Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
The following parkways will be temporarily closed September 12 for Mill City Suds Run - 8:30am-1:00pm:
Main Street - From Hennepin Ave to 6th Ave SE
West River Parkway - From Portland Ave to Plymouth Ave
Plymouth Bridge and Stone Arch Bridge
Zen Box Izakaya presents 2015 Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition
Date: Sunday, September 27
Location: Mill City Museum Train Shed
Time: 12:00pm to 5:00pm (Rain or Shine)
What is Ramen Attack?
Ramen Attack is a free festival for all ages celebrating a unique combination of both Japanese and Twin Cities food and culture. The event donates net proceeds from food and beverage sales to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization.
Why should I attend Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition?
Delicious food, great drinks, and amazing entertainment are all unique parts of our event. But the most important reason to attend is to be a hero for children with cancer and support Children’s Cancer Research Fund.
Do I need a ticket to attend?
No - event entry is free! Food and beverage, however, are not free.
(Regular admission required to visit Museum exhibits)
How much do food & beverage cost?
Food and beverage tickets will be sold in Ramen Attack Passports.
Ramen Attack Passports are on sale for $40 (a $55 value) and contain:
•2 Ramen tickets
•1 Street Snack ticket
•2 Beverage tickets (soda for all, beer for 21+ - must show valid ID)
•Up to 2 alcohol wristbands for 21+ attendees (must show valid ID to receive wristband)
•1 Dessert ticket
•1 free Mill City Museum Exhibits entry
•Entry form for Ramen Attack prize giveaways
Do I need to buy a Passport in advance?
Yes! Due to space, time, and travel, our guest chefs will produce a finite amount of delicious food. We can’t guarantee that ramen or street snacks will still be available for purchase on the day of the event, so purchasing a Passport is the only way to ensure you won’t miss out.
How do I pick up my Passport?
Passports will be available for pick up at Mill City Museum beginning at 11:30 am on the day of the event. A photo ID is required to pick up Passports. A photo ID is also required for anyone 21+ who intends to use his or her Beverage tickets for alcohol.
Please note that Passports will not be available for pick up anytime before 11:30 am on Sunday, September 27. While you are welcome to arrive early, we will not begin Passport distribution until 11:30 am and you will be asked to wait in line until distribution begins.
Will tickets be available to purchase at the event?
We can’t guarantee that ramen or street snacks will still be available for purchase on the day of the event. A limited number of tickets may be available, but we wouldn’t risk it - we highly recommend that attendees pre-purchase a Passport. Beer, soda, and water will be available for purchase onsite.
What else should I know about drinking alcohol at the event?
In order to comply with liquor licensing laws, attendees ages 21+ will be required to wear a wristband. We are requesting a $1 cash donation to CCRF to cover the cost of wristbands.
What is the weather policy?
Rain or shine! There are no refunds on tickets or Passports and we will celebrate regardless of weather.
Who will be cooking?
We have an amazing group of guest chefs from across the country:
•Keizo Shimamoto, Ramen Shack in New York City
•Justin Carlisle, Red Light Ramen by Ardent in Milwaukee
•Jorge Guzman, Surly Brewer's Table in Minneapolis
•Jack Reibel, Il Foro & Paddy Shack in Minneapolis
•John Ng, Zen Box Izakaya in Minneapolis
Several chefs will also offer cooking demonstrations:
•Kenshiro Uki, Ramen Lab & Sun Noodle in New York City
•Diane Yang, Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis
•Thomas Boemer, Corner Table & Revival in Minneapolis
Attendees who have purchased passports are required to use the Mill City Museum Exhibits entry ticket in their passports to view the chef demonstrations. Attendees without passports will be required to purchase Mill City Museum Exhibits entry to view these demonstrations.
What else can I find at the festival?
•Artisan ice lollies from FrioFrio MN
•Brews from Asahi Beer and Surly Brewing Co.
•Kaishin Dojo Japanese Fencing Group
•Mu Daiko Drum Performance Group
•Seven Dragons Japanese Swords Group
•Music by DJ Steez
Is my registration/ticket transferable?
Yes! Feel free to transfer it to a friend, as long as they have the printed ticket. The recipient of the transferred ticket must also be 21+ and present their valid photo ID.
What other information do I need to know about Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition?
In the event that ramen and/or street snack tickets are available for purchase onsite, these sales will be CASH ONLY. All onsite beverage sales for beer, soda, and water will also be CASH ONLY. There is one ATM at Mill City Museum in the Gift Shop. We recommend that you bring cash if you plan to purchase additional beverages onsite.
Ramen options and availability are subject to change without prior notice and on a first-come-first-served basis, while supplies last.
Limited metered street parking is available near the event. There are also several parking ramps. Detailed parking information is available at http://www.millcitymuseum.org/directions.
No pets are allowed on Mill City Museum property. (Only Certified Service Animals are allowed in the Museum grounds)
No outside food or beverage is allowed.
Please send an email with your questions to info@zenboxizakaya.com
NOTICE OF CANCELLATION - TONIGHT'S MEETING AT OPEN BOOK
From the DMNA (Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association):
- The September 9th & 10th engagement meetings have been canceled.
- The September 21st vote on the proposal to form two independent neighborhood associations has been canceled.
Based on feedback received during the August engagement meetings as well as lack of board consensus on how to proceed, it has been decided that the process to hold a vote on forming two independent neighborhood associations will be suspended indefinitely.
From Chad DiDonato, DMNA Chair: "I listened to feedback from our members during the first two outreach and engagement meetings. After working directly with City of Minneapolis NCR on a potential solution which included a vote on a potential boundary change, I presented it to the Board. In order to move forward I believed an unanimous consensus from the Board was needed. We almost had full consensus but since we did not, I recommended we stop the process immediately. I want to thank every member who became involved in the process as we truly value your opinions."
Recently presented to the planning commission, download here (note: 12mb file size)
Thursday, September 10th, 5:30pm, FREE Tango Dance Lessons and Argentine Music with Lois Donnay.
Come out on Thursday evening and join us for live Argentine tango music and performances. Enjoy the sultry dance of tango and watch as both traditional and modern tango are presented. During and following the dance and performance, dancers will be providing group tango lessons for the audience so be sure to bring your dance shoes!
Piazza on the Mall is located at 1221 Nicollet Avenue. Like the Piazza on Facebook, follow the Piazza on Twitter.
The final Creative City Market will be held on Thursday, September 10, 4-9pm, at the Minneapolis Convention Center Plaza (1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55403).
Creative City Market is a free monthly experience in the heart of downtown that celebrates the act of making. Each month the public is invited to the Minneapolis Convention Center Plaza to participate in an evening under the setting sun surrounded by Minnesota-made art, wares, and interactive experiences.
•Learn how to preserve food through fermentation and discuss self sufficiency with Jess Hirsch and Ginny Sims
•Listen to neo-soul by singer PaviElle
•Watch Somalia's Balloon, a storytelling play about Somalia's colonial history by Ifrah Mansour
•Enjoy a screening of MN Made MSPIFF film Medicine of the Wolf, where filmmaker Julia Huffman travels into the wolf country of Minnesota to pursue the deep intrinsic value of brother wolf and our forgotten promise to him, presented by the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul
•Hang out at mini_polis, winner of the 2015 Creative City Challenge
•Browse original goods created by local artists and creators
•Enjoy craft beer selections on the lawn from the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild and the Craft Bar & Lounge
•A grill station and fresh MN-grown roasted corn
•Experience live music and performances
•Relax, play, and linger on the central lawn
Survey seekers
We are looking for survey seekers for these events. A small stipend will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. If you are interested in being a survey seeker, please contact volunteers@northern.lights.mn for more information.
Via the Active.com website:
Historic Riverfront 5K Run/Walk will take you through historic Northeast Minneapolis, along the Mississippi River and over the Stone Arch Bridge. This is perfect time of year to see the fall colors and the beauty of the tree canopy, river, and cityscape. Race starts/ends at Boom Island Park (700 Sibley Street NE).
Last year we gave out over $2,000 of prizes that were awarded to top finishers and drawings for all that register.
This year, we have partnered with Mill City Museum to provide you highlights of the incredible history along the route, as well as a 'Buy One, Get One' discount to the Mill City Museum for every person that registers.
Whether you participate as a timed chip runner or take a casual walk with your dog or baby stroller, this is a route that everyone enjoys.
Proceeds benefit neighborhood parks and activities in the St. Anthony West Neighborhood, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Minneapolis, which includes the beautiful Boom Island, BF Nelson, and Dickman parks.
Elpis Enterprises was the September 5 Community Booth. Elpis is a nonprofit organization that provides job training, work experience and placement for homeless youth. Check our Farmers Market blog later this week for information on this organization.
There's more to the Market than meets the eye. For all the time I've spent talking with staff and vendors, I only just learned about their Greens for Good program, which is a partnership with Campus Kitchen and sponsored by Delta Dental. Each week Market vendors donate to a program that helps feed low-income residents of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.
A unique melon from Women's Environmental Institute (WEI).
Urban Roots returned to the Market - look for them weekly in September and most of October. More pictures and information will be included in a separate post on our Farmers Market blog later this week.
Pam from Prairie Hollow Farm brings several varieties of grapes to the Market. They've been nurtured by family members for generations.
Check our Farmers Market blog later this week for information on the September 19 bread festival.
Micro greens make an ordinary sandwich something special.
Snickerdoodle Cookie ice cream from Sonny's. September 12 is their last weekend at the 2015 Market, so be sure to enjoy a scoop or take come a pint.
Salsa verde baskets from Swede Lake Farms. I added juice from one lime, sea salt and a pile of cilantro - delish!
A little vegetable humor.
The goat!
Minneapolis retailers Key North Boutique and T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry are collaborating on a fashion show fundraiser to help earthquake victims in Nepal rebuild their lives. Proceeds will be donated to AmeriCares’ Nepal Relief Fund which is providing medical supplies and humanitarian aid for families in crisis.
Last year, T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry raised $4000 for the Shree Saraswoti Kunja primary school in central Nepal. This year, Key North Boutique and T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry are collaborating in the hopes of raising more money for the long-term recovery of the Nepali people.
Savvy style expert Grant Whitaker of Whitaker Style will emcee the runway show, with models wearing fashions from Key North Boutique and jewelry from T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry. Key North will feature exclusive women's clothing and accessory collections from American and International (Paris, London, Brussels, Munich) designers. Key North has created a local marketplace for organic, sustainable, fair-trade fashions that supports global designers, artisans and workers who are paid a fair wage. T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry will debut new one of a kind pieces and also a new collection of fine jewelry woven in 24kt and palladium. All materials used in T Lee designs are ethically sourced and mined.
VIP tickets are available for $100, which includes a reserved seat for the runway show, two $50 gift cards (one each from Key North and T Lee), and food and drink. Food will be donated by Gorhka Palace and beverages will be donated by North Loop Wine & Spirits. General admission tickets are available for $10.
For every $1 donated, AmeriCares provides $20 in aid. Because they deliver donated medicines and medical supplies to a trusted network of locally-based providers, the impact is multiplied many times over to save more lives in Nepal. AmeriCares has been aiding survivors of natural disasters, political conflict and extreme poverty around the world for more than 30 years, saving lives and restoring health and hope.
“Fashioning a Future” is sponsored by The Journal and the Southwest Journal.
WHAT: “Fashioning a Future” fundraiser for Earthquake Victims in Nepal
WHEN: Sept 11, 5-9pm
5-6pm: VIP preview
6-6:30pm: runway show
6:30-6:45pm: Q&A with Grant Whitaker
6:45-9pm: socializing and shopping
WHERE: Boardwalk in front of the Key North Boutique and T Lee Designer Jewelry, 515 and 509 1/2 First Ave NE in Old Town Minneapolis (next door to the Red Stag)
COST: $10 general admission; $100 VIP
TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fashioning-a-future-tickets-17809464588
CONTACT: 612-455-6666 or 612-789-2656
About Key North Boutique
Key North Boutique a specialty shop owned by Katie Greene and Gwen Engelbert in Minneapolis. Featuring exclusive women’s clothing, jewelry, and accessory collections from local and international designers, the fabrics are luxe, the designers are among the finest, and it’s all fair trade and sustainable. Learn more at keynorthboutique.com.
About T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry
Owned by jewelry designer T Lee and managed by Nathaniel Smith, T Lee Designer Jewelry is committed to ethical and sustainable practices in jewelry making. Focusing on custom design for 32 years, T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry is the Twin Cities premier design team, owning the phrase “There’s nothing we can’t customize.” Learn more at tleegold.com.
Crews from Michels Corporation, an authorized CenterPoint contractor, will begin installing natural gas distribution pipe along 4th Street on Tuesday, September 8.
Two crews will be working on the project, with one crew starting near the intersection of 4th Street N. and 2nd Avenue N. and working east and a second crew starting near the intersection of 4th Street S. and Marquette Avenue S. and working west.
Crews from Q3 Corporation, an authorized CenterPoint Energy contractor, will begin relining the roads and setting up lane closures along 4th Street S., from 2nd Avenue N. to Marquette Avenue S. on Tuesday, September 8.
The northern and southern parking lanes along 4th Street S. between 2nd Avenue N. and 1st Avenue N. will be closed.
Three lanes of traffic on 4th Street will remain open during rush hour and reducing to two lanes between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
CenterPoint Energy’s 4th Street project is anticipated to continue for the next seven weeks.
Please note that businesses will be open during construction. For more information, please visit our website. Thank you.
Minneapolis Idea Exchange (MiX) Brings Creative and Innovative Leaders to Minneapolis to Inspire Ideas that Power Community
MINNEAPOLIS (September 3, 2015) — The Minneapolis Idea Exchange (MiX), an initiative of the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan, will host MiX 2015 on September 28, October 1 and October 2. With three days of speakers and events, MiX will partner with the 35th annual Westminster Town Hall Forum to inspire attendees to think about creativity and community in innovative ways.
Nationally-recognized creators and advocates for empowered communities will build on the momentum created at MiX 2014. MiX 2015 will feature:
“We’re thrilled to have three dynamic speakers discussing topics of significance at this year’s MiX event,” said Tim Hart-Andersen and Mary Shaffer, co-chairs of the 2025 Plan MiX Committee. “Minneapolis has been highly-ranked at the national level on many lifestyle indicators ranging from innovation to overall vitality, and we want to continue to see that expand and support a thriving world-class downtown.”
MiX is the venue that makes it possible for ideas to come together from national inspiration to local talent and a community of doers. During MiX 2015, attendees will be inspired to tap into their creativity, learn from communities of justice and take a cue from the world’s healthiest people. In addition to thought-provoking speakers, MiX will transform the corner of Nicollet Mall and 12th Street to create an outdoor experience complete with music, good eats, local drinks, interactive activities and social events. The events are free and open to the public.
MiX Speaker Schedule
Pete Docter
Monday, September 28, 7:00 PM
Inside the Creative Community: The Power and Process of Animated Film
Pete Docter is a film director, animator, and screenwriter at Pixar Animation Studios. He contributed to the story and characters of Toy Story, Pixar’s first full-length animated feature film, and served as the supervising animator for the film. He wrote story treatments for Toy Story 2 and Wall-E and directed Monsters, Inc., Up, and his latest release, Inside Out. He has been nominated for six Academy Awards and won Best Animated Feature Film for Up. Born and raised in Bloomington, Minn., he graduated from the California Institute of the Arts where he received a Student Academy Award. In 1990, he was hired as Pixar’s third animator and began work the day after his college graduation. Website: pixartalk.com/pixarians/pete-docter/
Tavis Smiley
Thursday, October 1, 7:00 PM
No One Left Out: Creating Communities of Justice
Tavis Smiley is an author, publisher, social justice advocate, and host and managing editor of the late-night PBS television talk show, Tavis Smiley, and the public radio program, The Tavis Smiley Show. He has written or edited 18 books, including The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto, co-authored with Cornel West; My Journey with Maya, a memoir of his friendship with Maya Angelou; Death of a King, an account of the final year in the life Dr. Martin Luther King; and Covenant with Black America, a collection of essays addressing economic and social disparities. He is the founder of a nonprofit foundation committed to empowering young people and to alleviating poverty across all sectors of society. Website: pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/
Dan Buettner
Friday, October 2, Noon
A Blue Zones City: Living Like the World’s Healthiest People
Dan Buettner is the founder of Blue Zones, an organization committed to helping Americans live longer, healthier lives. He teamed with National Geographic and the world’s best longevity researchers to identify lifestyle choices in specific parts of the globe where people live measurably longer lives. Their research has been published in his bestselling book The Blue Zones: Nine Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest and his recent book, Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People. In 2009, he brought his nine principles for longevity to the town of Albert Lea, Minn., where participants in his program added an estimated 2.9 years to their average lifespan. Website: bluezones.com
All keynote events will be hosted at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 S. Marquette Avenue in Minneapolis. Additional activities that are free and open to the public will happen near 12th Street and Nicollet Mall on Monday, September 28, Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2.
About the Minneapolis Downtown Council:
Founded in 1955, and one of the oldest central business associations in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit http://www.downtownmpls.com/.
About the 2025 Plan:
The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on Downtown’s assets and guide its development in ways that reflect the community’s aspirations for a Downtown Minneapolis that is thriving, livable, green, connected and welcoming in the decades ahead. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, implement a Gateway area and other green elements throughout downtown, create a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, lead the nation in transportation options, end street homelessness, forge connections with the University of Minnesota and more. The 2025 Plan is a Minneapolis Downtown Council initiative established in 2010.
About the Minneapolis Idea eXchange:
MiX is a community-powered event that encourages discourse on the topics impacting our city and celebrates the nationally recognized ingenuity and talent rooted in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Idea eXchange is an initiative of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and supported through community leaders, or MiX Luminaries including Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges. For more information, visit http://www.minneapolisideaexchange.com/ or follow along @MiXMpls on Facebook and Twitter.
On Sunday September 6th, Day Block Brewing will host PorktoberFest, an end-of-summer block party, from 11am - 10pm. The all-day event will emphasize local food - namely pork selections - as well as several vegetarian options. Enjoy craft beer and a full schedule of live music beginning at 2:00pm. This event will be held in the shared Day Block Brewing/Grumpy’s Bar lot located on the South side of the Day Block Building. Limited free parking will also be available.
Tickets: $10 (includes a $5 food and beverage voucher)
Live Music featuring:
• Hustle Rose
• The Lone Crows
• Moon Grass Trio
• Fairfax, AK
• Frankie Teardrop
• Basement Brew
The August 29 Market showed definite signs of autumn. Mmmmmmmm. :)
Fingerling potatoes - so cute.
I look forward to sweet corn ice cream from Sonny's every year, and I always have them pack a pint for me to take home. :)
We got a kick out of this vintage mobile phone at the Tech Dump booth.
Fun kids shirt from Sassy Knitwear.
You know the season is changing when these beauties show up at the Market.
Ginger is really popular! Dave took this picture at the Stone's Throw Urban Farm booth when the Market opened, and I came by about an hour later and was lucky to get one of the last pieces.
A rainbow of cherry tomatoes.
This watermelon juice from Zula is refreshing straight up, or with a shot of gin. ;)
The goat!
Congratulations to Singing Hills Goat Dairy on taking 1st place for their Goat Farmer cheese in the "Semi-hard, fresh, pressed Goat cheese" category at The Minnesota State Fair. There's some fierce competition out there!
August 30, 2015
PROPOSAL FOR TURBINES AT ST. ANTHONY FALLS IS ALREADY GENERATING PLENTY OF OPPOSITION
PAY-BY-PHONE PARKING COMES TO MPLS. DOWNTOWN, NORTH LOOP
WHEN THEY PAINT HIS MASTERPIECE: DYLAN PORTRAIT TO FILL A DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS WALL
KNEAD HELP: BAKER HOPES NEW MILL SPARKS MINNEAPOLIS FLOUR POWER
CITY CLEARS GAS STATION'S DEMOLITION OF 123-YEAR-OLD BUILDING
U.S. BANK PROVIDES FINANCING FOR TURNING PLYMOUTH BUILDING INTO HOTEL
NORTH LOOP'S LUMBERSEXUAL VIBE GETS BOOST WITH CONVERSION OF JACKSON BUILDING INTO HEWING HOTEL
DEVELOPER PLANS 'BREWTEL,' HEADQUARTERS IN ELLIOT PARK
BACK FROM THE DRAWING BOARD, KRAUS-ANDERSON HAS A MUCH BIGGER PLAN FOR ITS DOWNTOWN BLOCK
HERBIVOROUS BUTCHER WILL OPEN IN NORTHEAST THIS FALL
PANDORA OPENS DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS OFFICE TO PULL LOCAL ADVERTISERS TO STREAMING MUSIC SERVICE
MINNEAPOLIS PARK FUNDING MEETING PLANNED
THE LINE AND CREATIVE EXCHANGE PRESENT "CREATING COMMUNITY" ON SEPTEMBER 16
U.S. BANK STADIUM CONSTRUCTION WORKER KILLED, ANOTHER INJURED IN FALL
SPORTS SOUVENIR SHOP NEXT TO METRODOME IS MOVING ST. LOUIS PARK
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Via an August 28 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:
Minneapolis Public Works is gearing up to conduct its 9th annual bicyclist and pedestrian count and you can help! Volunteers are needed to count the number of bicyclists and pedestrians at over 100 locations throughout the city. Volunteering means people-watching with a purpose on a beautiful September afternoon from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on one of the count days of your choosing:
•Tuesday, September 15th
•Wednesday, September 16th
•Thursday, September 17th
Minneapolis Public Works conducts bicyclist and pedestrian counts in order to understand the impact of non-motorized traffic on streets, sidewalks and trails. Accurate counts help the City to evaluate existing conditions and inform future plans.
If you’re interested in volunteering please complete the online form which provides more details about volunteer duties.
To learn more about bicyclist and pedestrian counts check out our traffic count page where you will find traffic flow maps, past count reports and other fascinating and useful volunteer-powered data!
Thanks to all of our volunteers. We could not do this without you!
From the Film Society of MSP:
The Film Society is excited to announce an all new program of outdoor screenings! Join us September 14 at dusk for the inaugural presentation at Gold Medal Park, featuring a 40th anniversary screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the iconic comedy gem by Minneapolis native Terry Gilliam. See it for the first time, or see it again and introduce it to a new generation with this gloriously remastered HD restoration. We'll provide the coconuts.
Co-hosted by Cynthia Froid Group.
MINNEAPOLIS (August 26, 2015) — The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District announced its 6th Annual Greening & Public Realm Award winners today, a group that includes seven new winners among the 12 categories decided by a public online vote.
Included in the 12 award recipients [full list below] in this year’s categories are first-time winners Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant (Outdoor Café), Spoon & Stable (Streetscape Green Infrastructure), Central Lutheran Church (Streetscape Greening), Kenosha Building (Façade Greening), Aloft Minneapolis (Entryway Greening), 5th Avenue Lofts & Security Warehouse Lofts (Public Realm Improvement) and Loring Park (Neighborhood).
Also among the winners is Loring Greenway in the Large Green Space category. Loring Greenway has now won in each of the six years the Greening Awards have been presented.
“The variety and quality of downtown green spaces is increasingly evident through our annual Greening Awards initiative,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “As we continue to see more new nominees and winners, it shows the level of commitment our community is putting into adding and enhancing green space. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists for helping advance this important goal.”
MDID also announced it received a record-number of online participants in the voting process. Greening Award winners are selected exclusively by the public through an online vote, and this year’s final tally of 1,312 responses eclipsed last year’s number by 400 voters.
The Greening Awards, an MDID initiative since 2010, celebrate outstanding examples of private greening and placemaking happening in Downtown Minneapolis. They are intended to inspire all to work toward making downtown a greener and more vibrant place. MDID’s mission through the Greening Awards is to encourage all downtown businesses to participate in the greening effort.
MDID accepted nominations through an open social media and email submissions campaign throughout July leading up to a July 20 deadline, yielding 35 unique finalists. Submissions were divided into 12 categories based on the nature of the project. Finalist voting began August 10 and concluded August 24.
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.
Here are this year’s results:
Best Large Green Space Activation
· Target Field Station — 34.4%
· Government Center Plaza — 30.3%
· Convention Center Plaza — 27.1%
· Peavey Plaza — 8.2%
Best Small Green Space Activation
· Piazza on the Mall – 57.6%
· IDS Center PARKLOT presented by Bank of America – 42.4%
Best Large Green Space
· Loring Greenway — 41.9%
· Loring Park — 31.7%
· Triangle Park — 19.7%
· Elliot Park — 6.7%
Best Small Green Space
· Assisi on 9th Park — 67.0%
· Target Plaza – South Entry — 33.0%
Best Outdoor Café
· Dakota Jazz Club — 52.6%
· Red Cow — 25.3%
· 8th Street Grill — 22.1%
Best Streetscape Green Infrastructure
· Spoon & Stable — 34.5%
· 5th Avenue Lofts/Security Warehouse Lofts — 29.0%
· RiverStation Condos — 19.8%
· American Academy of Neurology — 16.7%
Best Streetscape Greening
· Central Lutheran Church — 72.3%
· 222 Hennepin — 14.8%
· The Foundry Home Goods — 12.9%
Best Façade Greening
· Kenosha Building — 39.6%
· Fifth Street Towers — 36.2%
· Seven Event Destination — 14.4%
· 500 S. Washington — 9.8%
Best Entryway Greening
· Aloft Minneapolis — 47.3%
· Martin Patrick 3 — 34.7%
· Cynthia Froid Group — 10.2%
· Goldberg Bail Bonds — 7.8%
Best Public Realm Improvement
· 5th Avenue Lofts/Warehouse Lofts — 25.3%
· Central Lutheran Church — 24.2%
· IDS Center PARKLOT presented by Bank of America — 16.9%
· Soccer field at Elliot Park — 14.4%
· Convention Center Plaza — 8.6%
· Spoon & Stable — 7.5%
· The Foundry House Goods — 3.1%
Best Neighborhood Overall
· Loring Park — 45.4%
· North Loop — 24.1%
· Mill District — 22.1%
· Elliot Park — 8.4%
Best Open Space Green Infrastructure
· Target Field Station – 56.0%
· MCTC – 44.0%
For more information on downtown greening, visit www.minneapolisdid.com or follow @MinneapolisDID on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Minneapolis Downtown Council:
Founded in 1955, and one of the oldest central business districts in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create, preserve, and enhance a vital and engaging experience for the people who visit, work, shop and live in Downtown Minneapolis. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit www.downtownmpls.com.
About the Downtown Improvement District:
Founded in early 2009, after more than five years of formative planning and advocacy by the downtown business community, the Minneapolis DID delivers higher levels of service to make downtown cleaner, greener, safer and more vibrant throughout a 120-block area, as is the case with most Business Improvement Districts. For more information, visit www.minneapolisdid.com.
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Via an August 26, 2015, e-newsletter from Mayor Betsy Hodges:
Dear Friend,
Two weeks ago today, I proposed my 2016 budget to the City Council. Last year, during my first budget address, I reflected upon a quote from Vice President Joe Biden that I have used as a guiding principle for many years, “show me your budget and I’ll show you what you value.”
I followed that good advice again. We put together a budget that both reflects and harnesses our values so they guide our growth into the future.
We have entered a time when we are being asked to face and meet the changes of the 21st century. We must not only match, not only meet, but we must precede the challenges these changes create with innovation, vision, and the bone-deep knowledge that to become the city of the future we must be a city that leads and weathers the transition and is in it for the long haul.
Being a 21st-century city means we transform our work to meet the needs of the people and economy of the new century. So, I presented a budget with significant investments in public safety, affordable housing, sustainability, better basics from the city and economic growth.
And we did this all while making significant cuts, strategic budget decisions, and transformative investments which will cause the City portion of taxes to go down for two-thirds of Minneapolis homeowners.
Here are some highlights from my proposed budget:
• $13 million in investments in affordable housing largely spurred by the Mayor’s Cradle to K cabinet’s proposal to focus on housing as a strategy to ensure a healthy start for kids. This includes investments in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, $1 million flexible dollars to help create affordable housing options for large families, and targeted rental assistance for families leaving shelters.
• $10 million for the City’s portion of the 10th Avenue bridge rehabilitation.
• $400,000 to accelerate Minneapolis’ conversation of City-owned streetlights to LED technology. The funding will implement approximately 900 LED fixtures which will save about $113,400 a year over their life cycle and pay for itself in three and a half years.
• Raising the sworn compliment of police officers to 862 while funding a recruit class and ongoing community service officer classes.
• Funding for 30 TechHire Initiative scholarships that will provide women and people of color with job training to meet employers growing demand for a workforce educated in technology skills.
More spending investments are listed below if you have the time to read on. You can also read my full speech here.
I cannot conclude without offering my deepest thanks to you. Thanks to your vision. Thanks to your support. Thanks to your desire, like me, to transform Minneapolis into one of the leading global cities of the 21st century.
Sincerely,
Mayor Betsy Hodges
City of Minneapolis
Call for additional entries to the Mississippi Minute Film Festival; entries are open online until September 15, 2015 at 5:00 PM.
“Imagination and creativity are what’s most important for your film or video entry; much more important than film-making skills. Entries are welcome at all levels; no one should be afraid to enter!” notes Kathleen Boe, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership (MRP), sponsor of the Festival.
Entries are made online, and all entry information, forms and formats are accessible at www.mississippiminute.org.
Judges for the Film Festival have also been named; they are:
Films will be shown at MRPs Riverfront Summit, October 26th at the Mill City Museum at 6:00 PM. Film winners and awards will be announced at that time as well.
Guest speaker John Anfinson, PhD and Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area for the National Park Service, will talk about the upcoming 100-Year Anniversary of the National Park Service.
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Friday, September 11, 2015 at 3:00AM