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Target auctions hundreds of chairs, tables and desks at City Center location

Target is auctioning office equipment from it's former downtown Minneapolis location
Target is auctioning office equipment from it's former downtown Minneapolis location 01:55

MINNEAPOLIS — It's another sign of a changing work landscape in Minnesota's largest city, the end of an era for Target's corporate offices in downtown Minneapolis' City Center.

Hundreds of chairs, desks, and tables that used to furnish Target offices in the City Center building are now on the auction block. Target is working to ensure this project helps the community and protects the environment.

This 30-story building once housed thousands of Target employees and now all that remains is what was used to turn the space into an office. But those chairs, tables, and office supplies are now up for auction to make room for the next tenant.

"It's big about community outreach and reusing assets instead of letting them go to waste," said Ben Grafe, Director of Logistics at Grafe Auction. 

The auction is Target and Grafe Auction's way of keeping this project green. 

RELATED NEWS: Target HQ Moves Out Of City Center Building In Downtown Minneapolis

Both companies are trying to keep the tons of equipment from ending up in area landfills.

"It's finding a home for all of that versus,I mean it would be thousands of dumpsters and millions of tons of potential waste if that was to go entirely to a landfill," Grafe said.

The hope is that the equipment goes to places that really need it.

"To actually benefit the community the schools with maybe a lower budget that are looking to outfit themselves with new office equipment the entrepreneur who is starting up a new business," Grafe said.

Target Corporation leased more than one million square feet inside the city center here in downtown Minneapolis but now that its workforce is allowed to work remotely it's not needed anymore and everything inside must go.

The need for office space is gone now that Target is bringing employees back to the office four weeks a year.

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Now they are making their way through 30 floors of office equipment and furniture. 

"Currently through 11 floors right now we are going to have four coming up in this next event on Jan. 12, there will be a preview on the 11th for interested parties to come in and review that," Grafe said.

Target employees based in City Center were relocated to other headquarters buildings in Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis. Auction preview day is set for Jan. 11.

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