After four years and $350 million of construction in downtown Minneapolis, the Dayton's project has been unveiled to the public for the first time.
"For generations, Dayton's presented inspiration and aspiration to the people of the Twin Cities," the project's website says. "Our bold plan for The Dayton's Project brings that back, to create one of the most remarkable properties in Minneapolis. This reimagining of Dayton's will create a first of its kind office, retail, and entertainment space in Minnesota."
What was once a premier shopping center in Minneapolis has been rebuilt into a state-of-the-art office space that includes private amenities, a department hall named the Department at Dayton's, and a food hall.
Hans Okerstrom, the General Manager for the project, talked with News Talk 830 WCCO's Paul Douglas about the opening.
Something that Okerstrom is excited about with the grand opening is the nostalgia and the "opportunity for the public to come down again and shop at Dayton's."
Mich Berthiaume is a curator for the new Department at Dayton's, and she shared that it is filled with a wide range of diverse products and businesses from across the state.
"I go to church basement bizarres, I go to art fairs, I go to craft fairs, I go to powwows, I go anywhere and really focus on brands that people aren't aware of," Berthiaume said.
The floor level of the building holds the much-anticipated food hall that is set to open to the public in early 2022.
"The food hall is nearly complete with its construction stage," Okerstrom shared, adding that it has been difficult with many in the food industry suffering throughout the pandemic.
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However, the office spaces are already in use, with Ernst and Young, a U.K.-based professional services firm, being the space's first tenant. Developers hope to lease more of their office spaces in the coming months.
The remodel includes black, white, and shiny metal designs with floors opened up to reveal a large staircase and modern sculpture hanging from the ceiling.
For Okerstrom, the remodel is a chance to get people back into the city, which he is excited about.
"We've got to get everyone back downtown again, and so that's what we're waiting for," Okerstrom said. "We're waiting for that mark when we get a bulk of our workforce back downtown and back in action."
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