Current & future greening projects headline

Tuesday’s mpls downtown council 2025 Plan

Quarterly Forum

MINNEAPOLIS (August 7, 2017) — Enhanced greening in our downtown community is a continued focus of the mpls downtown council’s Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan. On Tuesday, mdc’s 2025 Plan Quarterly Forum will focus on several key projects and initiatives that are helping re-shape downtown’s public realm experience.

The 2025 Plan Quarterly Forum will take place Tuesday, August 8 at Wells Fargo Tower (550 South 4th Street). The presentation begins at 4:30 pm with networking to follow at 5:30 pm. Media interested in attending must RSVP to Mark Remme (mremme@mplsdowntown.com) by noon on Tuesday, August 8.

This Greening & Public Realm Quarterly Forum includes the following speaker lineup:

• David Wilson (Accenture, greening & public realm committee chair)
• Peter McLaughlin (Commissioner, Hennepin County 4th District)
• Robin Hutcheson (Director, Mpls Public Works)
• Christine Goepfert (Upper Midwest Senior Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association)

“It’s no secret that enhanced public realm space is part of the vision for 21st Century cities in our country,” said Steve Cramer, president & ceo of the mpls downtown council and mpls downtown improvement district. “Creating active and vibrant green spaces is a key element of our 2025 Plan mission, and we are excited about the current and upcoming projects taking place in our downtown community.”

This panel of speakers will address several key initiatives going on downtown, including:

• Overview of Lock & Dam project along Mississippi Riverfront
• Washington Avenue phases and completion
• Hennepin County projects including North Plaza, Glenwood Avenue & working with the City of Minneapolis on the 3rd Avenue protected bikeway
• City of Minneapolis’ public/private partnerships on public realm projects

“Our downtown is rapidly transforming into a vibrant center not only for business, but also for new residents, tourists and for everyone who is looking for great restaurants, sports, theater and music,” Wilson said. “Our committee is working on initiatives that support this transformation with new parks, trees and green spaces that make our downtown healthier, safer and more welcoming to all.”

Leah Wong, mpls downtown council vice president of external relations, will also provide updates on The 2025 Plan’s remaining five committees, which include Development, Downtown Experience, Transportation, Ending Street Homelessness and Minneapolis Idea eXchange.

For more information on The 2025 Plan’s initiatives or overall development downtown, follow @mplsdowntown on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #mplsdowntown and #2025plan.

About the mpls downtown council:

Founded in 1955, and one of the most historic central business associations in the nation, the mpls downtown council (mdc) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. 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 mplsdowntown.com.

About The 2025 Plan:

Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on downtown’s assets and guide downtown Minneapolis’ development. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, 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. For more information on the 2025 Plan and its initiatives, visit 2025plan.com, beinbusinessdowntownmpls.com and minneapolisideaexchange.com. The 2025 Plan is a mpls downtown council initiative introduced in 2011.

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