News Release
Housing Design Competition Highlights Continued Rebuilding in North Minneapolis
Winning design of “Bearden Place” in Willard Homewood neighborhood to be built in partnership with the Builders Association of the Twin Cities
March 8, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS)—The City of Minneapolis, the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), and its Builders Outreach Foundation (BOF) announce a housing design competition, “Bearden Place: A Housing Competition in the Artists’ Core,” part of the strategy and commitment to rebuilding communities affected by foreclosure. The competition is to design six, live/work units for the site, located at the northwest corner of Plymouth and Sheridan avenues North.
The property is in the Willard Homewood neighborhood, rich in architectural tradition, but heavily impacted by foreclosure. In the past two years, significant resident commitment has focused efforts on revitalizing this neighborhood with a marketing campaign targeted to bringing artists into the community. The housing design competition reinforces those efforts for continued rebuilding.
The sponsors are calling for innovative and creative ideas that address issues and challenges of designing high quality, affordable/entry-level home ownership; spatial flexibility and live/work space; sustainable building practices and materials; design for a range of lifestyle choices and family configurations. Market rate units will not exceed $175,000, and the development needs to meet MN GreenStar Bronze Certification for new construction.
“Collaborating with the Minneapolis arts and design communities is a great opportunity for the Northside,” said Council Member Don Samuels (Ward 5). “The partnership with the Twin Cities Builders Association, architects, and designers is yet another example of how the City is working with others to recover from the impacts of foreclosure in our communities,” he added.
“Neighborhoods in Minneapolis heavily impacted by foreclosure are rebuilding with high quality, sustainable housing,” said Tom Streitz, Director of Housing Policy and Development, City of Minneapolis. “The partnership embodied in the design competition will be a further catalyst to our continued neighborhood rebuilding,” he said.
The competition is meant to harness the skills, energy and ideas of our design community in this rebuilding effort. Participating architects and designers are encouraged to engage landscape architects, artists, social scientists, and other creative disciplines on their teams.
BATC/BOF will serve as the developer and will manage the entire construction process. BATC members will work with the selected design team to provide construction and cost management of the winning scheme, resulting in a built housing project that demonstrates a successful method of collaboration that can be modeled for other development opportunities on City-owned properties of various scales.
“The Builders Association of Twin Cities is partnering on the competition because it fits within our mission as a leading resource for housing information. As presenters of the Parade of HomesSM (tour this spring from March 5-28), our members understand how great design is the real key to making a home truly livable and affordable,” said Sue Marshall, executive board member, BATC. “This partnership lets us use our experience and expertise to give back to our community, and through our charitable arm, Builders Outreach Foundation, we can assist the team in numerous ways in the management of the construction project,” she added.
“The Builders Association is excited to work with the City on this important project,” said 2010 BATC President Gary Aulik. “Giving back to the community is a key component in our organization’s mission, along with creating quality, durable and affordable homes for Twin Cities families,” he added.
Submissions are due Wednesday, April 21, 5pm to the City of Minneapolis, Department of Community Planning & Economic Development, 105 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
The Naming of Bearden PlaceThe development will be named, Bearden Place, after Romare Howard Bearden (1911-1988) whose life and art are marked by exceptional talent, encompassing a broad range of intellectual and scholarly interests, including music, performing arts, history, literature, and world art.
About the Artists’ CoreThe Artists’ Core, a community response to the housing/foreclosure crisis, grew out of the Willard Homewood Residents Economic Development Committee meetings begun in the mid-1990’s. In April 2008, there were 65 foreclosed homes in the 16-square block area now designated as the Artists’ Core. Today, there are fewer than five of the original 65 homes on the market. The community continues work to ensure new families are invited to purchase homes.
For informationFor more information on the design competition, see www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/foreclosure/Foreclosures_Steps_to_Recovery.asp or contact Katie White at katherine.white@ci.minneapolis.mn.us; 612 673 5238.
Dates to note:Site visits are scheduled for March 17 and 29 at noon; submissions are due April 21. A public exhibit of design entries is scheduled for June 2010.
About the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC)The Builders Association of the Twin Cities, presenters of the Parade of Homes Spring PreviewSM, Fall ShowcaseSM, Remodelers ShowcaseSM, and Parade of Homes OnTourSM represents over 1,200 member firms involved in all phases of the homebuilding and remodeling industries and is dedicated to providing a diverse selection of quality and affordable housing to the Twin Cities area. The spring 2010 Parade of HomesSM tours are set to run March 5-28 (Spring PreviewSM) with 365 new homes to tour, and March 26-28 (Remodelers ShowcaseSM) with 70 remodeled homes open.
About the Builders Outreach Foundation (BOF)The Builders Outreach Foundation was created in 1992 by a group of volunteers who were members of the BATC. Their goal: promote home ownership opportunities for those whose financial condition puts them below the level of publicly subsidized affordable homes. Because BATC has over 1,200 professional member firms in the home building community, the Foundation has unique, direct access to the best, most professional resources within the housing industry. The Builders Outreach Foundation is a nonprofit organization that does tremendous good in our community. To support them, or for more information, contact them at Builders Outreach Foundation, 2960 Centre Pointe Drive, Roseville, MN 55113-1182, or call them at 651-697-1954.
Contact: Krista Bergert, Communications, CPED, 612 673 5015 (or by cell, 612 360 8702)
Contact: Wendy B. Danks, Marketing Director, Builders Association of the Twin Cities, 651 697 7565
So last week was the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center where I volunteered at two different booths. The show ran Wednesday-Sunday, February 24-28th. At our Builders Association booth I met with builders and contractors interesting in joining our organization. I also talked to people interested in donating money to our Builders Outreach Foundation-our charitable arm. At our Parade of Homes booth I met with people who were relocating to the Twin Cities interested in building a new home. Most of which were couples and single people wanting to buy their first home, I also met people who expressed interest in remodeling their existing home.
I met with several people of whom have worked with our remodelers on one, two and even three projects. One lady named Mary raved about working with Doug Nelson and his son Shawn Nelson at New Spaces. http://www.newspaces.com. I had their webpage advertising their website when she walked over and shared her experience with me. She was so impressed with the owner of the company, Doug Nelson and his ability to draw freehand with a pencil and piece of paper what her vision looked like. Mary and her husband hired New Spaces on two separate occasions the first time over 7 years ago.
During the Home and Garden Show we handed out over 4,900 Parade of Homes magazines! Thankfully we had less than 300 to pack up at the end of the day! We met people relocating to the Twin Cities interested in building in our new developments and people who were interested in remodeling their current homes. One couple was relocating here from Iowa for a job transfer. They have their two homes in Iowa rented out until the market in their area picks up and are anxious to find a rambler with a main floor master suite.
So what does all of this mean? The Spring Preview for the Parade of Homes and the Remodelers Showcase (one magazine, two fabulous tours) always signifies the start of Spring. The snow is melting, the sun is shining and people are moving around. This is encouraging!
When you get the chance read the article on page 29 of the Parade of Homes magazine featuring my real estate partner Sue Marshall. The story highlights a family who hired Sue to represent them in their quest to build a new home with K.C. Chermak of Pillar Homes, check out their website at: http://pillarhomes.com
Thinking of Building or Buying new construction, Selling your existing home or Relocating, call us today!
Happy Building!
Constance Koopman, Realtor, CSP
2010 Member of the Board of Directors-Builders Association of the Twin Cities
2010 Chair-Professional Women in Building Council
2010 Membership Recruiter-Builders Association of the Twin Cities
What does a Blog do for you? Help you gain visibility and recognition, provide a creative outlet? Technology is the wave of the future, you are either on the train or on the tracks. Are you a Conductor or Caboose? So get ready for the wave that includes Flip videos, and messages on your facebook page with links that will take you to every resource imaginable.
I am here to tell you the Blogging, Tweeting and Facebooking does work. It helps you get in front of your audience, get recognized, feel empowered and talk about your expertise and interests.
This week I was introduced to a free website for event scheduling. It was introduced to me by a staff member at the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. Check it out: http://www.doodle.com. I signed up to volunteer to work the Home and Garden Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center the end of the month.
Today a friend of mine posted a message on facebook. She asked that everyone went to the urbandictionary website, enter their first name in the Search function and copy and paste on their facebook status the post comment.
So just for fun...go to http://www.urbandictionary.com and type in your first name and see what is says about you. Do you agree with the comments? A little or a lot. Here's what mine said:
"Constance is a stunning beautiful person, inside and out. She looks after her friends and will always be there for them. Shes very smart and clumsy and can be bored easily. Everyone loves her and the guys can't have her. She is pale and is asian, and you would be soo dead if you didn't have Constance as a friend. She is gorgeous in every single way and is a big ol' nerd. The name is fantastic and I want it. Who ever doesn't know Constance or can't have her or don't have her name. Your a loserrr, cause shes not perfect but shes wonderful. But needs to learn how to say no, she is too nice sometimes (: . Ooh and she will marry a CodyZimmer sooner or laterr".
Do I agree? Mostly YES. Although I have to say I don't totally agree with the part about being clumsy, I am pale. However, white not asian. And my husbands name is Tom not Cody Zimmer. However, my mother's maiden name is Timmer. Does that count?
Here's to getting on the train in 2010. Blogging, Tweeting and the like.
Life is an adventure. Enjoy the ride.
Constance
Hello and Happy New Year 2010 everyone!
As some of you might know my real estate partner Sue Marshall and I have committed to donating 100% of our real estate profits in 2010 to charity. The charity we have chosen is the Builders Outreach Foundation (BOF).
"The foundation provides housing to those in need formed in January of 1995 by the Builders Association as a way to promote homeownership through affordable housing and to contribute to the revitalization of our core cities. It is one of the Builders Outreach Foundation’s goals to provide an opportunity for home ownership to those whose financial condition puts them below the level of publicly subsidized affordable homes. Because the Builders Outreach Foundation is made up of the over 1,200 member companies of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, we are in a unique position to tap the resources of the home building community."
How you can help? Refer anyone you know that is looking to Buy, Build, Sell, or Relocate to us. With over 14 years of real estate related experience both Sue and I promise to deliver such outstanding service your friends and family will thank you for referring them to us.
Together we can make a difference. Providing housing for those less fortunate is our mission, one family at a time.
Take a look at our first video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-9T1Ptvt_E&feature=sdig&et=1261845653.45
Sincerely,
Constance Koopman and Sue Marshall
The Art of Picking Paint Colors & Faux Finishes
1. Think about how you are going to use the room: When picking a color, choose one that fits the personality and purpose of the room.Red- raises a room's energy level. Green- is restful for the eyes.Yellow- has been found to make a room feel happy.Purple- is considered to be luxurious.Blue- lowers blood pressure and slows heart rate. Neutrals- (black, grey, white, and brown)- are the foundation to every room.
2. Test your choice: For a few dollars, you can purchase a sample of most paint colors. Once your sample color is applied to a wall, it is best to live with the color for several days.
3. Faux finishing your home without over faux finishing: Faux finishes can be a great thing. It is important to remember to not have too many finishes on too many walls at the same time. It is best to use a few faux finishes sparingly in order for the room to not look too busy. 4. Keep your lighting in mind: A good rule of thumb is to have four sources of light in the average room in order to eliminate dark spots. Four sources of light may not be enough when painting. The darker the color paint that is chosen, the weaker the lights will seem. Remember to have a balanced light scheme for optimal impact within your space.
5. Think about flow throughout your home: The colors you choose for your home should be harmonious. When selecting a color for a room that connects with multiple other rooms, such as a hallway or great room, make sure to choose a color that compliments its counterpart.
6. Determine your color palette: When choosing a color palette for a room, it is best to stay between 3-7 colors. A good rule of thumb is to look at your colors as 1 primary, 1-2 secondary, and the remaining 1-4 as accents or punches of color.
7. Understand your Paint finishesFlat Enamel - This is good for halls and powder rooms because it is easy to touch-up and there is low or no sheen. Eggshell Finish - With the sheen of an egg, this paint will hold-up better to washings than its flat counterpart. Satin Finish - Most often used for windows, doors, trim, this velvety paint can also be used for ceilings and walls, but it will show blemishes and imperfections in well lit areas.Semi-Gloss - This is found on doors, trim, and cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms. This durable finish is able to be easily wiped for cleaning. Glossy - Not used very often in homes, but the shiny finish adds a tremendous amount of pop to cabinets, trim, and furniture.
8. Take a chance, it's just paint!
As the lazy outdoor days of summer have long passed us by, the long cold Minnesota winter lies ahead. Fall is here on our doorstep and we find ourselves thinking about the interior of our homes. When you decide to redecorate at this time, consider warm colors like rich brown, soft grays and neutral tints that remind you of nature.
Make First Impressions Count
Amaze friends and neighbors with a stunning new front door. Chosen correctly and installed by a competent contractor, a new door can add amazing value at relatively low cost. Break out of the box and make a bold choice that expresses your personality. Complement your new door with a new floor rug for the hallway. Experiment with bright colors that will ensure a warm welcome for the family after a long day away from home.
Brighten up the Family Room
Make a dramatic statement by having an expert prepare and repaint the walls or an accent wall. Elegance and luxury have been abandoned and replaced with sensibility and respect for nature. To cheer the family on a cold winter night, choose from warm colors of hope like buttery yellow, or a warm carmel. Compliment your new wall colors by changing the pillows and drapes. You do not need to spend a fortune to change the first impression of the whole room.
Turn Up the Heat in the Kitchen
Most of us do not have the money to remodel the kitchen right now. However, that does not mean that you cannot make a few relatively inexpensive changes that will make you feel good every time you enter the room. Take a break from routine. Call in a fitter to change the kitchen cupboard doors with new ones that brighten up the room. You will find that this can be done in a single day and you do not even have to unpack the shelves. Think about adding a few new pieces of artwork and a new color on the wall.
Relaxation in the Bathroom
Get ready for soaking hot baths on cold winter evenings. Nobody is excited about bright ceiling lights any more. Be bold and install a new light that makes a statement even when turned off during the day. Have an electrician change the dimmer switch to soften things at night. Then enjoy the fresh ambience while you doze away the evening listening to your favorite music.
Get Back to Basics in the Bedroom
Fall in love with your bedroom all over again. Take inspiration from what’s right outside your window. The colors and textures you see can still personalize your space. A happy marriage of outdoor and indoor is sure to set the mood. Make your bedroom fit you and not the other way around. Imagine having the work done before the snow falls. Do not take chances with second-rate contractors. Whatever your needs, I can assist with referrals of a handyman, free quotes from skilled craftsmen and more.
Happy Decorating!
Eat ... drink ... buy
By LYNN UNDERWOOD, Star Tribune
August 22, 2008
Published August 13, 2008
By David Joles, Star Tribune
Edina Realty held a cocktail party/open house at this $2.9 million home in Edina. Such gatherings target upscale clients and high-end homes with wine tastings, appetizers and demonstrations.
In a competitive market, sales agents are throwing parties to draw attention to their high-buck listings.
Last update: August 22, 2008 - 10:43 AM
A cocktail party/open house in Edina.
David Joles, Star Tribune
Edina Realty held a cocktail party/open house at this $2.9 million home in Edina.
On a recent Wednesday night in Edina, about 130 people nibbled on bruschetta and sipped pinot grigio while they milled around a kitchen island laden with appetizers.
This wasn't just another summertime cocktail party: It was an open house at a Nantucket-style 7,000-square-foot house in Edina's Rolling Green neighborhood that's on the market for $2.9 million.
Attendees "could see what the home offers beyond the MLS sheet and website photos," said Marian Peterson of Edina Realty, whose sales team holds about seven such events a year at their high-end properties. This party cost more than $1,000.
With the number of upper-bracket listings bursting, open house parties are becoming an increasingly popular marketing strategy. Agents who host the gatherings, which vary from simple wine-and-cheese affairs to elaborate garden parties, hope that by inviting influential business associates, neighbors and other agents, they'll create "buzz" that will attract more attention to the house.
"You just never know who's tagging along," said Trent Tosseth, who was chatting with friends about the "stunning space" at the Edina house party. He was a friend of the home's designer, Beverly Markis, who built it on spec through her design-build company, TBD3.
The concept isn't new, said Steve Havig, owner of Lakes Area Realty and president-elect of the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. "It's an emerging trend for real estate -- primarily upper-bracket homes."
Invitations on the rise
Real estate soirees -- brunches, cocktail parties and progressive dinners -- that showcase luxury properties are hot nationwide, said Laurie Moore-Moore, founder of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing in Dallas. "It gives you the ability to target prospective buyers and highlight the lifestyle the home represents," she said.
Local sales agents only have to open their mail to spot the trend.
"I've gotten three invitations in the last two weeks," said Bob Ritter, a Wayzata Remax agent, who has thrown parties at some of his Lake Minnetonka listings. Barb Jandric, general manager for Edina Realty, says she's received twice as many invitations as she did last year.
"Traditional methods such as open houses for Realtors and the public aren't enough anymore," she said.
"The trend is being driven in part by sellers, who expect more creative marketing and have started inquiring about hosting parties to set their houses apart from others," said Constance Koopman, a Realtor for Relocation Team Worldwide in Burnsville. She works with executives moving to the Twin Cities and often holds wine-and-cheese parties that typically cost $200 to $400.
Strategies differ
The cost and style of the revelry vary as widely as the featured properties. A few weeks ago, sales agent Frank Roffers of SKY Sotheby's Realty in Edina threw a $2,000 catered garden party at actress Jessica Lange's $1.95 million Stillwater estate.
The hors d'oeuvres, including sushi, were from Crave, an upscale Galleria restaurant. The event wasn't open to the public, but still drew about 50 partygoers from an exclusive list that included top real estate agents and prominent Stillwater businesspeople.
Guests sipped wine, lingered in the Victorian home and explored the private gardens on the 2 1/2 acres that overlook the St. Croix River, said Roffers.
"It gave people a chance to see what it would feel like to live in this remarkable, beautifully restored pro-perty," he said.
In addition to drawing attention to the listings, the parties are a way to promote a particular lifestyle. For an upcoming event at a different home, for example, he plans to place new Jaguars and Range Rovers in the garage and grounds.
Last fall Havig and other agents hosted a group open house at five mansions priced at $1.5 million and up on Minneapolis' Mount Curve Avenue. The party was like a progressive neighborhood dinner, with several hundred guests scurrying from house to house, enjoying a different course at each property.
"Mount Curve looked like Halloween night for adults," Havig said.
Next month, he'll host a wine and appetizer party in a renovated $5 million 1906 Lowry Hill home with a guest list of 3,000 that includes well-heeled CEOs, neighbors and other agents. Open House signs will welcome anyone else who wants to take a peek.
Does the strategy work? Sales agents who have held events say it can be difficult to determine which marketing tactic led to a home's sale, but they agreed it's worth the time and expense.
"Advertising is tricky. You're not always sure where a buyer comes from," said Havig. Peterson, who is part of a sales team that includes Kris Campbell and Noelle Peterson Varecka, says that while the Edina party was a success because it attracted more than a hundred people at a time when it's difficult to attract prospective buyers, the house has yet to sell.
"Our team always has fun at these events," said Peterson. "And we've had five showings since then.
Lynn Underwood 612-673-7619
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