DuluthiLeaks: Gateway Landscape Plaza
For the first edition of DuluthiLeaks — Perfect Duluth Day’s new feature in which public documents are released as if they contain secret information leaked from an anonymous whistle blower — we take a look at the development of Duluth’s Gateway Plaza. The “landscaped plaza with a concrete sculptural element shaped in the form of a sail” that sits on the western edge of Duluth’s downtown was envisioned and built in the 1970s as a “landmark entrance” to the business district. Below is a look at early plans and sketches for the “well landscaped triangle.”
We need one of these for that goofy fountain at Superior and Lake next to the Electric Fetus. As I understand there’s some controversy around it; something about it being built wrong and upside down?
But is it a Pokestop? I don’t see anything about that in the plans.
Starfire would need to confirm this, but I believe he once projected a film on the backside of that sculpture in a precursor to what is now “Movies in the Park.”
(Photo by Jadin Hanson)
You are correct, Duluth Bishop. The Big Lebowski was screened at Gateway Plaza for Perfect Duluth Day’s first birthday party in 2004.
There was also a screening of The Omen there on 6-6-6.
As someone who now works near this, I would say they failed in their attempt to create a pleasant public space for workers to visit on their way to work. It is marooned with limited sight lines, which leads to other sorts of activities. I would love to someday understand the minds of 1970s designers. Concrete = sexy?
Great thread. Interesting
I always thought this was the tip of a gigantic buried pen.