A few months ago, I made my first pilgrimage to St. Paul’s newest landmark, the Loon.
Completed in late September at the intersection of Snelling and University Avenues, the Loon marks the first new development in the large United Village project that surrounds Allianz Field. (So far, it’s the only new development in United Village—an early bird, if you will.) Designed by Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, it’s huge, gleaming, and a bit strange.
The Loon appeared soon after I moved from St. Paul to Chicago, a city which coincidentally has its own metal sculpture that’s huge, gleaming, and a bit strange: the Bean. In 2006, the Bean was unveiled in the newly created Millennium Park, and today, it’s one of Chicago’s most iconic images, drawing millions of visitors to downtown Chicago each year…