Proposed data center development sparks debate in Minneapolis North Loop
The Minnesota Star Tribune plans to sell its former North Loop printing facility in Minneapolis to a data center developer. This proposed development is considered an "odd fit" for the increasingly valuable urban real estate by some, including a local urban geographer, who argue it represents a poor use of prime downtown land.
The Minnesota Star Tribune has announced plans to sell its former printing facility, known as the Heritage Center, located in Minneapolis' North Loop neighborhood to a data center developer. This comes six months after the newspaper shut down its printing operations at the site.
Built in the mid-1980s, the 500,000-square-foot industrial plant was once a technological marvel in a post-industrial expanse of vacant lots and warehouses. However, the surrounding North Loop area has undergone significant transformation over the past 40 years, evolving into some of the country's most valuable urban real estate, now home to numerous condos, apartments, and a thriving retail and restaurant scene.
Urban geographer Bill Lindeke, writing for MinnPost, criticized the proposal, stating that the announcement "went over like a lead balloon in some quarters." Lindeke argues that while the sale might offer short-term profits, a data center is a "bad idea" and an "odd fit" for such prime Minneapolis real estate, incurring a significant opportunity cost for the city's future downtown development.