Mpls Downtown Improvement District

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District welcomed its 2016 Greening Award winners for a celebration event on Wednesday, May 3 to recognize their exemplary greening in the public realm during the 2016 summer season.

The 7th annual Greening Awards were selected through an online public vote, and of the 12 categories four included first-time winners—The Living Bus Shelter (Small Green Space Activation), The Times They Are A-Changin’ — Mural by Eduardo Kobra (Public Art), Wells Fargo Towers (Streetscape Green Infrastructure) and The Commons (Public Realm Improvement)—while Loring Greenway won its category for a seventh consecutive year, Target Plaza South Entry won for the sixth time and The Local won for a fifth time.

“Each year the Greening Awards offer a chance for us to recognize and showcase organizations that truly help take the vibrancy of our downtown to a new level,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Mpls Downtown Improvement District. “We congratulate all who were nominated and selected as finalists, and we look forward to seeing what enhanced green spaces will be part of next year’s vote.”

Winners received a commemorative Greening Award 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.

MDID accepted public nominations for green spaces through the middle of August, and finalists were announced on August 25. Voting for finalists remained open from August 25 through September 14.

The finalists, nominated by the public, were selected by members of the Minneapolis DID staff based on criteria including overall year-over-year enhancements as well as continued excellence in adding vibrancy to the public realm.

This year’s results include the following winners:

Small Green Space Activation

• The Living Bus Shelter*

Small Green Space

• Target Plaza South Entry

Large Green Space Activation

• Target Field Station

Large Green Space

• Loring Greenway

Façade Greening

• Kenosha Building

Public Art

• The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Mural by Eduardo Kobra*

Outdoor Café

• The Local

Streetscape Greening

• Target Plaza Commons

Streetscape Green Infrastructure

• Wells Fargo Towers*

Entryway Greening

• City Hall

Public Realm Improvement

• The Commons*

Best Neighborhood

• Loring Park 

*-New Nominee in this category