Mpls Downtown Improvement District

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District (DID) announced today its Greening & Public Realm Award winners, a group decided by an interactive public vote that includes three first-time winners among the seven categories.  

The Greening & Public Realm Awards aim to showcase the greening efforts by local organizations and companies that help beautify downtown and its surrounding areas through enhancing our urban landscape.  

This year’s first-time award winners [see below for full list] include the Prince Mural by Hiero Veiga, The Freehouse (Best Entryway/Outdoor Café) and Water Works Park (Best Public Realm Improvement).  

Loring Greenway won a Greening & Public Realm Award for a record 11th straight year – including winning Best Large Green Space for the sixth year in a row. The Loring Park Neighborhood also took home the prize for Best Neighborhood Greening for the sixth year in a row as well. Peavey Plaza won its second straight Greening & Public Realm Award (Best Activated Space) and Gateway Park took home the award for Best Small Green Space for the second year in a row.  

“After a two-year hiatus, we’re excited to celebrate this year’s Greening and Public Realm Award winners and especially excited to add two new winners to our past award recipients,” says Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Mpls Downtown Improvement District. “We value all efforts to enhance downtown’s beauty and vibrancy. Congratulations to this year’s winners—your contributions to our city’s core are greatly appreciated.”  

Greening & Public Realm Award winners will receive a commemorative plaque created by Wood from the Hood, a Minneapolis-based company that reclaims discarded trees from urban neighborhoods and creates high-quality wood products. Each award will display the year the award was issued and the category that was won. Winning locations will also receive a Greening & Public Realm Awards winner sign to designate their award-winning greenery.  

Finalists for the Greening & Public Realm Awards were announced on July 25. Public voting for finalists remained open through August 15. 

The finalists were selected and categorized by members of the Mpls DID staff based on criteria including overall year-over-year enhancements as well as continued excellence in their efforts to increase vibrancy in the public realm.  

This year’s results include the following winners:  

Large Green Space

• Loring Greenway
• Water Works Park
• Gold Medal Park
• The Commons

Small Green Space

• Gateway Park
• Mpls Convention Center
• Government Center Plaza*
• RBC Gateway Plaza*

Activated Space

• Peavey Plaza
• Mill City Market
• The Alley Project*
• Elliot Park Skatepark*

Public Art

• Prince Mural by Hiero Veiga*
• Bob Dylan Mural by Eduardo Kobra
• X Marks the Spot by Reggie LeFlore*
• It's the People produced by Hennepin Theatre Trust

Entryway/Outdoor Café

• The Freehouse
• The News Room
• Barrio
• 5th Avenue Lofts

Neighborhood Greening

• Loring Park
• North Loop
• Downtown East/West
• Elliot Park

Public Realm Improvement

• Water Works Park*
• Prince Mural*
• RBC Gateway*
• The Alley Project*
• City Hall/4th Street*
• Elliot Park Skatepark*
• 8th Street Streetscape*
• 7th Street Bus Lane*

* - First-time finalist

For more information, visit www.mplsdid.com/greeningawards or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @MplsDID.