2023 Awards Criteria

The 2024 MSCA Shopping Center Tribute Award for Retail Real Estate_SM entries are reviewed and judged by a group of industry specialists, professionals and peers closely involved with retail real estate. Projects within the metropolitan area will be reviewed on-site, while remote locations will be judged from submitted documentation. If only one entry is submitted in a category, it is up to the judges discretion for meriting an award. Judging will take place mid-September. Only one award will be given per category. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in rejection of the submittal.

All projects and individual achievements must have been substantially completed and occupied between September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024. Projects must be within the state of Minnesota.

ENTRY FEES: MSCA members $325 per entry (non-refundable)
Non-members $425 per entry (non-refundable)
Official submittal deadline is Tuesday, August 13th.

For additional information or full submittal package, contact Karla Keller Torp at (952) 292-2414.

CATEGORY/JUDGING CRITERIA:

PROJECT AWARDS:

INTERIOR DESIGN:
FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT: Sit down eatery with table side service.

JUDGING CRITERIA:
General aesthetics and design,innovative use of materials, functionality of layout, concept implementation, construction issues, interior lighting and overall image.

INTERIOR DESIGN: 
QUICK SERVICE/FAST CASUAL/FAST FOOD: Limited menu and does not offer table side service.

JUDGING CRITERIA:
General aesthetics and design, innovative use of materials, functionality of layout, concept implementation, construction issues, interior lighting and overall image.

INTERIOR DESIGN:
RETAIL / NON-FOOD SERVICE

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Innovative use of materials, functionality of plan, successful retail merchandising, construction issues, interior lighting and overall image.

INTERIOR DESIGN: 
ENTERTAINMENT / EXPERIENTIAL / BREWERY / DISTILLERY / FITNESS

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Innovative use of materials, functionality of plan, successful retail merchandising, construction issues, interior lighting and overall image.

NEW CONSTRUCTION:

• RETAIL SINGLE TENANT UNDER 8,000 SF
  
• RETAIL SINGLE-TENANT OVER 8,000 SF
• RETAIL MULTI-TENANT UNDER  10,000 SF
• RETAIL MULTI-TENANT OVER 10,000 SF

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Site challenges, governmental issues, overall architectural image, landscaping, creative use of materials, signage and integration into community.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS RENOVATION / REMODEL:
A retail project that was an enhancement of an existing retail structure.

• INTERIOR RETAIL UNDER 8,000 SF
• INTERIOR RETAIL OVER 8,000 SF
• EXTERIOR RETAIL UNDER 20,000 SF
• EXTERIOR RETAIL OVER 20,000 SF

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Before and after story. Enhancement of retail space/building exterior including innovative design, construction approach, re-positioning strategies, tenant mix and integration into the community.

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS:
Any size project with a significant retail component that had unique development issues, site approvals, technical, legal and financial challenges and/or incorporating sustainable design, materials or construction techniques.

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Site challenges, governmental issues, neighborhood obstacles, construction hurdles, financing/timing and sustainability. Please include detailed resolutions where necessary.

REDEVELOPMENT:
A project with a retail component that had an identifiable change of use to the project.

• RETAIL UNDER 10,000 SF
  
• RETAIL OVER 10,000 SF

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Any size project with a retail component that had an identifiable change of use to the project, including any retail within a mixed-use development. Consisting of: adaptive re-use, innovative design, construction approach, site challenges, re-positioning strategies/obstacles, governmental issues, landscaping, integration and/or impact of retail into the community.

MIXED USE:
Any size project encompassing retail and other non-retail uses where retail has made a significant contribution.

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Judging will focus on how retail has made a significant contribution to the overall project. In addition, it will include site challenges, governmental issues, overall design, landscaping, tenant mix, creative use of materials, signage and integration into the community.

INNOVATION:
Creative programs, strategies and outside the box initiatives that drive change and add value.

JUDGING CRITERIA:
Judging will focus on creative programs, strategies and outside the box initiative that diver change and add value including key features/components, elements of creativity and innovation, implementation and execution, timeline, challenges/lessons learned and achievements/metrics/results. 

All Interior Design, New Construction, Development Process and Mixed Use categories must include:

• 3 - 6 color images at 300dpi, JPEG or TIF format. Please label one image as "project name-display" that you want used for display board and presentation. If no image is noted one will be selected for you.
• Documents of submittal photography. No more than 3-8.5”x11” pages with only 4 images per page.
• Completed project and criteria submittal forms.
• Site/floor plan (if applicable).
• Mandatory award statement of 4 sentences or less. This will be read to introduce your project as a nominee and should highlight specific judging criteria relevant to your project.
• $325 member/$395 non-member submittal fee (non-refundable).

Redevelopment, Design & Aesthetics Renovation / Remodel categories must provide:

• 3 before redevelopment, renovation or transformation color images at 300 dpi, JPEG or TIF format.
• 3 after redevelopment, renovation or transformation color images at 300 dpi, JPEG or TIF format.
• Please indicate one before image and one after image to be used for display board and presentation. If not, photos will be selected for you.
• Documents of submittal photography. No more than 3 - 8.5" x 11" pages with only  4 images per page.
• Completed project and criteria submittal forms.
• Site/floor plan (if applicable).
• Mandatory award statement of 4 sentences or less. This will be read to introduce your project as a nominee and should highlight specific judging criteria relevant to your project.
• $295 member/$395 non-member submittal fee (non-refundable).

Innovation category must provide:

• 4 - 6 color images that support your entry syubmission detail at 300dpi, JPEG or TIF format. Please label one image as "project name-display" that you want used for display board and presentation. If no image is noted one will be selected for you.
• Documents of submittal photography. No more than 3-8.5”x11” pages with only 4 images per page.
• Completed project and creiateria submittal forms.
• Site/floor plan (if applicable).
• Mandatory award statement of 4 sentences or less. This will be read to introduce your project as a nominee and should highlight specific judging criteria relevant to your project.
• $325 member/$425 non-member submittal fee (non-refundable).
   

NOTE TO OUTSTATE SUBMISSIONS:
If you are submitting an outstate project, you may submit a video featuring your project covering the judging criteria.  Please upload video in an .avi or .wmv format and the video may not be longer than three minutes.