Graco Park Construction Update

Posted on 12 February, 2024

Construction progressed throughout winter on new Northeast Minneapolis riverfront park on track to open in fall 2024

Lots of progress has been made over the winter on Graco Park, a new riverfront park just north of the Plymouth Avenue Bridge in Northeast Minneapolis.

Construction has been focused on the new park building, which is expected to be complete in 2024. The building’s exterior shell and roof framing are complete, its concrete floor has been poured, and work on mechanical and electrical systems is underway. Windows are scheduled to be installed in March, then work on finishing the building exterior will resume.

Later this spring, work on the building will shift to its interior, and construction of the outdoor park elements, like landscaping and pathways, will pick up. The park is on track to open in fall 2024.

Graco Park Construction site from above on January 5, 2024. Picture shows snow-sprinkled dirt site with construction equipment and materials and a partially completed building.
Graco Park from above on January 5, 2024

Graco Park Features

The Graco Park building will be a net-zero energy building with roof-mounted solar panels and a geothermal energy system to offset energy use. A snowmelt system on the south side of the building will reduce salt needed to clear paths of ice and snow.

The building will offer public restrooms, community space and a new Spark’d Studios location. Outdoor park features include native habitat restoration, improved stormwater management, gathering spaces, walkways and river access.

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) awarded a $480,000 grant to support many of these outdoor park features, which expands the native habitat restoration work completed at nearby Hall’s Island. The MWMO supported Hall’s Island restoration with a $1.5 million grant in 2017.

Trail Upgrades

The Mississippi East Bank Trail remains open on a detour around the construction site. The trail will travel through the park when it opens.

A $2.56 million Regional Solicitation grant from the Metropolitan Council is funding several exciting trail upgrades:

  • A new trail under the Plymouth Avenue Bridge that connects to Boom Island Park
  • Safety improvements at the 8th Avenue NE and Sibley Street NE intersection
  • A new wider trail bridge over the Boom Island Marina Outlet
  • A dedicated trail through the Boom Island Marina Plaza

Designs for these features are almost finished. Construction bids will be solicited this spring, with work expected to begin in the fall.

Graco Park Agreements

On Oct. 17, 2018, the MPRB and Graco Inc. reached several agreements on the development of a riverfront park adjacent to Hall’s Island in Northeast Minneapolis.

Included in the agreements:

  • The Graco Foundation donated more than $3 million to the MPRB to fund a new park named “Graco Park.”
  • Graco gave an easement for the Mississippi East Bank Trail to the MPRB for free and the parties ended legal proceedings related to the easement.
  • The MPRB sold 2.2 acres located next to Graco’s Riverside production facility to Graco at a fair market value of $1.1 million.
    • This land is part of a 3.55-acre section of the 11-acre site, dubbed “Parcel D,” which was purchased by the MPRB without state regional park funding.
    • When the site was acquired in 2010, the MPRB, City of Minneapolis and Metropolitan Council all agreed that Parcel D would not become parkland and planned to instead use Parcel D for a public-private partnership of some kind.
  • Graco funded flood protection constructed on Parcel D and prepaid park dedication fees for Parcel D.

Site History

2010: The MPRB purchased the 11-acre riverfront site from Scherer Bros Lumber Co. The former lumberyard was cleaned up and industrial buildings and asphalt were replaced with grass over the next few years.

2016: The Mississippi East Bank Trail was paved through the site. This riverfront trail extension connects Boom Island Park, Graco Park and Sheridan Memorial Park before terminating at the BNSF railroad bridge, in the 1600 block of Marshall Street NE.

2017-18: A project restored Hall’s Island, which was eliminated by lumber yard expansion in the 1960s, and created a new gravel river beach.

2018: The MPRB and Graco Inc. reached several agreements that will result in this new park.

2021: MPRB staff collected feedback from the community, researched opportunities and constraints at the site and created a series of Graco Park design concepts for public feedback.

April 2022: The final park concept was approved by MPRB Commissioners after a public hearing.

September 2022: Grading and earthwork began to prepare site for park construction.

August 2023: Park construction began.