Target workers returning to office, raising hopes of downtown economic kickstart

"Hundreds of employees from Target's headquarters are rejoining the commuting masses this week, a long-awaitedmove Minneapolis leaders hope will spark downtown's commercial resurgence. It comes the week of Target's all-company meeting, which brings an annual surge in downtown traffic as managers from around the country gather for the three-day event at Target Center, Minneapolis Convention Center and other downtown locales."

"The recovery in downtown Minneapolis has been uneven since the pandemic, said Adam Duininck, CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council. Some parts of the North Loop and Washington Avenue "really haven't slowed down," he said. But certain parts of Nicollet Mall toward Target headquarters have remained relatively quiet, and the slow move away from work-from-home policies by the company that was once downtown's biggest employer has matched the halting pace of the city's attempts to revive its economic center since the pandemic."

"The question is whether the skyways and restaurants start to bustle. "That's when we know we'll really be back to the place where we once were," Duininck said. Some of the country's largest companies, including JPMorgan Chase, Amazon and Walmart require workers in office five days per week. No major downtown Minneapolis employer currently mandates five days of in-office work."

Hundreds of employees from Target's downtown headquarters have resumed commuting this week, timed with the company's three-day all-company meeting that brings managers from around the country to Target Center, the Minneapolis Convention Center and other downtown venues. Downtown Minneapolis has experienced an uneven recovery since the pandemic. Parts of the North Loop and Washington Avenue remain active while sections of Nicollet Mall near Target headquarters stay relatively quiet. Target's gradual move away from work-from-home mirrors the slow pace of downtown's economic revival. Before the pandemic Target was the largest downtown employer; around 7,100 employees remain assigned to its headquarters.

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