Foshay Tower, an example of Art Deco architecture was modeled after the Washington Monument and was completed in 1929 just months prior to the stock market crash in October of that year. The 32-story building is 447 feet tall, not including the antenna mast at the top of the building, and remained the tallest building in Minneapolis until 1972. In 1978 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

VDA is providing full consulting services for the addition of four (4) new gearless and five (5) new hydraulic elevators during a renovation project to convert the building to a W Hotel, with 230 rooms. Two existing elevators will also be decommissioned. Historic elements to be retained include the elevator lobby wall at each floor as well as the hoist way door panels, doorframes and hall lanterns from the original elevators that date to 1929. The project is scheduled to be complete in April 2008.

Project Details