TVS In-House Design Competition Imagines Future of Midtown Public Park Site
11/06/2025
BY BRIAN CARR
The Midtown community’s collective enthusiasm reached a fever pitch in response to the news that the Midtown Improvement District and Midtown Alliance acquired land in the district for a world-class public space.
But nowhere was this excitement more evident than inside the offices of TVS, the award-winning local architecture and interior design firm with a 30-plus-year history in Midtown and a killer view overlooking the 98 14th Street site from their office windows at the Promenade Central building.
The talented staff at TVS engage in an annual design competition to sharpen their skills and grow professionally outside of their day-to-day project work. And according to Managing Director Shauna Achey, the 2025 competition came together serendipitously around the 98 14th Street site when a colleague asked about “that empty site next door … the one with the big hole in the ground.”
Achey, a Midtown Alliance Board member since 2021, reached out to Midtown Alliance staff. And the rest is history.
Shaping the Vision for an Exceptional Public Space
TVS’ sustainability and design committees led the internal competition over six months and kept the instructions loose to encourage staff participation at all skill levels, and make it fun. Midtown Alliance staff provided program ideas and experiential direction, while encouraging the design teams to be bold and conceptual. While the submissions are not representative of what would be built exactly, their role is to serve as idea generators and inspiration for the site’s potential.
Getting Involved in the Midtown Community
Achey said the initiative began as a way for TVS’ emerging design professionals and architects to exercise their creative muscles, but it quickly evolved into something more meaningful. The competition created a studio-like environment reminiscent of design school—with pin-ups, boards, models, and critiques. It fostered healthy competition, collaboration, and creativity. And partnering with Midtown Alliance provided valuable exposure and professional growth opportunities.
“Knowing how impactful this project could be for the entire city, we felt it was the perfect opportunity for our team to explore,” said Achey. “The site’s potential embodies what TVS stands for: designing environments that spark connection and drive impact. I knew our team could achieve both through this fun exercise.”
Get to Know TVS
TVS has been a proud Midtown Alliance member for decades. The firm has helped shape the district for decades through their design work and long-standing partnership with Midtown Alliance, which has yielded public wins including the 15th Street Arts District Plaza. When TVS was considering a move, employees spoke overwhelmingly in favor of staying in Midtown for the energy, diversity and connectivity that fuel their creative work. Learn more about TVS at https://www.tvsdesign.com/.