IDS Center - Design and Environment

Design and Environment

A lobby and shopping area at the bottom of the tower is known as the Crystal Court, and provides skyway connections between the tower and four adjacent blocks. The Concourse level is occupied by Globe College and University; originally this floor was an extension of the Crystal Court retail space and included a single-screen movie theater. The building had a 51st floor observation deck until 1983. This floor is now office space. A restaurant (The Orion Room, later renamed Windows on Minnesota) has been closed to the public since the beginning of 1994. Thousands of people came for one last visit on December 31, 1993. Windows on Minnesota is now banquet space part of the Marquette Hotel, which is part of the IDS Center.

Because of the IDS Center's peculiar and unique stepback design, termed "zogs" by its architect, Philip Johnson, each floor has up to 32 corner offices. The area of Nicollet Mall in front of the IDS Center is familiar to television viewers: The character of Mary Richards on Mary Tyler Moore was seen on Nicollet Mall in the opening montage of the series. Across 7th Street from where IDS now stands, she tossed her hat into the air at the end of the opening sequence. A statue of her was erected across the street from the building three decades later. She is also seen in the opening credits dining (with husband Grant Tinker) at what is now the terrace of Basil's Restaurant on the third floor, where diners can sit at the "Mary Tyler Moore Table" where the shot was filmed.

The IDS Tower has a 8-story annex extending along the Marquette Avenue side of the building. This building is a true annex; the 4th through 8th floors can only be reached through the IDS Tower elevators. The 3rd floor can only be reached through the Marquette Hotel elevators.

The building has not been without structural problems. Since soon after its construction, the Crystal Court has had issues with water leaking through the roof after rain or snow due to effects of Minnesota's extreme freeze-thaw cycle. There are also frequent problems in the winter where ice falls from the tower and onto the court roof, often breaking through. Occasionally the court will be roped off to prevent injury to patrons. The Center and Crystal Court were devastated by a summer wind storm in June 1979 that led to much glass breakage. The entire Crystal Court was sealed off by plywood barriers while this was repaired.