The document proposes redeveloping the historic Pillsbury A Mill complex in Minneapolis to preserve its character defining elements. The 7.9 acre site includes the 1881 Pillsbury A Mill, 1910 red tile grain elevators, and 1914 white concrete grain elevators. It is located along St. Anthony Main Street in a mixed-use area connecting several neighborhoods. Redeveloping the entire complex comprehensively could help maintain its open, light feeling and industrial character while allowing for contemporary design and reuse.

1. SITE
WHITE GRAIN ELEVATORS THE GRAIN APARTMENTS
PARKING
PLAN SKYWAY
THE
before & after PILLSBURY A MILL & WAREHOUSE
RED TILE
GRAIN THE A MILL
MILL AND
MAIN OFFICES
ELEVATOR
ELEVATORS HOTEL BAR
BAKERY W/ OUTDOOR PATIO
CANOPY
SOUTH
ELEVATION
before & after
pillsbury “a” mill warehouse and red tile grain elevator white grain elevators
the “a” mill hotel the mill and main offices // the mill and main bakery // the grain aparments
the elevator bar
PROGRAM PROPOSAL
(”a” mill complex // white grain elevators)
Typical Aparment Floor
Business Center Hotel O ces /Service area
& Gym Floor Lounge
O ces by Floor Elevator Bar
Elevators Check in Desk floors 7-9
Ballroom /
Multi-Purpose
Storage for Tenants Storage for Tenants Bike Room
Sitting Area Lobby
Bar Lobby Gym /
Bakery Restaurant
Fitness Studio
Apartment Community Lobby / Mail Room /
Driveway Canopy Dry Cleaners Convenient Store / Liquor Store
Space / Gym Elevators / Restrooms
main floor
first floor

2. Proposal
WHY NOW?
INSPIRATION
WHY NOW?
The Mill Complex is at risk of piecemeal redevelopment, the
major concern behind local support. It is now owned by a bank
that has signed purchase agreements with two separate
development rms. Local residents fear that the site
will be broken up for piecemeal development, an outcome that
could have negative consequences for the site’s historic buildings
and landscape. Buildings that are more challenging to rehabilitate
could sit vacant for years, deteriorating due to lack of maintenance
and vandalism.
ARCHIVAL
explore site creatively
build site comprehensively
MAINTAIN OPEN, LIGHT FEELING
MAXIMIZE THE VIEWS TO DOWNTOWN
keep the industrial character while introducing contemporary design
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITE’S LOCATION
Current Proposed

3. Pillsbury “A” Mill TIANA CARRETTA // ERIKA SORENSEN
ARCH 3250 -003 // HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
SITE CONTEXT CHARACTER DEFINING ELEMENTS
. . . where is the site? . . . what needs to be preserved?
According to the National Historic Register, the Pillsbury A Mill sits on a site The Complex is part of the St. Anthony Main Historic District, a central hub
150 feet by 200 feet along St. Anthony Main Street. In addition to the A Mill, connecting the Warehouse District, Northeast Minneapolis, Marcy Homes, Pillsbury “A” Mill & Warehouse // 1881, 1914-17
the Complex also includes several other newer buildings, a large block of the University of Minnesota, and Downtown Minneapolis. St. Anthony Main
grain elevators, and tunnels underground, all totaling a 7.9 acre site. The is a combination of industrial sites redeveloped to include newer commercial SETTING
entire complex is bound by 2nd Street (to the north), Main Street (to the buildings and residences, a cinema, and various restaurants and bars. As such, The placement of Pillsbury A Mill on the Mississippi River at St Anthony Falls was crucial
south), Third Ave (to the west) and Sixth Ave (to the east). the site is easily accessible by many di erent transportation modes including to the success of the mill, not only because of the access to the water power provided by
LRT, Car, Ped, Bike, and Bus. the only falls in the river, but also because of the railroad access. Moving the site would
TO NORTHEAST
compromise the signi cance that the A Mill had in the 1900’s as the largest mill in the
NORTHEAST world, and the signi cance it carries today as one of the main contributors to the
MINNEAPOLIS
MARCY HOMES development of the area.
WAREHOUSE
TO MARCY HOLMES
DISTRICT
SCALE / SHAPE / DETAILS
DINKYTOWN/ Making any changes or building any additions to the simple structure of the mill would
BLDG UNIVERSITY OF
MINNESOTA
TO DOWNTOWN TO U OF M
alter the shape or scale, changing the historic aesthetic that is unique to the A Mill. The
SITE
original signage of the building, a simple concrete “Pillsbury” and “A” set into the façade
DOWNTOWN
MINNEAPOLIS TO DOWNTOWN
of the building, is an iconic detail that identi ed it from across the river.
OPEN INTERIOR
LRT CAR BUS PED Pillsbury A Mill Industry Restaurants Housing Business The open space of the interior of the A mill is important because it allows for natural light.
It also shows the amount of space that was needed to operate the machinery.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
. . . why should the pillsbury a mill be saved?
The Pillsbury A Mill was constructed on the Mississippi
River at St. Anthony Falls in 1881. At the time of its
construction the our mill was the largest and most
advanced in the world, and held this title for nearly
40 years.
Charles Alfred Pillsbury hired architect LeRoy S. Bu ngton Red Tile Grain Elevators // 1910
to design the mill, making it rst mill ever to be designed
by an architect instead of an engineer. With this bold move, MATERIAL
the design of the building became just as notable as its size The material of the Red Tile Elevator is important
and production capacity. Because of Bu ngton’s lack of because it is unique to this elevator.
engineering knowledge, however, the building was not
structurally sound enough to support the vibrations of SIGNAGE
the machinery; in 1905 extensive structural supports The “Pillsbury’s Best Flour” sign that sits atop the
were added. Red Tile Elevator is important because it is a
testimony to modernization.
The Pillsbury A Mill is an outstanding example of a mill
SHAPE
and the associated milling technologies that illustrate
The shape of the Red Tile Elevators is important
an important stage in industrialization, allowing the mill
because of the unique massing of the block bins
to process previously discarded grains. It is also the last
and the head house.
standing mill to represent the stage in history in which
water power was the driving source for many types of mills.
Once referred to as “Mill City,” the Pillsbury A Mill is now the
only standing giant mill that helped make Minneapolis the White Concrete Grain Elevators // 1914
milling capital of the nation between 1880 and 1930.
SCALE
The scale of the concrete elevators, 104 ft by 260 ft, is important because it showcases the
high volume of production the Mill was producting by 1914.
MATERIAL
The elevators are made out of reinforced
concrete, which is important because it
represents the modernization of the mill.
SHAPE
The shape of the concrete elevators is
important because its massing is solid
1881 1910 Current with no voids.