Project Description

What do you do with a long vacant, fortress looking building at the edge of downtown Minneapolis? Use it as the centerpiece for redevelopment and house a truly unique, two-level dining destination in it. The original Ivy Tower, a ziggurat inspired structure with ecumenical origins built in 1930 and designed by Nebraska architect Thomas R. Kimball, is now home to Porter & Frye : Restaurant + Bar. It wasn’t without struggle to get here, though. Through the years, the Ivy survived fires and threats of demolition before being designated a historic building in 1986. Today the renovated Ivy Tower is the linchpin to the Hotel Ivy complex. The modern, luxury hotel wraps and integrates the landmark building in a compelling embrace of past and present. And Porter & Frye, with Chef Steven Brown’s take on Modern + Midwest cuisine, perfectly complements the unique union of history and progress that is the Ivy Tower.