The Skyway retreat is an idea that expanded from a found object with a concern for sustainability, an interest in preservation, a collaborative and collective vision of retreat, and a passion for the North Shore of Lake Superior.

The Skyway, Designed by architect Ed Baker, the "father of the skyways," and built in 1978, previously connected JC Penny's to Powers department stores above 5 th Street in downtown Minneapolis. An architectural icon of the Twin Cities, the skyway was a place of movement, a place of connection, and most importantly, a place of transition.

Rethought, transformed, and 30 years later, the steel and glass bridge that once linked Minneapolis now calmly rest on the edge of the Iron Range and the taconite mines. The skyway has evolved into a place of rest, a place of meditation, and a place of interaction between you, others, and the environment. Once a bridge in the city, the Skyway Retreat is now a bridge to a whole new experience.

Nothing exists anywhere in the region like the Skyway Retreat, and this will happen only once; a chance to rewrite a piece of history, to preserve a Twin Cities' architectural icon, and to experience Lake Superior and the North Shore through a truly singular modern retreat.

READ "A DISCONNECTED SKYWAY" FROM DOWNTOWN JOURNAL 07.24.06 (PDF, 4.1 MB)