In the fall of 1997, an arson attack destroyed the Duncan-Miller boathouse, home to the Minneapolis Rowing Club: a private, non-profit organisation that survives on membership fees and volunteer support. The old boathouse had been built by members over a six-year period and came to be the physical embodiment of the club. Much of the club’s history was housed there, including the bulk of its fleet and some of the members’ private boats.
The new boathouse master plan, developed by the design team, originally called for two new boathouses to be constructed to replace the original facility. The project site is located 90 feet below the Lake Street Bridge within the Mississippi River gorge, where zoning restrictions define a long, narrow building site. The master plan considered the requirements of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, who own the property, the Club’s need for a safe gathering place, and public access to a trail system along the Mississippi River.