Overview

The Northwestern Knitting Co. Building was constructed for a leading textile company. 

• Location: 700-728 Glenwood Avenue, 275 Market Street
• Neighborhood: Sumner/Glenwood

Historic profile

The Northwestern Knitting Co. Building was constructed for a leading textile company. It was also called the Munsingwear Plant.

George Munsing founded Northwestern Knitting Company. In 1888, Munsing invented a method of plating wool fibers with silk and cotton. This made wool less itchy to wear. In 1891, he used this method to develop the union suit: a single-piece, full-body underwear. It was less bulky and more comfortable than other options. The union suit propelled the company to success. Construction began on this factory in 1904. By 1912, it housed the nation's top manufacturer of underwear.

The company expanded as its success grew. Bertrand and Chamberlain designed all five buildings on this site. They used Classical Revival features like projecting cornices, fretwork friezes, and fluted columns. Building 4 was the first building in Minneapolis made only of reinforced concrete. This structural system was designed by master engineer C.A.P. Turner. This was an important step in developing the "Mushroom System" for building construction. Turner used the Mushroom System a few years later in the Green & DeLaittre Warehouse, another historic landmark.

The company closed the plant in 1981 due to economic conditions. The buildings were combined and renovated to become a hub for the region's interior design community. The site also includes lofts. The building reopened in 1985 as International Market Square.