17 Jun 2023 terra cotta facade restoration in progress on kees and colburn’s sullivanesque style grain exchange building

2023 photographic survey of kees and colburn’s sullivanesque style 10-story grain exchange building, located at 400 s. 4th St, minneapolis, mn.

the minneapolis grain exchange building was constructed between 1900 and 1902 by minneapolis architectural firm of kees and colburn. the buff-colored terra cotta ornament was heavily influenced by louis sullivan’s commercial buildings of the late 19th and early 20th century.

the u-shaped building was one of the first in minneapolis constructed using the steel or skeleton frame. the ten-story terra cotta and granite building shares similar design characteristics to adler and sullivan’s wainwright building (1891) in st. louis.

in 1909 the east annex addition was designed and built by long and lamoreaux, and another addition built to the north in 1928.

images courtesy of eric j. nordstrom and the bldg. 51 archive. all rights reserved. 2023.