Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District

www.MinneapolisDID.com

Press Release
Contact: Sarah Harris at 612-366-7830 or sharris@minneapolisdid.com Beth Shogren at 612-961-7663 or bshogren@minneapolisdid.com

Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District Presents Second Annual Greening and Public Realm Awards to Recognize Organizations Committed to Improving Downtowns Public Realm Through Greening.
Minneapolis, March 12, 2012 The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) is proud to announce the winners of its second annual Greening and Public Realm Awards. A recognition program initiated by the DIDs Greening and Public Realm Committee, the awards were established to pay tribute to community greening champions in Downtown Minneapolis, and to demonstrate how both small and large greening and public realm projects can transform our environment. The Greening and Public Realm Awards recognize property owners, businesses, and community groups who have created and maintained public green spaces that help to enhance Downtown Minneapolis. The program will honor twenty winners at an award ceremony on March 13. Our City is world renowned for its many wonderful natural amenities, from our lakes and rivers to our comprehensive park system and renowned urban forest, said David Wilson, Managing Partner at Accenture and Chair of the DID Greening and Public Realm Committee. However, Downtown is noticeably lacking the same level of greening that you can find immediately outside the core. The Greening and Public Realm Awards celebrate shining examples of downtown greening that are being done already, and to inspire others to follow their lead, making Minneapolis a more inviting and vibrant place. The DID Greening Committee nominated and recognized places that were exemplary in categories ranging from large to small. The 2011 Greening and Public Realm Award categories and recipients are: Best Park, Large Scale Hennepin County for their Government Center South Plaza Best Parking Lot Greening Tom Oslund Associates, Elness Swenson Graham, the City of Minneapolis and Councilmember Lisa Goodman for the 205 Park Avenue Parking Lot,

The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District Announces 2011 Greening Award Winners

Best Plaza Alatus LLC, for the Plaza at the Loring Ramp Best Residential Greening Large Scale The Carlyle Residents Association with Eufloria for the Entry planters at the Carlyle Best Residential Greening Small Scale The Francis Drake Hotel for the Window Boxes and Entryway Best Restoration Minneapolis Community and Technical College for its Plaza Restoration Best Sidewalk Caf Vincent, A Restaurant, and Brits Pub, for the coordinated sidewalk planters and boxes Best Storefront Greening, Large Scale Seven Steakhouse for the storefront urns and pots Best Storefront Greening, Small Scale JB Hudson, for the Nicollet Mall Entry Pots Best Streetscape Greening Brighton Development, Julie Snow Design and Tom Oslund Associates for the sidewalk tree pits at 200 Park Avenue Lofts Best Urban Agriculture The Episcopal Church of Gethsemane for The Gethsemane Garden Most Engaging Storefront Jeromeo, for the sidewalk pots, vegetable/herb garden, and unique merchandise As in 2011, DID presented a Community Involvement award in addition to the Best of awards. This year, the award will be presented to the Friends of Triangle Park for reclaiming and stewarding the long neglected Triangle Park, one of the most visible gateways into downtown. The group works hand in hand with MnDot and the City of Minneapolis to achieve the beautiful, peaceful result.

New this year are awards for winter greening, which brightens the Citys streetscape during the dark and largely devoid of green months. This years winners are: Winter Greening The Normandy Inn and Suites, with Bachmans, for the Window Boxes and Entryway at the Normandy Hotel Winter Greening Lyons Pub with Hearts and Flowers for the Window Boxes and Entryway at Lyons Pub

Encore Awards will be awarded to those entities that have exhibited exemplary contribution to the public realm environment of downtown consistently, year after year. The 2011 Encore awards will be awarded to: Encore Award The Local and Your Enchanted Florist for the sidewalk caf greening at The Local Encore Award Target Corporation and Tangletown Gardens for the Target Plaza South Entry/ Ben Tre Garden Encore Award Loring Greenways Association, for the exemplary Loring Greenway Encore Award St Olaf Catholic Church for the hidden idyll Assisi on 9 th Encore Award WCCO for the Marquette Avenue Plaza

For more information about the DID Greening and Public Realm Committee, services, initiatives and volunteer opportunities, visit www.minneapolisdid.com. The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) is a nonprofit entity that maintains a higher standard of care and behavior throughout 120 blocks of downtown. It was formed in early 2009 after more than five years of formative planning and advocacy by the downtown business community. ###