A pair of Twin Cities architects have been working tirelessly to find a new home for a 280,000-pound glass, steel and concrete skyway that's been orphaned on a grassy lot near the University of Minnesota. Several years ago Ben Awes and Bob Ganser of City Desk Studios paid $5,000 for the skyway, hoping to convert it into a getaway home on the North Shore of Lake Superior, but those plans never transpired and now they're willing to pay someone $5,000 to haul it away. (I wrote about the 83-foot skyway, which once crossed Fifth Street in downtown Minneapolis for the Sunday paper - if you missed the story, click here).
Nearly a couple dozen readers expressed interest over the weekend, including the following:
- A skyway connection between two north suburban school buildings that are now separated by a road.
- Several callers, including an architect in Eden Prairie, wants to use it as a cabin.
- A handful of callers would like to integrate the skyway into an existing home.
- Two municipal workers, one in an exurban community and another in northern Minnesota, say their communities need new bridges.
- An artist in Western Wisconsin wants to use the skyway as an office/gallery.
- A caller says the skyway "would make a lovely greenhouse."
Awes and Ganser got tons of responses, as well. The most interesting? A river boat, bar and paint ball course hideout. Awes and Ganser have held out hope the skyway could be repurposed as a visitor's booth or Pronto Pup stand at the Minnesota State Fair, but no word from the folks at the Great Minnesota Get Together.
Awes and Ganser are still sifting through the proposals "and any idea works for us as long as they can move it, and in a timely manner," said Awes. The duo is not making any firm decisions until after they receive all the responses by Feb 28th when the request for proposal period ends.
We'll keep you posted on the progress of this Great Skyway Giveaway.
