Fellow Profile
Abbie Loosen
“Everything we do must be approached with sustainability as a goal. I hope to become a leader in helping to meet this goal — in a meaningful, measurable way — in the projects PPL has under development. The intangible benefits of sustainability are of real value, part of a vision for a hopeful future. And the measurable benefits can have a direct impact on the daily lives of people with low incomes—the clients PPL serves. As evidence we have only to look at the promise of lower utility bills that green design can provide.”
— Abbie Loosen
Fellowship Host:
Project for Pride in Living
Minneapolis
While Rose Fellow Abbie Loosen will be involved with a variety of projects during her tenure with Project for Pride in Living (PPL), she believes her work with the Hawthorne Eco-Village will likely have the greatest impact. A multiphase neighborhood redevelopment located in an area of Minneapolis hit hard by foreclosures and home abandonment, the project will begin with the rehabilitation of about half a dozen single-family houses within a four-block area. It will also include the redesign of the four-block site using sustainable strategies and the construction of 40-to-50 new, affordable rental units.
Abbie has a master of architecture from the University of Minnesota and has already achieved LEED accreditation, training that will serve her well given the project’s green focus. As she explains, “The Eco-Village name came from the Hawthorne neighborhood itself, which has galvanized around the idea of sustainability rather than simply looking to development-as-usual to revitalize the neighborhood. It is the residents’ hope that the redevelopment of this four-block area will spark change throughout northern Minneapolis.”
“My interest in investigating how sustainability can benefit residents will change the capacity of PPL’s development group. I am hopeful that after my three-year fellowship, we will have demonstrated—in built form—the application of the green design standards, and that the development staff will pursue sustainability in all of their future projects.”
Abbie has a master of architecture from the University of Minnesota and has already achieved LEED accreditation, training that will serve her well given the project’s green focus. As she explains, “The Eco-Village name came from the Hawthorne neighborhood itself, which has galvanized around the idea of sustainability rather than simply looking to development-as-usual to revitalize the neighborhood. It is the residents’ hope that the redevelopment of this four-block area will spark change throughout northern Minneapolis.”
“My interest in investigating how sustainability can benefit residents will change the capacity of PPL’s development group. I am hopeful that after my three-year fellowship, we will have demonstrated—in built form—the application of the green design standards, and that the development staff will pursue sustainability in all of their future projects.”
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Abbie Loosen
