In Motion: Father Hennepin Bluff Park

Legend has it that Father Hennepin Bluff Park is the location where Father Louis Hennepin first laid eyes in 1680 on what subsequently became known as Saint Anthony Falls.

The 8-acre site in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood and originally opened in 1980 as one of Minneapolis’ earliest downtown waterfront revitalization efforts.

Now under construction, our 2022 renovation transforms the original park with improved landscaping, paths, restrooms, and park systems — providing greater access to park visitors. Surrounded by cottonwoods, a new performance pavilion at the north terminus of the Stone Arch Bridge above the banks of the Mississippi River is at the heart of the redesign. Connecting the historic Saint Anthony Main neighborhood to downtown via the Stone Arch Bridge, the park provides a green oasis at the center of Minneapolis.

Father Hennepin Bluff Park hosts a number of events centered around the community it serves, including weekly movies and music performances, The park is also home base for annual events like the Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Red, White & Boom!, and the Owámni Falling Water Festival–an event celebrating indigenous cultures along the Mississippi River.

As the neighborhood around the park has grown and transformed from a milling and shipping district to a dense mixed-use neighborhood, access to the park for Minneapolis’ diverse citizens and visitors has become increasingly important. The restoration of Father Hennepin Bluff Park will improve access to this great urban space with vital improvements to lighting, security, and accessibility.

The new building will encourage both formal and informal interaction, ranging from scheduled events to spontaneous activity. It has been designed as a new landmark and gathering place, marking the convergence of roads, bridges, walks, and paths that crisscross the site.

The building’s location at the north end of the Stone Arch Bridge between downtown and Saint Anthony Main provides a landmark that promotes orientation and wayfinding within the park, along Main Street, and within the broader context of the historic riverfront. The pavilion building is a simple but distinctive structure, striking a balance between functional necessities, a sustainable use of materials and resources, and an architectural expression that honors the past and future of the neighborhood while daring to be a future Minneapolis icon.

The pavilion’s utilitarian, functional expression is in keeping with the rich industrial and infrastructural character associated with the riverfront and the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District. The building is intended to draw upon existing forms, colors, and textures, using a resilient material palette of concrete, wood, and galvanized steel that speak to the surrounding neighborhood’s industrial history and current commercial and residential architectural aesthetic. Simple detailing and program ensure a building that will remain useful and flexible well into the future.

Project partners:
Landschaft LLC - Landscape Architects
Élan Design Lab - Civil Engineering
EDI-Dolejs - Mechanical, Electrical Engineering
KOMA - Structural Engineering
Hess, Roise & Co - Historic Consultation