urbanMSP

i find this project a little gimmicky and overdone, trying too hard. but this is uptown and perhaps a little of this is fine. This is actually very similar to F Scott Fitzgerald's criticism of Summit Avenue back when it was newly built. I think stuff that is gimmicky and overdone tends to age well....

If there is one thing this forum has taught me is that there are no absolutes when it comes to taste in architecture.

I think the overhangs (cantilevered cornices) do a nice job of referncing Prairie School architecture in a contemporary way and make the building look like it belongs in Minneapolis, rather than Anycity, USA.

Nico's Tacos is open. Nice story about the Victoria family: http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/dining/222564361.html I am really excited for this. Uptown needs a good Mexican restaurant and it is a cuisine I think you could pull off in that space. Also that patio is a great place to sit, drin...

Most of our skyline was built between 1987 and 2000 so it isn't like we haven't had a big sustained boom before. In the '90s it seemed like there were major towers going up all the time. You guys have forgotten what prosperity looks like.

I went to take a look at this one in person today, I hadn't seen it since it was halfway done. Does anyone else think this thing already looks really dated? I would put Murals ahead of this one in terms of having an interesting design. Actually I think a lot of the infill we have had over the last y...

I love Al's and am in no hurry to see it go but it is important to remember that restaurants don't live forever. Someday Al's is going to close and then nobody is going to care about that space, you can't consider a building historic solely to protect the business that currently resides in it. I wor...

While I am not necessarily opposed to the ban this part bothers me: Tuthill said she never liked plastic bags, expressing particular annoyance at their tendency to end up as "tree ornaments." She legislates based on the things that personally annoy her, focusing on her pet peeves rather th...

I love the design for Mozaic II

Those types of restaurants don't provide a good standard of living to the people who own them. Nobody wants to blow $200k on a build out just so you can make $20k a year working seven days a week. That is how you make tiny places work unless you are charging La Belle Vie prices or have the economies...

I think Lake St is great for walking - there is more to look at. I am more interested in people watching than the condition of the sidewalk.

I know many on this board (the younger generation?) are convinced that any and every lane of traffic is expendable, and so I'm not going to convince them that leaving a vestige of auto traffic in this location has any value, especially when compared with the value of putting in a pedestrian wonderl...

Pedal pubs make me feel like I am a wild animal being gawked at by a bunch of upper crust Victorian Brits on safari. I hate those things, I know it may not be rational, but that doesn't change it.

Maybe I am overly skeptical, but how often do the visions of lame duck mayors become reality? If this is going to happen it is going to happen it is also going to need to be a priority of the next mayor and city council.

Minneapolis June http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2868/9175644670_d2f59ec659_z.jpg mplsjun201302 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5451/9173425819_b5d3f2e81b_z.jpg mplsjun201305 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/9175645582_4bf357fd1a_z.jpg mplsjun201307 by afsm...

These are from St Paul in May: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/8921853198_9a3c6f36ef_z.jpg stpmay201315 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7393/8921856516_537ba0b1ba_z.jpg stpmay201317 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/8921237763_d2dacc7ffc_z.jpg stpmay2013...

These are from Delano in May: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/8736610473_32b86ce6ca_z.jpg delano01 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7285/8736610077_9ea0e649a2_z.jpg delano08 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/8736610007_257d67e9a3_z.jpg delano10 by afsmps ...

I have a lot more photos to post before I get caught up. These are from Minneapolis in May: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/8715948615_a25636e394_z.jpg mplsmay201301 by afsmps , on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7438/8715948515_f3b319d07b_z.jpg mplsmay201302 by afsmps , on Flickr http://far...

Birdhouse has closed: http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2013/06/birdhouse_closed_woodman.php Perhaps someday this row of identity crises will be redeveloped into something a bit more logical for their use (I say this without having ever visited one of the building, however.) Have any of you dined in ...

The only advantage of the 21st street station would be to make it easier to get to Hidden Beach for people who don't have cars. If you have ever tried to get there by transit you know what I mean.