McKnight@60: Our Offices
Prior to 2003, most of The McKnight Foundation’s office locations were in low-profile office parks or high rises — practical, but not particularly inviting to grantees and community members. All that changed 10 years ago, though, when McKnight moved to the Mill Ruins Building on the Mississippi River in Downtown Minneapolis, and swung open the doors for grantees and partners to come along too.
Relocating to the old Washburn-Crosby Mill site met several important needs for the Foundation. Architecture firm Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle designed the space to include several flexible meeting rooms on three floors, now used daily as accommodating convening spaces for hundreds of grantees and partners served by McKnight. And as an environmental steward of its resources, the Foundation was also mindful of the broad sustainability implications of various design choices. So McKnight chose a building that is itself “recycled” — a historic site and landmark of the flour milling industry that helped create the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. And where possible,McKnight has made eco-friendly choices from energy-efficient lighting to use of nontoxic building materials, salvaged metals and woods, recycled-fiber fabrics,and rubber flooring made from recycled tires. Such sustainable choices reflect McKnight’s commitment to improve the quality of life for present and future generations.
As a place-based family foundation, McKnight’s board of directors and staff have worked to create an environment that is both multipurpose and inviting to the community. The Mill Ruins space is warm and approachable, with visible program connections in elements like large windows overlooking the Mississippi River and grantee artwork adorning hallways and offices. The Cynthia Binger Boynton Lobby Gallery also offers rotating art exhibits with explicit connections to McKnight’s philanthropic approach.
About 160 guest meetings take place at McKnight throughout each year, and in 2012 more than 4,000 people visited McKnight’s offices for a convening of some sort — an estimated value of roughly $255,000in rental savings and other costs for McKnight’s grantees and partners. But the value is even greater for the Foundation’s staff. For 10 years now, McKnight’s community in some form has joined McKnight at Mill City ruins nearly every day.More visible collaborations, strengthened connections, and deeper relationships all serve to foster even better, more powerful partnerships and better opportunities to make lasting changes together.