The City of Bloomington is currently accepting applications for the first Creative Placemaking Commission. Appointed by the City Council and Artistry Board, the Creative Placemaking Commission will advise the City Council on using arts, design, culture and creativity to help accomplish the City’s goals for change, growth and transformation of Bloomington’s South Loop District in a way that also builds character and quality of place. In the future, the Council intends to extend creative placemaking to all of Bloomington.
The Creative Placemaking Commission will consist of nine members, six members appointed by the City Council and three members appointed by the Artistry Board of Directors. At least five of the nine members must be residents of the City of Bloomington. The City of Bloomington’s new Director of Creative Placemaking and Engagement, Alejandra Pelinka, will act as liaison and provide staff support to the Commission.
The South Loop is home to Mall of America, Bloomington Central Station and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and adjacent to the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. By 2020, on a typical day the South Loop will have 6,000 residents, 9,000 hotel guests, 35,000 employees and 115,000 Mall of America visitors.
For more information and an application, visit blm.mn/placemaking, call the City Manager’s Office at 952-563-8744 or visit 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road.
Position Will Help Use the Arts to Transform Bloomington’s South Loop
The City is excited to announce Alejandra Pelinka was selected as its first Creative Placemaking and Engagement Director. Ms. Pelinka will facilitate the work of a new Creative Placemaking Commission and work with the City’s nonprofit partner, Artistry, and a diverse group of stakeholders to implement and evaluate a Creative Placemaking Plan adopted by the City and Artistry in 2015.
Alejandra will help the City identify the art, culture and design investments that will best support the evolution of a distinctive, walkable, urban neighborhood in Bloomington’s South Loop and build its regional brand. She will also work to build community connectedness and engagement throughout Bloomington using a range of community outreach strategies.
Ms. Pelinka previously served as the Executive Director of Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA), where she was responsible for the general management of the organization and NEMAA’s regionally acclaimed events, including Art-A-Whirl®, the largest open studio tour in the country. She has also worked for the Ames Center (previously known as Burnsville Performing Arts Center) as Art Gallery Director and for Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis as Volunteer Coordinator. Mpls. St. Paul magazine named her one of 26 local Scene Shapers, “integral to making the [Minnesota art] scene tick.”
“We had applicants nationwide for this unique, innovative, and first-of-its-kind position. It was a competitive process with great candidates, which made our decision difficult,” Elizabeth Tolzmann, Bloomington’s Assistant City Manager said. “Ms. Pelinka’s experience in community leadership, arts and nonprofit administration, marketing and public relations, and connecting arts and business interests make her uniquely qualified for this role. We are excited to have her join our Bloomington team.”
Ms. Pelinka will start her new role on June 6, as a member of the Bloomington City Manager’s Office.
At the end of each day, the team would have a "round up" to talk about some of things that they learned about specific sites in the South Loop. Click on the map to see the thoughts generated by each site.
Today’s exploration was focused on the connection between commerce and community: how planning can attract business and how business and residential development can compliment one another. To this end, the vision for the South Loop was compared and contrasted with the visions guiding two other major Twin Cities development initiatives: the former Ford Plant site and the Midway Development Project.
Transportation was the topic of today’s Exploration. The premise of the discussion was that because Bloomington is a transportation hub, its development would inevitably be influenced by changes in transportation modes.
Monday’s activities focused on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, one of the signature assets of the Bloomington South Loop. While there are hundreds of wildlife refuges in the United States, The Minnesota Valley Refuge is one of only four such sites located in an urban area.
Saturday's storms took a toll on on our Basecamp. Ironically, the only thing left standing was a podium with a sign from Friday's theme - "In this Place We Stand..."
Jim Murphy of McGough Development told us the South Loop was a wind tunnel. Today, Saturday June 14, we had an unexpected 'Exploration' of exactly what he meant. We are undeterred...and look forward to rebuilding this place and carryingon Mondaymorning with a great walk to the Refuge. (ahem...weather permitting...).
This photo was taken through a clearing from parking lot looking out over a marsh near Long Meadow Lake. The marsh treats and handles much of the storm water from Mall of America and the South Loop. Much of the land was modified long ago due to gravel related industrial activity.
West Walkabout Team visiting trailhead above Bass Ponds. Artist Sarah pictured with team members Witt Siasoco (CCB consultant team), Larry Lee and Mark Morrison (City of Bloomington).
City owned property south of intersection at Old Shakopee Rd and 24th. This is the site for a potential site for dog park and trailhead. It is very visible from Mall and has the potential to become part of the South Loop-to-River Valley experience as well as an amenity for neighbors. Could be a primary interface for visitors coming from Minneapolis (and beyond).
This wall is an 18'x120' wall facing refuge trail near trailhead at the Cypress Semiconductor. The wall has great potential for installation or mural.
