Photo: CITYDESKSTUDIO
Local architects CITYDESKSTUDIO placed an interesting ad up on Craigslist yesterday: they’re selling a (used) 1978 skyway. (Wait hold up…has anyone tried to sell a bridge on Craigslist yet?). The skyway, which used to connect the JC Penny’s with the Power department stores over S. 5th street, was retired to make way for Minneapolis’ light rail project. Through the years millions of people have passed through it and the rest of our network in the sky, which covers an area of 69 city blocks. If you’re interested, check out Catherine Opie’s photographs and documentation of our relationships with these transient spaces in her Skyways & Ice Houses project from 2002. And I assume this was unrealized, but CITYDESKSTUDIO visualized one potential use for this iconic structure–which has seen such frenzied activity–as an almost rustic (rusty?) lake retreat.
That’s a new one for sure! The downside with Craigslist is that people in other cities won’t see it unless they use something like CraigZoom .
Comment by JT — January 23, 2009 @ 10:50 am
You take the skyway, high above the busy little one-way
In my stupid hat and gloves, at night I lie awake
Wonderin’ if I’ll sleep
Wonderin’ if we’ll meet out in the street
But you take the skyway
It don’t move at all like a subway
It’s got bums when it’s cold like any other place
It’s warm up inside
Sittin’ down and waitin’ for a ride
Beneath the skyway
Oh, then one day, I saw you walkin’ down that little one-way
Where, the place I’d catch my ride most everyday
There wasn’t a damn thing I could do or say
Up in the skyway
Skyway
Skyway (sky away)
-”Skyway” (lyrics by Paul Westerberg) from The Replacements’ album “Pleased to Meet Me” (1987).
Comment by Michael Aaronson — January 23, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
I wrote about these architects and their skyway a couple of years ago, after they had purchased it from the U of M – somebody needs to do something with it, it’s too cool to just sit there and rust! I think one of their ideas was to use it as an ice-skating warming hut or community center in a park somewhere – not unlike the role the Flatpak House plays now in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
Also, I think their use of Craigslist is purely pragmatic – they can only move this massive thing so far.
Comment by Julie Caniglia — January 26, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
here’s my history with that Skyway. i thought the retreat idea they proposed was probably the end for my hope of owning it but…
Comment by matt olson — January 27, 2009 @ 11:52 pm