New Peavey Plaza design aims for accessibility, sustainability

Night view, looking southeast
This is how a night view of Peavey Plaza might appear from above, looking southeast during the summer.
Artist rendering courtesy of Oslund & Associates

Minneapolis city officials have unveiled a design for renovating 40-year-old Peavey Plaza that updates many existing features, while also adding an environmentally-friendly fountain system and making it more accessible to wheelchairs in order to comply with accessibility and sustainability laws.

"The idea of a public plaza, and how it is used, designed and programmed, are far more sophisticated and complex today than they were when Peavey was conceived," said the architect behind the design, Tom Oslund.

"We've learned that we can do fountains that are much shallower, that have the same impact, but are much more sustainable," Mayor R.T. Rybak said.

"Those of us who remember back during a drought about 15, or so years ago, when this was turned off, know that those droughts in the new world are going to happen more. So sustainability needs to be part of this work as well," he said.

The price tag for the renovation is estimated at between $8 million to $10 million. City officials say most of the money will come from private sources.

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