Construction begins on new Graco Park along Northeast Minneapolis riverfront

Posted on 15 September, 2022

New park result of 2018 agreements between Graco Inc. and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Construction just began on Graco Park, a new Northeast Minneapolis riverfront park across from Hall’s Island, just north of the Plymouth Avenue Bridge!

The first phase of work to build the new park involves building a flood barrier and grading the site to prepare it for park construction next year. Some of the soil used for this work will be repurposed from the Upper Harbor Terminal site, where another new riverfront park is under construction in North Minneapolis.

Mississippi East Bank Trail will be rerouted along Sibley Street NE and the former 10th Avenue NE through at least the end of the year. Please stay away from areas under construction. Trail users and truck and vehicle drivers are advised to slow down and look out for each other while the trail reroute is in place.

An agreement that allows part of the trail to be temporarily rerouted on Graco Inc. property, located next to the future Graco Park, was approved on Sept. 7, 2022. In 2018, Graco Inc., a leading manufacturer of fluid handling equipment, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) reached a series of agreements that will result in this new park. Read the “2018 Agreements” section below for details.

Graco Park Details

Graco Park is expected to open in 2024. When it’s complete, it will feature:

  • A multiuse building with public restrooms, community space and a Spark’d Studios location
  • Native habitat restoration and stormwater management features
  • The Mississippi East Bank Trail realigned through the park, with safety upgrades at the intersection of Plymouth/8th Avenue NE and Sibley Street NE
  • Gathering spaces, walkways and river access

Graco Park Final Concept

Future phases could include additional park elements as funding becomes available:

  • Picnic shelters
  • Watercraft rental
  • Additional park or future vendor building
  • A trail under the Plymouth Avenue Bridge that connects to Boom Island Park
  • Hall’s Island river overlook

2018 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.

The contributions from Graco will allow the new riverfront park to be constructed much earlier than it could have through traditional park funding mechanisms.

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.

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