situation:
A historic train depot in downtown Minneapolis was being considered for a major renovation and conversion to a banquet hall and hotel. As a national historical site it was critical that the developer re-create the atmosphere and physical appearance of the original depot, which featured a lush winter garden with Ficus trees. Confronted with lighting and cost issues that precluded a live plant garden, the builder decided that an artificial winter garden with authentic looking faux Ficus trees would honorably uphold the Depot banquet and hotel traditions.
initiatives:
Commercial Silk Int’l was retained to assist in the delicate re-creation of the Depot Hotel winter garden. Not knowing exactly what could be accomplished with faux Ficus trees, the builder turned to Commercial Silk Int’l for product sourcing, plan design, conceptual drawings, and more. With the final design in place, Commercial Silk Int’l installers shipped the faux trees to the Depot and provided the installation services to get the winter garden project done quickly and effectively.
results:
Through the use of faux Ficus trees combined with classical plant containers distinct to the speakeasy era, Commercial Silk Int’l was able to help the builder maintain the historical integrity of the Depot while providing a visually striking and cost-effective interior landscape solution that would require little ongoing maintenance. Due in part to the efforts of Commercial Silk Int’l, the builder was awarded the “Best in Real Estate Award” from the Business Journal for outstanding design integration for a historical building.
location:
Minneapolis, MN