NūLoop Partners
NūLoop Partners: A Legacy of Community-Driven Development (2007-2024)
Archival materials held at the Hennepin County Library
Purpose
The purpose of this information is to preserve and make accessible the work of NuLoop Partners and its predecessor organizations, 2010 Partners and 2020 Partners, DAG-360 and C-17.
The organization was established in 2007 as a community and volunteer-led organization to foster civic engagement and community-based planning around Target Field and its surrounding neighborhoods, public infrastructure and private development.
It has always been about the relationship between public and private—between public infrastructure and the private development around it.
We focused on our community, on human and physical infrastructure and on this neighborhood. Our established a tradition of engagement with neighbors, with elected officials, businesses and anchor institutions all working for a better place.
Legacy
NūLoop Partners concluded its mission on July 23, 2024, leaving behind a transformed urban landscape and a model for community-based planning and development. The organization’s emphasis on partnerships, public engagement, and balanced development between public infrastructure and private investment has created a lasting impact on Minneapolis’ urban core.
A substantial amount of community-based planning and design work was accomplished over the course of NuLoop’s 17 years. All the documents, as well as an archived “moment in time” version of the website, are now in the online digital and physical archives of the Hennepin County Library, located on the fourth floor of the Central Library. Our intent is that this archived material serves as a valuable resource for future urban development in the North Loop of Minneapolis. Every document and report of the seven planning initiatives listed below are part of this archive.
History + Mission
NūLoop Partners and its predecessor organizations played a pivotal role in shaping the development of Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood, particularly the area surrounding Target Field. For 17 years, this organization exemplified the power of public-private partnerships and community-based planning in urban development.
Origins +Evolution
The organization’s roots trace back to the late 1990s, when under the leadership of Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and Council President Jackie Cherryhomes, a 17-member citizens committee was formed. Working with HGA Architects and Engineers, and the Minneapolis Planning Department, this group produced the influential C-17 Report. That report was unanimously adopted by the committee and accepted by the city council. The result was the selection of the Target Field site and a charrette-based design process which informed the architects and engineers.
Seven phases of planning have occurred since 2000. Documents and plans from each of these are contained in this archive.
- C-17 Committee (2000-2001)
- Design Advisory Group 360 (DAG-360)
- 2010 Partners (2007-2010)
- 2020 Partners (2010-2019)
- NūLoop Partners (2019-2024)
- Root District Planning (2019-2024)
- Three Planning Workgroups—Climate, Equity, and Creativity
- Minnesota Design Center Initiatives
- Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Net Zero Imperative (2022)
Hennepin County first stepped up as the sponsoring unit of government in 2002. After several iterations of enabling legislation were floated at the Legislature, the final bill was approved in 2006. The Ballpark Authority was established and the financing, design and construction process began. Design Guidelines were developed that informed the architecture and engineering team. The Design Guidelines were developed through a group called DAG-360—the Design Advisory Group 360. The ‘360’ refers to the comprehensive approach that they took to design. Arising from the DAG 360 process were architectural and urban planning concepts that informed the design of Target Field.
Thus C-17 begat DAG 360 which begat 2010 Partners in 2007, 2020 Partners in 2010 and NuLoop Partners in 2019. Please note how the word ‘partners’ has been part of our history since the beginning.
Key Achievements
The organization’s work was guided by the principle of creating a “Transit-Oriented Compact Ballpark in an Urban Neighborhood.” This vision materialized through:
- Facilitation of strong partnerships between the community, city government, Hennepin County, the Ballpark Authority, and the Minnesota Twins
- Development of comprehensive design guidelines through DAG-360
- Successful integration of Target Field into the urban fabric
Enhancement of public infrastructure and private development in the North Loop
The Root District
From 2019 to 2024, NūLoop Partners focused on planning for the Root District, an area around the future Royalston LRT Station and Minneapolis Farmers Market. This project was significant because it:
- Incorporated a key station on the Blue Line LRT Extension
- Addressed development of an area comparable in size to the Central Business District
- Included the Metro Region’s largest Farmers Market
- Was featured in an international Net Zero Imperative study by the Urban Land Institute
- Prioritized Climate, Equity, and Creativity through best urban design practices
In 2024, the work was put on hold due to economic and infrastructure delays. The group decided that the most responsible course of action was to gather and place all its work in a safe and accessible archive.
The archive of documents gathered by and created for NuLoop Partners can be found at the Hennepin County Library: Archival materials
The archived website can be found here: Archived website
By Nicholas R. Koch
September, 2025
Contributors*
Despite best efforts, this list will be necessarily incomplete. Scores of people have contributed over the past quarter century. They all have our gratitude.
Many archived documents list contributors. Among these is the C-17 report—Committee of 17—which lists its 17 members. One of the primary authors, Elizabeth “Betsy” Hodges, went on to become Mayor of Minneapolis.
NuLoop Chairs*
Chuck Leer (2006-2012)
David Frank (2012-2013)
Nick Koch (2013-2024)
*Includes precursor organizations, DAG-360, 2010 Partners and 2020 Partners.
Executive Directors
Dan Collison (2017-2022)
Shannon Fitzgerald (2022-2024)
Steering Committee Members + Advisors
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Binkley, Mike | North Loop Neighborhood Association |
| Crary, David | North Loop Neighborhood Association |
| Ellison, Jeremiah | Minneapolis City Council |
| Fabumni, Rebecca | City of Minneapolis |
| Ford, Jamil | Mobilize Design |
| Graff, Jacob | Cordia Energy |
| Kenney, Dan | Minnesota Ballpark Authority |
| Motala, Ra’eesa | Evoke Partners |
| Murnane, Nick | Opus Group |
| Murphy, Suzanne | Xcel Energy |
| Rainville, Michael | Minneapolis City Council |
| Pfefferle, Bob | Hines Interests |
| Salmen, Max | EFS Real Estate |
| Schwartz, Jackson | Hennepin Made |
| St. Peter, Dave | Minnesota Twins |
| Steinbeck, Tim | HERC Services |
| Stofer, Gordy | Brue Baukol Capital Partners |
| Swintek, Albert | CenterPoint Energy |
| Tanke, Ryan | Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx |
| Traczyk, Sarah | North Loop Neighborhood Association |
| Wold, Chris | United Properties |
Advisors and Contributors
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Albersman, Dave | Albersman and Armstrong |
| Ballentine, Chuck | Minneapolis Planning Department, Hennepin County |
| Countney, Jessy | Mpls Downtown Council |
| Erickson, Tom | BKV |
| Fisher, Thomas | Minnesota Design Center |
| Griffin, Tim | Minnesota Design Center |
| Neerland, Charles | Neerland & Oyaas |
| Oyaas, Mark | Neerland & Oyaas |
| Wagner, Marsha | Castle Visions |
Root District WorkGroup Leaders
| Name | Organization | Group |
|---|---|---|
| Burge, Fernando | University of Minnesota | Equity |
| Muchow, Rebecca | Nelson Worldwide | Sustainability |
| Nonemaker, Amanda | HGA, Willdan, Verdeculture | Sustainability |
| Slack, John | Perkins + Will | Equity |
| Ziaie, Ellie | BKV Group | Creativity (Design) |
| McMenimen, Jeff | Damon Farber | Creativity (Design) |