Phillips Family Foundation Office

Transforming/greening a stately abandoned library
In 1904, John Sargent Pillsbury, former governor, well-known philanthropist and art collector, gifted to the community of Northeast Minneapolis a beautiful library. It served the neighborhood for 63 years, until the neighborhood’s economic decline forced the library to close in 1967. Ownership changed hands a few times through the 1980s, it remained vacant until the Phillips Family Foundation decided to restore the building to its original splendor as its offices.

The Phillips not only wanted the building restored, they also wanted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification on a fast-track schedule of only 4 months. Ryan worked closely with the City of Minneapolis and its Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) to obtain the necessary approvals as quickly as possible. The team anticipates silver level LEED certification.