Kraus-Anderson receives green light for new 100,000-square-foot HQ in downtown Minneapolis
Groundbreaking ceremonies set for April 28
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (April 5, 2016) — Kraus-Anderson (KA) has received approval from the City of Minneapolis to build a new five-story, 100,000-square-foot headquarters at 8th St. and 5th Ave. in downtown Minneapolis. Last year, the company announced plans to consolidate its Twin Cities operations under one roof in a new, build-to-suit LEED facility. Groundbreaking ceremonies will take place at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 525 S. 8th Street, Minneapolis.
KA has been headquartered in downtown Minneapolis since 1897. Its current building at 525 S. Eighth Street was constructed in the mid-1970s.
During new construction, KA staff will be moving into a temporary facility located at 3433 Broadway St. NE and will occupy the new building in late 2017.
The new headquarters will house approximately 300 employees, doubling the current downtown staff with room for future expansion on the site. Consolidation will combine employees from the Kraus-Anderson Construction office in Circle Pines, and Kraus-Anderson Realty Company and Kraus-Anderson Development offices in Bloomington. The new building, which will create a highly collaborative environment with leading edge technology, also will house Kraus-Anderson Mortgage, as well as the parent corporation, Kraus-Anderson Companies. Kraus-Anderson Insurance, one of the region’s largest privately held independent insurance and risk management firms, will continue to operate from its offices in Burnsville.
Designed by Pope Architects, planned amenities include a fitness center, educational training center, rooftop deck, cafeteria, formal and informal meeting areas, and an appealing, well-landscaped exterior. The plan also includes two levels of underground parking to serve KA’s office employees.
Financial support from the State Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)has provided grant funds to assist in the site preparation for the development.
Comprehensive block development
KA teamed with Minneapolis-based ESG Architects to develop the master plan for the entire block. Guided by the Downtown Neighborhood District, the plan provides significant enhancements for the City and the neighborhood, and for KA employees and business partners. It also addresses the Portland Corridor initiative that focuses on the neighborhood’s economic, aesthetic, historic and environmental needs, including Elliot Park’s master plan with considerations for housing and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes.
“We‘ve been working diligently with the neighborhood and the City to create a master plan that will complement the exciting revitalization of east downtown,” said Bruce Engelsma, president, CEO and chairman of Kraus-Anderson Companies.
In addition to KA’s new office building, the master plan calls for a mixed-use redevelopment of the company’s current downtown block to include a 17-story, 307-unit multi-family housing project, and an eight-story, 158-unit hotel connected to FINNEGAN’S brewery event center and FINNovation Lab.
“The exciting full-block redevelopment will transform a largely windswept surface parking lot into a vibrant, urban mixed-use destination and new generation residential community,” said Dan Engelsma, president and COO of Kraus-Anderson Realty.
About Kraus-Anderson
Established in 1897, Kraus-Anderson, an EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability Employer, is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and has regional offices in Madison, Wis., Bismarck, N.D., and Duluth, Bemidji and Rochester Minn.