Peavey Plaza Revitalization

Peavey Plaza, a sunken garden with cascading fountains and shady corners in the heart of Minneapolis, is the site for orchestral concerts in July and ice skating in winter. M. Paul Friedberg produced the plaza's award-winning design in 1975. He has agreed to work with the winning landscape architecture firm on the plaza renovation.

The Minneapolis City Council on Nov. 19, 2010 approved the selection of Oslund and Associates as the landscape architect firm to lead the revitalization of Peavey Plaza. The plaza project is in conjunction with the expansion of the adjacent Orchestra Hall.

Nine firms made proposals for the project. The four finalist were all Twin Cities-based landscape architecture firms: Oslund and Associates, Damon Farber Associates, Close Landscape Architecture and Coen + Partners.

Oslund is known locally for the designs of Gold Medal Park and Target Plaza in Minneapolis, as well as its ability to lead projects involving extensive public participation, such as the new I-35W bridge project in Minneapolis.

The Oslund team will include M. Paul Friedberg, the award-winning designer of the plaza in 1975, consultant Charles Birnbaum of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, Dan Euser Waterarchitecture and Shuler & Shook Lighting Design.

The state has provided $2 million in bonding money, but private funds will have to raise another $3-4 million, and likely more required.

Phase I of the project involves gathering input from users and stakeholders for the plaza redevelopment. Phase II includes design and construction. Approval of the design concept will be complete in June 2011, with construction beginning in spring 2012. A grand opening is anticipated for summer 2013.