W Minneapolis – The Foshay wins Best Overall; Two MarketPointe gets first-ever Best Green award

MINNEAPOLIS (May 1, 2008) – Development teams from across Ryan Companies US, Inc.’s Minneapolis office celebrated five award wins for three of its projects last week at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s annual Best in Real Estate awards ceremony.  These awards, judged by a peer panel, recognize the creativity, determination and expertise that drive continuing excellence in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

“These awards are only possible because of our great customer-developer relationships in every project,” said Collin Barr, Minnesota Region president, Ryan Companies US, Inc. “The recognition is an honor that is shared across the entire team, not just within the walls at Ryan.”

Of the many nominations received, Ryan won one-third of all the awards given at the ceremony. The projects recognized were:

W Minneapolis – The Foshay: this historic redevelopment in the heart of downtown Minneapolis won both in the Hospitality and Best Overall categories. This 27-story 1920’s office tower, designed to look like the Washington Monument, will open this July as the first W hotel in the Upper Midwest. Project developers were praised at the award ceremony for creating a new use for a historic property and creatively preserving a civic icon.

Two MarketPointe: In addition to winning in the Office Development – Multi-tenant category, it also received the program’s first Best Green project award. This project, located in Bloomington, Minn., is pursuing LEED Gold certification and is scheduled to open in August 2008. The multi-tenant office building features a number of environmentally-friendly designs including an under-floor air delivery system, energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems that can be individually controlled, direct and indirect pendant lighting, day lighting and occupancy sensor lighting controls.

Transoma Medical: As a build-to-suit project, Ryan was recognized for planning and developing a project that would meet the customer’s rapidly-approaching deadline while accommodating future growth at the site. In 12 months, the Ryan and Transoma teams simultaneously negotiated a lease agreement, developed the shell building and interior systems, negotiated development and option agreements with the city of New Brighton, and obtained approvals from local pollution authorities to develop the Brownfield site. The first phase will be completed ahead of schedule this Summer.

About Ryan Companies US, Inc.

Ryan Companies US Inc., a nationally recognized developer, design-builder and real estate manager, has specialized in fully integrated solutions for more than 70 years. Ryan builds lasting relationships with a project delivery model based on full-service customized solutions and total collaboration – pairing the customer’s needs and expectations with the talents of a team of developers, financiers, architects, engineers, constructors and property managers. In addition to its Minneapolis office, Ryan has offices in Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa. Ryan was named the 2007 National Developer of the Year by the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP).

Editor’s note:    Interviews with Ryan executives are available by contacting Sarah Voigt at 612-455-1784 or svoigt@psbpr.com