Photo courtesy: Osborn370
For most of the last 50 years, the only way to get into the skyscraper at 370 Wabasha was to have an appointment with Ecolab. Today, the former Ecolab headquarters building is teeming with high-energy innovators who are creating new companies. Now known as Osborn370, the 20-story tower is being reimagined as a home for innovators, entrepreneurs, and the services that support them.
After Ecolab moved to the former Travelers building, the Osborn370 building was purchased by a team of local investors with a vision for providing a better platform to Saint Paul’s technology economy. The idea is to populate the building with a community of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators who can grow their businesses in a collaborative environment. The building offers custom designed class A office space along with an array of shared spaces, a community floor designed to encourage collaboration and group work, a redesigned lobby that will include a coffee shop, a branch of Bridgewater Bank, and casual gathering and meeting spaces.
The first company moved into Osborn370 on the day the new ownership took control in June 2017 and there has been a steady stream of new tenant announcements since then.
As evidence of the unique entrepreneurial environment growing at Osborn370, technology business accelerators are choosing to locate in the building. They include:
American Public Media’s Glen Nelson Center. The Glen Nelson Center will invest in startups aligned with APM’s mission and launch new businesses on the frontier of media and technology.
Lunar Startups. A collaboration of the Glen Nelson Center and the Knight Foundation, Lunar Startups will incubate and accelerate early-stage, high-growth startups with a strong commitment to entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities.
Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator Program. Over the next three years, the Techstars accelerator program will bring 30 new early-stage companies to Saint Paul to accelerate their growth.
These organizations will invest and mentor dozens of growing businesses in Saint Paul in the coming years.
Also located at Osborn370 are the headquarters for SmartCare, KLJ, an engineering consulting firm, Bridgewater Bank, Paul Davis Restoration, Knight Foundation, Riverpoint Investments, Bootstrappers, and software companies Structural, OppSource, Lighthouse Software, and Reeher.
Photo courtesy: Osborn370
Osborn370 will also play host to tech business events. For example, more than 200 people recently took part in an event discussing racial equity in the technology sector sponsored by Twin Cities Blacks In Technology.
The building is now more than 60 percent leased. Construction recently began on the lobby renovation and the community floor, both of which are scheduled to be completed by August.
District Energy provides heating, cooling, and domestic hot water to Osborn370. Our team is pleased to continue to support innovation that is the hallmark of Ecolab’s enterprise and will continue with the companies choosing Osborn370 as their home. Ecolab joined the District Energy heating system early, signing a contract in fall of 1982 and coming online in October 1984 with 42 other customer buildings.