Search found 226 matches

by martykoessel
August 31st, 2023, 7:28 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis Office Market
Replies: 1291
Views: 799031

Re: Downtown Minneapolis Office Market

Considerations for the health and vitality of downtown streets and stores will have nothing to do with decisions by business leaders to push workers to return to downtown office space. To the degree that leaders believe that getting their employees into the office and meeting face to face will impro...
by martykoessel
July 2nd, 2023, 10:52 am
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Bassett Creek Valley Redevelopment
Replies: 47
Views: 43489

Re: Bassett Creek Valley Redevelopment

Affordable housing next to the farmers market and a short walk from a light rail station. That sounds right.
by martykoessel
February 20th, 2023, 2:10 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: North Loop Green - Hines - 350 N 5th St(?) - 35 stories - 393'/418'
Replies: 200
Views: 155942

Re: North Loop Green - Hines - 350 N 5th St(?) - 35 stories - 393'/418'

Could a pedestrian crossing go under the bridge? No digging required! It nevertheless wouldn't be cheap, but it would avoid messing with the light rail. Is the desire for a pedestrian crossing something that's being mooted about just on this site, or is there a party somewhere with a need for it and...
by martykoessel
January 17th, 2023, 5:15 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: University of Minnesota - News & General Topics
Replies: 615
Views: 1081186

Re: University of Minnesota - News & General Topics

Land ownership. The U has been accumulating land for the East Bank medical campus for years.
by martykoessel
November 9th, 2022, 1:34 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Root District - Farmers Market / Royalston Station
Replies: 81
Views: 56081

Re: Root District - Farmers Market / Royalston Station

In this era of increased homelessness and an acute shortage of affordable housing, something like this that addresses the problem takes priority over sexier projects. I love what Devean George is attempting. May he succeed and them some!
by martykoessel
May 30th, 2022, 4:49 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: RBC Gateway & Four Seasons - 37 stories - 519'
Replies: 2124
Views: 481061

Re: RBC Gateway & Four Seasons - 37 stories - 519'

Honestly i don't get the fascination with making the skyline look more attractive. Are we creating more housing? Reducing parking? More sustainability? Anything beyond that seems like a waste of time and money and trying to hold developers to arbitrary standards will push more away and result in le...
by martykoessel
May 26th, 2022, 5:10 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Clinic Expansion
Replies: 124
Views: 95277

Re: Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Clinic Expansion

Ugly. Oppressive. It would help if HCMC would take a cue from the old Thrivent block and wrap the ramp in housing, perhaps adding a level or two to the ramp itself. Is it not possible to make enough from the housing to cover that added expense?
by martykoessel
November 1st, 2021, 8:15 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: North Loop Green - Hines - 350 N 5th St(?) - 35 stories - 393'/418'
Replies: 200
Views: 155942

Re: North Loop Green - Hines - 350 N 5th St(?) - 35 stories - 393'/418'

Re: the viaduct Given the existence of the railroad tracks, it's hard to imagine the viaduct being demolished east of N. 5th Ave. However, when someday deterioration reaches the point when there's a choice to be made about how much to invest in reconstructing major sections of the viaduct, thought m...
by martykoessel
August 26th, 2021, 10:06 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Nicollet Ave / Eat Street - Whittier, Stevens, Loring Park
Replies: 222
Views: 127505

Re: Nicollet Ave / Eat Street - Whittier, Stevens, Loring Park

That is a good read! Now I’ll be even sadder to look at that ex-KMart parking lot.
by martykoessel
August 20th, 2021, 2:19 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: South Nicollet-Lyndale-Kingfield-Tangletown-Windom
Replies: 246
Views: 112948

Re: South Nicollet-Lyndale-Kingfield-Tangletown-Windom

That’s true. Even if starting with the old structure is a big hindrance, just a better color palette would help. OTOH, outside of the main branch downtown, I’m not coming up with a single local PO building that doesn’t range from bland to horrible architecturally. The USPS is to architecture what sc...
by martykoessel
August 20th, 2021, 1:48 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - General Topics and Citywide Issues
Topic: Minneapolis Population / Density - General Discussion
Replies: 334
Views: 158816

Re: Minneapolis Population / Density - General Discussion

Yes, I’m an inline skater, and despite enjoying Philly a lot, the park trails here were infinitely better for moving along on wheels. Philly often became a sort of obstacle course, even along the Schuykill River.
by martykoessel
August 20th, 2021, 9:45 am
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: South Nicollet-Lyndale-Kingfield-Tangletown-Windom
Replies: 246
Views: 112948

Re: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow

Yeah, it's ugly as sin, but until the USPS is adequately funded, we can't expect it to put an extra cent into design. Everything they do nowadays is bare bones. A lot of taxpayers would scream bloody murder if the USPS "wasted" money on a nice building.
by martykoessel
August 20th, 2021, 9:38 am
Forum: Minneapolis - General Topics and Citywide Issues
Topic: Minneapolis Population / Density - General Discussion
Replies: 334
Views: 158816

Re: Minneapolis Population / Density - General Discussion

I like Philly. Also, we need to focus on water management issues here in the Twin Cities, too, and in Minnesota as a whole. There's not a lot of room for smugness. My visits to Phoenix haven't ever made me want to live there, but its metro area has made impressive strides in planning for water short...
by martykoessel
August 2nd, 2021, 1:55 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics
Replies: 2027
Views: 770277

Re: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics

Minneapolis 2040 Option 1: Minneapolis has evolved into a place with reduced office activity but much more residential life, with shopping, restaurants, and entertainment oriented toward the residents and those who come into the city to enjoy the activity. Option 2: Office activity diminishes, resi...
by martykoessel
July 27th, 2021, 4:47 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics
Replies: 2027
Views: 770277

Re: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics

Perhaps the irate back and forth is nothing more than an indicator of how on edge we all still are.
by martykoessel
July 14th, 2021, 7:01 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics
Replies: 2027
Views: 770277

Re: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics

That’s good to hear. And you’re seeing this in the core, not just the Mill District and North Loop?
by martykoessel
July 14th, 2021, 4:37 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics
Replies: 2027
Views: 770277

Re: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics

A plan to ‘reanimate’ downtown’s Nicollet Mall Great to see business leaders step up here. It will be hard to make downtown vibrant again without more downtown workers coming back, but OTOH if these groups can do some programming to make nicollet less dead it will hopefully entice more office worke...
by martykoessel
June 25th, 2021, 5:07 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Hotel News
Replies: 240
Views: 115175

Re: Downtown Hotel News

I wonder if government or non-profit agencies are exploring the purchase of any of the less successful hotels for conversion into affordable housing. This was done with the University Inn near the U, and it doesn't seem a bad use for the old Sheraton near the Midtown Market. Would any of the downtow...
by martykoessel
June 25th, 2021, 4:59 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Corridor - General Topics
Replies: 267
Views: 219483

Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Corridor - General Topics

I love that dentist's office building, hate to see it torn down and redeveloped. Enough traffic yet to make it back into a coffee shop?
I agree! I like this building, and having it tucked into the neighborhood is enjoyable. Variety is the spice of life.
by martykoessel
June 7th, 2021, 2:56 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Dinky "tower" - McDonalds redevelopment
Replies: 49
Views: 43534

Re: Dinky "tower" - McDonalds redevelopment

Yeah, a seven-story building fully filling a lot can feel much more oppressive than a significantly taller building that blesses some frontage with two- or three-story elements...or a little landscaped area. Residents fighting height without considering density can end up shooting themselves in the ...