The Musicant Group - Marketing Brochure 2016

The Musicant Group | www.musicantgroup.com | 612-‐670-‐6717 | [email protected]

The Musicant Group: Who We Are The Musicant Group is an interdisciplinary placemaking and public space management firm that creates places where people want to be. We partner with community and commercial clients to create from scratch or transform existing under utilized public and common area spaces into active places that people seek-‐out and use every day. What We Believe We believe that people want to be in places that are active, beautiful, and convenient – places where you can live, work, shop, eat, and play. More than just a “one-‐stop shop”, places where people want to be foster real connections between people and space. We create places where people want to be. We believe that places where people want to be create an enormous amount of value: increasing surrounding property values, boosting revenue of nearby enterprises, and building strong communities. These places can be as small as a street corner or as big as a neighborhood or city. Where We Work The Musicant Group works with a wide array of clients including commercial property owners, neighborhoods, real estate developers, commercial districts, houses of worship, non-‐profit organizations, and government agencies. Our clients and partners include:

• Base Management (Marquette Plaza) • CBRE Global Investor’s Group (333 S. 7th Street) • City of Robbinsdale • City of Columbia Heights • City of St. Louis Park • The Cornerstone Group • Hennepin County • Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District • Platinum Properties Group (Vadnais Square shopping center) • Ryan Companies (Capella Tower) • University of Minnesota Foundation (McNamara Alumni Center) • Westminster Presbyterian Church (Piazza on the Mall)

Our Approach: Treating Space as a Holistic System We take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to developing places where people want to be. Through extensive user engagement we determine what experiences users want to have in a place. From there, we create and seamlessly integrate the most appropriate system to fit your needs and budget through the combination of design, events/activities, and management.

Capella Tower Common Area

Marquette Plaza, Minneapolis


Case Study Client: Ryan Companies and ASB Capital Location: Capella Tower, 225 S. 6th Street Date: November 2014 -‐ current Bringing Activity and Productivity to the Class A Interior Common Area The Musicant Group was retained by building ownership, via the property manager Ryan Companies, to program and manage the common area of the 1.5M sf Capella Tower (recently awarded “Building of the Year”, 1M SF+ division by BOMA International). Our charge was to ensure that the spaces were bustling destinations for work, collaboration, and professional development, with the energy of a co-‐working space, but the professionalism and polish of a Class A office. Leveraging the $7M common area renovation, The Musicant Group has created daily experiences that build relationships between colleagues and tenants. These relationships are forming lasting bonds to benefit each party: increasing employee morale, tenant satisfaction, and tenant retention and recruitment. These outcomes have been delivered through:

• Daily onsite management of common area via creation of a full-‐time Community Manager position

• Creation and execution of a new internal communications system • Production of weekly and one-‐time events such as: art making, live

concerts, meditation classes, volunteer drives, a building-‐wide CSA, and our flagship weekly farmers market

• Sourcing new physical improvements and amenities • Collaboration with tenant organizations on achieving HR goals

Tenant Testimonials

• “I love this space down here. You can tell that the redesign really focuses on the user experience (many electric outlets, comfortable spaces and pillows). I like all of the events that occur down here -‐ even if I’m not attending I like knowing that they are occurring. I love the Farmers Market that is here.”

• “Thank you for providing this space! It’s so nice-‐ I had my parents here to visit me today so I brought them here.”

• “I want to work in this building!” • “I work in the IDS tower and this space is amazing and uplifting… the lighting, fireplace, the games…

better than where I work.”

Results: Increased Sense of Community and Productivity Feedback from tenants who have participated in our weekly events include:

• 77% of attendees felt the events made them better at their jobs

• 95% of attendees want the programs repeated • The building’s common area and its programming has

been featured in the Star Tribune, MSP Business Journal, Fox9 News, WCCO News, and Finance and Commerce


Case Study Client: CBRE Global Investor Group Location: 333 S. 7th Street Office Building Date: Summers of 2014-‐2015 From Attractive to Valuable Activating a decorative plaza and creating value for building ownership and tenants The Problem 333 S. 7th Street had an attractive ½ block lawn in front of their Class A office building. It was used as a pathway, a place to smoke, and very occasionally for large building and tenant events. It looked good, but was not producing much value for the building or its users. As the leasing agent and manager of the building, CBRE retained The Musicant Group to launch “The Turf Club” – an activation strategy for their onsite green space, with the goal of increasing tenants’ attachment to the building by creating outdoor amenities and experiences that differentiated them from peer buildings. The Approach Engagement and Research We initiated a comprehensive engagement process that included interviews with tenant representatives, building engineers, and electronic surveys. The surveys generated ideas, but also created buy-‐in and awareness about the initiative itself. Rollout and Marketing We combined the feedback we received with our in-‐house expertise to acquire necessary furniture and physical features. By pairing the launch of the physical amenities with a multi-‐channel promotional campaign we were able to raise awareness, usage, and address hurdles from day one.


Results The Turf Club has been a resounding success. The lawn is filled with people throughout the day: having meetings, grabbing lunch, taking a break, or discussing business over a game of bag toss, bocce, or ladder golf. A survey of tenants conducted in 2015 following the second year of the Turf Club found that the initaitive: Tenant Satisfaction

• 94% reported being a more satisfied tenant • 78% report an increase their sense of community and connection within their organization and the

building as a whole Talent Recruitment, Retention, and Development within Tenant Organizations

• 48% reported being more interested in coming into the office (0% less so) • 37% reported being more likely to stay at their current company, all things being equal (0% less so)

Tenant Testimonials “It is AWESOME! Can't think of a better way to make the day more enjoyable. Thank you!” “I think this is a great idea! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take advantage of this amenity yet. Every day when I walk by in the skyway, I am envious of the people I see sitting below in the chairs.” “Just the fact that it is available for use by our tenants and adds unique value to officing in this building.” “Although I wasn't able to directly participate very much I LOVED seeing activity out there. Brightened my day.” "The Turf Club is a great example of what amazing things happen by embracing a space and making it attractive to a varied group of people." "I can't specifically say what I've enjoyed most, but I think as a whole our building looks and feels so much more hip and cool, and adding the outdoor activities and seating totally highlights the awesome green space that we have and sets our building apart from all the others!" "The lawn became an active part of the building (and even my office), rather than an unused area that people were almost afraid to walk on. A lot more vitality to the building!" Awards 333 S. 7th Street and the Turf Club were recently named “Best Large Open Space” in 2014 by the Downtown Improvement District with CBRE and The Musicant Group as recipients.


Case Study Client: 1221 Nicollet Mall Office Building and Westminster Presbyterian Church Location: 1221 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis MN Date: April 2013 – December 2015 Creating a place where people want to be Creating value out of a long dormant office plaza The Problem The Musicant Group was retained by a partnership between the owners of the 1221 Nicollet Mall office building and the neighboring Westminster Presbyterian Church to:

• Transform a long dormant, concrete plaza that was in disrepair into real asset for tenants and the public

• Experiment with design and programmatic options to inform the future redevelopment of the site

The Approach The Musicant Group implemented their cutting edge placemaking approach over the course of eight months that included:

• Early stakeholder outreach and small on-‐site design and program experiments • Large capital investments and design decisions based on early data collection and the best in

placemaking theory • Programming and events layered on top of physical improvements accompanied by a robust

marketing campaign

The Results Before After


The Data Usage Prior to our involvement, the plaza was virtually unused – it was not a place where people wanted to be. Starting with our first improvements and programming in June of 2013, we steadily built up a foundation of use. Meaning that the space generated regular use independent of any one event or feature. Office tenants could be seen eating lunch on a weekday afternoon, with young professionals playing bocce ball and ping-‐pong in the evening with families and convention/hotel visitors enjoying the space on nights and weekends.

The usage counts represent discrete moments in time and thus are stock counts.

Tenant Responses In November and December of 2013 The Musicant Group collected survey data from the tenants of our two clients regarding the Piazza on the Mall, with a response rate of 15%, we found:

Tenant Testimonials

“It created a stronger sense of community.” “I loved people watching, having actual tables to eat my lunch at instead of trying to use my lap, enjoying

the summer sunshine, reading books I got from the little library (and brought some of my old ones in to put in there!)”

“The (addition of the) Piazza made it feel alive instead of an impersonal, falling apart concrete pad with defunct fountains.”

Awards

• Named one of the six Great Places of 2013 in the Twin Cities by the Sensible Land Use Coalition • The first space to receive three Greening awards in a single year (2014) as given by the Minneapolis

Downtown Improvement District

0%#10%#20%#30%#40%#50%#60%#70%#80%#

Increased#interac6ons# No#change# Decreased#interac6on#

Did$the$addi)on$of$the$Piazza$increase,$decrease$or$have$no$impact$on$the$number$of$planned$and$

unplanned$interac)ons$between$your$colleagues.$

0%#10%#20%#30%#40%#50%#60%#70%#

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No#change# Decrease#sense#of#community#

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Case Study Client: Marquette Plaza Office Tower and Base Management Location: Cancer Survivor’s Park, 200 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN Date: Summer 2012 Creating Value from Underutilized Space Increasing Satisfaction and Building Community Among Tenants Problem Base Management was the owner and manager of the well maintained and beautiful Cancer Survivor’s Park as part of the 500,000 sf Class A Marquette Plaza office tower, but they were not getting much value out of it. The space was relatively costly to maintain, with little direct returns. The Musicant Group was retained to:

• Leverage the underutilized asset of Cancer Survivor’s Park to create value for Marquette Plaza

Approach We took an iterative approach, that involved asking the tenants what experiences, amenities and activities they wanted to have in the plaza. From there we:

• Created activities for people to do • Launched a multi-‐channel marketing campaign to publicize the effort • Created weekly programming to draw people to the space

Results • 64% of survey participants report being more satisfied tenants of Marquette Plaza • Usage increased by 300% on typical days

Yoga class by Gorilla Yogis Office workers enjoying lunch Outdoor ping-‐pong table Bocce ball on the lawn

Quotes from Tenants “It was wonderful to have activity and people around the area.” “Although I was only able to participate a small amount (sic), all of the activities generated a great vibe for the Plaza. I actually believe it made the tenants feel more connected and part of a community. Please repeat this next summer.”

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%

More satisfied About the same

Less satisfied

Survey taken between September 12-‐24, 2012Activities and amenities introduced June 1, 2012150 respondents, representing 12% of building tenants

As a tenant of Marquette Plaza, have the new activities and amenities on the lawn made you:

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Love it -‐ give me more!

Liked it -‐ keep it up

No real preference

Did not really like it

How do you feel about the new amenities and programs on the lawn this Summer?


Case Study Client: Platinum Properties Location: Vadnais Square Shopping Center Date: 2014 Creating Value by Transforming Retail Common Area into Community Hub The Problem Vadnais Square is a well designed and maintained Target and grocery anchored shopping center, but the common areas left much to be desired and were a potential roadblock to Platinum Properties’ efforts to reposition Vadnais Square up-‐market. Our Solutions

• Create safer and more interesting pedestrian pathways • Re-‐launch and expand the Vadnais Square brand • Transform the “no man’s land” common areas into inviting places where people want to be

Before After

Results “The seating is fantastic; Vandais Square is a hub of activity. Customers are eating outside in the revamped patio and then hanging out for hours. Vadnais Square is slowly but surely becoming a gathering place for the community. The only complaint from tenants is that they want more of what we’ve done.” -‐ Jeff Hagan, President/CEO of Platinum Properties

• 50%+ of Jersey Mikes’ customers who order food at the counter use remodeled common area • 90% of Cherry Berry customers use remodeled common area • “We have customers that use the new seating area while they wait for a bike, with quite a few then

going on to get Cherry Berry as well. It’s great to see the upgrades to the center.” Manager, Erik’s Bike Shop


Case Study Client: Wabasha Partners and Smart Trips St. Paul Location: Wabasha Street, Downtown St. Paul Date: Summer of 2014 Transforming the Urban Experience Creating street vitality and building support for long-‐term improvements The Problem Wabasha Street, the historic retail center of Downtown St. Paul, had seen better days. Persistent vacancies, the recent closing of Macy’s, the effect of skyways, and poor management and programing had left the street with only a handful of street level businesses and little positive pedestrian activity. Event Goals: Wander Wabasha Block Party In an effort to reverse the trajectory of the street, the Wabasha Partners coalition was formed and then partnered with Smart Trips St. Paul to retain The Musicant Group to produce an event that:

• Demonstrated that a revitalized Wabasha Street was possible • Built support for the Downtown St. Paul Bike plan and the need protected bike lanes • Attracted customers to Wabasha Street businesses

The Results

• 5,000 estimated attendance

• 40+ community partners • 89% of participants met

or exceeded their goals • 300+ surveys filled out • Downtown St. Paul Bike

Plan adopted “It was an exciting afternoon and I have never seen so much life on Wabasha!” Dave Thune, St. Paul City Councilman “People were happy and people wanted this feeling to be what happens all the time.” Tony Bol, Wabasha Partners Chair, Director of Fitzgerald Theater – Minnesota Public Radio


Case Study Client: The Cornerstone Group Location: Site of the former Lyndale Gardens Center, 6400 Lyndale Avenue, Richfield MN Date: December 1, 2012 Creating Magic in the City Transforming a Vacant Parking Lot into an Outdoor European Night Market The Musicant Group was retained by real estate development firm, The Cornerstone Group, to transform their vacant two-‐block development site into a European-‐style winter market and signature community event. What is normally a barren sea of pavement became a lively, highly unique and engaging experience for those of all ages. Children, families, young professionals, and seniors alike delighted in:

• 20 local vendors creating a “market street” • Innovative use of urban campfires and “make your own s’more” station • Interactive performances by local musicians, fire artists, and Mr. and Ms. Claus

Results

• Over 800 attendees, a 250% increase from previous market event at site • Generation of positive press for the client and their future development

“I could not have been happier with the turn out or the level of enjoyment everyone seemed to be having. Lots of people-‐old, young and in between. All having a great time. It is exactly what I had hoped for.” -‐ Colleen Carey, President, The Cornerstone Group


Our Team Max Musicant Principal: Placemaker [email protected] c: 612-‐670-‐6717 Max Musicant is the Founder and Principal of The Musicant Group – an award winning placemaking firm dedicated to assisting property owners, developers, businesses, communities and governments transform underutilized spaces into great places where people want to be. Prior to founding The Musicant Group, he worked at the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) in New York City, where he developed placemaking and activation programs in collaboration with an early leader of the Bryant Park Corporation.

Since founding The Musicant Group he has worked with a wide array of clients to create destination places – ranging from three public spaces along Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis to traditional main streets and suburban retail centers. The Musicant Group’s flagship project, Piazza on the Mall, was named one of the six Great Places of 2013 by the Sensible Land Use Coalition and was the first space to receive three Greening Awards in a single year by the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District. He currently sits on the boards of the Minneapolis St. Paul Film Society, MinnPost, the Urban Land Institute of MN’s Young Leaders Group and the Minneapolis Idea eXchange. He received an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Katherine O’Neil Operations and Project Manager [email protected] Katherine O’Neil excels at supporting community initiatives and the real estate industry through the production and management of over 100 events, sites, meetings, and workshops to date. As Project Manager at The Musicant Group, she has produced such projects as the Wabasha Street Block Party an Open Street event in the heart of Downtown St. Paul that had over 5,000 attendees to promote a more walkable friendly street, downtown

protected bike lanes, and to increase economic development in the area; PARK(ing) Day 2014 a community event at nine locations in Southwest Minneapolis where parking spots were converted into public spaces as part of the annual worldwide PARK(ing) Day event; Piazza on the Mall an urban public plaza that has been awarded one of the “most active public space in Downtown Minneapolis” with community engagement initiatives, programs, entertainment and more; The School Yard: Outside McNamara Alumni Center a public plaza at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with events, installations and activities. Prior to joining The Musicant Group, O’Neil served as an Associate for Urban Land Institute Minnesota (ULI MN) and Eberhardt Advisory, LLC and served as an Event and Volunteer Coordinator for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. O’Neil currently serves on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Design Student and Alumni Board. O’Neil has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Housing Studies with a Concentration in Community Development and Policy and a Minor in Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota -‐ Twin Cities.


Melanie McNiff Capella Tower Community Manager [email protected] Melanie has been with The Musicant Group since February of 2015. She is the full-‐time Community Manager at Capella Tower in Downtown Minneapolis. As the "mayor" of the space, she is the keeper of its culture, ensuring the space is the most vibrant, active (and valued!) common area of any Minnesota office building. She is in charge of building programming and arranges ongoing and one-‐time events such as the Capella Tower Farmer’s Market, live musical performances, volunteer events, art classes, and happy hours. She continually works to ensure that the programming and amenities offered at Capella Tower match the building tenant’s wants and needs.

Melanie has a Human Resource Development B.S. and a Leadership Minor from the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining The Musicant Group, Melanie served as an HR Consultant at Allianz Life Insurance. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, acting as captain of her soccer team, volunteering with Cooking Matters Minnesota, and exploring all of the activities, restaurants and breweries that the Twin Cities has to offer.

Kathy DeKrey Project Manager [email protected] Kathy has been with The Musicant Group since May of 2015. As a full-‐time Project Manager, she brings a unique skill set of holistic research, writing, and reporting, inclusive community engagement, and creative event planning. During her time with The Musicant Group she has produced the Youth Coordinating Board’s youth event series, drafted plans for the Plaza outside the future Lake and Hiawatha Hennepin County service hub, and helped to design, build, and program the

“Living Room Station” in downtown Minneapolis. Additionally, Kathy conducts ongoing research for The Musicant Group when she is not scheming placemaking projects. Kathy has B.A. degrees in Urban Studies, Environmental Studies, and Political Science (pre-‐law), from Augsburg College. Prior to joining The Musicant Group, Kathy worked in various roles as a Creative Community Organizer over the past decade from Northern Minnesota to North Minneapolis. Her career has spanned from building a free, community Skate and Bike Plaza in her hometown of Bemidji to working on projects such as Penn Avenue Community Works and the Bottineau Light Rail. In her free time she reads, sometimes finds herself being goofy with her cat, Steven, attends galleries and performances, does many outdoor activities, and creates multimedia art. Additionally, Kathy volunteers with the Buck Hill Ski Patrol as a Snowboarding Outdoor Emergency Care Technician, with various efforts with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, with One Yoga, and with the Whittier Alliances Livable Streets Taskforce.

The Musicant Group - Marketing Brochure 2016

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