What happened to plans for a big food hall at the new Dayton’s Project in downtown Minneapolis?
When the old Dayton’s department store was demolished 6 years ago, there was much fanfare about what it would become before it was decided it would be turned into a state-of-the-art office building with world-class amenities and a 45,000-square-foot lower-level food hall.
Minneapolis Downtown Council President and CEO Adam Duininck says, unfortunately, all of that momentum came to a halt when the Dayton’s Project opened at the height of the pandemic and, with it, the mass exodus of downtown workers.
While they’re now back for at least part of the week, the developer is still leery of the once hopeful concept.
“The challenge with that project was that it really came online right as the pandemic was hitting… and now I think we’re in a position where we can talk about a pivot and a growth,” Duininck said.
Duininck says the Dayton’s Project continues to add tenants, including the marketing firm The Lacek Group, but the project still remains in limbo.