Mpls Downtown Improvement District

It’s summer in downtown Minneapolis, and that means flowers in bloom, trees soaking up long days of sunshine, and all those plants cooling our public spaces, cleaning the air, and creating a more inviting environment to live, work, and play. The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District plays a very active role in helping make downtown a more green and beautiful place. 

All around downtown this summer, the MDID will plant and maintain over 16,000 annuals in planters, boulevard gardens and light pole baskets. Ambassador watering crews, who start work at 4:30 am, navigate downtown on a daily basis to make sure plants are watered and cared for. 

MDID is joined in our greening efforts by organizations and companies that help beautify the downtown area. The City of Minneapolis is actively supporting green streetscapes as part of Complete Streets, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board owns and maintains street trees, and many property and business owners install and maintain landscaping improvements.

To recognize these efforts, today we are opening nominations for the 8th Annual Greening and Public Realm Awards. The Greening Awards, an MDID initiative since 2010, celebrate outstanding examples of private greening and placemaking happening in Downtown Minneapolis. The MDID’s mission through the Greening Awards is to encourage all downtown businesses to participate in the greening effort. 

During this year’s nominations, the general public will be able to let MDID know which greening projects throughout Downtown Minneapolis are their favorites. To participate, you can submit using the hashtag #GreeningAwardsMpls on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, our online submission form, or by emailing your nominations to [email protected]. Photos are welcomed, but name and/or location will work for identifying your green space of choice. Individuals may nominate multiple locations.

Nominations will close July 31st, and the finalists will be selected and categorized by MDID staff for an online vote in mid-August. Winning locations in each category will receive a display prize to showcase their greening achievement. 

In past years, categories have included:

• Best Green Space Activation

• Best Small and Large Green Space

• Best Open Space Green Infrastructure

• Best Streetscape Green Infrastructure

• Best Outdoor Café

• Best Façade Greening

• Best Streetscape Greening

• Best Entryway Greening

• Best Public Realm Improvement

• Best Neighborhood Overall

For more information, visit www.minneapolisdid.com/greeningawards or log onto Facebook, Twitter or Instagram searching @MinneapolisDID.