The City of Elk River and its Heritage Preservation Commission hired Mend Collaborative to create a concept plan to envision the future of the city’s historic water tower site. Situated below Elk River’s famous red-topped water tower, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this project aims to transform the one-quarter acre parcel into a well-designed and accessible place for history storytelling. This future history-centered site will enhance the surrounding environment, honor the historical significance of the water tower and the city, and explore the history of Elk River through a process that involves residents.

Mend and the City’s HPC and project team held various community engagement events to capture input on what the community wanted from this currently vacant site. The water tower was built in 1920 and holds significant and nostalgic importance within the city. The community embraced the process, and helped guide the design team to a final concept that embraces different ways to tell the city’s history, invite people into the site, and encourage multi-generational interactions in the site.

This project is now in the fundraising stage, and the Mend team looks forward to seeing this vision come to life!