Hennepin County Government Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hennepin County Government Center |
|
|---|---|
Hennepin County Government Center viewed from the south
|
|
| General information | |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 44°58′33″N 93°16′0″W / 44.97583°N 93.26667°W |
| Construction started | 1969 |
| Completed | 1974 |
| Height | 403 feet (123 meters) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 24 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Warnecke & Associates |
The Hennepin County Government Center is a large building in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It serves as the main place for Hennepin County government. This includes the county's courthouse and offices where important county work is done.
Before this building was constructed, the county offices were located in the Minneapolis City Hall-Hennepin County Courthouse. The Hennepin County Government Center officially opened in 1974. People started moving into the building in stages during 1975.
Contents
Exploring the Building's Design
The Hennepin County Government Center was designed by the architectural firm of John Carl Warnecke & Associates. It was officially dedicated in 1973 and finished in 1977. The building stands tall at 403 feet (123 meters) and has 24 stories.
When you look at the building from the northeast or southwest sides, it looks like a giant letter "H". This unique shape is actually used as the logo for Hennepin County! Each part of the "H" is a separate tower. These towers are connected by special walkways on several floors. The entire structure is covered in glass windows, creating a large open space inside called an atrium.
In early 2015, the public area on the skyway level was updated. It now has new seating, tall tables with places to plug in devices, new lights, and flat-screen TVs.
What's Inside the Towers?
The tower on the southeast side of the building is known as the court tower. This is where you'll find courtrooms and offices for the county attorney. It also houses the Hennepin County Law Library.
The tower on the northwest side holds the county's administrative offices. These offices handle things like social services and keeping county records.
Where is the Building Located?
The Hennepin County Government Center was built in a clever way. It was constructed right over 6th Street, using the space above the street. This allowed for two large public plazas to be created in the city blocks around it.
Connections to Other Buildings
The Government Center is connected to the Minneapolis City Hall by an underground tunnel. This tunnel goes under 5th Street and also under the METRO Blue and Green train lines. The Government Plaza METRO station is located between these two buildings. The tunnel also links to the federal courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.
There is a skyway that connects the Government Center to the US Bank Plaza Building. Another skyway used to connect to the Thrivent headquarters building, but this link was closed in June 2018. This happened because an old parking ramp nearby was being torn down to make way for a new public service center for Minneapolis.
There is also a separate, secure tunnel that leads to the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility. This facility is the county jail and is located diagonally across the plaza.
Interesting History of the Center
As mentioned, before this building was constructed, the Hennepin County government offices were located in the Minneapolis City Hall-Hennepin County Courthouse.
The Hennepin County Government Center was also the location of a famous event. The French tight-rope walker Philippe Petit once performed a walk here.
