The following article by Sam Black was published in the November 6, 2014 issue of the
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.
Minneapolis Picks Architecture Finalists for Stadium-Area Park
A 2013 rendering of the Downtown East development when its completed. The Commons park in the center of the site was previously known as The Yard.
Three landscape architect-led teams have been named finalists by the city of Minneapolis to design the new two-block long park called the Commons near the new Vikings stadium.
The 4.2-acre site is bordered by Park Avenue, 4th and 5th Streets, and a proposed building on 5th Avenue South. Last month, 14 companies submitted proposals to the city.
The three finalists are:
- The Olin Studio, Philadelphia and Snow Kreilich Architects, based in Minneapolis
- Hargreaves Associates, San Francisco, Damon Farber Associates, Minneapolis and VJAA, Minneapolis
- WORKSHOP Ken Smith, New York and Perkins + Will, Minneapolis
The three teams will be interviewed by a review panel that is made up of representatives of groups surrounding the project. The Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development plans to pick a team by mid-November and seek a formal selection by the City Council before the end of this year.
In October, Minneapolis business leaders formed Greening Downtown Minneapolis, a nonprofit that will oversee the park. The Minneapolis Park Board had initially considered running it.
