Mpls Downtown Improvement District

For the eighth year, the Mpls Downtown Improvement District (DID) produced the annual Greening & Public Realm Awards. Part of the MDID’s mission is to encourage and improve greening in downtown Minneapolis, and the contributions made by private businesses are essential to that cause. This year’s awards included five new winners among the 12 categories decided by an interactive public vote.

On Thursday, April 19, the DID held a reception for the 2017 Greening Awards winners to thank them for their contributions to downtown’s vibrancy.

Thank you again to all the winners and those who joined us for the get-together. Be sure to think about the 2018 Greening Awards during your summer planting!

GOALS OF THE AWARDS AND WINNERS

The Greening Awards showcase efforts by organizations and companies that help beautify downtown’s public realm. This year’s first-time award winners [full list below] are the 1010 Currie Mural by Bianca Pettis & Erin Sayer (which won two awards: Best Public Art and Best Public Realm Improvement), Best Small Activated Space (100 Washington Square), Best Large Green Space (Mill Ruins Park), Best Streetscape Green Infrastructure (Millwright) and Best Entryway Greening (Haskell’s).

Loring Greenway won a Greening Award for a record eighth straight year – tying with Mill Ruins Park for Best Large Green Space. The Local won its sixth Greening Award (Best Facade Greening), Brit’s Pub won its fifth (Best Outdoor Cafe), Loring Park won its third straight Best Neighborhood award, and The Commons won a Greening Award (Best Large Activated Space) for the second straight year since opening in 2016.

IMPORTANCE OF GREENING

“We’re delighted to see five new winners joining our past award recipients, a sign that enhanced greening continues to be a prominent focus of downtown businesses, neighborhoods and organizations,” Mpls Downtown Improvement District President & CEO Steve Cramer said. “We thank everyone who helps create a more vibrant experience through adding greening to our downtown’s public realm. Congratulations to this year’s winners on exceptional contributions to our city’s core.”

AWARDS AND METHODOLOGY

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 won.

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District accepted public nominations for green spaces throughout August, and finalists were announced on August 24. Voting for finalists remained open through September 21.

The finalists, nominated by the public, were selected by members of the MDID 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:

* – New nominee in this category