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Re-Lighting the Hollywood

Featured Blogs

Oct 6, 2017 PVN Design Framework PVN Staff

PVN's New Trademark

Oct 6, 2017 PVN Design Framework PVN Staff

PVN was recently granted a trademark through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the proprietary building report produced by our office, the PVN Design Framework™.

Oct 6, 2017 PVN Design Framework PVN Staff

May 3, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Part 5: Building in the Saint Paul Context

May 3, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

The final post in the Minnesota Mutual blog series sets 345 Cedar Street in the larger Saint Paul context and discusses the proliferation of the International Style downtown.

May 3, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

May 1, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Part 4: More Than Just a Building

May 1, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

The 4th post in the series discusses Minnesota Mutual’s choice to build a thoroughly modern, International Style office building out of regional materials as a specific marketing decision.

May 1, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Apr 25, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Part 3: Building A Home in Saint Paul

Apr 25, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

The third post in the Minnesota Mutual series dives into the plans for the first built home of the life insurance company at 345 Cedar Street, also known as Victory Square.

Apr 25, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Apr 17, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Part 2: The Growth of the Company: 1880-1950

Apr 17, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

This month, PVN is featuring a series of blog posts discussing the history and future of the Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Building in downtown Saint Paul.

Apr 17, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Minnesota Mutual, Midcentury Modern PVN Staff

Apr 11, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Midcentury Modern, Minnesota Mutual, Laurel Fritz PVN Staff

Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Part 1: Significant Midcentury Design

Apr 11, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Midcentury Modern, Minnesota Mutual, Laurel Fritz PVN Staff

PVN’s research team argued that the Ellerbee-designed flagship office building was individually eligible for the NRHP and significant for its association with the local Minnesota Mutual Insurance Life Company and for its representation of midcentury office building design.

Apr 11, 2017 Minnesota Mutual Midcentury Modern, Minnesota Mutual, Laurel Fritz PVN Staff

Mar 28, 2017 Marathon Shoe Company, Tamara Ludt PVN Staff

Marathon Shoe Company Part 2: The Shoe Industry in Wausau, Wisconsin

Mar 28, 2017 Marathon Shoe Company, Tamara Ludt PVN Staff

The Marathon Shoe story continues with the second of a two post series about the history of the Marathon Shoe Company and its “East Side Plant.”

Mar 28, 2017 Marathon Shoe Company, Tamara Ludt PVN Staff

Mar 7, 2017 Marathon Shoe Company, National Register of Historic Places PVN Staff

Marathon Shoe Company Part 1: History of the Shoe Industry in the United States

Mar 7, 2017 Marathon Shoe Company, National Register of Historic Places PVN Staff

The Marathon Shoe Company East Side Plant, located at 1418 1st Street in Wausau, Wisconsin, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in January of 2017. This is the first of a two post series about the history of the Marathon Shoe Company and its “East Side Plant.”

Mar 7, 2017 Marathon Shoe Company, National Register of Historic Places PVN Staff

Feb 21, 2017 Garfield Substation PVN Staff

Garfield Substation Part 3: Design and Use

Feb 21, 2017 Garfield Substation PVN Staff

The Garfield Substation was designed in the Renaissance Revival style – a purposeful design decision intended to garner neighborhood support for the substation and to communicate Minneapolis General Electric Company’s goal of electrifying the entire city.

Feb 21, 2017 Garfield Substation PVN Staff

Feb 13, 2017 Garfield Substation PVN Staff

Garfield Substation Part 2: The Minneapolis General Electric Company

Feb 13, 2017 Garfield Substation PVN Staff

This post—which is the second of a three-part blog series on the history of the Garfield Substation—focuses on the Minneapolis General Electric Company.

Feb 13, 2017 Garfield Substation PVN Staff

Featured News

Aug 31, 2017 Tamara Ludt, Michael Bjornberg PVN Staff

It's Back to School: Check Out Courses Being Taught by PVN Staff

Aug 31, 2017 Tamara Ludt, Michael Bjornberg PVN Staff

PVN's Michael Bjornberg and Tamara Ludt will be headed back to school this fall, teaching courses at the University of Minnesota College of Design. Find out what classes they will be teaching.

Aug 31, 2017 Tamara Ludt, Michael Bjornberg PVN Staff

Aug 24, 2017 Laurel Fritz, City of Rochester PVN Staff

Laurel Fritz featured in Rochester Post-Bulletin

Aug 24, 2017 Laurel Fritz, City of Rochester PVN Staff

PVN's Laurel Fritz presented a proposal for a local historic district to the City of Rochester Heritage Preservation Commission on Tuesday, and the Post-Bulletin summarized the discussion in a news article today.

Aug 24, 2017 Laurel Fritz, City of Rochester PVN Staff

Aug 10, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Fort Snelling Revitalization Update: July

Aug 10, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

In July, PVN continued developing Historic Structure Reports for Buildings 17, 18, and 22 of the Upper Post.

Aug 10, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Aug 7, 2017 City of Rochester PVN Staff

Preserving Heritage in Rochester

Aug 7, 2017 City of Rochester PVN Staff

Residents of Rochester were recently highlighted in a Star Tribune article for their preservation efforts in light of Mayo Clinic's expansion plans downtown. PVN is currently providing the Rochester HPC ongoing preservation services.

Aug 7, 2017 City of Rochester PVN Staff

Jul 10, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Fort Snelling Revitalization Status Update: June

Jul 10, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Of note last month for the Preservation Review Team: "Progress is continuing in the federally required historic preservation review process."

Jul 10, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Jun 13, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Fort Snelling Revitalization Status Update: May

Jun 13, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

PVN's Laurel Fritz recently visited Fort Snelling to attend the "Bdote Field Trip: Dakota in the Twin Cities," a program offered through the Minnesota Humanities Center. The latest Status Report on the Fort Snelling Revitalization is copied here.

Jun 13, 2017 Fort Snelling Fort Snelling PVN Staff

Jun 9, 2017 Hollywood Theater Hollywood Theater PVN Staff

Hollywood Theater Subject of Minneapolis HPC Photo Contest

Jun 9, 2017 Hollywood Theater Hollywood Theater PVN Staff

We are delighted to see the Hollywood Theater is the subject of the City of Minneapolis Government Heritage Preservation Commission's winning photo for the 2017 #MPLSpreservation contest.

Jun 9, 2017 Hollywood Theater Hollywood Theater PVN Staff

May 4, 2017 Meghan Elliott, Michael Bjornberg PVN Staff

What You Don't Know About Preserving Modern Architecture

May 4, 2017 Meghan Elliott, Michael Bjornberg PVN Staff

PVN's Meghan Elliott and Michael Bjornberg will be speaking at the May 16th "Urban Currents" lecture series, sponsored by Cuningham Group. A tour of the A-Mill Lofts will be included.

May 4, 2017 Meghan Elliott, Michael Bjornberg PVN Staff

Mar 29, 2017 Historic Structures Report PVN Staff

James J. Hill Center Selects PVN for Historic Structures Report

Mar 29, 2017 Historic Structures Report PVN Staff

The James J. Hill Center recently selected PVN to develop an Historic Structures Report (HSR) for the James J. Hill Reference Library in downtown Saint Paul.

Mar 29, 2017 Historic Structures Report PVN Staff

Mar 18, 2017 City of Rochester PVN Staff

City of Rochester Nominates PVN for Preservation Planning

Mar 18, 2017 City of Rochester PVN Staff

The City of Rochester Heritage Preservation Commission voted unanimously to select PVN as their consultant for ongoing historic preservation planning after an interview Friday.

Mar 18, 2017 City of Rochester PVN Staff

Featured Accolades

Jul 19, 2017 Security Building Casie Radford PVN Staff

Security Building wins Saint Paul HPC Award

Jul 19, 2017 Security Building Casie Radford PVN Staff

On July 18, 2017, the historic Upham Building, presently known as the Security Building, was the recipient of a Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Commission Award in Rehabilitation for a successful preservation maintenance project.

Jul 19, 2017 Security Building Casie Radford PVN Staff

Jul 13, 2017 Awards PVN Staff

The Cambric wins Finance & Commerce 2016 Top Project

Jul 13, 2017 Awards PVN Staff

We are proud to announce that The Cambric was selected as one of Finance & Commerce's 2016 Top Projects.

Jul 13, 2017 Awards PVN Staff

Sep 18, 2015 Laurel Fritz, Awards PVN Staff

Laurel Fritz wins AASLH Leadership in History Award

Sep 18, 2015 Laurel Fritz, Awards PVN Staff

PVN's Laurel Fritz and University of Minnesota Professor Greg Donofrio were recently awarded the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) Leadership in History Award for the Arthur and Edith Lee House Project.

Sep 18, 2015 Laurel Fritz, Awards PVN Staff