, and sculptures such as George Segal’s Acrobats accent the interior’s striking beauty. After the success of Butler Square, many other renovations followed in the Warehouse District, but none have matched its architectural grandeur.