The Foshay building has been credited as “the first skyscraper west of the Mississippi”, although some previous structures in Minneapolis were considered by some to be skyscrapers. Because the building was designed to echo the Washington Monument, the sides of the building slope slightly inward, and each floor of the Foshay Tower is slightly smaller than the one below it. Local businessman Ralph Burnet is in the process of spending $75 million to raise the building back from the past to create a W Hotel and Restaurant as well as update the commercial on the first few floors. Click the picture above for a brief slide show of the progress.