A Brief History of the IDS Center in Downtown Minneapolis

The landmark building of downtown Minneapolis is the IDS Center which opened its doors in 1973. If you include a 16 foot garage which houses the window washing equipment, at 792 feet it is truly the tallest building in the city. If you include the communications spires on the top of the roof the structure rises to a total of 909 feet. Originally developed for Investors Diversified Services which is now Aperiprise it now houses a collection of legal firms and family offices. The 57-story IDS became the tallest skyscraper in Minneapolis when it surpassed the height of the 30-story Foshay Tower in 1972 while under construction, ending that building's 43-year reign over the city skyline. Construction of the building was followed with great interest, and the topping-off ceremony was a major civic event in the city. Today, many high-rise buildings in Minneapolis echo design features of the IDS Center, particularly its sleek, modernistic glass facing.