Xcel Energy HQ - 401 Nicollet

[eastharrietguy]

I like this building a lot and am surprised at all the negative comments. Then again, no form of art elicits the range of reactions... good and bad... as does architecture. I like everything about this building. The red/beige color combo is warm, the large square windows are a nice break from a continuous row of glass, the corner is handled very well. I think it turned out much better than the renderings. This design wouldn't work as a high-rise but I like it at 10 stories.

[Nathan]

I like this building a lot and am surprised at all the negative comments. Then again, no form of art elicits the range of reactions... good and bad... as does architecture. I like everything about this building. The red/beige color combo is warm, the large square windows are a nice break from a continuous row of glass, the corner is handled very well. I think it turned out much better than the renderings. This design wouldn't work as a high-rise but I like it at 10 stories.

I don't disagree that this is an OK agreeable building. But the problem isn't if it's OK, it would have looked many times better clad in brick and stone. Yes red and tan brick and stone. It's what our main Street deserves. The tenant and the builder cheaped out on materials and quality to save a few bucks. What makes me dislike it is how simple it would have been to make it great and likeable. Which is merely material usage.

We need to stop blurring or eyes as we walk down the street and demand the best. What does Nicollet mall deserve?

[Silophant]

This week is apparently the 50th anniversary of the opening of 414 Nicollet. Fun quote from the 1965 informational brochure posted to the company network today: "Provision has been made in design and construction of the building for addition of more floors in the future, as necessitated by NSP growth."

[mplsjaromir]

Xcel Energy, being a company that is ceded certain functions of a monopoly, probably has to be careful on how ostentatious its corporate buildings look. That could be an explanation for the austere appearance.

[mattaudio]

I once worked on the 8th floor of 414. Man, not enough windows.

Pre-war utilities took pride in what they built, even generating stations.
Minneapolis: https://goo.gl/maps/3mVuRfDPjiS2
Duluth: https://goo.gl/maps/xNCok4KdKwJ2
Owatonna: https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithjsem ... 4368925063

[Nathan]

Xcel Energy, being a company that is ceded certain functions of a monopoly, probably has to be careful on how ostentatious its corporate buildings look. That could be an explanation for the austere appearance.

orly?

here's their recently completed building in Denver.

http://www.paintsquare.com/news/images/1800-Larimer.gif

ostentatious?

[mplsjaromir]

401 looks better.

[min-chi-cbus]

Why does Excel have a signature building in Denver but not Mpls?

[David Greene]

Apparently there was a time capsule in the other building.

http://connect.xcelenergy.com/minnesota ... le-opened/

It ends up being marketing for Xcel, but whatever, the first minute or so is kinda interesting.

[Silophant]

Lol @ "Excel" being used in the title of a video posted by Xcel's own community relations department.

Also... when it mentions a "huge underground transformer" at about 0:41... that's a circuit breaker. Sigh. It is pretty ginormous, though.

[Wedgeguy]

Why does Excel have a signature building in Denver but not Mpls?

I thought that Xcel, a Denver company, bought NSP back in the 80's during merger mania after Reagan years of deregulation. Minneapolis is one of their corporate office because NSP had a staff here that took care of the regulatory issues already for the upper Midwest. Much like when WF was bought, MPLS stand their there main Office center, until they bought Wachovia, Now the largest concentration of WF workers is in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Wachovia had their own corporate headquarters.
Buying a company does not always mean shutting down office and transferring work to the main corporate.

[MinnMonkey]

here's their recently completed building in Denver.

http://www.paintsquare.com/news/images/1800-Larimer.gif

ostentatious?

Does anyone know if Xcel is the sole tenant/owner in that building? Or is it a multi-tenant building that Xcel has the naming rights?

[nfschauer]

Xcel is the sole tenant. I work for Xcel Energy, and they posted a floor plan on the employee website for what will be in both the new and old HQ. They want to quit their lease with the Marquette building so a lot of the folks working in there will move to one of the two HQ's. I'd post a picture of the floor plan, but everytime I try, it says the file is too big.

[mattaudio]

Ah, remember the good old days when Xcel had people in Ren Square and US Bancorp Tower too? Always fun walking a few blocks down the mall to a meeting. #noskyway

[Silophant]

Why does Excel have a signature building in Denver but not Mpls?

I thought that Xcel, a Denver company, bought NSP back in the 80's during merger mania after Reagan years of deregulation. Minneapolis is one of their corporate office because NSP had a staff here that took care of the regulatory issues already for the upper Midwest. Much like when WF was bought, MPLS stand their there main Office center, until they bought Wachovia, Now the largest concentration of WF workers is in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Wachovia had their own corporate headquarters.
Buying a company does not always mean shutting down office and transferring work to the main corporate.

In 1995, PSCo (Colorado) merged with SPS (Texas panhandle and New Mexico) to form New Century Energies. In 1998, NSP merged with NCE to form Xcel. The corporate headquarters are Minneapolis. However, since the three operating regions were built independently, to different standards, and are regulated by different system operators, they still are run semi-independently. Hence, there's regional headquarters in Minneapolis, Denver, and Amarillo.

As to why 1800 Larimer is taller and fancier than 401 Nicollet, my guess is that it's mostly down to being designed pre-recession, instead of during the recovery.

Matt, I agree with you from March to November. Come winter, I'm going to be all about that skyway. (Well, next winter. Not this one.)

[Gman12]

Why does Excel have a signature building in Denver but not Mpls?

I thought that Xcel, a Denver company, bought NSP back in the 80's during merger mania after Reagan years of deregulation. Minneapolis is one of their corporate office because NSP had a staff here that took care of the regulatory issues already for the upper Midwest. Much like when WF was bought, MPLS stand their there main Office center, until they bought Wachovia, Now the largest concentration of WF workers is in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Wachovia had their own corporate headquarters.
Buying a company does not always mean shutting down office and transferring work to the main corporate.

Xcel Energy didn't exist until 1998 when NSP merged with Public Service Company of Colorado and Southwestern Public Service Company and became the umbrella company for the three.

[Gman12]

here's their recently completed building in Denver.

http://www.paintsquare.com/news/images/1800-Larimer.gif

ostentatious?

Does anyone know if Xcel is the sole tenant/owner in that building? Or is it a multi-tenant building that Xcel has the naming rights?

Xcel occupies about 75% of the Larimer building.

[nfschauer]

Ah, remember the good old days when Xcel had people in Ren Square and US Bancorp Tower too? Always fun walking a few blocks down the mall to a meeting. #noskyway

It's funny you say that, people still park at the Chestnut Service center and walk to G.O. and Marquette just so they have free parking. They still walk everywehre for meetings too. Some things never change!!

[Nathan]

here's their recently completed building in Denver.

http://www.paintsquare.com/news/images/1800-Larimer.gif

ostentatious?

Does anyone know if Xcel is the sole tenant/owner in that building? Or is it a multi-tenant building that Xcel has the naming rights?

Xcel occupies about 75% of the Larimer building.

I believe it isa lot like how target corps building was built for them.

https://youtu.be/VqkJPdLOA9Y

[MNdible]

Have we decided that ostentatiousness is now a positive trait that we should be aspiring to?