First Uptown Minneapolis Hotel Breaks Ground

By Adriana Pop

Moxy Uptown, Minneapolis

Minneapolis—Graves Hospitality has announced the groundbreaking of Moxy Uptown, the first hotel property in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Scheduled to open in fall 2017, the six-story, 124-key hotel is part of the recently launched Moxy franchise by Marriott Hotels. GH is among the few exclusive companies designated by Marriott International Inc. as a developer and operator for this new brand that combines stylish design, approachable service and an affordable price for free-spirited travelers.

“We’re doing more than breaking ground here,” Benjamin Graves, president & CEO of GH, said in prepared remarks. “This is a new era in Minneapolis—one that focuses on delivering culturally-enriched lifestyle experiences for guests who seek out vibrant neighborhoods.”

Designed by St. Paul-based Collage Architects, Moxy Uptown will feature interior design themes that will play strongly on the unique history of the Uptown neighborhood, including its significant role in the Minneapolis music scene. Amenities will include all-day retail, a full service bar (which doubles as the check-in desk) and a game room. Plans also include a first floor lobby restaurant and bar that interface with the streetscape.

The new hotel will rise two blocks east of Calhoun Square, on the site of a former two-story building and parking lot. Uptown is a well-known destination for both boutique and big-brand shopping. The area also offers a multitude of entertainment options, restaurants and outdoor activities at the nearby lakes and parks. Strategically situated on Emerson Avenue and Lake Street, the upcoming Moxy hotel will provide a vital connection point between the lively Uptown and Lyn-Lake neighborhoods.

“The Moxy is uniquely positioned for leisure travelers—we call them ‘fun-hunters’—who appreciate all the great amenities both within and mere steps from the hotel,” Graves added. “Additionally, modern-day business professionals want to stay where the action is and travel to work as opposed to staying in a business core and traveling for their recreation.”

The construction company for Moxy Uptown is Reuter Walton, while Värde Partners will serve as the institutional capital investor. Both companies, along with GH, are locally-based in the Twin Cities. The project was approved by the Minneapolis Planning Commission on Feb. 8, 2016.

The Moxy Hotels brand was launched in Milan in September 2014. Moxy Tempe and Moxy Munich Airport opened in March 2016, followed by Moxy New Orleans in May 2016, Moxy Frankfurt Eschborn in August 2016 and MOXY Berlin Ostbahnhof in September 2016. The brand is entering the U.S. market in a bold way, with several additional identified projects slated for major metropolitan locations including New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago, among others. In Minneapolis, another Moxy hotel is scheduled to open in the downtown area in early 2018. Other expansions in Europe will include Oslo, Aberdeen and London. The brand intends to offer a portfolio of nearly 150 hotels around the world within the next 10 years.

Over the past 35 years, GH has developed and managed more than 100 hotels and restaurants, as well as residential and commercial developments. The company is known for its ability to identify up-trending neighborhoods and to contribute to their revitalization with relevant, authentic and demographically-tailored projects. GH established itself as an industry leader in the lifestyle hospitality sector after developing and managing the first full-service hotel in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg area. In the Twin Cities alone, GH has developed and managed 10 projects, four of which are currently in the construction stage.

Rendering courtesy of Collage Architects