Even though food halls appear to be popping up all over the Twin Cities, there is a chance that another will open its doors soon in the North Loop.
The potential project, Graze Provisions & Libations, is the work of Ohio-based Derived Development Group, according to Minneapolis planning documents. It would be built just north of the 4th Street/5th Avenue N. intersection, near Target Field.
Graze's developers told the CoStar marketing publication that they are building a food "collective" rather than a food hall. However, the building's features don't seem to make it much different from some of the other high-profile food halls planned elsewhere in the Twin Cities.
For example, the Keg & Case Market in St. Paul's Schmidt Brewery complex will soon house restaurants and stalls for local food vendors (such as the Revival owners). Another hotly anticipated hall is going into the Dayton's Project on Nicollet Mall by 2019, with Andrew Zimmern involved.
At a Thursday city meeting, an architect behind Graze's design described the overall concept as this: "It's going to add a fabulous place to go, to bring your family, to hang out after work, to go before a Twins game, to go during lunch, or even to grab coffee in the morning," said Scott Elofson, vice president of ESG Architecture and Design.
No restaurants or chefs have been announced for the hall, but "local inspiration is the heart of this development," the documents said. Beyond offering a variety of food and drink, the space would reflect the influence of local art, and hopefully add "a food and beverage venue local Minnesotans will be proud to call theirs" to the North Loop neighborhood.
Graze would be a two-story building containing six kitchen spaces, two indoor dining areas, two bars and a coffee bar with a walk-up window right off the street. On top of that, they're hoping for a large outdoor space with a yard and patio, as well as a 3,097-square-foot rooftop patio that would provide plenty of places for customers to eat and relax.
The proposal is currently going through the city's planning process.
Lauren Otto is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.
