The Metropolitan Building

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lordmoke
Wells Fargo Center
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The Metropolitan Building

Postby lordmoke » May 21st, 2013, 4:21 pm

Figured The Met deserved a topic, as I found this video some might be interested in. Fans of the building should be cautioned that this may be a difficult watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... Eo1atQoJHc

Mdcastle
Wells Fargo Center
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Location: Bloomington, MN

Re: The Metropolitan Building

Postby Mdcastle » August 3rd, 2013, 11:28 am

Maybe pictures don't do it justice, but my opinion is the outside of the building was ugly even if the light court was cool. When I worked in videotape duplication we had the contract for KTCA so I would copy the Lost Twin Cities documentary. Seems to me it (and the Nicollet K-Mart) were less the civic vandalism that they're portrayed as now as opposed to dealing the unfortunate reality at the time.

It seems things go in a cycle. A generation builds something, the next generation uses it, the generation after that hates it and tears down as much of it as possible, and then the next generation gets nostalgic for it. My old high school (Minnehaha Academy) had a 1970s style addition (curved brick, exposed mechanicals) that they remodeled to disguise it as much as possible and built a fake history cornice on it, and witness although we're entering the nostalgic phase for the early mid-century modern stuff, before we hated it and got rid of it, now 1960s and 1970s architecture (witness Peavy plaza and the Orchestra hall remodeling) is entering the "get rid of it" stage.

lordmoke
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1331
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 1:39 pm
Location: George Floyd Square

Re: The Metropolitan Building

Postby lordmoke » August 8th, 2013, 12:30 pm

It seems things go in a cycle. A generation builds something, the next generation uses it, the generation after that hates it and tears down as much of it as possible, and then the next generation gets nostalgic for it... ...we're entering the nostalgic phase for the early mid-century modern stuff, before we hated it and got rid of it, now 1960s and 1970s architecture (witness Peavy plaza and the Orchestra hall remodeling) is entering the "get rid of it" stage.
Yeah, I started noticing this as well. We have some particularly offensive examples of brutalism here in MSP, which is unfortunate, as (done well) the style can be quite cool. I'm thankful that Riverside and Peavy Plazas are safe, though I can't think of any other examples I'd be sad to see go. In Chicago they gave the go ahead to tear down Prentice Women's Hospital, which is borderline criminal. I'm glad that we have managed to safeguard some great examples of this style, even if they're pretty unpopular right now.

Back to the Met, there is a grad student at the University who is compiling an archive on the building, and I believe working to create a digital reconstruction of it. He has a Facebook page where he's been posting some of his finds, including color photos of the interior:
https://www.facebook.com/MetropolitanBu ... inneapolis

at40man
Rice Park
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Joined: January 3rd, 2013, 6:49 pm
Location: Maplewood

Re: The Metropolitan Building

Postby at40man » September 10th, 2013, 9:28 am

Maybe pictures don't do it justice, but my opinion is the outside of the building was ugly even if the light court was cool.
I disagree - I really like the exterior and roughness of it - a nice contrast and surprise to the polished light court.
Seems to me it (and the Nicollet K-Mart) were less the civic vandalism that they're portrayed as now as opposed to dealing the unfortunate reality at the time.
Unfortunate reality of what, exactly? According to records, the Met was mostly occupied. The only "unfortunate reality" of it being torn down is that the ideology of the time dictated it be removed, without regard to the fact it was a significant building, and without regard to the fact that businesses still wanted to be located there.

Tearing this building down was sheer lunacy.

I also think tearing Peavey Plaza down is also lunacy. Peavey has only gotten ugly because of intentional neglect. It could still be beautiful if the concrete was fixed up or reclad with a similar-looking material that would be more resistant to the elements.


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