A protester holds up a Black Lives Matter sign outside the Hennepin County Government Center.

Graffiti on Light Rail tracks outside the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility.

Security fencing around the county jail in downtown Minneapolis prior to the Kim Potter trial. Potter is accused of killing Daunte Wright.

A backlit sign marks the entrance to Northstar Center, a three-building complex that has been a fixture of downtown Minneapolis since the early 1960s. Developed during a period of major postwar urban renewal, the complex originally combined office space, a hotel, retail, and skyway connections under one coordinated design—an early example of the mixed-use development model that would later define much of the downtown core. Today, the Northstar Center remains tied into the city’s extensive skyway system and continues to serve as a key pedestrian link between the central business district and nearby transit corridors.

A lower-level vehicle ramp inside the Northstar Center parking garage in downtown Minneapolis. Built as part of the original 1960s mixed-use complex, the garage reflects the era’s push to accommodate growing automobile traffic in the central business district. Its narrow lanes, low ceilings, and concrete-banded structure are typical of mid-century urban parking facilities designed to integrate directly with office towers and the city’s emerging skyway network. Despite renovations to portions of the complex above, much of the garage retains its original utilitarian character, serving daily commuters and visitors accessing nearby government buildings, hotels, and transit connections.

Face Covering Required

A sign seen at Minneapolis City Hall. It states individuals should not enter the building if they are experiencing any symptoms of illness.

September fog and the Minneapolis City Hall clock tower in Downtown Minneapolis.

Mill Ruins Park near downtown Minneapolis with Canadian wildfire smoke.

Smoke in Minneapolis from the Canadian wildfires makes the view of downtown hazy. Seen from Minneapolis North Loop.

A Metro Transit surveillance camera system setup outside the flagship Target Store.

Green café-style chairs along Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, part of the city’s ongoing effort to reimagine its primary pedestrian corridor. The redesigned Nicollet emphasizes public gathering spaces, energy-efficient lighting, and accessible streetscapes intended to make the downtown environment more inviting after dark. Once known as “Nicollet Mall” following its 1960s pedestrianization, the corridor remains a central artery for commerce, transit, and public art in the heart of Minneapolis.

The Dayton’s Project in downtown Minneapolis, located at 700 Nicollet Mall, redevelops the historic Dayton’s department store building into a mixed-use complex of offices, retail, and dining. Originally opened in 1902 and later operating as Macy’s, the site was a cornerstone of the city’s retail history for over a century. The renovation preserves the building’s Beaux-Arts character while transforming it into a hub for modern workspaces and commerce—symbolizing Minneapolis’s broader efforts to revitalize its downtown core.

Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.

The Legacy Condominiums in downtown Minneapolis. The Eleven tower under construction behind it. July 2021.

The downtown Minneapolis skyline glows at sunset, viewed from the south side near the Elliot Park and Stevens Square neighborhoods. Prominent landmarks include the IDS Center, Capella Tower, and Wells Fargo Center—each a hallmark of the city’s late-20th-century architectural boom. The mix of older mid-rise apartment structures and new glass towers highlights the city’s ongoing evolution, where historic housing blocks now share the horizon with symbols of modern corporate development.

Cooling towers next to US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis on July 24, 2021.

The downtown Minneapolis business district as seen from the Walker Art Center,.

Tower cranes around the gateway project behind Minneapolis City Hall.

Minneapolis during bad qir quality due to wildfires.

Downtown Minneapolis with wildfire haze.