Calhoun Beach Club
Encyclopedia
The Calhoun Beach Club is an apartment community, health club, and commercial center in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, just across Lake Street
from its namesake Lake Calhoun
. Its founders intended the club to meet their residential, recreational, and entertainment needs in one building. The original building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on December 23, 2003.
. After World War II
, construction was completed, and it became a lively social club. Financial hard times in the early 1950s forced the club into bankruptcy. The building was converted to a hotel
in 1954 and was marketed as a place for social events such as proms, parties, luncheons, banquets, and wedding receptions. The upper floors were converted into fashionable apartments. WTCN (now KARE
television and WWTC
radio) moved its radio and TV studios to the second and third floors around that time. Staples of WTCN programming, such as the children's program "Lunch with Casey" and All Star Wrestling with Verne Gagne
, aired live in the building. From 1963 to 1972, the property was renamed Calhoun Beach Manor, operating as a home for the elderly.
In 1977, the building was restored to its intended use as a sports and social club. The handball
and squash
courts and the swimming pool
were restored, and the club installed tennis court
s, steam room
s, sauna
s, sunrooms, and a jogging
track. At that time, the lobby was restored in an Art Deco
style. Later, in the 1980s, the club added more facilities, such as an aerobics
studio, volleyball
and basketball
courts, and additional exercise equipment..
In 1997 a tower addition was designed by KKE architects and subsequently constructed.
In 2001 the property was renovated and converted to luxury apartment homes.
The original building – the oldest high-rise residential building outside of downtown Minneapolis'
core – was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 23, 2003.
, Lake of the Isles
, Cedar Lake
and downtown Minneapolis, MN
. The Calhoun Beach Club community consists of 332 apartment homes, divided amongst 57 different floorplans. Apartment homes vary from studios up to 4-bedrooms, which range from 600 sq ft (55.7 m²) to 3400 sq ft (315.9 m²). The property is currently owned and operated by Apartment Investment and Management Company
(AIMCO
).
The 40000 sq ft (3,716.1 m²) Calhoun Beach Health Club features high-tech fitness equipment, a full range of exercise and fitness classes including Pilates
, ballroom dancing
, strength-building, yoga
and a running club. In addition, Calhoun Beach Club has indoor and outdoor pools, restaurants, a full-service salon, fitness classes, outdoor recreational equipment, and a tanning salon.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, just across Lake Street
Lake Street (Minneapolis)
Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is located between 29th and 31st Streets in south Minneapolis. It was named such because it runs through the Chain of Lakes area on the west side of town and passes over a small channel linking Lake Calhoun and Lake of...
from its namesake Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun is the biggest lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and part of the city's Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities...
. Its founders intended the club to meet their residential, recreational, and entertainment needs in one building. The original building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on December 23, 2003.
History
Construction of the building began in 1928, but it was delayed for approximately 18 years due to the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, construction was completed, and it became a lively social club. Financial hard times in the early 1950s forced the club into bankruptcy. The building was converted to a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
in 1954 and was marketed as a place for social events such as proms, parties, luncheons, banquets, and wedding receptions. The upper floors were converted into fashionable apartments. WTCN (now KARE
KARE
KARE, digital channel 11, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota and portions of western Wisconsin. It also operates KARE WX NOW, formerly known as NBC Weather Plus on its second digital subchannel...
television and WWTC
WWTC
WWTC is a long-standing radio station serving the Twin Cities region. Despite its up-and-down history, the station spawned two of the area's major television stations and had some very innovative and unusual periods in its history...
radio) moved its radio and TV studios to the second and third floors around that time. Staples of WTCN programming, such as the children's program "Lunch with Casey" and All Star Wrestling with Verne Gagne
Verne Gagne
Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne , is a retired American professional wrestler, football player, and professional wrestling trainer and promoter. He was the former owner/promoter of the American Wrestling Association , based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was the predominant promotion throughout...
, aired live in the building. From 1963 to 1972, the property was renamed Calhoun Beach Manor, operating as a home for the elderly.
In 1977, the building was restored to its intended use as a sports and social club. The handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
and squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
courts and the swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
were restored, and the club installed tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, steam room
Steam room
A steam room is an enclosed space with large amounts of high temperature steam, creating a high humidity environment. People sit in this room in a similar way to a sauna , for relaxation and purported benefits to health and well being. They can be commonly found in gyms, sanitariums and health...
s, sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
s, sunrooms, and a jogging
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
track. At that time, the lobby was restored in an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style. Later, in the 1980s, the club added more facilities, such as an aerobics
Aerobics
Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness...
studio, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
courts, and additional exercise equipment..
In 1997 a tower addition was designed by KKE architects and subsequently constructed.
In 2001 the property was renovated and converted to luxury apartment homes.
The original building – the oldest high-rise residential building outside of downtown Minneapolis'
Central, Minneapolis
The Central community in Minneapolis is located in the central part of the city, consisting of 6 smaller official neighborhoods, and includes Downtown Minneapolis, the central business district...
core – was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 23, 2003.
Calhoun Beach Club Apartments
The Calhoun Beach Club community is located in the Uptown-Lakes area, overlooking Lake CalhounLake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun is the biggest lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and part of the city's Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities...
, Lake of the Isles
Lake of the Isles
Lake of the Isles is a lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota connected to Cedar Lake and Lake Calhoun. It is home to winter ice skating and hockey, as well as a New Year's Eve celebration featuring roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate...
, Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake (Minnesota)
Cedar Lake is a lake on the west side of Minneapolis, north of Lake Calhoun and west of Lake of the Isles. The lake is surrounded by parkland on the west side, while the east side borders the Kenwood residential area. The north side is bordered by the Cedar Lake Trail and the BNSF Railway...
and downtown Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The Calhoun Beach Club community consists of 332 apartment homes, divided amongst 57 different floorplans. Apartment homes vary from studios up to 4-bedrooms, which range from 600 sq ft (55.7 m²) to 3400 sq ft (315.9 m²). The property is currently owned and operated by Apartment Investment and Management Company
AIMCO
Aimco is one of the largest owners and operators of apartment communities in the United States, with approximately 870 communities comprising nearly 133,000 units in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.- History :...
(AIMCO
AIMCO
Aimco is one of the largest owners and operators of apartment communities in the United States, with approximately 870 communities comprising nearly 133,000 units in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.- History :...
).
Calhoun Beach Club Commercial Tenants
Calhoun Beach Club includes 11 retails spaces, seven of which are currently occupied by The View restaurant, Sash Salon, Stauman Holistic Chiropractic, Uptime Nutrition, D'Amico Catering and Sales, Ross Capital Growth Partners, Beck and Tysver, and the Calhoun Beach Health Club.The 40000 sq ft (3,716.1 m²) Calhoun Beach Health Club features high-tech fitness equipment, a full range of exercise and fitness classes including Pilates
Pilates
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany, the UK and the USA. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States....
, ballroom dancing
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
, strength-building, yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
and a running club. In addition, Calhoun Beach Club has indoor and outdoor pools, restaurants, a full-service salon, fitness classes, outdoor recreational equipment, and a tanning salon.