urbanMSP

Yeah, units here really aren't for typical DINKs. They're for the folks who can afford Lake Minnetonka or Chain of Lakes homes -- investment bankers, some higher-paid doctors, corporate execs, etc.

Scooters don't seem to sit in any location for very long. I'm on a pretty quiet street, but there's someone on the block who rides one home from work from time to time. It's gone within the hour.

For some reason, it really feels like there's more to the move than Herberger's leaving. It's a store my grandparents shop at when they have a coupon, so I scratch my head and wonder the same thing sdho does - how could a library possibly draw fewer patrons than that?

Yeah, I don't disagree that some of those people exist - just that most people who I've seen make that excuse haven't always been genuine. Regardless, it's clearly a reality for some, and even if it isn't, we'd still want to reduce emissions. That said, I'm surprised anyone would cite the Hennepin/L...

Wow, each building essentially an island surrounded by parking. Yuck.

Not biking because of tailpipe exhaust seems to be largely a boogeyman of folks who don't want to bike in the first place (either searching for an excuse not to do so or as part of an anti-bike argument). In most parts of the city, exhaust largely isn't a perceptible issue. And for what it's worth, ...

I was wondering why I've seen so few scooters this season, including none from Jump at all.

I've still only used a scooter once (just for a few blocks, because it happened to be sitting near my house). The consistency with which they're available is just...not good.

HUGE Improv Theater to purchase the Art Materials building and will relocate to the location in 2020. Some fun renderings included with the article.

https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-li ... inneapolis

That's interesting to see. I wonder why our transit commutes are so short. I'm guessing a combination of relatively compact local service and extensive express service that doesn't face much congestion on highways (and can use shoulders to pass)?

It's obviously not a simple solution where you can just throw money at NOAH and problem solved. Public housing is absolutely part of the solution, and I hope Hennepin County will contribute more. On the topic of substandard NOAH: I have to imagine that there's a way to pencil out buying properties t...

That comes with ongoing maintenance and replacement costs, though. And to me there's a moral question as to whether publicly-owned housing can appropriately be kept substandard (which is why some of that NOAH is affordable). That's true. I wasn't factoring in some of those costs over 10 years. Cert...

Man, at $375,000 per unit of affordable housing built, it sure seems like we could just buy up a bunch of NOAH and hold prices at an affordable level.

The article seems to indicate that the movie theater and restaurants are doing quite well - and anecdotally, the few times I'm in one of the restaurants there, that seems accurate. It's the retail that's the issue, and I wonder if maybe surface parking is just...psychologically preferred for that? I...

I'm all for restoring the grid, and this seems like it could be fairly easy with, what, an easement?

It's probably fair to say this argument is more important once "Towerside" develops more. Alas, we'll probably develop the area and make it impossible to build any of these connections.

I am honestly disturbed by the idea that a shopping center that has on-street parking, underground parking, *and* above-ground ramp parking — all free — is thought to be floundering because it doesn't have convenient-enough parking. The weird thing is, despite all of that parking, it's never seemin...

Do you mean by officially connecting 5th to Westgate?

If so, is that even necessary? Would it provide a connection more meaningful than the (probably only quasi-public) one that exists?

If I'm remembering correctly, they kinda let any city that was interested put their name down. Wouldn't want to hurt Ramsey's feelings, ya know?

Article in TCB on why West End struggles with retail (apparently too big to be an entertainment complex, too small to be a retail mecca): http://tcbmag.com/news/articles/2019/ma ... wrong-size

I suppose I can understand not having skyway retail - the system is likely to dead end here. But it's so disappointing how little retail gets put into these spaces while providing fairly spacious lobbies that get absolutely no use at all. I just can't imagine it's a better selling point for resident...

Lee's Liquor Lounge is closing. Blames it on SWLRT taking its parking. http://www.startribune.com/after-62-yea ... 508942872/