Bandana Square, formerly the Como Shops of the

Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest. It was approved by Congress in 1864 and given nearly of land grants, wh ...

, is currently an office center. However, it was initially designed to be an enclosed shopping center in the Energy Park neighborhood of

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

. The site is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

History

The complex opened in 1984 after the former Northern Pacific Railway's Como Shops were converted into what was to be a large festival marketplace and hotel complex. The financing and cooperation came from the railroads, the government, and private grants. Bandana Square's steam engine, Grand Trunk Western 0-8-0 8327

Bandana Square's steam engine, Grand Trunk Western 0-8-0 8327

Old Como Shops transfer table at Bandana Square

Bandana Square's Burlington Northern Boxcar

A Best Western hotel and conference center remains at Bandana Square. When Bandana originally opened, the complex was home to several restaurants, such as the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant. The Dakota moved to Downtown Minneapolis in 2003. The Dino's

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fast-food chain also had its first year-round restaurant at Bandana Square (previously, the company had only set up stands at the Minnesota State Fair and other events). The center was purchased by the Saint Paul-based Wilder Foundation in 1983 for $17 million. By 1989, the foundation had lost $9 million and sought help from the Saint Paul Port Authority. The project had become a financial drain to the foundation and was detracting from its mission to help children and at-risk families. At that time, only 65% of the space was occupied. The Port Authority proposed a plan that would save the Wilder Foundation $780,000 a year, but the Port Authority took over the center in March 1989. The port authority sold it to investors for $3 million who tried to refocus it as a regional retail and entertainment center. Wellington Management bought the center in 2003 for $6.1 million. The center was converted entirely to offices in 2006. The Minnesota Children's Museum was located in a building close to Bandana Square from 1985 until 1995 when it moved to Downtown Saint Paul. The Twin City Model Railroad Museum was located in Bandana Square from 1984 until 2016 when it moved to a new St. Paul location. The museum was the last remaining tenant from the original renovation of the facility into a shopping and entertainment district.

References

External links

Wellington Management: Bandana Square
{{authority control Shopping malls established in 1984 Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Saint Paul, Minnesota Shopping malls in Minnesota Northern Pacific Railway Railroad museums in Minnesota Museums in Saint Paul, Minnesota Railway buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota

History

See also

References

External links