The Mpls Downtown Improvement District (MDID) today announced the public voting for the 8th annual Greening & Public Realm Awards is now open.
The Greening Awards, an MDID initiative since 2010, celebrate outstanding examples of greening and placemaking that improve public space in Downtown Minneapolis. Winners will be selected by public vote at mplsdid.com/greeningawards. The vote will be open Aug. 24 through Sept. 15.
This year, 40 unique finalists were selected through an interactive public nomination process were divided into 12 categories based on the project’s characteristics and size. Among the finalists selected were 18 unique new nominees—a continued sign of the growing diversity of greening in the downtown area—as well as 14 past winners. Eight of last year’s 12 winners are nominated again this year, including seven-time winner Loring Greenway and six-time winner Target Plaza South Entry.
“We once again have an incredible group of finalists highlighting the vast array of public and private greening initiatives we enjoy here in our downtown,” said Steve Cramer, Mpls Downtown Improvement District President & CEO. “We thank all who enhance our public realm through their efforts and vision, and we look forward to celebrating this year’s winners once our public vote is complete.”
Winners will receive 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.
The MDID Greening Awards are intended to inspire all to work toward making downtown greener and more vibrant. The MDID’s mission through the Greening Awards is to encourage all downtown businesses and organizations to participate in the greening effort.
The public is encouraged to vote by visiting mplsdid.com/greeningawards and clicking on the interactive vote link. Each category will showcase the finalists along with a photo of each location for easy viewing and identification. This year’s 12 categories include the following finalists:
Small Activated Space
Small Green Space
Large Activated Space
Large Green Space
Façade Greening
Public Art
Outdoor Café
Streetscape Greening
Streetscape Green Infrastructure
Entryway Greening
Public Realm Improvement
Best Neighborhood
*-New Nominee in this category