Minneapolis Public Schools was facing inefficiencies with staff located in four separate buildings and rising costs due to deferred maintenance at each location. To better meet the future needs of families, community members and the school district together, the new Davis Center was created to bring 570 staff members together into one central location.  

The campus features a public plaza, a semi-public courtyard with permeable pavers and 4-story and 5-story buildings connected by a link for continuous flow. All community-oriented spaces are located on the first floor including conference rooms, boardroom, service center and welcome center. It will house Adult Basic Education classes, a welcome center for families enrolling their children, and testing facilities for kindergarten and English Language Learner students. 

The project was completed two months early and achieved unprecedented workforce and MWBE participation goals. Workforce goals of 30% minority and women inclusion were surpassed, achieving 37%. 

The new campus serves 1,000 students, staff, families and community members on a daily basis and contributes to the growth and vitality of the community along West Broadway in North Minneapolis. The Mortenson team assisted the district in analyzing and reducing administrative space by two-thirds and saving nearly $2 million a year in energy costs, repairs and maintenance. The building is a positive investment for Minneapolis Public Schools and Minneapolis taxpayers, as it makes school operations more efficient and cost-effective.