Bloomington clock tower to come down this fall

For decades, the Bloomington clock tower at the intersection of Lyndale Avenue and 98th Street has been a familiar feature. Over time, the structure's condition has declined and it now presents ongoing maintenance and safety concerns.

The City’s facilities team and an external consultant did a comprehensive assessment to review the tower’s structural integrity, mechanical systems, safety compliance and long-term maintenance needs.   

The evaluation found advanced structural wear from age and weather exposure, outdated clock components requiring full replacement and reconstruction needs that go far beyond routine repair. Costs to restore the tower would be substantial and out of proportion to its remaining useful life. And its components are no longer manufactured or available to purchase. Based on these findings, the City plans to remove the clock tower in mid-September.

To honor the history of the clock tower, the City will carefully remove and store the clock face. And the historical plaques on the tower will be transferred to the Bloomington Historical Society.

In the late 1980s, the redevelopment of Bloomington's first commercial area of Oxboro Heath, 98th and Lyndale, created an opportunity to provide a distinctive symbol for the city of Bloomington. The concept of some sort of landmark came from a joint meeting of the Oxboro Task Force—a committee of the Chamber of Commerce and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

After going over many suggestions such as a statue or water fountain, the idea of a clock tower emerged and members of the task force, other business owners in the Oxboro Redevelopment Area and residents from the community formed the nonprofit Bloomington History Clock Tower Association. The first meeting of the Association took place in November 1989.

In 1990, the Bloomington History Clock Tower Association raised funds from the community for the clock tower's construction.

A resident task force met with Bloomington artist Elizabeth Hood Anderson to create public art for the monument site. There was a history element to the piece including a walkway and eight bronze bas-relief and narrative plaques depicting the history of Bloomington to educate residents and visitors about Bloomington from 1600 to the present.

In January 1998, it was gifted to the City of Bloomington for ownership and maintenance.

The City will work with the property owner on options for the future of the site, including a potential Creative Placemaking project.