When Hillcrest Development acquired Minneapolis’ 9th Street Center in the late 1990s, the company saw potential in a sprawling industrial property that boasted plenty of parking and a great location in the city’s Marcy-Holmes neighborhood.
What Hillcrest Development didn’t see was a center that would one day be home to tabletop gaming enthusiasts, indoor soccer players, craft beverage fans and a growing collection of experiential businesses.
But that’s exactly what the 224,000-square-foot property has become.
The latest chapter in the evolution of 9th Street Center comes with the addition of two new tenants: Wyldwolf Games and Midwest Indoor Soccer. Their arrivals highlights Hillcrest Development’s long-term strategy of creating a mixed-use destination that blends industrial, retail, recreation and community-focused uses.
Located in Minneapolis’ Marcy-Holmes neighborhood near the University of Minnesota and downtown Minneapolis, 9th Street Center consists of nine buildings built between 1910 and the 1950s. Over the last quarter century, the property has gradually transformed from a traditional industrial site into a diverse campus of businesses that attract visitors from across the Twin Cities.
“We are intentional about tenants,” said Scott Tankenoff, managing partner with Hillcrest Development. “We’re not looking to get market rates for everything. That’d be great, but having the right tenants that are durable and stay? That’s a good formula.”
That winning philosophy is evident in the property’s newest additions.
Wyldwolf Games will open a 1,945-square-foot location at 9th Street Center in June. The business specializes in tabletop gaming, offering retail products and professionally hosted role-playing experiences such as Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder events. The space will feature custom sound-resistant gaming rooms and technology designed to support both in-person and hybrid play.
For Tankenoff, the gaming concept fits naturally into the property’s growing collection of destination-oriented businesses.
The tenant needed more than just square footage. It required a location with ample parking, easy access and a distinctive environment capable of creating an experience for customers.
“They are used to going into retail strip centers,” Tankenoff said. “This is more interesting. There is a certain warmth to a brick-and-timber space. There were certain things about it, the character of the neighborhood and the other retail uses in the building. It made for a more attractive destination for them.”
The second addition, Midwest Indoor Soccer, will occupy approximately 28,000 square feet when it opens in August. Founded by Ashraf Ali, the facility will feature two indoor soccer fields, youth programs, leagues, training sessions and retail offerings. Future additions could include concessions and café space.
The soccer facility addresses a growing need for indoor sports facilities in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market.
“There really aren’t other indoor soccer facilities that we are aware of in the city of Minneapolis,” Tankenoff said. “It’s very hard to find indoor training, competition and practice space. Almost impossible.”
The property’s physical characteristics made it particularly attractive for indoor soccer. The building offers the height, depth and open floor plans necessary for athletic uses, along with parking and a location accessible from throughout the Twin Cities area.
“You need a building with a certain amount of height, volume and depth, no columns and good open space,” Tankenoff said. “You need parking, both on-street and off-street. You need to be centrally located. There are certain physical things you need to make it work. You can’t just shovel these uses into an industrial building.”
The addition of the soccer facility also aligns with broader changes Tankenoff has seen at the property during the last two decades.
When Hillcrest first acquired the site, many tenants were traditional industrial users, including pallet manufacturers, metalworking operations and light warehouse businesses.
“That is not what the building is today,” Tankenoff said. “There are still some industrial uses there, but a lot of the space has become destination retail.”
Today’s tenant roster includes Planet Fitness, creative businesses, health and wellness providers, makers, production companies, retail operators and food-and-beverage tenants. The mix is designed to create activity throughout the day and evening while supporting a wide variety of business needs.
Tankenoff credits much of the property’s success to its ability to accommodate uses that might otherwise struggle to find appropriate space elsewhere.
“A lot of people need use of a building where they can load a truck, have good signage and operate in a clean and functional environment,” he said. “It’s the compatibility of uses that matters.”
That compatibility has become increasingly important as Minneapolis neighborhoods continue to evolve.
When Hillcrest acquired the property, the surrounding area was far different than it is today. Over time, neighborhood investment, housing development and commercial activity transformed the area into one of the city’s more desirable urban districts.
“Back in the late ’90s, we didn’t foresee this happening,” Tankenoff said. “But 10 to 15 years ago, you could see where the neighborhood was going. You could see where other developments were taking place. It became very evident what was happening.”
That evolution has coincided with a growing demand throughout the Twin Cities region for experiential businesses, the types of tenants that give consumers reasons to leave their homes and gather in person.
“That’s where this is headed,” Tankenoff said. “What makes people want to be here? What makes people want to gather? You need food. You need a place where people can gather that’s not just an office and break room. Exterior spaces are valuable. You need good infrastructure and a sense of place.”
Convenience is also important. Tankenoff said the property’s location near downtown Minneapolis, major highways, residential neighborhoods and retail destinations helps attract both tenants and visitors.
“People want convenience,” he said. “How much time can I save and how much convenience can I give myself today? That’s what matters.”
As 9th Street Center continues to evolve, Hillcrest Development isn’t targeting any single tenant category. Instead, the company plans to continue evaluating each opportunity based on how well it fits within the property’s existing ecosystem.
“We think a lot about tenant compatibility,” Tankenoff said. “That’s very important. We don’t want someone to move in and not be a good fit. We need to get it right.”
For a property that began life as a traditional industrial complex, that careful approach has helped create something increasingly rare in commercial real estate: a place where industrial, recreational, retail and community uses successfully coexist.
