stuffaboutminneapolis:

Union making a downtown splash

Hennepin Avenue’s lights are about to get a whole lot brighter. That’s because Union, the latest venture from Kaskaid Hospitality, is transforming the former Shinders building at 8th Street into an ambitious restaurant, bar, lounge and rooftop complex.

“I believe in downtown Minneapolis,” said Kaskaid CEO Kam Talebi. “This project is a powerful statement of that belief. We want to create something that’s unique to the marketplace. Hopefully it will become an iconic destination.”

The rooftop alone will probably guarantee that.The predominant feature is a retractable, 28-foot-high glass roof, which, when closed, will become a four-season, climate-controlled space. Talebi said that the structure — which will fold and unfold like a telescope, in 15 minutes — will be the largest of its kind in North America.

Talebi said the project is on schedule for an early November opening.

via StarTribune, click pic for full story.