Demolition Minneapolis: old houses, alleys and tight city lots

A housing stock that is mostly a century old

Much of Minneapolis was built out in the decades before and after the First World War, and it shows on almost every block: bungalows, foursquares, story-and-a-half cottages, side-by-side and up-and-down duplexes, and a scattering of later ramblers toward the city edges. Wood framing from that era often runs continuous from the sill to the roof, plaster sits on wood lath, and layers of old paint coat trim, siding and porches.

Foundations vary more than people expect. Some houses sit on limestone or fieldstone walls, others on brick or concrete block, many of them patched over the years. That mix matters when a porch, garage or whole house comes off, because the foundation is often the slowest and heaviest part to break out. Full basements are the norm.

Narrow lots, close neighbors and nowhere to stage

City lots tend to be narrow and deep, with houses set close to the side lines. A side yard may be little more than a walkway, and the house next door can be close enough to touch from a ladder.

That shapes the work. Contractors here lean on compact machines, careful sequencing and a lot of hand work along the shared lot line. Debris often moves out through the alley or across the front boulevard in small loads rather than piling up on site. Protecting the neighbor's siding, windows and foundation becomes part of the scope.

Alleys and the detached garages that line them

Many residential blocks are served by alleys, and the detached garage at the back of the lot is a Minneapolis signature. Many date from the early automobile years: single stalls with sills long since rotted, sitting on thin slabs that have cracked and sunk.

Alley access is a gift and a constraint. A truck can reach the garage without crossing the yard, but alleys are narrow, carry overhead power and phone lines, and are shared with every neighbor who needs to get a car out. Details on taking these structures down and leaving the yard clean are on the garage and shed demolition page.

Bluffs, lakes, creeks and the water under the basement

The ground under the city is mostly glacial deposits: sandy, fast-draining soil in some areas and heavier clay that holds water in others, sometimes within a few blocks of each other. Near the Mississippi River the land breaks into bluffs and terraces, and around the chain of lakes and along Minnehaha Creek the water table can sit close to the surface.

Spring snowmelt and heavy summer downpours have long put water into basements in low pockets of the city, and the creek has risen out of its banks after big storms. None of that stops a demolition, but it affects when a basement can sit open, how fill goes into a deep hole, and how carefully the lot is graded afterward. Work close to the creek or a lake can also bring in the watershed district.

The jobs that come up most often inside the city

Whole-house teardowns happen here, usually because a house is too damaged by fire, water or neglect to save, or because an owner plans a new house on the same lot. Far more common are the smaller jobs that keep old properties working.

• Leaning alley garages coming down to make way for a new one or for parking
• Sagging front porches and back additions removed before a rebuild
• Kitchens, baths and basements gutted to the studs, plaster and all, covered on the interior demolition page
• Heaved front walks, back steps and cracked alley aprons replaced, as described on the concrete removal page
• Full teardowns of a house and its basement, walked through on the house demolition page

How the city reviews a demolition

Minneapolis issues its own demolition permits, and the paperwork reflects how many old buildings the city holds. Expect to show that gas, electric and water service have been shut off and that the sewer line has been capped where the city wants it. Before a building comes down, state and federal environmental rules generally call for someone qualified to check it for asbestos and for the state pollution control agency to be told in advance, with any asbestos found taken out by an abatement specialist first. Paint on older trim and siding may contain lead.

Some buildings get an extra layer of review. A house in a designated historic district, or one the city considers potentially historic, can be held for a preservation review before a permit is issued. Putting a container on the street or closing part of a sidewalk usually involves a separate city approval. The contractor or the city's permit staff can tell you what applies to a particular address.

Boulevard trees, parking and winter on city streets

The strip between the sidewalk and the curb often holds a large city-owned tree, and the city expects it to survive the work. That means keeping heavy equipment off its roots, not stacking debris against the trunk, and asking before trimming a limb that hangs over the alley or the drive.

Parking is tight on many blocks, so trucks, trailers and containers have to fit without trapping neighbors. Winter adds snow emergency rules that clear one side of the street at a time, and a container left in the wrong spot can become a problem.

Getting a Minneapolis job priced

Cost here is driven less by the size of the structure than by access, foundation type, the hazardous material survey, utility work, disposal and how much hand labor the site demands. To get started, send the address, a few photos from the street and the alley, and a short note on what is coming down and what is staying through the contact page. Nearby suburbs are listed on the service areas page.

Common questions here

The work, by type

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