AIA Minneapolis, Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission, and Preserve Minneapolis announce nine recipients of the 2022 Minneapolis Preservation Award. The winners will be recognized during an event on May 25, 2022, at the Capri Theater.

This year’s recipients represent accomplishments in preservation, rehabilitation, new construction in historic districts, advocacy, education, and individual career achievement.

Historic Restoration, Rehabilitation or Adaptive Reuse

Cloverfield Building

2180 LLC; Element Commercial Real Estate; Adsit Architecture and Planning; Bainey Group Construction Services; Emanuelson-Podas, Inc.; Mattson Macdonald Young; Shea

The Cloverfield Building’s prominent location in the Minneapolis Warehouse Historic District with hundreds of pedestrians and cars passing by every day had been vacant for over 25 years. The rehabilitated building restores the highly detailed façade, reconnects the building to the street with new first floor storefront glazing, introduces natural light to the lower levels, and provides a modern office environment for 21st century tenants.

The Dayton’s Project

601W Cos; Gardner Builders; Gensler; Transwestern; The Telos Group; MidAmerica; New History; Alta Via Consulting

The developers of The Dayton’s Project rehabilitated the most famous, most historically remarkable building in Minnesota. The vacant building in the heart of downtown Minneapolis is now a combined office building and retail space that is publicly accessible and offers space for community fundraisers, nonprofit events, and meetings for local officials to support the community and enhance the vibrancy of downtown Minneapolis.

Laurel Apartments

Maven Development Group; Hess, Roise and Company; Blumentals Architecture; M. P. Johnson Construction; Braun Intertec

The Laurel Apartments are proof that buildings can come back from the brink of ruin if they have a dedicated project team and sufficient financing. The project team faithfully repaired the buildings’ decorative features to retain the Laurel’s historic integrity, sensitively designed each unique apartment layout to preserve the original character of the flats and revitalized the south end of downtown Minneapolis.

Pillsbury Hall Rehabilitation

Architecture Advantage, LLC; Goody Clancy; JE Dunn Construction; University of Minnesota; BKBM Engineers; IMEG Corp.; Loucks; M-P Consultants; Kvernstoen, Rönnholm, and Associates

The renovation and rehabilitation of Pillsbury Hall, located on the University of Minnesota campus, is a true testament to the beauty of adaptive reuse in architecture and interior design. The exaggerated features of overly tall windows, monumental masonry arches and extra-thick stone walls are no longer hidden treasures but brought to life for all to take in. This project was a practice in actualizing reuse of the building and increasing the resilience of the building while remaining true to the historic structure.

Grassroots, Advocacy, and Education

Scout Workshop

Yellow Dog Studio 

The transformation of the Gaytee Stained Glass building into Scout Workshop brings a sustainable, creative, workplace solution and engaging community events venue to its urban neighborhood. The rehabilitation and reimagining of Scout Workshop was a vision of two entrepreneurial women that has brought an energy and vibrancy to the LynLake neighborhood and has breathed new life into the previously sleeping building.

New Construction

Water Works Park and Pavilion

HGA Architects and Engineers; Damon Farber Landscape Architects; MacDonald & Mack Architects; Kimley-Horn Associates; Barr Engineering; 106 Group; Mattson Macdonald and Young; Hoffman + Uhlhorn Construction (H+U Construction)

The Water Works project navigates building upon a site that had a long and complex history by giving light to each of varied histories and respectfully weaves together a tapestry of old and new histories that tell the story of the site while also providing a sustainable and equitable model for development. Located near St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge, the project serves as a great example for respectful, sustainable, and equitable development for the city of Minneapolis.

Preservation Gem

Carriage Door Restoration

WonderWoman Construction

The restoration of these garage carriage doors speaks to how individual families can strive to maintain their neighborhood’s sense of place by saving, restoring, or rehabilitating their home’s original features. Through the thoughtful restoration of the carriage doors a little piece of the home’s history was brought back and now these doors not only serve a purpose, but they also stand out as a little gem on the property and within the Minneapolis Kingfield neighborhood.

Milwaukee Road Depot Parapet Wall and Chimney Restoration

Miller Dunwiddie; Mattson Macdonald and Young; ACME Tuckpointing & Restoration

The Milwaukee Road Depot parapet wall and chimney restoration project preserved the historic integrity of this iconic Minneapolis building and will ensure the viability of the structure for the future. Work at both the parapet wall and the chimney were undertaken to remove an unsafe condition. Skilled masons brought a high level of care and craftsmanship to restore a rare example of original ornate terracotta detailing.

Steve Murray Award

Peter Kirihara

Since 1991, Peter Kirihara has been a leading figure transforming street level spaces in Minneapolis’ Warehouse district into neighborhood institutions – Moose and Sadies, Bev’s Wine Bar, and Jetset to name a few. As a trailblazer, Kirihara proved that new business ventures in a varied and mostly industrial part of town could succeed and create a vibrant area of that city in which people want to live and visit.

About the Partners

AIA Minneapolis

AIA Minneapolis is the largest of three local chapters of AIA Minnesota with more than 1,600 members. Centered in Minneapolis, the chapter territory includes the southwestern portion of the state. As a large chapter, AIA Minneapolis participates with other large chapters nationwide to focus attention on significant issues facing members. The chapter provides leadership, networking, and outreach opportunities for its members.

Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission

The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) was formed in 1972 to serve as a citizen advisory body to the Minneapolis City Council. The HPC is part of a nation-wide network of groups dedicated to the preservation and celebration of our local and national heritage. The Commission holds public hearings on matters related to preservation twice each month. Projects that come before the commission are administered through professional preservation-planning staff in the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department (CPED). These meetings are specifically held so that the Commission can hear from the public on matters related to heritage preservation. The public is welcome to attend and highly encouraged to participate.

Preserve Minneapolis

Preserve Minneapolis is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Minneapolis by recognizing, preserving, and revitalizing the architectural and related cultural resources of the city of Minneapolis. Founded in 2003, the group was originally brought together to attract the 2007 National Trust for Historic Preservation conference to the Twin Cities. Preserve Minneapolis hosts monthly discussions and tours highlighting preservation activities in Minneapolis.