Lumber Exchange Building was first Skyscraper of Minneapolis.
Designed by Franklin Long & Frederick Kees, and built in 1885, the Lumber Exchange building was billed as one of the country’s first “fireproof” buildings . It is the oldest high rise building in Minneapolis and outside of New York City is the oldest building with twelve or more floors. The building you see now was built in three different stages. The original building was tall and narrow, later a wing was added and later still 2 stories were added to the top. Some call it ugly and others realize that it is a significant part of architectural history, and for that, it is beautiful in its own right.