6 thoughts on “Chart of the Day: Downtown Minneapolis Employment”

1. Paul StrebeAugust 13, 2015 at 9:12 pm

   So… what’s going on? Is the perception that downtown is busier a result of just more people coming downtown for entertainment? What about the types of jobs?
   1. RosaAugust 14, 2015 at 6:59 am

      an awful lot more people live and visit downtown these days. They have to come and go and take walks and stuff.

      The footbridges across the river used to be empty all the time, 10-15 years ago, because you had to go through a wasteland of nothingness to get to them. Working downtown didn’t change that – people don’t go for scenic walks along the river on their lunch breaks, they stick with the Skyways or one of the many restaurants within a block or two of the office. And then they get off work and get on the bus or into a car and go home. Now that people live around there, and the Guthrie is down there, those foot & bike paths are really heavily used.
2. Adam MillerAugust 14, 2015 at 10:07 am

   Is there a spike and correction hiding in there between 2002 and 2012? Because the overall economy definitely experienced them.
   1. RosaAugust 14, 2015 at 2:33 pm

      I still think the job numbers aren’t what drives the sidewalk-visible numbers downtown – I worked downtown 1999-2005 when numbers were higher than now, and whole parts around the Metrodome, riverside around where the Guthrie is now, and the North Loop, were just about deserted in the day and early evening.

      Though I’m surprised the foot traffic doesn’t drive more jobs. I guess the street-level businesses are just really small compared to the offices higher up in all those buildings.
3. JoeAugust 14, 2015 at 11:15 am

   Here’s a more detailed look at numbers between 2000 and 2014: https://twitter.com/ivesetsail/status/632189843213148161

4. Pingback: Chart of the Day: Minneapolis Jobs by Planning [Geographic] Sector 2000-2014 | streets.mn

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