Disinvestment Trifecta: Parking, Highways, & Urban Renewal in Minneapolis an Historical Analysis of the Gateway District

Authors

Scott Vargo, Macalester CollegeFollow

Abstract

Minneapolis, like many post-industrial cities, went through a massive land transformation in the decades following WWII. While the factors behind this transformation are numerous, this paper will hone in on several inter-related developments that had significant detrimental effect on the vitality of Minneapolis: parking lots, the interstate highway system, and the never ending quest to vanquish traffic jams. Viewed through the lens of “urban renewal”, and focusing on the Gateway District of Minneapolis, this paper will examine how and why the combined forces of economics, suburbanization, and misdirected city planners converted a once vibrant neighborhood into a sea of asphalt and concrete.

Recommended Citation

Vargo, Scott (2013) "Disinvestment Trifecta: Parking, Highways, & Urban Renewal in Minneapolis an Historical Analysis of the Gateway District," The Macalester Review: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/macreview/vol3/iss1/4