As part of pursuing his graduate degree in architecture, BTR student intern, Matt Huntress, will be spending the spring semester in Biloxi, Mississippi. Through the University of Minnesota and Mississippi State University, Matt will be part of "Hands on Gulf Coast", a volunteer program in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. We're going to miss his skills and attention to detail around the office. Good luck Matt, and see you next summer!

BTR designed luxury condominium project The Bancroft, is scheduled for construction to begin early this spring. This is the latest new project being developed by Pinehurst Properties and designed by BTR. In the past, BTR also teamed up with Pinehurst Properties for 4999 France Avenue South, at the corner of 50th and France. The Bancroft will be located just two blocks east of the 50th and France intersection in south Minneapolis.  Go to the Bancroft Website to learn more.

BTR welcomes new Project Architect Jay Cameron. Jay joins BTR after several years of working in Boston and recently moving "back home" to the Midwest. We're certainly happy that he made the move. Jay has a wife and two kids. WELCOME JAY!!

At this years AIA Minnesota Awards Celebration, the climax of the evening was the Gold Medal, AIA Minnesota's highest award for an individual, being given to Bentz/Thompson/Rietow founding principal Milo Thompson. According to Finance and Commerce, "He has contributed so much to local design over the past several decades," said Beverly Hauschild-Baron, executive vice president of AIA Minnesota, "He has won so many awards for so many projects, we felt he deserved something that recognized his career."

On November 18, 2006, Minnie and Chris Willette had a new baby girl, Beatta Ann Willette. Beatta is a healthy little red head weighing in at 6lbs 4oz, 18.5 inches long and rarely sits still for pictures. Beatta is their first child. We haven't had a chance to meet her yet, but are all looking forward to the big day. CONGRATULATIONS TO CHRIS AND MINNIE!

Over the past two months, BTR has enjoyed having Hukm Fields, a Minneapolis high school student, join us as a summer helper. Hukm and BTR are taking part in Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's Step-Up program, which is designed to help Minneapolis inner-city youth with summer employment. Earlier this week BTR President Ann Voda and Hukm attended a celebration with the Mayor to mark the end of another highly successful summer of this worthwhile program.

This year, it seems like summer is filled with lots of hot weather and golf. On July 31,  Dillon, Randy, Jesse and "Zip" spent the hottest day of the summer (102 degrees) playing in the annual AIA golf scramble at Majestic Oaks Golf Course. Our BTR team score, in the "best ball" format, ended up at 1-under par...not low enough to win any prizes, but still not too bad.

Over the weekend, Jesse, Randy, Gary and Michael (pictured left to right) spent a good portion of Saturday playing golf at a fund raiser for one of our favorite clients. It was a 4-person "best ball" scramble and we managed to finish up 1 under par ...which didn't bring home any prizes, but fun was had by all.

Last week, the Central Lutheran Church bell tower addition was awarded a Heritage Preservation Award by the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission and the Minneapolis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The building was praised for seamlessly integrating the original bell tower design into the fabric of the existing building. A great deal of time and energy went into designing and building the project from the casting of the bronze bells for the carillon to the old world craftsmanship that went into the carving of the limestone facing, obtained from the original quarry in Wisconsin. Congratulations to everyone involved.

The famous (infamous?) BTR Three Legged Pigs are once again ready to take on their downtown rivals in the annual lawn bowling league. Play was scheduled to start last night, but with all the rain we've been having, the first match was postponed until May 22. Stay tuned as we're hoping to post weekly updates (or at least periodic updates).

BTR designed Market Street station in Chanhassen, Minnesota, was just presented with a 2005 STARR award for Design and Aesthetics from the Minnesota Shopping Center Association.

Bentz/Thompson/Rietow is proud to announce the promotion of three highly valued staff architects to the level of Associate.  Congratulations Michael Segal, AIA; Jonathan Strand, AIA; and Sara Philips, AIA, as they join Randy Moe, AIA as associates in the firm.  A second congratulations goes out to Sara as one of the winners of "The Designing Tomorrow's Architect" Essay Competition.  She will attend and be acknowledged at the 2005 Internship Conference in San Antonio, TX.

Today's edition of the Minneapolis based daily business newspaper Finance and Commerce featured a story about the BTR designed bell tower being built at Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis. The article entitled, Steeplchase: Better late than never, talks about the process of adding the new 130 foot tall tower and 27 bell carillon  to the historic 1920's church building. According to the article, "The result is an addition that looks like its been part of the original building for decades."

Welcome back to Erin Russ! After being away at graduate school since 2001, on July 18, much to our delight, Erin came back to work at BTR. With MArch and a great portfolio from the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) in one hand and her famous dedication and determination in the other, Erin has already stepped up to shoulder more than her share. She's already back to serving as commissioner for non-varsity collegiate hockey again, and we're hoping she'll be ready for the BTR fantasy football league this fall. We're glad to have her back!

The July 28 edition of the Twin Cities business newspaper Finance and Commerce features a story about Twin Cities developer and past and present BTR client Tom Lohman, President of Pinehurst Properties, Inc., who is in the process of developing a new BTR designed upscale condominium project on 50th street in southwest Minneapolis. The new residential project will be only a few blocks from an earlier BTR designed Pinehurst Properties building at the corner of 50th and France in Minneapolis. (go to 50th and France building)

Congratulations go out to proud new parents Dillon and Erica Larsen on the birth of their adorable new son Elliot Dillon Larsen. At 7 pound 2 ounces and 21 inches tall, Elliot made his appearance in the wee hours of the morning on Monday June 13. Ever since the big day Dillon has been a little bleary eyed from lack of sleep, but he sure smiles a lot lately. CONGRATULATIONS DILLON AND ERICA!!!

The March 2005 issue of Architectural Lighting magazine features the  Bentz/Thompson/Rietow designed parking ramp renovation for Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Designed with the help of lighting designers Schuler and Shook, BTR designed the new facade for the existing ramp "...to use light in combination with building materials that would emphasize luminance and make the structure seem less bulky."

Another Bentz/Thompson/Rietow project makes the headlines in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper. In the January 28 edition of the Star Tribune, writer and architectural critic Linda Mack, when talking about the recently completed remodeling of the Minneapolis Community and Technical College parking ramp, said that "When Minneapolis architects Bentz/Thompson/Rietow remodeled the large ramp on Hennepin Avenue owned by the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, they added panache as well as parking." (read the article)

The Minnesota Concrete & Masonry Contractors Association recently selected the Bentz/Thompson/Rietow designed 701 East Lake Street Building in Wayzata, Minnesota to receive one of their 2004 Excellence in Masonry and Concrete Design Awards. The awards banquet and presentation will be held on February 28. Congratulations for a job well done to everyone involved with this project, especially the mason, the contractor, the owner and the developer. Great job everyone!

701 E. Lake Street Building, Wayzata, developed by JMW, LLC, owned by Beltz Enterprises, LLC and designed by Bentz/Thompson/Rietow, Inc. wins 2004 NAIOP Award of Excellence for Multi-Tenant Buildings Less than 50,000 SF. 

The awards were presented last night at the Minnesota Chapter of NAIOP at the Metropolitan Ballroom and Clubroom in Golden Valley.  20 judges from the construction, real estate, and banking industries chose the projects based on satisfaction of four criteria: Site improvements and design; architectural integrity, market feasibility; and overall impression. 

Paul Maenner is one of the developers (when he was with Pinehurst Properties) that hired Bentz/Thompson/Rietow to design the Pinehurst Building at 50th and France in Minneapolis  which also won an NAIOP award in 2002

This is the fourth NAIOP Award of Excellence received by Bentz/Thompson/Rietow, the other two being: Norwest Center in Rochester, MN in 1983; and Investors Savings Bank (now the Wayzata headquarters of TCF) on Lake Street in Wayzata in 1991.  This is the 58th design award/citation for Bentz/Thompson/Rietow since its inception in 1971.

This month, Bentz/Thompson/Rietow finalized 3 predesign studies for 3 Minnesota State College and University institutions. Metropolitan State University, in conjunction with  Minneapolis Community and Technical College, commissioned BTR to prepare the predesign for a new,  joint Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice Center to be located on the Century College Campus in Mahtomedi. Minneapolis Community and Technical College also commissioned BTR to prepare the predesign for relocating the Nursing/Science Program to newly acquired existing facilities across the street from the campus. Lastly, BTR prepared the predesign report for new Exercise Science and Fine Arts Classroom facilities for Normandale Community College, in Bloomington.

Thanks to Bentz/Thompson/Rietow Principal Ann Voda, for her faithful and diligent service as president of the Minneapolis Chapter of AIA Minnesota. Ann is the third BTR principal to hold that important AIA position and joins former office holders and BTR founding principals Fred Bentz and Bob Rietow, both of whom also went on to serve as president of AIA Minnesota. Congratulations for a job well done Ann!

It may seem a bit premature to be thinking about lawn bowling, but the sign up sheets are out for the 2005 summer season. Come summer, the Three Legged Pigs will once again be ready with unbridled enthusiasm coupled with moments of inspired play, ready to do battle with the best rival teams in downtown Minneapolis. Watch this page for further updates as warmer weather starts getting closer!