Photo Set

Minneapolis COVID Shutdown

Nicollet Mall, Hennepin Avenue and surrounding blocks during Minnesota's spring 2020 stay-at-home orders

March 15, 2020 - December 18, 2020Minneapolis

Nicollet Mall went quiet almost overnight in March 2020, when Minnesota's stay-at-home order emptied the streets of downtown Minneapolis and shuttered bars, restaurants, music venues, and shops across the city. What had been one of the busiest pedestrian corridors in the Upper Midwest became a stretch of wet pavement and dark storefronts.

The closures arrived fast. Governor Tim Walz issued the statewide stay-at-home order on March 27, 2020, and within days transit platforms were nearly deserted, the Orpheum Theatre on Hennepin Avenue had posted a "Stay Safe, Stay Tuned" message on its marquee, and the Cabooze on Cedar Avenue in the West Bank was telling passersby that "it will get better." First Avenue kept its doors shut while its marquee urged people to vote. The Hilton Minneapolis arranged guest-room lights into the word "HOPE." These were not performances — they were a city trying to hold itself together through glass and signage.

The practical adjustments accumulated alongside the symbolic ones. The city disabled hundreds of pedestrian crosswalk buttons to reduce contact with shared surfaces, Minneapolis Parks closed parkways to vehicles and reserved them for foot and bicycle traffic, and retailers that remained open posted social distancing instructions at their entrances.

This period sits at the opening of a longer and more turbulent stretch for Minneapolis. The shutdown documented here preceded the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, and the unrest that followed — events that would reshape the city's politics, its built environment, and its sense of itself for years afterward. What these weeks capture is the city at a particular kind of stillness, before everything that came next.

City Hall train station in Minneapolis — *December 18, 2020* — Government Plaza station serves as a key transit hub for the Green Line and Blue Line light rail services in downtown Minneapolis. Opened in 2004, the station is situated beneath the plaza of the same name, connecting commuters and visitors to the heart of the city's business and government district. Pictured here during COVID-19 shutdowns.

Hennepin Ave bridge at night during covid19 — *May 4, 2020* — The Hennepin Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis, MN, is seen here during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walgreens A-frame sign instructs customers to maintain six feet of distance and follow CDC guidelines during COVID-19. — *April 29, 2020* — Walgreens posted this A-frame sign outside one of its Minneapolis stores asking customers to keep six feet of distance, both inside and outside the building, in line with CDC guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pharmacies were classified as essential businesses under Minnesota's stay-at-home order, allowing them to remain open while most retail closed. Chains including Walgreens adopted floor markers, capacity limits, and posted signage like this one to manage store traffic during the outbreak's early months.

Barnes and Noble covid19 closure sign — *April 29, 2020* — A sign posted on the window of the Barnes & Noble Minneapolis-Calhoun store announces its temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The notice, issued at the request of public health officials, reflects a widespread public health measure that impacted retail operations globally in 2020 and 2021.

Eduardo Kobra's colorful Bob Dylan mural at Nicollet Mall station in downtown Minneapolis. — *April 27, 2020* — Eduardo Kobra painted this mural of Bob Dylan, titled "Face of Music," in 2015 for the Downtown Improvement District's Betsy-Ann Kane public art initiative. Brazilian street artist Kobra is known for his geometric, kaleidoscope-patterned portraits, which he has installed in cities worldwide. The mural covers roughly 90 feet of wall along the light rail corridor near Nicollet Mall Station, close to Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. Dylan grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota, and began his music career in Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota before moving to New York in 1961.

Minneapolis parks coronavirus signage — *April 22, 2020* — During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minneapolis Parks implemented temporary measures to manage public access to its parkways and trails. This signage, affixed to a barrier, directs pedestrians and cyclists to designated paths, indicating that parkways were closed to vehicular traffic and reserved for non-motorized use. The directive aimed to provide safe outdoor spaces for recreation while adhering to public health guidelines.

Pedestrian crosswalk button in Minneapolis with COVID-19 notice stating pushing is not required and walk signal activates — *April 21, 2020* — Minneapolis disabled the push-to-activate function on hundreds of pedestrian crossing buttons in spring 2020, switching signals to run on automatic timers instead. The city cited concerns about shared surfaces during the COVID-19 pandemic, part of a broader public health response that also touched transit, parks, and other city infrastructure. Signs like this one were taped over the manual buttons at intersections across the city, directing pedestrians to wait for the walk signal rather than press the crossing button.

Loews Hotel and Target Center illuminated at night in downtown Minneapolis. — *April 4, 2020* — The Loews Minneapolis Hotel sits along First Avenue North next to the Target Center arena in downtown Minneapolis. Target Center opened in 1990 and has served as the home arena for the Minnesota Timberwolves and, since 1999, the Minnesota Lynx. The arena holds roughly 18,798 fans for basketball and has hosted concerts and other events since its debut. The Loews hotel occupies a tower built in 2000 as part of the same downtown block, giving visitors direct access to the arena's entertainment district.

Hilton Minneapolis hotel displays "HOPE" message in illuminated windows during COVID-19 pandemic. — *April 3, 2020* — The Hilton Minneapolis, a 32-story tower at 1001 Marquette Avenue, spelled out the word "HOPE" and a heart in its guest-room windows on April 3, 2020, during the early weeks of Minnesota's COVID-19 stay-at-home order. The 821-room hotel opened in 1992 and remains one of the largest in the state. Just north of the hotel stands Westminster Presbyterian Church, a Gothic Revival building completed in 1897 for a congregation founded in 1857, making it one of downtown Minneapolis's oldest continuously operating churches.

Millennium Hotel in downtown Minneapolis illuminated at twilight with lit windows forming a heart pattern during early COVID-19 — *April 3, 2020* — The Millennium Hotel Minneapolis sits at 1313 Nicollet Mall, a high-rise a few blocks from the Minneapolis Convention Center. The tower opened in the 1970s under an earlier flag before joining the Millennium Hotels and Resorts chain, and its upper floors face north over downtown toward the Mississippi River. During the early weeks of the 2020 coronavirus shutdown, hotel occupancy across downtown Minneapolis fell sharply as conventions, sporting events, and business travel came to a halt.

First Avenue music venue in downtown Minneapolis displays "VOTE 2020" on its marquee during COVID-19 shutdowns on April 2, 2020. — *April 2, 2020* — First Avenue, the nightclub at 701 First Avenue North, occupies a building that opened in 1937 as a Greyhound bus depot before its conversion to a music venue in 1970. Its Mainroom has hosted acts from Prince—who filmed key s of "Purple Rain" here—to touring bands across nearly every genre. The 7th Street Entry, the smaller adjoining room, opened in 1980 as a launching pad for punk and indie acts. The building's exterior stars, added over the years, each mark a musician who has performed there. On this night the marquee read "VOTE 2020" instead of a show listing, a message posted while the venue sat closed under Minnesota's statewide shutdown orders.

Hard Times Cafe with boards on door during covid closures — *April 1, 2020* — The Hard Times Cafe, located at 1823 Riverside Drive in Minneapolis's Cedar Riverside neighborhood, was boarded up during the COVID-19 pandemic closures.

Empty Hennepin Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis at night during the stay-at-home order. — *March 28, 2020* — Hennepin Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis on the first night of Minnesota's stay-at-home order. The street, typically bustling with activity, is deserted as businesses close and residents are advised to remain indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sneaky Petes during covid19 stay at home orders — *March 28, 2020* — Sneaky Pete’s Bar at 14 N. 5th St. in downtown Minneapolis stands dark beside a METRO light rail platform on March 28, 2020, the first night of Minnesota’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

Nicollet Mall light rail station platform stretches empty at night during early COVID-19 pandemic closures in downtown — *March 28, 2020* — Nicollet Mall Station serves Metro Transit's Blue and Green Line trains along the transit mall in downtown Minneapolis. The Blue Line opened in 2004 as the region's first light rail line, running between downtown and the Mall of America; the Green Line, connecting downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul, began service in 2014. The station sits along Nicollet Mall, a pedestrian and transit corridor that has restricted private vehicle traffic since the 1960s. Overhead signage points riders toward Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, a short walk to the north. This dates to late March 2020, during the early weeks of Minnesota's COVID-19 stay-at-home order, when ridership on the system dropped sharply from pre-pandemic levels.

Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis during Stay At Home Orders — *March 27, 2020* — Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis is seen during Minnesota's COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.

The Cabooze music venue marquee on Cedar Avenue displays "IT WILL GET BETTER" during COVID-19 closure. — *March 24, 2020* — The Cabooze sits at 917 Cedar Avenue South in Minneapolis's West Bank neighborhood, a live music club operating in that location since 1970. The venue has hosted blues, rock, and jam bands for decades and remains one of the longest-running music clubs in the Twin Cities. In late March 2020, its marquee read "IT WILL GET BETTER," posted after Minnesota's stay-at-home order forced the club to shut its doors along with other music venues statewide.

Orpheum Theatre marquee displays "Stay Safe, Stay Tuned" message on Hennepin Avenue during COVID-19 closure. — *March 24, 2020* — The Orpheum Theatre, at 910 Hennepin Avenue, opened in 1921 as the Hennepin Theatre and later operated as a vaudeville and movie house before its 1980s conversion to a live performance venue. It's now owned and operated by Hennepin Theatre Trust, part of the city's Hennepin Avenue theater district alongside the State and Pantages theaters. The marquee's message, directing passersby to HennepinTheatreTrust.org, went up during the closures ordered under Minnesota's COVID-19 stay-at-home order in the spring of 2020, when the Orpheum and other performance venues went dark to the public.

Speedway gas station and strip mall in Loring Park, Minneapolis, empty at night during COVID-19 pandemic. — *March 23, 2020* — Speedway operates this gas station and convenience store at the edge of Loring Park, one of downtown Minneapolis's oldest residential neighborhoods, platted around a park dating to 1883. The photo was taken March 23, 2020, days before Minnesota's statewide stay-at-home order took effect as the first wave of pandemic restrictions spread through the city. Loring Park sits just west of downtown, bordered by Interstate 94 and long connected to the commercial strip along Hennepin Avenue. The adjoining strip mall houses a liquor store and several small retailers typical of that stretch of the neighborhood.

Wet Nicollet Mall pedestrian plaza in downtown Minneapolis at dusk with high-rise buildings and sparse foot traffic. — *March 23, 2020* — Nicollet Mall is downtown Minneapolis's main pedestrian and transit corridor, running roughly twelve blocks between Washington Avenue and Grant Street. The city closed it to general traffic in 1967, and a $50 million redesign led by James Corner Field Operations reopened it in 2017 with wider sidewalks, new lighting, and dedicated space for buses and cyclists. The Hyatt Regency Minneapolis has anchored the corridor since 1973, standing near the skyway network that links downtown's office towers and hotels. In March 2020, the mall's usual foot traffic all but disappeared as Minnesota's stay-at-home order took hold during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Looking down S 8th Street during COVID19 on rainy night — *March 22, 2020* — South 8th Street in downtown Minneapolis is seen on March 22, 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The street, typically bustling with activity, are empty.

Rainy night outside CIty Center on Nicolelt Mall in Minneapolis. — *March 22, 2020* — Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis is reflected in the wet pavement on a rainy night in early 2020, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairs on Nicollet Mall during a rainy early COVID19 night — *March 22, 2020* — Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis is seen on a rainy night during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daytons and IDS Center on Nicollet Mall in the rain — *March 22, 2020* — The Dayton's Project and the IDS Center stand on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dayton's building, a historic landmark in the city's retail landscape, was a prominent fixture on the mall for decades.

Empty Nicollet Mall pedestrian street in downtown Minneapolis at dusk during COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. — *March 15, 2020* — Nicollet Mall is downtown Minneapolis's mile-long pedestrian and transit corridor, running between Washington Avenue and Grant Street. Cars have been barred from the mall since it opened in 1967, leaving the roadway to buses, taxis, and foot traffic. A $50 million redesign led by James Corner Field Operations, the firm behind New York's High Line, reopened the corridor in 2017 with wider sidewalks, new lighting, and updated bus shelters. Skyways link many of the office towers and retail buildings along the mall, letting workers move between blocks without going outside. In March 2020, Minnesota's stay-at-home order emptied the corridor of the office workers and shoppers who normally fill it on weekdays.

Minneapolis COVID Shutdown

Minneapolis Photographer