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Minneapolis�s $15 million Hiawatha public works facility achieves LEED Platinum status

When the $15 million Hiawatha public works facility at 26th Street and Hiawatha Avenue South in Minneapolis was in preliminary stages, the city decided to make it a model for LEED construction.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. 

The building, which opened its doors in June 2010, recently achieved that goal--becoming the state's first local government building to achieve LEED Platinum status, according to city staffer Paul Miller. 

It's the highest level of sustainable construction through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification program. The Hiawatha facility is also the first public works building in the country to get such a high score for going green, according to RSP Architects, which worked on the project. 

The Hiawatha facility houses construction and maintenance operations dealing with paving, sewers, streets, bridges, and sidewalks and the engineering laboratory, according to Miller.

The site has two buildings, including the 1914-built Hiawatha facility, down from 18 original structures, according to Miller.

A handful of years ago the City Council singled out the Hiawatha project to go for LEED Gold status--to make a statement, he says. "We established that bar before we really even got into the design."  

The building ended up getting Platinum status, which is a step above Gold. Achieving it involved "a lot of good pre-planning and a good architect who shared the same goal," along with a LEED experienced contractor, he says. "Those things came together and we got a lot more points than we ever thought possible." 

Additionally, the LEED status came at no additional expense, while the building will now be 60 percent more efficient than it would've been otherwise, he says. "That's a huge savings in lifetime [building] costs for the city."   

Among the energy-efficient measures in place: the building's heating and cooling happens through a geothermal pump. Lighting controls, the stormwater management system, and a smaller building footprint also help. But a big part of the certification has to do with how much of the building's old materials were recycled, he says. 

Concrete rubble was crushed for use as gravel base, while timber was salvaged and reused for window and door framing. Much of the metal was repurposed, while the fencing surrounding the site comes from the metal decking of the old Lowry Avenue Bridge. "None of what was existing there before left the site," he says, adding, "Obviously the city is very proud of it."  

Source: Paul Miller, city of Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt


$10 million to make Cossetta's Italian Market and Pizzeria even more of a destination

Cossetta's Italian Market and Pizzeria on West Seventh and Chestnut streets in St. Paul, which is well known for its authentic Italian cuisine and family-friendly cafeteria, has a plan to turn itself into even more of a destination.

As a part of a $10 million expansion project, a three-story building will be added onto the existing restaurant where the parking lot is right now, according to city information. Parking will be relocated to another Cossetta's-owned lot at 212 Smith Street.

The ambitious expansion will allow for the century-old Cossetta's to bring in a new bakery, take-out meals, and gelato, according to city information. It also makes way for more seating, plus a rooftop restaurant and wine cellar, the Star Tribune reports.

City Council member Dave Thune, who represents Ward 2, where the restaurant is located, says he's eager for the expansion. He says that Cossetta's has "shown incredible vision in the past and I think this will bring it on home." Simply put, he says, "It's awesome."

Financing for the project is still coming together. Cossetta's is applying for $2 million for the project from the city's Rebuild St. Paul program, where it's undergoing the standard review process, according to Janelle Tummel, a city spokesperson.  

Rebuild St. Paul is a branding initiative that identifies projects that can create jobs and spur growth, she explains.  

Echoing Thune, she says Cossetta's is one of a number of projects that are "special because they're shovel-ready and have a big impact on the city right away as far as jobs and investment and general impact on the city."  

Construction could begin in July, and the restaurant will stay open during the work, according to the Star Tribune.

Source: Dave Thune, St. Paul City Council member, Janelle Tummel, St. Paul spokesperson
Writer: Anna Pratt


Skyway video contest inspires many different impressions of the indoor walkways

Videotect, Architecture Minnesota magazine's first-ever video contest, inspired everything from a 3D battle rap to a History Channel-style spoof documentary about skyways. 

The contest got people of all ages and backgrounds thinking about what the skyways mean to them and what impact they have in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, and other areas.

It drew 24 submissions from people who worked in teams of one to six people, according to Chris Hudson, who edits the magazine, which the American Institute of Architects Minnesota publishes. 

While architects are often critical of skyways because they take away from the life of the street, "We were surprised that when we opened it up to non-architects how much people celebrated the skyways," he says.

The results came at a sold-out screening at the Walker Art Center on March 31.

A team led by Jim Davy, which produced a highly stylized video clip showing a progression of walkers through a skyway that leads to nowhere, was the grand prizewinner, receiving $1,000. Three other teams, one named IDE[A], the others led by Benjamin Lindau and James Tucker, got Honorable Mention in this category, along with $500 apiece.   

The Tucker entry, which also received the Viewer's Choice Award and the $1,000 prize, imagined a future wherein global cooling had pushed people out of the northern climes. "Once the glaciers retreat they come back and find the skyways," he says.

The contest seemed to hit a nerve. "A lot of smart people came forward and got what we were after, with thought-provoking commentary on an architectural topic."  

Besides the 350 seats that were filled at the Walker, 1,600 people cast a vote online between March 7 and 18.

The crowd that was "way into it," he says, adding, "There was a lot of noise from the crowd, laughing, cheering and whistling."  
 

Source: Chris Hudson, Architecture Minnesota editor
Writer: Anna Pratt

Watch the Grand Prize winner:



Jim Davy, Pete Mikelson, Steve Berg, Danny Sim, and Steve Busse from Architecture Minnesota on Vimeo.


$9.3 million artist live/work project called Jac Flats in predevelopment stages

The Northeast Community Development Corporation initiated a proposal for the Jac Flats condos some years ago, but it was shelved due to market troubles.

Now, it could come back in a new form.

Artspace Projects, Inc., a Minneapolis-based nonprofit real estate developer that's working with the community development corporation, has adapted the project for 35 affordable live/work apartments for artists, according to Artspace project manager Andrew Commers.   

The $9.3 million four-story apartment building will be constructed on the same lot, at Jackson Street Northeast and 18 ½ Avenue Northeast, and it retains many of the same ideas, including the artist focus.   

"All units will be for low-income artists and their families," Commers says, explaining that some units will be reserved for those making 30 to 60 percent of the area median income.    

The apartments will have high ceilings and big windows that allow for plenty of natural light, which he says is ideal for artists who'll work in the space.

Tenants will decide what to do with a 2,500-square-foot communal space, which could be used as a studio, gallery, or classroom. "It'll depend on their interests and energy," he says.     

The flats will also have underground parking, while a portion of greenspace on the property could become a sculpture park.

As a whole, the project will blend in with the neighborhood, in terms of height and contours, he says.

Several noteworthy project funders are Wells Fargo, LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), a sponsor of The Line, and the Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation (GMHC), he says.

Additionally, the city awarded $50,000 in federal low-income tax credits to the development. It's a small allocation but it demonstrates early support for the project, he says, and will give it a competitive edge in the next application process.   

Right now Artspace is pursuing affordable-housing subordinate funds from the city, county, and state,  he says.

If those applications line up, it'll position the project to be fully funded and may allow for construction to start in early 2012, he says. Then, following 18 months of construction, the Jac Flats could be ready for leasing in June 2013.


Source: Andrew Commers, Artspace, project manager  
Writer: Anna Pratt


A million-dollar idea: transform the Hollywood Theater into a haven for jewelers

Marty Schirber, a remodeling contractor who lives in Northeast Minneapolis, came up with the idea of turning the nearby Hollywood Theater into a haven for jewelers after talking with several artists who told him they were looking at collocating their studios to save money.

The Hollywood Theater, which opened for movie screenings in 1935, has been vacant since it closed its doors in 1987, according to city information.

After the city bought the building in 1993, it pursued several redevelopment proposals but none came to fruition, according to city information. The city's asking price for the property is $275,000.   

Schirber, who serves on the neighborhood group's Hollywood Theater Task Force, says that the theater auditorium could become studio space, while the balcony could accommodate jewelry-making classes. The lobby could be converted into an art deco-styled jewelry store, in keeping with the theater's history, he says.

He pictures a place that's similar to the Mississippi Craft Center, which serves the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi and accommodates numerous artists who work in different mediums. (He happened to be visiting the Center when The Line called him.) "This place is a destination," he says. "A lot of the artists have quit their regular jobs. They have enough traffic to go full-time here."    

Jewelers could split the costs of the pricey equipment and workbenches they use by sharing studio space at the Hollywood. "It could be a guild for jewelers and a conduit for people to find artists," he says.   

Schirber has  found that the concept "resonates soundly with artists and jewelers," adding, "It's just what they need."

He estimates that conversion will cost less than a million dollars, though he's still researching the idea, including checking into possible funding sources, and a business plan for the project is still in the works.


Source: Marty Schirber, Hollywood Theater Task Force    
Writer: Anna Pratt


American Swedish Institute nears groundbreaking for $21.5 million campus expansion

To accommodate growing programs, the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis's Phillips neighborhood is embarking on a $21.5 million campus expansion.

A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for April 16, while construction will continue through June 2012, according to institute information.

The twofold project includes the renovation of the 1908 Turnblad Mansion, where the American Swedish Institute was founded 80 years ago, its website states. A new elevator and stairway tower will make it more accessible; original rooms will be preserved, and classroom and community meeting areas will be set up, along with space for research materials, according to the website.   

Bruce Karstadt, who is the president and CEO of the American Swedish Institute, explains that through the years, "The mansion has been called upon to serve as all kinds of things that it was never intended for."

The renovation will help bring back its original grandeur.

Secondly, a 34,000-square-foot Nelson Cultural Center, named for donors Carl and Leslie Nelson, will be built adjacent to the mansion, with a pedestrian walkway linking the two buildings, he says.

The center's contemporary design will complement the historic mansion, reflecting Scandinavian influences, he says.  

It'll feature a glass-enclosed reception lobby, art gallery, studio and crafts workshop, 325-seat event space, conference room, museum shop, and caf�. It'll also have storage space, commercial kitchens and offices for partner organizations, including Gustavus Adolphus College, according to project materials.

Given that the institute will offer the only full-service caf� in a multi-block area, "we hope people come for the coffee and stay for the story," says Karstadt.

There'll be a courtyard between the two buildings, with an outdoor dining and programming area, he says.

In the new cultural center, the institute will go for a high level of LEED certification, a national benchmark for sustainability; Karstadt says that it will be one of the first museum spaces in the area to do so.

The institute will achieve the standard by incorporating a green roof, native plants, sustainable building materials, low-emission interior finishes, water and energy conservation measures, and geothermal heating and cooling systems.

"We're really excited," he says. When all is said and done, "it'll be accessible and welcoming for the entire community."

Source: Bruce Karstadt, president and CEO of the American Swedish Institute
Writer: Anna Pratt


223-unit multifamily housing complex proposed for first phase of Bennett Lumber site redevelopment

As one part of a larger project to redevelop the old Bennett Lumber site in Minneapolis, the Zeller Realty Group, a Chicago commercial property investment and management company, is pursuing a 223-unit multifamily apartment complex for 5.6 acres between Colfax and Dupont avenues south.

The contemporary-looking building would range from four to six stories between the north and south sides, according to city information.  

It's the first of several separate but related projects for an area between Colfax and Fremont avenues south, near the Midtown Greenway, a recreational trail and historic district. A total of 710 units could eventually be developed.  

Hilary Dvorak, a city planner assigned to the project, says, "The long-term vision is to redevelop all three parcels with high-density multifamily housing," which would be done in phases, though there's no definitive time line at the moment, she says.  

The project is in a 30-day public comment period that runs through April 6, as part of an environmental assessment worksheet, which is required due to the project's large scope. Afterward, the proposal will go to the planning commission and then the City Council. If approved, it'll undergo a land-use approval process. Construction of the first project could begin later this year.  

"The intensity of development proposed is only possible should the properties be rezoned and bonuses added for increased density," according to a prepared statement from the city.  

As to whether the plan fits in with the city's goals, Dvorak says, "We have our comprehensive and small-area plans that speak to the vision for these blocks. The vision that's referenced [in the environmental assessment worksheet] talks about high-density housing."    

Source: Hilary Dvorak, city of Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt
 


$2.5 million solar thermal array up and running at Saint Paul RiverCentre

A massive $2.5 million solar thermal array on the Saint Paul RiverCentre's rooftop is a striking sight, even from blocks away.

The nearly 1,000 kW system, which spreads across more than half a football field-sized area--the largest installation of its kind in the Midwest--was unveiled on March 18, according to Anne Hunt, who works in Mayor Chris Coleman's office.

It's a product of a partnership between the center, city and District Energy, which supplies energy to 80 percent of downtown buildings, she says.

The federal "Solar America Communities" program provided $1 million for the display, and District Energy, which led the initiative, matched it, according to a prepared statement.

The array, which helps form a renewable energy district in St. Paul, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 900,000 pounds annually, according to project information.

The way it works is "District Energy's high-performing collectors generate hot water to be used for space heating and domestic hot water in the Saint Paul RiverCentre," while the surplus will get funneled throughout the network, a prepared statement reads.

The installation will work in conjunction with a 183 MW District Energy system that gets energy from a biomass-fueled combined heat and power plant, it states.     

Jim Ibister, who serves as the RiverCentre's general manager and vice president of facility administration for the Minnesota Wild, says, "It's a good symbol of our commitment to sustainability," which he emphasizes is something that clients and patrons are seeking.

"We knew it would be a benefit to the city and as a model across the country, with market transferability," he says. "It's in line with our goal to reduce our carbon footprint."  

The project is one of 10 solar projects that will run along the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line, thanks in part to the $1.5 million the city received in federal stimulus funds from the Minnesota Office of Energy Security.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who attended the unveiling, says in a prepared statement, "By pioneering the use of solar technology for thermal energy purposes, District Energy St. Paul provides a more efficient model that keeps more of our energy dollars in the local economy while relying on renewable resources."  


Source: Jim Ibister, vice president of facility administration for the Minnesota Wild and general manager of Saint Paul RiverCentre, Anne Hunt, St. Paul Mayor's office 
Writer: Anna Pratt



In St. Paul, Pedro Luggage�s $225,000 demolition makes way for a new city park

The site of the former Pedro Luggage store in downtown St. Paul is in the beginning stages of becoming a public park.

On March 18, the $225,000 store demolition began, which will be followed up by site restoration work that will go through early May, according to Brad Meyer, a city parks and recreation spokesperson.

Once the building is leveled, the land will be a blank slate for the future park development, he explains.

Pedro's Luggage, which was founded by Carl Pedro in 1914, was in business for almost 100 years before it closed in 2009, he says. The highly recognizable store had occupied the building at 10th and Robert streets in downtown St. Paul since the 1960s.

Pedro family members explored various alternatives for the building before approaching the city about donating the land for a park. The idea jibed with a decade-long planning process involving a park for the Fitzgerald neighborhood. With no cost to the city, besides developing the future park, "we jumped at the opportunity," he says.

It's a dramatic change for the block, but the park will be named after Carl Pedro Sr. as a way to honor the late businessman. 

Although further details of the park plans are yet to be determined, Meyer says that local businesspeople, residents and other stakeholders are enthusiastic about the prospects. "This will be a tremendous neighborhood greenspace and an asset for years to come," he says. "This park can serve as a catalyst for future investment," citing the positive impact of Rice and Mears parks.  

Source: Brad Meyer, St. Paul parks spokesperson
Writer: Anna Pratt


Collaborating to make Seward Commons a reality

Seward Redesign, a neighborhood nonprofit developer, is taking steps to make "phase two" of its proposed Seward Commons a reality at the industrial four-acre site that was formerly home to the Bystrom Brothers machine shop, between Minnehaha and Cedar avenues south on 22nd Street in Minneapolis.

Seward Commons, which has long been in planning stages, is a sustainable transit-oriented housing development, according to project information. The development process has been divided into a couple of phases that separately deal with housing for the "persistent mentally ill" and seniors.   

"Phase two" specifically relates to 60 units of senior housing in the complex, which Seward Redesign associate director Katya Piling says is in high demand from the area's aging population. "People love the neighborhood and want to stay here," she says.

To make it happen, Seward Redesign is considering the possibility of teaming up with CommonBond Communities, another local nonprofit developer that already has a presence in the neighborhood at the Seward Towers. The possibility will be presented at a Seward Neighborhood Group committee meeting on April 12.  

The details of such a collaboration need to be worked out to meet the requirements of a Housing and Urban Development funding application, for which the deadline is coming up, she says.

For the 40 units of supportive housing, plus administrative offices, dining, and health and wellness facilities that are a part of "phase one," the group's partner is Touchstone Mental Health.

Seward Redesign acquired the land, which has nine buildings on the premises, in June 2009. Since the beginning, the community has been looped into the master-planning effort, which goes back even before then.  

Ultimately, Seward Redesign wants to transform the off-the-beaten-path industrial area into a lively link to the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit (LRT) line. Already the group has taken pains to open up access to pedestrians along a trail near the line, which means people don't have to cross busy, four-lane Cedar Avenue to get to the Franklin Street LRT Station.

In the future, Seward Redesign hopes to create a well-lit path that "provides a more direct, flat way to reach the station," Piling says.  

The group has put a lot of thought into environmental issues. On the site, Seward Redesign plans to implement cutting-edge stormwater-management practices. Already, the existing parking lot has become an urban farm, which could be expanded to the development's rooftop. "We want to integrate agriculture into the development in the long-term," she says.   


Source: Katya Pilling, Associate Director, Seward Redesign     
Writer: Anna Pratt


Platinum Equities to spend $6 million to acquire Radisson Hotel near U of M for upscale renovation

Under new ownership, the Radisson University Hotel near the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis will soon be re-imagined as an "upscale, independent, lifestyle" destination, according to Susan Weinberg, the university's director of real estate.

Recently the university's Board of Regents approved a new 50-year lease on the land, the Minnesota Daily reports.

The 1985-built hotel has 304 guest rooms, more than 20,202 square feet of meeting space, and a fitness center, according to a Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal story from late last year. An Applebee's restaurant, University Lounge wine bar, Great Clips, Starbucks Coffee, and a TCF Bank branch are housed in the building, it states.

Platinum Equity, a California private equity firm, plans to renovate the entire place, from top to bottom, including guest rooms, public spaces and conference rooms, though the specifics are unknown at this time, Weinberg says.

She hopes that the changes "will better serve the university community."  

Improved conference facilities, more attractive rooms, and a good mix of first-floor retail could generate higher occupancy rates, which is to the school's benefit, she says. The university frequently hosts events in the hotel's conference spaces and it puts up faculty and staff recruits and visiting athletic teams at the hotel.

She says the university has been advised that Platinum Equity will spend more than $6 million upon acquisition of the hotel, which sits on college property. Minneapolis-based Maddux Hotel Corp. is the current owner, she says. Richfield Hospitality Inc., from Denver, will run the hotel.

The hotel is likely to get a new name, but that's still up in the air, says Weiberg, adding that renovations will need to wrap up by the spring of 2014 when the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line, which will run through campus, will be operational.  

Once the purchase agreement is closed on, "There'll be a lot more information," she says.

Source: Susan Weinberg, director of real estate, University of Minnesota
Writer: Anna Pratt


U of M graduate students emphasize public spaces in new vision of Nicollet Mall

To improve downtown Minneapolis, Nicollet Mall needs more public gathering spaces.

That was the premise of a March 7-11 workshop involving graduate students from the University of Minnesota's College of Design.

Their plans, which will be presented to city officials next month, will help inform new ways of thinking about the walkable avenue.  

Lance LaVine, an architecture professor in the school who was on hand at the workshop all week, says that modern-day architecture hasn't been good about designing public open space. "It has been what's left over after a building is built," he says.

He says the same is true of Nicollet Mall, which he describes as a "residual street," with all of the Metro Transit buses running through as an afterthought.

The point of this workshop was to change that, he explains.

To do so, students broke into four groups, using the IDS Center's Crystal Court, on Nicollet Mall and 8th Street, as their workspace. They examined four different segments of Nicollet Mall stretching from 12th Street to the Mississippi River.  

Instead of looking at the street lengthwise like typical urban planners would, students studied both sides of Nicollet. Additionally, they took advantage of existing developments, such as Orchestra Hall and Crystal Court. As a result, "Instead of the redesign being one thing, it became four different things," he says.    

For example, one group imagined a series of new buildings to enliven the voids from 5th Street to the river. It's an area that needs buildings and they "should go in, in a way that creates public open spaces," says LaVine.

They also brought the skyway to the edge of the street.

Another group inserted a new public space that crossed the mall, between 8th and 10th streets, with both indoor and outdoor features, while the segment stretching from 10th to 12th streets became an extension of the greenway and Loring Park.  

Although Minneapolis is rich in cultural amenities, says LaVine, it's a third-tier architecture city. To make it a first-tier architecture city, "Nicollet is the key."  


Source: Lance LaVine, architecture professor, College of Design's School of Architecture, University of Minnesota
Writer: Anna Pratt


$13.5 million Frogtown Square senior housing and retail complex transforms a long-blighted corner

In the past, the corner of University and Dale avenues in St. Paul was known as the "Red Light District," according to city spokesperson Janelle Tummel.

It's come a long way since then, thanks to the community pulling together to make the $13.5 million Frogtown Square development a go, she says.

U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan, U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison, Deputy Mayor Paul Williams and City Council member Melvin Carter III, attended the development's March 4 grand opening.

The project was made possible with $6.4 million in HUD financing plus over $4 million in grants and loans from the city to buy and build on the land parcel, according to project information.

The glassy four-story building has 50 one-bedroom apartments that are geared toward seniors. They have special features such as walk-in showers and easy-to-reach pull-cord alarms to accommodate seniors' needs, according to Tummel.

All of the units, known as the Kings Crossing Apartments, filled up within 24 hours of becoming available and there's a long waiting list, according to Tummel. It goes to show that "It's definitely meeting a need in the area," she says.

The building also includes community spaces, a business center, eating areas, and first-floor retail, she says.

Best Wireless, Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant, Global Market, Grooming House, Just Church'n it Fashions, Rondo Coffee Caf� and Subway fill the retail spaces.  

It's highly energy-efficient and pedestrian-friendly, with accessibility to and from the future Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line, Tummel says.

About the development, which was 15 years in the making, Secretary Donovan is quoted in a prepared statement, saying, "[Its] innovative approach of combining small businesses and affordable housing is exactly the type of smart planning the country needs to continue winning the future towards economic prosperity."

Episcopal Homes, Inc., owns and manages the apartments while Northeast Dale-University (NEDU), a group of community developers, is responsible for the 11,700 square feet of commercial space, according to project information.

Project partners include the Metropolitan Council, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Ramsey County, Bigelow Foundation and Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).


Source: Janelle Tummel, spokesperson for the city of St. Paul
Writer: Anna Pratt  




$6 million Lind Hall renovation to better serve U of M science and engineering students

As the University of Minnesota's Lind Hall in Minneapolis approaches 100 years, the College of Science and Engineering is making plans for the building's future.

The $6 million renovation involves a full reworking of the school's layout, while also maintaining its historic integrity, according to Paul Strykowski, who is a professor of mechanical engineering and associate dean of undergraduate programs at the college.

He says the place needs to be more inviting to potential students and better serve undergraduates. "This is a way to say that they're incredibly important, by investing in resources to make the space nicer."

The building's new layout reflects changing thinking about how to prepare students for the workforce, he says.

For example, while students need solid math and science credentials, they should also develop their creative, artistic, and leadership abilities.

In the past, students took a bunch of classes and didn't start looking for jobs until they were seniors. "That compartmental way of thinking isn't helpful," he says. "It's more important to help students early on," while taking a more holistic approach.

Advising and career planning offices have been brought together to help people they "find out 'what can I do with this, what kind of future might I have,'" he says.  

A welcome area will make it easy for prospective students and their families to explore careers and tour campus. "It's important to explain what everything means and to have it all in one place, that shows what we're trying to accomplish," he says.  

Electronic signage and other kinds of technological tools that will be donated by 3M will inform students about exam times, scholarships, and meetings.

Additionally, the building will have spaces for student organizations, including shared conference rooms that facilitate collaboration.  

In general, the building will be more open, with glass walls that let people see what's going on and "create community and energy around these [science and engineering] fields."

The school hopes to break ground early this summer and construction could take six to nine months, he says.


Source: Paul Strykowski, professor of mechanical engineering and associate dean of undergraduate programs
Writer: Anna Pratt


$40 million Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts shaping up on Hennepin Avenue

Right now a good portion of the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts in downtown Minneapolis is still under construction, but much of the structural work is done. 

The $40 million project brings together the Hennepin Center for the Arts and the former Shubert Theater, with a newly constructed atrium connecting the two historic buildings.

It's complementary to the Hennepin Theatre District, which includes several historic theaters farther down Hennepin Avenue. 

Construction at the center started January 2010 and will continue through this summer, while a grand opening is planned for September 2011, according to Troy Linck, a center spokesperson, who adds that its progress is being documented on its website and on social media sites.

The Cowles Center includes a 500-seat theater in the renovated Shubert building and a new Entry Hall, while all kinds of arts programming will continue to operate in the renovated Hennepin Center for the Arts space. "It'll be a diverse experience walking through the three-building campus."   

For starters, the historic Shubert theater, which moved from 1st Avenue to Block E over a decade ago, is being fully refurbished. "A lot of stuff needed serious work," he says, including a reconstruction of the balconies.

Although the design is intended to respect the historic structure, because the Shubert was gutted previously, the renovated building will be quite state-of-the-art, he says.

At this point, most of the concrete work in the building is done. "Workers are framing out the walls and sheetrocking as we speak," he says.

Similarly, inside the new lobby and atrium, where the box office will go, "you can get a feel for the space when you go in now, instead of it being a big empty room," he says.

The education center on the second floor of the atrium has a spacious dance studio and rehearsal area that'll be equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Through its distance-learning program, dance experts teach classes that are recorded and streamed to viewers outside the room, live--a feature that's unique to the center. "There really isn't any other program like it," Linck says.   

At the same time, a big picture window will offer passersby a view of rehearsals. It's just another way of demonstrating that "dance at the center is living and breathing," he says.

Additionally, offices throughout the Hennepin Center for the Arts part of the complex are undergoing plenty of cosmetic improvements. "Tenants are excited," he says. "The space looks better and everything feels sharpened up."

Source: Troy Linck, spokesperson for the Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts 
Writer: Anna Pratt

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