Docomomo US/MN is happy to announce their recent decision to join the Friends of Yamasaki as a Partner Organization. Friends of Yamasaki is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization dedicated to preserving the Pacific Science Center in Seattle by renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki. 

Minnesota is lucky to have many Yamasaki works still standing. Mary Dahlman Begley breaks down Yamasaki's career and impact in her research, "Minoru Yamasaki in Minnesota," commissioned by Docomomo US/MN. Read more about the Yamasaki buildings at Carleton University in Northfield (scroll to "Education") and the former Northwestern National Life Insurance Building in Minneapolis. 

There is no cost to join the Friends of Yamasaki. Joining simply means supporting their mission. Friends of Yamasaki’s outreach is local, national, and international as his architecture is admired worldwide.  Become a friend today. 

A Civic/Institutional Design Award of Excellence is given for the rehabilitation of Peavey Plaza, originally designed by M. Paul Friedberg and Associates and completed in 1975.

Landscape architect M. Paul Friedberg conceived the Peavey Plaza as the “living room” of downtown Minneapolis. The result was an iconic sunken plaza that balanced the tranquility of a central reflecting pool with a cascading concrete fountain and active programming that filled the plaza.

By the late 2000s, the Brutalist fountains had run dry and were slated for demolition. A consortium of local and national advocates, including M. Paul Friedberg himself, successfully convinced the city that the site was worth saving (this effort was recognized with a Docomomo US Advocacy Award of Excellence in 2014).

The renovated plaza opened during the summer of 2019. One of the biggest changes, raising the basin of the sunken plaza from 10” to ¼”, not only created a more welcoming and flexible space, it also reduced water usage by tens of thousands of gallons. Additional improvements include a new, fully accessible entry experience placed along Nicollet Mall, with select terraces converted to permeable pavers. All this was accomplished through a consensus-building process while negotiating many layers of review.

Today, the plaza stands restored to its original splendor with issues of universal access resolved and infrastructure challenges addressed while still retaining the Plaza’s character defining features.

Read More about Peavey Plaza
List of 2022 Modernism in America Award winners

The Design Citation of Merit is given for the restoration of the Arvonne Fraser Library, designed by Ralph Rapson. Built in 1963 as a credit union, and converted to a public library in 1967, Rapson’s work in Brutalism was especially distinctive, imbued with a liveliness and sense of surprise. The building’s defining original features include a floating concrete waffle slab ceiling/structure with skylights, board-formed site walls, and undulating brick and glass envelope. For years only the first floor of structure was occupied, and the lower level was abandoned due to accessibility issues and years of water infiltration. After local residents were adamant that it be preserved, improvements were made including access to all areas of the building, flexible spaces supporting changing needs, and the design of the new opening between the two floors, which provides light and openness to the windowless lower level.

"The design team managed to make every usable space functional and inviting. The lighting enhancements and reuse of the original natural lighting strategies draws the eye to the detail of the exposed structure detailing inherent in Brutalist design."
-Emily Rauh Pulitzer, 2020 Jury member

"The sustainability goals, community engagement process, and restoring to public use previously inaccessible spaces are all admirable parts of this project."
- Kim Yao, 2020 Jury chair

Client: Hennepin County Library

Restoration Team: MacDonald & Mack Architects, Quinn Evans Architects

Read More about the Arvonne Fraser Library
List of 2020 Modernism in America Award winners​

-written by Pete Richie
​
The Terrace Theatre in Robbinsdale, Minnesota opened on May 25th, 1951. The Mid-Century Modern building designed by the architectural firm of Liebenberg & Kaplan, for movie house owners, Sydney and William Volk, won national acclaim from newspapers, magazines, and industry publications. The August 4th, 1951 issue of Box Office Magazine featured the Terrace on the cover and contained a five page, illustrated article that praised the Terrace as “The Gem of the Lakes.” The Volk brothers spared no expense in the construction of their flagship theater. Inside the massive auditorium, 1299 soft cushioned seats faced a 26-foot screen. Soundproof rooms on either side of the projection booth could be used for parties or crying babies. Outside the auditorium, a split-level lobby gave way to a sunken den, fireplace, television lounge and enormous, slanted windows. 

The Terrace opened just as televisions began appearing in the living rooms of America and the Volks' new movie theater was met with some skepticism. In August of 1951, Business Week reported, "Last May, two Minneapolis movie owners pulled a stunt that made every other exhibitor in the area decide they had blown their lids sky high. In nearby Robbinsdale, Minn., William and Sidney Volk opened a movie theater that had cost them close to $1 million to build. Since television seemed to have put the movie business solidly on the skids, this looked like an elaborate way to commit suicide." Sidney Volk brushed aside criticism and explained to local reporters, that most people had kitchens and refrigerators, but they still went out to eat. The Terrace proved to be a success. The theater attracted movie goers from every corner of the Twin Cities and remained an entertainment destination for almost 50 years.  

In 1987 Midcontinental Theater Company purchased the theater. The upper auditorium was divided in half, and turned into two 300 seat screening rooms. Midcontinental debuted the new 3 screen dollar theater under the name Midco Terrace. Neighborhood demographics changed and the theater struggled to survive. After last movie played in 1999, the windows were boarded up, utilities were disconnected, and an out of state property management company with no interest in the neighborhood, or the historic significance of the building, allowed the Terrace to rot on the hillside.

In February of 2012, veteran rocker, Adam Fesenmaier started a Facebook group called, “Save the Terrace.” The group grew and inspired a following of Terrace fans and friends sharing memories. In the summer of 2014, local artist, Alison Nguyen attracted attention to the cause at Robbinsdale’s annual Whiz Bang Days Parade. Her "Terrace 2.0" Float created a media buzz and reminded Whiz Bang crowds that it was time to do something with this amazing historic building. In January 2015, “Save the Terrace” took a few steps off the little screen and into the real world. A group of concerned citizens, working with the Robbinsdale Historical Society, organized themselves as "Save the Historic Terrace Theatre." They met often, drawing on local talents and resources to explore ways to reopen the historic building as a multi-use facility. On social media, the group gained support and grew into a movement. On May 15th, 2015 they presented the Robbinsdale City Council with a petition signed by 2161 people, requesting the denial of any permit to demolish the building. Save the Historic Terrace members attended League of Historic American Theatres conferences and partnered locally with the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. Early in 2016 the group obtained a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society to write a nomination for the National Register of Historic Places. Save the Historic Terrace had hoped to acquire the building, but failing that the group hoped that historic designation would encourage redevelopment and reuse. The City of Robbinsdale supported their efforts to bring about redevelopment and attract attention to the historic building. Sixty-five years after the theater’s opening, the Mayor and City Council proclaimed May 23, 2016, as Historic Terrace Theatre Day, and recognized the Historic Terrace Theatre’s cultural and architectural importance. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton also signed a proclamation noting that “it is vital to bring attention to historic buildings in order to show support for historic projects.”

Less than two months after the theater's 65th Anniversary, Inland Development Group and the City of Robbinsdale invited the public to an open house and announced that the Terrace would be torn down to make way for a 91,000 foot Hy-Vee grocery store, coffee shop, and gas station. The day after the event David Leonhardt, board chair of The Historic Terrace Theatre, launched an internet petition calling for a nation wide boycott of Hy-Vee. Over 1000 supporters signed on to the effort. On August 19th, 2016 Hy-Vee announced that they were putting the project on hold. In a prepared statement a Hy-Vee spokeswoman, said, "Over the past several weeks, it’s been difficult to witness the friction our proposed project has caused among Robbinsdale residents. When we enter a community, we want to be respectful of our neighbors’ history, culture and all the things that matter to them. We will continue to assess the situation and keep communication lines open with city officials.” The mayor of Robbinsdale appealed to supporters of the project on social media and asked residents to voice their opinions via an internet survey site. Meanwhile a new citizens group, Friends of the Terrace, was formed to fight the demolition.

On August 23, 2016 the Robbinsdale City Council reiterated their support of the project by approving demolition and Tax Increment Financing to reimburse the developer for costs incurred to make the property ready for construction. The Friends of the Terrace immediately filed a lawsuit under the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act. A hearing was scheduled for October 10. A judge was expected to rule on the theater's historic status. The Friends asked the court to delay demolition until the hearing, but on September 19, a judge denied the request, effectively clearing the way for the theater to be demolished. On Thursday, September 22, the Friends asked the court for an emergency injunction to prohibit demolition and grant an expedited hearing, but on Saturday, September 24, a crew arrived intent on tearing down the building before the court could rule. The Friends attorney contacted the chief justice of the Hennepin County Court. She rushed to the scene to halt the demolition, but the demolition crew caved in several lobby windows and punched holes in the upper level as she arrived. After the judge issued an order to stop, the crew began filling the lobby with asphalt from the driveway. The judge's order put the building's demolition on hold until September 26th. The Friend's attorney asked the court for more time, but the request went back to the same judge who had denied the previous extension. He extended the stay on demolition until September 30th, and ordered the Friends to come up with $6.3 million in bonds to indemnify Inland Development Group and the Robbinsdale Economic Development Authority. This amount was forty times more than had ever been required in a case like this. Preservationist raised concerns that the judge was setting a precedent for future cases. The Terrace never got its day in court and demolition began in earnest on October 1st, 2016. A couple months after the Terrace was torn down Hy-Vee announced they were ready to return to the project.

The fight to save the Terrace may serve as a cautionary tale. The historical importance of the building was widely recognized. There was a deep well of support for renovation and reuse, preservationists ran out of options after city officials sided with the interests of an ambitious developer partnered with a multi-billion dollar corporation. The Terrace may have stood a better chance if the building were located down the road in Minneapolis. Historical preservation is an uphill climb in the suburbs where budgets are small and short-sighted priorities revolve around new development. The cultural legacy of Mid-Century Modern architecture is rarely considered in the areas where the style is most prevalent. As the suburban ring ages, the importance of small, local historical societies grows. Although these organizations are tiny, understaffed, and underfunded, when it comes to preservation they are often the first and only line of defense.

 Old Fuji Ya restaurant along the Mississippi to be torn down. Read more.

12/09/2013 UPDATE: Star Tribune building edges closer to demolition

11/20/2013 UPDATE: Heritage panel denies permit to demolish Star Tribune building
 
11/16/2013 ALERT:  Ryan Companies has applied for a demolition of a historic resource to demolish the StarTribune building at 425 Portland Ave. This application for demolition is on the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission Agenda for their regular meeting scheduled to be held 4:30 pm on November 19th in room 317 of Minneapolis City Hall (350 South 5th Street).The Department of Community Planning and Economic Development Staff recommends that the Heritage Preservation Commission approve the demolition of the property at 425 Portland Ave with conditions. Attend the meeting to voice your opinion. 

• Meeting Agenda
• Staff Report

​Hennepin County has taken the first step toward potentially relocating the Southeast Community Library, formerly the State Capitol Credit Union, to a new site leaving the future of the Ralph Rapson building at risk. In 1963, while dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Minnesota, Rapson designed the State Capitol Credit Union in Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota’s East Bank campus. Four years later he was commissioned to convert the structure to a public library. Partially a subterranean building, the reading rooms and offices of the brick and glass structure are set up on a concrete platform several feet from the street level. Sixteen cruciform supports – cross-shaped, tapered concrete columns – help support the concrete, waffle-slab overhanging roof. Skylights provide additional light to the interior of the building. This gem of modern architecture is a rare example of a property that shares the same famed architect for its original building and renovation.

​In December 2006 the Southeast Community Library was temporarily closed and discussions to designate it as a local landmark emerged. When the library reopened a year later following the merger of the Minneapolis and Hennepin County Library systems, concerns for the library were kept at bay. Despite having survived the 2006 system-wide Minneapolis Public Library budget crisis, the Rapson structure could again be under threat. According to Hennepin County Capital Projects project manager Kelli Koob, the Southeast Library is undergoing a facility and site assessment to gain a thorough understanding of current conditions. We anticipate that the county will discuss the outcome of the assessment with community members as part of the community engagement process in the fall.

Stay tuned to the Hennepin County Library Building Projects page for developments as they are posted. We encourage you to contact Docomomo US/MN if you wish to get involved and make the significance of this Rapson building known.

Read the MN Daily Article.

The new design calls for the complete removal of Peavey Plaza—the signature fountains and grade levels, the hardscape, the plantings, everything. These are the features that make the such a singular, iconic, and vibrant public space. A new park that has some recessed levels and water features will be built. It has a lot of technology as well—a “sound garden” and a “performance wall.” The design looks like it smashes together the New York Highline and Chicago’s Millennium Park. While these are both interesting designs and successful projects, we believe that the proposed designs for Peavey effectively transform a landmark into a lookalike. What you can do: The city has set up a webpage with images of the “recommended design.” There is a link to submit comments via email by midnight (CST) October 24, 2011. Two city council committees are meeting on Tuesday to vote on the design to move the project forward. They will supposedly take the comments into consideration. The city council is supposed to vote on the design on November 4 and they hope to start construction in spring 2012.

Please go to this site and submit a comment to the city – let them know if you feel the new design really “sympathetically reinterprets” the current design. The link on the webpage for comments goes to Beth Grosen at the city: [email protected]

Read more: Original Peavey Plaza architect M. Paul Friedberg and Post-WWII landscape architecture expert, Charles Birnbaum’s letter to the City of Minneapolis voicing their concern about the new design.