Advancing Equity in Historic Preservation: OUR COMMITMENT
PLACES REIMAGINED AWARDS
2026 NOMINEES
Meet the 2026
Places Reimagined Awards Nominees
Every place has a story—and every place that endures, evolves, and continues to serve its community has people behind it.
Rethos is proud to introduce the 51 nominees for the 2026 Places Reimagined Awards, recognizing projects, organizations, programs, professionals, and community advocates who are helping people connect with the places that matter to them through preservation, adaptation, activation, and stewardship.
This year’s nominees represent work across Minnesota and beyond: historic buildings given new purpose, housing created within existing places, downtowns strengthened through local leadership, cultural spaces made more welcoming and accessible, stories brought to life for new audiences, and individuals whose advocacy and expertise are helping communities care for the places they share.
Just as importantly, these nominations reflect the collaborative nature of this work. Preservation rarely happens because of one person or organization alone. We are pleased to recognize the project teams, community partners, and organizations named in this year’s submissions alongside the nominated places and projects themselves.
Nominees and award recipients will be celebrated at The Wrecking Ball Gala on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 5:30–9:00 p.m. at Landmark Center in Saint Paul.
Excellence in Preservation and Reuse
Housing — Market & Mixed-Income
Recognizes outstanding preservation and adaptive reuse projects that create market-rate or mixed-income housing while giving historic buildings new life.
Fairmont Flats
Moorhead, Minnesota
Project Team: Sterling Development Group 4, LLC; Mutchler Bartram Architects, P.C.; MBA Development Company; MacDonald & Mack Architects; First Community Credit Union; Town & Country Credit Union.
Hall Lofts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: CEDARst Companies; BKV Group; RJM Construction; Hess, Roise and Company.
Burlap Lofts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: CDT Realty Corporation; DJR; Yellow Tree Construction.
Mission Lofts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: Northland Real Estate Group; DJR; Welsh Construction; New History.
Zenith DCHS
Duluth, Minnesota
Project Team: Saturday Properties — Property Owner/Developer; AWH Architects — Architect/Preservation Consultant; Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. — General Contractor; Americo — Tax Credit Partner; City of Duluth — Community Partner; GS Bates Realty; Enhanced Historic Credit Partners; Colliers/HUD.
Housing — Affordability & Access
Honors preservation and adaptive reuse projects that expand access to affordable, supportive, or income-restricted housing.
Belfry Apartments and Mixed Use
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: Trellis Co. — Developer/Client; UrbanWorks Architecture — Architect/Interior Design; Frana Construction — Contractor; Hess Roise — Historic Consultant; BKBM Engineers — Civil and Structural Engineering; Design Tree Engineering — MEP Engineering; Hennepin County.
Mary Hall
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Project Team: Aeon; Adsit Architecture and Planning; Watson-Forsberg; Enterprise Community Partners. Financing and community partners include Minnesota Housing, City of Saint Paul and the HRA of Saint Paul, Ramsey County and the Ramsey County HRA, Metropolitan Council, Rethos, Radias Health, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs, Saint Paul Public Housing Agency, and Catholic Charities.
Twelve22 Apartments
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Project Team: JB Vang Partners; Pope Design Group; Frerichs Construction; Landscape Research; Nelson-Rudie Associates; Larson Engineering; Emanuelson-Podas; GZA GeoEnvironmental. Financing partners include R4 Capital, Allianz Life, Rethos, Metropolitan Council TBRA, City of Saint Paul, and Grow America.
Kyle Garden Square
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: Alliance Housing; LHB Architects; Flannery Construction. Public and financing partners include Minnesota Housing, HUD, Hennepin County, City of Minneapolis, and Metropolitan Council.
Northrup King Building Lofts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: Artspace Projects; Cuningham; Watson-Forsberg; Landscape Research.
Bimosedaa
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative — Property Owner/Developer; LHB, Inc. — Architect; Watson-Forsberg — General Contractor; LHB Historic Preservation Studio — Preservation Consultant. Additional partners include Minnesota Housing, City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Red Lake Nation, Avivo, Minnesota SHPO, National Park Service, GZA GeoEnvironmental, and Landscape Research LLC.
Community & Commerce
Celebrates projects that reactivate historic places through commercial, cultural, civic, hospitality, nonprofit, or other community-serving uses.
Flour Mill, LLC — The Mill Hotel
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Project Team: Flour Mill, LLC; Mutchler Bartram Architects, P.C.; MBA Development Company; MacDonald & Mack Architects; Midwest Bank; City of Fergus Falls.
James J Hill Library Reactivation: Avalon Event Center
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Project Team: First & First; RoehrSchmitt Architecture + Interiors; Mission Construction; New History; ERA Structural Engineering; Emanuelson-Podas.
African Economic Development Solutions
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Project Team: African Economic Development Solutions; Cushing Terrell; Flannery Construction. Public and community partners named in the submission include Metropolitan Council, State of Minnesota, City of Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Otto Bremer Trust, and LISC.
825 Arts (formerly Victoria Theater)
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Project Team: 825 Arts; VJAA; Flannery Construction. Additional public and community support identified in the nomination includes the State of Minnesota, City of Saint Paul, Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Otto Bremer Trust, LISC, and other philanthropic partners.
Foley Mansion
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Project Team: The Arvigs; Carter Averbeck.
St James Social
Bayfield, Wisconsin
Project Team: St. James Social — Property/Building Owner; AWH Architects; Greiner Construction, Coco Perry Design. Additional partners include Bremer Bank, Bremer Community Investment Fund, Entrepreneur Fund, PACE Loan Group, Northwest Regional Planning Commission, Bayfield County, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, City of Bayfield, Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office, and National Park Service.
Faribo Downtown Central
Faribault, Minnesota
Project Team: Faribo Downtown Central; Faribault Industrial Corporation; Faribault Heritage Preservation Commission; City of Faribault through its HRA and EDA; Faribault Chamber of Commerce.
2441 Arts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: D/O Development; D/O Architects; FilmNorth; Jaeger Construction; Bethany Gladhill; Sunrise Banks.
Resilient Revival
Recognizes smaller-scale projects that demonstrate how thoughtful reinvestment and adaptive reuse can strengthen the long-term resilience of historic places.
Linden Hills Streetcar Depot Canopy
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Project Team: Minnesota Streetcar Museum; City of Minneapolis; Timothy Fuller Architects; Glen Sandness.
Studio Grey / Vagabondo
Excelsior, Minnesota
Project Team: Studio Grey; Fhima Family LLC; Ungerman Inc.; New History; Pedal Design Lab; TriMark; Stephanie Dillion Art; Look Walls.
Dodge Nature Center at Shepard Farm
Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Project Team: Dodge Nature Center; RoehrSchmitt Architecture + Interiors; Mission Construction; ERA Structural Engineering.
Marjorie K McNeely Conservatory Sunken Garden
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Project Team: Marjorie McNeely Conservatory; RoehrSchmitt Architecture + Interiors; Urban Companies LLC; Paulson & Clark Structural Engineering; Astonia Stone Artisans; Aune Fernandez Landscape Architects.
The Old Lyndale Creamery
Maple Plain, Minnesota
Project Team: Route To India LLC; Aaron Wittkamper Studio; Vaughan Carpentry; Super Set Tile; Professional Mechanical Services.
Outstanding Cities Stories Experience
Honors partners who created engaging, memorable experiences that helped the public connect more deeply with the stories of place through City Stories and Doors Open Minneapolis.
Deco + Democracy: Saint Paul City Hall Tour
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Affiliation: Ramsey County Historical Society, Mary Ann Knox, guide.
University of Minnesota Collections Facility
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: University of Minnesota.
Aldo Moroni + The Minneapolis Fed: A Hands-On Experience
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: Aldo Moroni Studio, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
Linda Paulsen and Mary Kaeding for Doors Open Programming at Theatre in the Round
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: Theatre in the Round Players, Linda Paulsen and Mary Kaeding, guides.
Hennepin Arts Pantages Theatre
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: Hennepin Arts.
Hennepin Healthcare's Teddy Bear Clinic
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: Hennepin Healthcare.
Community Access Award
Celebrates individuals and organizations whose work expands access, inclusion, and welcoming participation in meaningful places and experiences.
Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Owamniyomni Okhodayapi
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Quatrefoil Library
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hennepin County Government Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Excellence on Main
Recognizes Main Street programs and initiatives that strengthen downtowns through collaborative, community-centered revitalization.
Wabasha Main Street
Wabasha, Minnesota
Affiliation: City of Wabasha / Wabasha Main Street.
Red Wing Downtown Main Street
Red Wing, Minnesota
Affiliation: Red Wing Downtown Main Street.
Retail & Restaurant Challenge
Red Wing, Minnesota
Affiliation: Red Wing Downtown Main Street.
The Retail Collective
Owatonna, Minnesota
Affiliation: Owatonna MainStreet and The Retail Collective / The Shops on Rose Street.
Civic Steward
Honors individuals, groups, and efforts demonstrating exceptional leadership in the stewardship, advocacy, and care of historic places.
Karen Sieber
Affiliation: Historian, researcher, educator, and preservation advocate.
Kathy George
Affiliation: Community preservation advocate.
Jim Young
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: Community and preservation volunteer.
Pill Hill Local Register Recognition
Rochester, Minnesota
Affiliation: Pill Hill Neighborhood.
Minneapolis Historic Preservation Website Updates
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: City of Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission.
The John Cook House Preservation Coalition
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affiliation: John Cook House Preservation Coalition.
Realtor of the Year
Recognizes real estate professionals who champion preservation-minded practices and help clients understand the value and potential of older and historic homes.
Mariah Hamm
Real estate professional and Old Home Certified practitioner.
Bryan Clapper
BryaninMSP / Maker Real Estate.
Abby Willaert
Jewel Box Homes – Edina Realty.
Liz Novotny
Real estate professional and Old Home Certified practitioner.
John Ahnemann
Real estate professional.
Claire Johnston
Real estate professional.
Celebrate With Us at The Wrecking Ball
The Places Reimagined Awards are a reminder that preservation is not simply about protecting the past. It is about using the places and resources we already have to build stronger communities, create opportunity, deepen belonging, and imagine what comes next.
We congratulate all 51 of this year’s nominees and the many project partners, organizations, neighbors, professionals, volunteers, and supporters whose work is represented among them.
Join us as we celebrate this remarkable community at The Wrecking Ball Gala:
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
5:30–9:00 p.m.
Landmark Center, Saint Paul
Come celebrate the people and places shaping a future where our shared places continue to matter—and where more people have the opportunity to participate in their next chapter.
