Discover the 13 Tallest Buildings in Minneapolis
When you envision Minneapolis, what imagery of the city comes to your head? Most people probably think about the lakes, cold weather, and the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis is the largest city by population in the state of Minnesota. It’s also half of the “Twin Cities” along with Saint Paul.
Many companies have offices in downtown Minneapolis, including Target and U.S. Bank. Being the largest city and the home to multiple corporations means the downtown metropolitan area of Minneapolis must be huge in size. These are the top 13 tallest buildings that grace the Minneapolis skyline.
PwC Plaza
PwC Plaza was first opened back in 1987 in downtown Minneapolis. The building is named after PricewaterhouseCoopers, a London-based company that has corporate offices in Minneapolis. PwC Plaza starts the list off at a height of 475 feet tall. This building is also home to one of the nicest hotels in Minneapolis, the Royal Sonesta. They take three of the sixteen floors that PwC Plaza has to offer.
Target Plaza South
Another building on the list of tallest in Minneapolis is the home to one of the biggest corporations in the United States. Target Plaza South opened back in 2001 and you guessed it, is the Target headquarters. The home of Target stands at 492 feet tall. This building was constructed very close to the original building where Target had its headquarters at. One of the most influential buildings in Minneapolis comes in at number twelve on the list of tallest.
Ameriprise Financial Center
The Ameriprise Financial Center is the home to Ameriprise Financial. Opened back in 2000, this building used to be known as the American Express Tower. Nonetheless, coming in at 498 feet tall, this building was the tallest office-only building completed in the United States in 2000. Ameriprise Financial owns this entire building, making it the tallest single-tenant building in Minneapolis.
Fifth Street Towers II
Much like the city it’s located in, Fifth Street Towers II has a twin, Fifth Street Towers I. However, Fifth Street Towers II stands almost 150 feet taller than Fifth Street Towers I. With a height of 504 feet and 36 floors, Fifth Street Towers II was opened in 1988. This office building was once home to MAIR Holdings, one of the biggest airline holding companies. This building helps bring the Minneapolis skyline to life and comes in at number 10 of the tallest buildings.
RBC Gateway
Completed back in 2022, RBC Gateway officially opened up to the world. This 519 foot tall buildings is now the United States headquarters for RBC Wealth Management. RBC is the biggest bank in all of Canada. With its the proximity to Canada, Minneapolis is a great place to be headquartered. Apart from being the largest in Canada, RBC operates in 11 U.S. states and 17 countries in the Caribbean. The RBC Gateway building provides a clean, modern look to the Minneapolis skyline.
60 South Sixth
The building that used to be the home of RBC in the United States is 60 South Sixth. This building opened up back in 1992 and stands at a height of 539 feet. From 2008 until 2022, this building was known as RBC Plaza. Another investing firm named Dain Rauscher Wessels called this building home. This is one of the investment firms RBC would buy up in the United States. 60 South Sixth has had an interesting history and has been home to some of the biggest investment deals in Minneapolis.
Eleven on the River
Eleven on the River makes its way onto the list of tallest buildings in Minneapolis as number seven. Coincidentally enough, it was also finished in 2022, like RBC Gateway. Eleven on the River stands at a heigh of 550 feet in downtown Minneapolis. This building stands as the tallest only residential building in the entire state of Minnesota. There are 42 floors with over 120 units packed into it. The building takes on its name because it overlooks the Mississippi River as it runs through Minneapolis.
US Bank Plaza I
The US Bank Plaza is comprised of two buildings, one of which stands more than 240 feet taller than the other. Plaza II tops out at a height of 321 feet, while Plaza I stands at a height of 561 feet. Earlier, the taller of the two buildings was at one point the corporate headquarters for the Pillsbury Company. This lasted from when the building was opened in 1981 all the way until 2001, when General Mills acquired Pillsbury.
Two22
Two22 was first opened in downtown Minneapolis in 1985 and at first was named after Piper Sandler Companies, an investment bank in Minneapolis. This company would use Two22 as their headquarters for 15 years until 2000. After they left, the building became known as Campbell Mithun Tower, an advertising company who would use the building until they broke apart in 2016. Ever since then, the 581 foot tall building has been home to many different tenants.
33 South Sixth
Coming in as the fourth tallest building in Minneapolis is 33 South Sixth. Moreover, this building takes a major leap in height from Two22, as it stands at 668 feet tall. Completed in 1983, 33 South Sixth was formerly the headquarters for International Multifoods. 33 South Sixth used to be known as the International Multifoods Tower until 2003. The Minneapolis City Center mall is right next to 33 South Sixth and provides a nice get away for those wanting a break from the office.
Wells Fargo Center
Going from number four to number three is another massive jump, as the Wells Fargo Center comes in at a height of 775 feet tall. This is more than 100 feet taller than the previous building. This was the tallest building built in Minneapolis in the 1980s, as it opened in 1988. The original building was destroyed during a 1982 fire. This building has a stark resemblance to one of the most famous buildings in the United States, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
Capella Tower
The Capella Tower comes in at a tie with the Wells Fargo Center with a heigh of 775 feet. There was always some disagreement about the true height of the building. Some called it 776 feet, but it’s been confirmed at 775 feet tall. The Capella Tower was opened back in 1982 and is tied with the Wells Fargo Center as the 80th-tallest building in the United States. This building used to be known as First Bank Place, as it was the home of First Bank, who is now US Bank.
IDS Center
Finally, the tallest building in Minneapolis is the IDS Center. With a towering height of 792 feet, this building looks down on all in Minneapolis, and the state of Minnesota for that matter. Ever since 1973, this building has been known for being the tallest in the city. This building has housed some of the biggest headquarters in the world, namely Ameriprise Financial and Target. This was before both got their own building. IDS Center stands as the 66th-tallest in the United States and a respectable 286th in the entire world.
Downtown Minneapolis has tons of fun things for the whole family to do. There are parks, shopping, and plenty of river space to picnic by. One thing any proud city will want is for those who come to appreciate the skyline it has to offer. As of now, there aren’t any projects being constructed or proposed that would add to this list. Keep an eye out though. Minneapolis has many different corporations who call it home.
Finally, A Summary of the 13 Tallest Buildings in Minneapolis:
Rank | Name | Height | Year Built |
13 | PwC Plaza | 475 Feet | 1987 |
12 | Target Plaza South | 492 Feet | 2001 |
11 | Ameriprise Financial Center | 498 Feet | 2000 |
10 | Fifth Street Towers II | 504 Feet | 1988 |
9 | RBC Gateway | 519 Feet | 2022 |
8 | 60 South Sixth | 539 Feet | 1992 |
7 | Eleven on the River | 550 Feet | 2022 |
6 | Us Bank Plaza I | 561 Feet | 1981 |
5 | Two22 | 581 Feet | 1995 |
4 | 33 South Sixth | 668 Feet | 1982 |
3 | Wells Fargo Center | 775 Feet | 1988 |
2 | Capella Tower | 775 Feet | 1992 |
1 | IDS Center | 792 Feet | 1973 |