Steel Butterflies Land On New Apartment Building
An unusual late-December butterfly migration has been happening in the North Loop this weekend with the arrival of eight giant winged creatures on the side of the new Intersect apartment building, under construction behind Lululemon.
These blue steel butterflies are the creation of welder–and North Loop resident–Mari Bebel, who competed against several other artisans for the right to create oversized artworks for the northwest side of the building where bikers, pedestrians and trains pass by. There will eventually be plants growing underneath the big butterflies, while another artist will paint a giant North Loop mural at the base.
“Super cool, yeah I’m very excited,” said Bebel. “I think it’ll look really cool once the plants grow.”
The butterflies are about five feet high, eight feet wide and weigh about 50 pounds. Bebel created them in her uncle’s welding shop in Inver Grove Heights and had help installing them this weekend from Gerardo Rodriguez, project manager from Crowe Companies, the building’s developer.
Construction delays have put the Intersect project a few months behind schedule, but it is now expected to open February 1st.
That includes the two retail tenants on the street level: the cereal-infused ice cream shop, Treats, as well as a home furnishings shop, Story & Teller.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer