ABOVE A PRELIMINARY PICTURE OF THE EXTERIOR OF OUR NEW BUILDING AS IT WILL APPEAR AFTER THE REMODELING PROCESS; but does not include the contemplated Lighting Effects now being worked out, which will make this, the Corner of Fifth Street and First Avenue North, One of the Brightest Corners in the Down Town District. MOST OF US have somehow accepted the idea that the growth of Minneapolis must necessarily be at right angles to the river; but, the more we study the situation, the more sensible it appears that the streets parallel with the river are to receive more consideration in the future than in the past.
THINK OF FIFTH STREET as one of these natural arteries and, starting with the Court House and City Hall, make a mental inventory of the Important Buildings on this Street today —among them these: The Northwestern Telephone Exchange Building; The McKnight Building; The New York Life Building, housing today The Federal Reserve Bank; The First National Soo Line Building; Boutell Bros.; Powers Mercantile Company; The New Reserve Bank Site at Fifth Street and Marquette Avenue; The Syndicate Block, housing The Minneapolis Dry Goods Company’s Store at the Corner of Nicollet Avenue; The Andrus Building; The Minnneapolis General Electric Company; The Hartman Furniture Company; The Lumber Exchange; The West Hotel; The Cream of Wheat Building; McDonald Bros.—All Today on Fifth Street.
Is it any wonder that “THE NEW ENGLAND” considers itself fortunate in having secured a Building on a street so capitalized with existing improvements, to say nothing about those in prospect?
LATER ON we may have something to say about the Street Car Lines feeding our new location. The more we think of it, the more enthusiastic we are regarding the advantages of same,especially when we take into account the extremely low rental we are to enjoy—a situation made possible by the public spirited of The S. T. McKnight Company, owner of the property we are to occupy, and which is as enthusiastic as we are in our anticipations of making this move One of Complete Satisfaction to All Concerned.
Minneapolis Sunday Tribune July 17th, 1921
The New England Furniture company moved to the building on Fifth and First after the Federal Reserve Bank ordered the demolition from their original location at 5th and Marquette Avenue. The company expanded in its new home and while parking was available, the company complained to the city the street car service inadequate at the new location. In 1933, the New England leased the fine modern building at Marquette Avenue and 8th street. previously occupied by William A. French & Co. The building had four floors on the west and six-story addition was erected for the New England by the S. T. Kntght Co. The return to Marquette brought the company back into the heart of the retail district and back to where William L. Harris, New England’s founder. had established the business nearly 50 years before.
