minnesota military family tribute

 MINNESOTA MILITARY FAMILY TRIBUTE
MINNESOTA STATE CAPITAL MALL
Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Fact Sheet
In November 2004, Bill Popp established the Minnesota Military Family Foundation to assist military families.
In June 2009, the idea came about to construct a tribute that thanks and honors military families. To make this
dream become reality, Bill created The Minnesota Military Family Tribute (MFT) 501(c)3 organization with a
mission to build a tribute that would forever stand as a thank you to every military and veteran family member—
past, present and future.
Working with the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board, a competition to design the tribute on the State
Capital Mall in front of the Veterans Services Building was then established. In November 2010, a jury of
veterans and designers unanimously selected HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA) to create the Minnesota
Military Family Tribute, the first such tribute in the United States. The dedication of the tribute takes place
Saturday, June 13, 2015.
The tribute recognizes the tremendous sacrifices made by and continual support of family members to military
personnel through three major elements:
1. Thank You Military and Veteran Family Walkway
• A curving promenade lined with maple trees changes with the seasons in a sweeping gesture of ongoing
gratitude to all of Minnesota’s military families:
− Spring: Red Gardens of red flowering shrub roses, daylilies and poppies anchor each end of the Walkway
to remind us to Remember Everyone Deployed (R.E.D.).
− Summer: Trees shade the pathway and the benches provide places for rest and contemplation.
− Autumn: Tree leaves turn from green to dramatic shades of red, further reminding us to Remember
Everyone Deployed (R.E.D.).
− Winter: Tree silhouettes and their ash-grey bark provide beautiful contrast with the snow.
• The Walkway connects with the Tribute’s two other primary elements: the Story Stones to the east and the
Gold Star Table to the west.
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HGA Architects and Engineers
Page Two
2. Story Stones
• 87 large stones represent each of Minnesota’s 87 counties.
• Every stone is engraved with correspondence sent or received by a service member from that county during
their time of service. These stories provide a window into the lives and sacrifices of our military and veteran
families.
• Stories and messages engraved on the stones range from the 1862 to 2014.
• The stones are placed in a field of compacted crushed stone on the east side of the Thank You Military and
Veteran Family Walkway.
3. Gold Star Table
• The Gold Star Table is designed to recognize the supreme sacrifice of Gold Star Families; the Gold Star has
been used since 1917 to acknowledge the loss of a loved one while in military service.
• The table’s five-pointed foundation resembles the Gold Star.
• The bronze table top is engraved with stars of the Northern Hemisphere’s nine constellations. At the center is
the North Star for orientation, which also signifies the Minnesota motto: L’Étoile du Nord, The Star of the
North.
• The constellations on the table represent a visual connection between loved ones that are deployed, their
families at home, and the shared stars of the night sky.
• The table also represents the primary way in which families come together: to share meals, stories and
laughter; to gather and create memories.
• The constellations are accurate to size and will be lit from below at night.
• All are welcome to the table to share gratitude and to remember fallen service members and Gold Star
Families.
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Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Image Sheet
Minnesota State Capital Mall
Gold Star Table
Context plan
Story Stones
Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Credit Form
Minnesota State Capital Mall
Project
Name:
Location:
Client:
Owner:
Start Date:
Completion Date:
Dedication Ceremony:
Size:
Project Cost:
Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Minnesota State Capitol Mall
Minnesota Military Family Tribute
State of Minnesota
April 10, 2014
June 12, 2015
June 13, 2015
1.5 Acres
$1,000,000
HGA Project Team
Principal:
James Goblirsch, AIA, LEED AP
Project Manager / Design Team Leader:
Theodore Lee, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP
Landscape Architecture:
Emanouil Spassov, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP
Trygve Hansen, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP
Karl Krause, ASLA, PLA
Ross Altheimer, ASLA, PLA, Associate AIA, FAAR
Eric Amel, AIA
Architecture:
Civil Engineering:
Structural Engineering:
Lighting Design:
Electrical Engineering:
Brad Roath, PE, LEED AP
Kenny Horns, PE, LEED AP
Renee Wait
Paul Asp, PE
Joy Beers, PE
John Ellingson, PE
Chrysanthi Stockwell, NCQLP-LC, LEED AP
Specifications:
Leigh Harrison, PE
Zach Poynter, PE
Gerhard Guth, AIA CBO CSI CCS LEED AP
Cost Estimating:
Joe Tarlizzo, LEED AP, CPC
Graphic and Written Communication:
Ashley Absalom
Construction Administration Services:
Annette Hardy, Mary Kirk
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Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Credit Form
State of Minnesota Department of Administration
Real Estate and Construction Services: Ryan Allen, Project Manager
Gordon Christofferson, Construction Project Operations Manager
Kathy Grochowski, Executive Secretary State Designer Selection Board
Sherry Van Horn, Business Operations Manager
Talia Landucci Owen, Contracts Specialist
Jeanne Caturia, Office & Administrator Specialist
Plant Management Division:
Anne Johnson, Public Relations Manager
Bruce Dzieweczynski, Building Maintenance Coordinator
Gene Peterman, Management Analyst
Joe Dinnebier, Grounds Support Service Manager
Barry Waters, Groundskeeper
Jay Johnston, Groundskeeper
Howard Hiipakka, Electrical Shop
Chad Olson, Electric Shop
Materials Management Division:
Susan M. Groth, CPPB, Acquisition Management Specialist
Debbie Lerdahl, Document Analyst
Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board:
Paul Mandell, Executive Secretary
Nancy Stark, Past Executive Secretary (Ret.)
Ted Lentz AIA, President, Cass Gilbert Society
Bryan Carlson FASLA, Advisor
Thomas Blanck RA, Advisor
Paul Mellblom AIA, Advisor
Rosemary McMonigal AIA, Past Advisor
Minnesota Historical Society
Tom Braun, Senior Objects Conservator
Minnesota State Council on Disability Margot Imdieke, Accessibility Specialist
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Larry Shellito, Commissioner
Nicole Peine Executive II, Commissioner's Office
Military Family Tribute (MFT)
William J. “Bill” Popp, Chairman
Teri E. Popp, President
Mary Niemeyer, Past President
Dorothy Halverson
Larry Shellito, MDVA Commissioner
Kate Miller
Jenifer Skjerven
Laura Chin
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Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Credit Form
Additional MFT Committee Members:
Mick Anselmo, CBS/WCCO
David Chin
Samuel Clark
Jake Coleman
Michael Crusham
Dennis Doyle
Megan Doyle
Julie Drevnick
Ken Drevnick
Pete Eckerline
Martha Eckerline
Congressman Tom Emmer
Col. (Ret.) James Halverson
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Warren G. Herreid II
John Hines, WCCO
Rachel Horn
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Joe Kelly
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Laurie Kruhoeffer
Theodore Lee, HGA
Tom McGill
Tom Lyons
Tammy Mencel
Paula Mertens
Tom Mertens
Brent Miller
Mike Niemeyer
Astronomy Consultant
Professional Services
General Contractor:
Surveying:
Major General Richard C. Nash
Col. (Ret.) Gary D. Olson
Col. Kevin Olson
Master Sgt. (Ret.) Terrence Palmer
Congressman Erik Paulsen
Mary Pawlenty
The Honorable Tim Pawlenty
Kari Rominski
Dan Rominski
Joe Schmit, KSTP 5
Laura Sahr Schmit
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Denny Schulstad
Evonne Shellito
Col. (Ret.) Denny Shields
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Harry Sieben
Adam Soffer
Alex Stanford
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jon Trost
Karin Trost
Jeff Tyler, iHeartMedia
Guy Willis
Karrie Willis, VP of Operations & Finance,
POPP Communications
Chris Wright, Minnesota Timberwolves
Representative (Ret.) Kurt Zellers
Mike Lynch, WCCO
Meisinger Construction Co., Inc.
Tom Meisinger, President
Joe Meisinger, Superintendent / Foreman
Sunde Land Surveying, LLC
Mark Hanson, PLS
Lenny Carlson, PLS
Larry Alman, Senior Crew Chief
Gorman Surveying, Inc.
Dan Gorman
3D Modeling
3D Surface Solutions
Brian Van Pelt
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Minnesota Military Family Tribute
Credit Form
Geotechnical Inspection Services:
Braun Intertec Corporation
Nathaniel Reynolds, Project Manager
Jesse Gamst, Geotechnical Inspections Technician
Earthwork / Demolition Contractor: Kamish Excavation, Inc.
Keith Kamish, Excavator Manager
Mike Johnson, Excavator Foreman
Landscape Contractor:
Margolis Company
Dave Kleinhuizen, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Irrigation Contractor:
Northway Irrigation, Inc.
Brian Larson, Vice President
Concrete Contractor:
Bulach Custom Rock, LLC
Jim Turitto, Vice President
Electrical Contractor:
Choice Electric, Inc.
Mark Houser, Project Manager
Matt Yaeck, Electrical Foreman
Story Stone Engraver:
Stone & Steel Design
Brian Rosen, President, Owner
Jim Wilson
Ronald Rosen
Jessica Davis
Gold Star Table Fabricator:
MG McGrath Inc.
David Rasmussen, Pre-Construction Manager
Luke Kohler, Project Manager
Mike Smith, Senior Project Estimator
Gold Star Table Electrical Contractor:
Cap Electrical, Inc.
Brian Wilke
Gold Star Table Lighting Supplier:
TSR Lighting
Rob Chassé
Interpretive Signage Fabricator:
Advantage Signs & Graphics, Inc.
Carissa Velasquez
John Foley
Photographer:
George Heinrich
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