Restoring Owámniyomni is a transformative decade-long project to restore Dakota presence to a  Dakota place of power on the Central Riverfront in Downtown Minneapolis. Through four acts of Congress and partnerships among Owámniyomni Okhódayapi (OO), the 4 Dakota Nations of Mnísota, and local government partners, ownership will be secured, enabling land that has been federally owned and operated as a Lock and Dam since the 1960s to be restored to Dakota ownership on a site widely referred to as the “birthplace of Minneapolis.” Prior to its industrialization as a resource for milling, the Falls was a Dakota place of power—a destination for ceremony, inter-Tribal diplomacy, and a place where women would come to give birth. Owámniyomni means “turbulent waters” and refers to the waters at the base of the 49-foot waterfall. The Falls were characterized by a wide and irregular limestone escarpment, and a number of vegetated limestone islands, both below and above it. One of these was Wíta Wanáǧi, or Spirit Island, a sacred place. Although the site has been dramatically altered by industrialization, the River remains. And as Dakota Knowledge Keeper Juanita Espinosa, observed, “The River wants to nurture all of her children… Bring the water back, and life will return.” Healing this long-hardened and industrialized place, and bringing living water back to softened shorelines where plants, aquatic life, and animals will be welcomed to return, constitutes both environmental restoration and cultural restoration. 

Duval has played numerous roles supporting the project, including convening and coordinating intergovernmental partnerships to advance design and secure site ownership; navigating substantial federal, state, and local compliance processes resulting in approval to substantially transform a historic site; managing a large multi-disciplinary consultant team guided by Dakota Knowledge Keepers from concept design through construction; and serving as OO’s Owners Representative overseeing construction. 

Through this project, OO will restore Dakota presence and lifeways to a Dakota place of power, and will also reconnect the people of Minneapolis to their Central Riverfront at one of the most significant sites in Minnesota. The project will restore ecological zones, create paths to the water accessible to people of all ages and abilities, and demonstrate a cutting edge new model for maintenance in the spirit of Awáŋyaŋkapi (all encompassing care). 

Team:

Development Manager: Duval Companies

Landscape Architect: GGN (Gustafson, Guthrie, Nichol)

Client:

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi

Project Data:

Site Area: 5 acres

Building Area: 40,000 SF

Use: Cultural

Photography / Images © Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, Duval Companies, GGN 2026