Listen: Why was the utopian plan for Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside area never built?

The Curious Minnesota podcast discusses the ambitious vision behind what is now Riverside Plaza.

April 7, 2023 at 2:54PM
Riverside Plaza, then known as Cedar Square West, in the 1970s. (Hennepin County Library/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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The towers now known as Riverside Plaza are among the most recognizable buildings in Minneapolis. Their colorful panels make them easy to spot from the busy freeways that surround the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.

But these buildings were supposed to be just the first phase an ambitious, utopian plan to transform this area. What happened? Adelie Bergström joins host Eric Roper on the Curious Minnesota podcast to discuss why this controversial vision fell apart in the 1970s.

Further reading:

How did the Twin Cities become a hub for Somali immigrants? (January 2020 Curious Minnesota podcast)

A photo of the Cedar-Riverside area in 1966.

about the writer

about the writer

Eric Roper

Curious Minnesota Editor

Eric Roper oversees Curious Minnesota, the Minnesota Star Tribune's community reporting project fueled by great reader questions. He also hosts the Curious Minnesota podcast.

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