Metropolitan Building

The Metropolitan Building was a 12-story structure in downtown Minneapolis that rose approximately 218 feet (66 meters) above the street. Its exterior combined green New Hampshire granite with red Lake Superior sandstone, while the interior housed Turkish baths, a concert hall, a rooftop garden, a law library, and a restaurant.

Built in 1890 as the Northwestern Guaranty Loan Building, it became the city's first major commercial tower and helped establish Minneapolis as a modern business center. The structure was demolished in 1961 during the urban renewal era that transformed downtown.

The building served as a gathering place where business professionals, musicians, and the public could meet in shared spaces throughout the day. The central courtyard with its large skylight created a semi-public gathering area in the heart of downtown.

The building once occupied a central downtown location easily accessible from main streets and transit routes of the era. Today, visitors interested in the structure can only experience it through archival photographs and historical records since it no longer exists.

Marble fragments from the demolished building unexpectedly resurfaced in 2010 when they were discovered in a warehouse in Delano, Minnesota, more than 45 miles away. This discovery sparked renewed interest in preserving what remained of this lost downtown landmark.

Inception: 1890

Floors above the ground: 12

GPS coordinates: 44.97953,-93.26667

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:58