Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art

Helping Artists Preserve the Warehouse District

250 Third Avenue North Minneapolis, MN, 55401

Overview

With its distinctive limestone exterior, the six-story Traffic Zone Center for Visual Arts is one of the most beautiful buildings in Minneapolis’ historic Warehouse District. The Traffic Zone was created to meet the needs of a group of mid-career artists who approached Artspace in the early 1990s because they were being forced out of their studios in another building in the area. Pooling their resources, the artists formed a for-profit corporation that now owns and operates the 23 studios in partnership with Artspace. 

Architect: LHB Engineers & Architects

Development Partner: Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art

Funders: Dayton Hudson Foundation; General Mills Foundation; The McKnight Foundation; Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission; Piper Jaffray Foundation; Winthrop & Weinstine

Financial Partners: Greater Metropolitan Minneapolis Housing Corporation; Minneapolis Community Development Agency; Minnesota Nonprofit Assistance Fund; TCF Bank

est. 1995

Type of Development

Commercial Space

Number of Working Studios

23

Total Area

100,421 sq. ft.

Features

All studios feature hardwood floors, high ceilings, exposed brick and beams, and large windows; many also afford views of the downtown skyline.