On May 5, 2016 after almost two years and countless community engagement meetings with the many stakeholders interested in the East side of Downtown Minneapolis, the East Downtown Council Board of Directors officially adopted “East Town” as the new name for our business district. East Townhas the new Commons Park as its heart, along with the Wells Fargo mixed use development, US Bank Stadium, the refreshed Armory and several new and revitalized businesses, amenities and public assets.
In the past, depending upon who you talk to, the area has been called East Downtown, Downtown East, Mill District, Elliot Park and the Metrodome area. The district branding effort, led by the business community with guidance and input from the neighborhood organizations, seeks to bring the area together much as a South Minneapolis business community did in the 1930’s when “Uptown” united several neighborhoods together around the newly built Uptown Theater.
The graphic presentation developed by PadillaCRT, mostly through pro bono efforts, provides a significant preliminary visual brand statement. The main brand image and accompanying graphic represents the convergence of multiple East Town public amenities including the green presence of the park, the coming together of the Blue and Green LRT lines, and the letter “E” in thin script with a line that winds around in a circular motion connecting the many streetscapes and iconic features of East Town together.
PadillaCRT’s accompanying renderings offer some preliminary representations of key features found in East Town including the Stadium, the Armory, and the Commons Park. These visualizations and potential installations are very preliminary with the goal of working with community partners in the coming months to design an array of creative expressions that continue to help everyone feel more connected and part of an emerging and shared vision.
The brand vision driving the visual identity paints a compelling vision of where we are going with our new name:
East Town
A Vibrant, Multifaceted and Connected Community
Whatever your lifestyle or interest, East Town is the place to connect. The community is a regional focal point that offers a diverse range of activities near the center of Downtown. You’ll walk streets that are rippling with life and too many activities to choose from, all surrounding a new metropolitan park, where you can rest, play or catch a performance and a stadium where you can watch the big game.
Link to Star Tribune coverage dated 5/4/2016
