MREJ 2026 Awards
Friday, May 8th, 2026
The Minnesota RE Journal hosted its annual Real Estate Awards, showcasing the top achievements and developments in the state of the past year.
Congratulations to all of the finalists in this year’s Real Estate Awards. The winners were announced on May 7. Learn more this year’s finalists and see all of the winners at the Minnesota RE Journal event website, linked here.
Here is some information on some of the select nominees:
Abdo
Abdo Solutions, a leading full-service accounting and advisory firm based in Minnesota, had outgrown its space and was looking to create a destination workplace to motivate employees to come back to the office. Following a programming and fit planning process and exploration of real estate options, the firm decided to remain at their existing location and expand in place. The new office space is a functional, aesthetically pleasing, and inspiring workspace that aligns with Abdo’s refreshed brand, vision, and values. It consolidates the firm onto a single floor, creating a cohesive and flexible environment that supports multiple work styles.
Bethesda StoneRidge
Bethesda Stoneridge is a senior living facility in Willmar, Minnesota providing 118 independent living residences designed with comfort, convenience and community in mind. The four-story building features a variety of room layouts, formal and casual dining options, fitness room, club lounge with deck and outdoor spaces that open up to the street and the community. The facility’s contemporary design stands out in the growing, diverse city and serves as a new amenity and pillar for the community.
Hunt Electric Headquarters
Hunt Electric, a rapidly growing national electrical design, build, and maintenance firm, transformed the Eagan Innovation Center, a former office/warehouse/assembly facility, into a dynamic headquarters purpose-built for Hunt’s culture and expanding operations. Working in close collaboration with company leadership, the design team translated core brand values into built form, delivering a workplace that balances collaborative workspaces, advanced training facilities, and hospitality-driven amenities. Thoughtful, inventive planning unlocks the building’s full potential, creating a scalable headquarters that is as future-ready as the organization it serves while honoring the embodied value of an existing structure and extending its life for decades to come.
Lakefield Apartments
Lakefield Apartments is a seven-story, 110-unit affordable housing development located in Minneapolis’ Lyn-Lake neighborhood, designed to deliver high-quality, family-oriented housing in a dense urban corridor. The project includes a significant number of three- and four-bedroom units—an uncommon feature in new construction—along with supportive housing units and community-focused amenities that promote long-term stability and connection. Lakefield Apartments stands out by directly addressing a critical and often overlooked gap in urban housing: large, affordable units for families.
PAR Systems at Seven Lakes
PAR Systems is a global leader in engineered automation solutions, designing and building custom manufacturing systems for the world’s most complex and mission-critical industries. Based in Shoreview, the new 140,000 SF headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility was designed adjacent to the company’s existing facilities, giving them space to expand capabilities, and room to boost capacity by 40%. The facility is designed with many features to support the unique requirements of PAR Systems’ processes, from collaborative office space to cutting edge cleanroom and laboratories, designed to meet the evolving needs of their aerospace, nuclear and medical device clients.
Saint Therese of Corcoran
Saint Therese has provided quality care for seniors for over 50 years, and Saint Therese of Corcoran is the first phase of what will become the City of Corcoran’s new town center and downtown district. This new community offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care in a walkable, intergenerational setting. The campus includes ample features to welcome visitors and engage residents, including the spacious lobby with the Rose Café, a wellness center with a saltwater pool, therapy and fitness studios, a lively theatre with a golf simulator, an intimate chapel with customized stained-glass, numerous dining experiences, and the outdoor amphitheater.
Summit Orthopedics Plymouth Bass Lake Clinic & Plymouth ASC
Summit Orthopedics’ Plymouth Bass Lake Clinic and Ambulatory Surgery Center is a 78,000 SF medical hub delivering comprehensive orthopedic care in one location. Developed as the first phase of The Boulevard redevelopment, the facility integrates clinic, surgery, imaging, physical therapy, and urgent care services. Designed with a patient-first approach, the building emphasizes accessibility, convenience, and comfort while supporting complex clinical operations. The project establishes a new healthcare destination in the northwest metro, revitalizing a former corporate campus and positioning Summit Orthopedics for continued growth.
Trillium Woods Phase 2 Expansion
Trillium Woods is a retirement community located in Plymouth, owned and operated by LCS. It is the only Life Plan community in the area. Offering its residents an active lifestyle in a casual, upscale environment, Trillium Woods hosts a variety of personalized experiences. To provide more living options and amenities, and fulfill waiting lists and demand, a 4-story expansion was added with 3 levels of Independent Living over Memory Care and Assisted Living on the main floor and underground parking below. The project also converted a planned future restaurant space into a new pizza bistro dining venue.
Vista Prairie at Eagle Pointe
Vista Prairie at Eagle Pointe is a new 134-unit senior community in the rural area of St. Francis, Minnesota. The campus fills a critical gap for the local market by offering housing and services from independent living, assisted living, memory care and care suites, to allow local residents to age in place as their needs evolve. Eagle Pointe is a beautiful new senior community in an underserved market, and it was completed despite many regulatory, staffing, construction market and financing challenges.
Wadaag Commons
Wadaag Commons is a 39-unit affordable housing community in Minneapolis designed to support multi-generational families through thoughtful, culturally responsive design. Developed as the final phase of the Seward Commons redevelopment, the project combines affordability, sustainability, and community engagement. The building offers one- to four-bedroom units, shared amenities, and outdoor spaces that promote connection and well-being. Extensive collaboration with stakeholders and future residents shaped the program, resulting in a housing model that prioritizes dignity, flexibility, and long-term livability while revitalizing a constrained urban site.