DTE: Wells Fargo, Radisson Red, Edition Apts & Millwright Building

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
twincitizen
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby twincitizen » June 6th, 2013, 1:38 pm

Regarding HCMC, will closing Park and Portland make it any harder for ambulances to cross the river? And won't travel to any destinations to the east, west or south be completely unaffected? It seems like the only place that'd experience slower ambulance response would be the Mill District, and the response would only be seconds slower. Am I missing something?
This.

min-chi-cbus
Capella Tower
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby min-chi-cbus » June 6th, 2013, 1:56 pm

It's fine...but Rybak just ripped that off from that student real estate competition that took place a few months ago. And that makes me not like it. Especially since most of that proposal was like Block E on steroids. I really like Portland Park, then again I generally overvalue my own ideas and laugh at my own jokes.
Portland Park doesn't sounds like a Minneapolis namesake, it sounds like it belongs in Portland (OR or ME). I actually like Kirby Park, and I also laugh at my own jokes and think I'm a diabolical genius! :geek:

I also think MLK Park could be a good idea to give MLK just a TAD more recognition in this city than he currently has. I mean, Minneapolis could always dedicate the one block promenade that would cut between this park as "MLK Avenue", and out-do St. Paul as the shortest/weakest street segment in MN (or the country) designated to this great leader!

RailBaronYarr
Capella Tower
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby RailBaronYarr » June 6th, 2013, 2:08 pm

Regarding HCMC, will closing Park and Portland make it any harder for ambulances to cross the river? And won't travel to any destinations to the east, west or south be completely unaffected? It seems like the only place that'd experience slower ambulance response would be the Mill District, and the response would only be seconds slower. Am I missing something?
This.
I missed this part. This is why while I agree with the notion that closing the roads could have negative consequences for emergency vehicles, the total % of all trips would be largely unaffected. Even most trips from the Mill District could come down Chicago, no?

612transplant
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby 612transplant » June 6th, 2013, 3:40 pm

I see three new pages in this thread and excitedly open it, expecting some updates.

Instead, it is a three page debate over the semantics of "yard."

You guys are right. Rybak is an abhorrent human being. So glad he's out soon.

Now, I think anybody participating in this tete-a-tete has officially forfeited his/her "Please-don't-derail-the-thread post" card, no?

stp1980
Metrodome
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby stp1980 » June 6th, 2013, 4:27 pm

Some food for thought:

http://blogs.mprnews.org/stadium-watch/ ... -district/

Warning! The word "Yard" is used in this document

http://www.scribd.com/doc/146154285/Yar ... -Agreement

MNdible
is great.
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby MNdible » June 6th, 2013, 4:52 pm

Every time I read "Ultimate Park", the voice in my head is the guy who does the monster truck voice-overs.

m b p
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby m b p » June 6th, 2013, 5:39 pm

Does anyone else take offense when someone calls another person abhorrent? because of his or her political beliefs? I sure do. You might not agree with a persons every decision... but does that really make them a horrible person? Let's save these political attacks for fox news blogging... please. This type of stuff makes me want to stay away from this site.
Last edited by m b p on June 6th, 2013, 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

612transplant
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby 612transplant » June 6th, 2013, 5:46 pm

^^^Sorry, don't leave! I should have used a sarcasm smile, although I thought my sarcasm was inferred. Mea culpa.

I'm actually about as indifferent on Rybak as you can get. And I also don't see how the comments that initially derailed the thread can be called political. More....philosophical? My main point was that I don't come to this site to read Descartes-ean treatises on the meaning of "yard."

Again, mea maxima culpa.

PhilmerPhil
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby PhilmerPhil » June 16th, 2013, 11:20 pm

The mayor has repeatedly been quoted suggesting a world class skatepark around the new stadium. Presumably, this would be located at Ryan's proposed park. Philadelphia recently opened a new mixed use skatepark/public plaza that caters not only to skateboarders, but "regular" parkgoers as well. Additionally, City of Skate is a coalition that is pushing for quality skateparks in Minneapolis, and while I am not directly involved in it, I know a Downtown East park is on their radar.

Of course, I'm biased on this, but I think this type of space would be a great model for what could be done here. A well designed and versatile place to skate would be a regional draw that would help bring in a regular flow of park users.

min-chi-cbus
Capella Tower
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby min-chi-cbus » June 17th, 2013, 12:07 am

I don't want to offend any skaters here, but is a skate park really something that the people want and need in a downtown setting? It seems like a poor choice considering two factors: the lack of return on investment, and the the small proportion of the population that can use/access it. It helps if the park is also usable by regular passerbys, but still.

If we are going to use part of this space to build any structure, I much prefer a monument, fountain or even a small pond over a skate park, personally.

Minneboy
US Bank Plaza
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby Minneboy » June 17th, 2013, 5:04 am

Perhaps it's my advanced years but even 20 years ago I have always hated the repetitive noise that the skateboards make with not just their wheels on pavement but the irritating clacking when the users slam their boards down either from a jump or when preparing to do so. Nothing like having a bunch of downtown buildings amplifying the noise.

Gman12
Nicollet Mall
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby Gman12 » June 17th, 2013, 7:36 am

I don't like the idea of a skatepark. A very small number of people would use it. Much rather see a field for softball, ultimate, soccer, flag football leagues, etc.

Didier
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby Didier » June 17th, 2013, 9:00 am

I too hate the idea of young, alternative-minded people spending time making noise in a downtown park.

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby mattaudio » June 17th, 2013, 9:06 am

I find the noise very annoying also.

Edit: Skateboarding would not have a monopoly on annoying noises downtown, so maybe it's not a big deal.

kirby96
Union Depot
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby kirby96 » June 17th, 2013, 9:23 am

I'd be wary of a permanent single purpose facility like a skate park in such a visible location. These things have a tend to ebb and flow. Tons of tennis courts were built when tennis was more popular, and many now sit in poor unmaintained condition. Same with softball fields (the beautiful short fields at Niemann are criminally underused, which I've heard rumored were constructed after a pop in women's softball popularity with the 96 Olympics, while many men's leagues play on lousy fields at Bossen Park, etc.).

Not saying those investments aren't worth the risk from time-to-time, but this is a very visible location that should appeal to as many uses as possible.

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Nathan
Capella Tower
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby Nathan » June 17th, 2013, 9:27 am

I find it annoying when they use the monuments and the fountains and the granite curbs and benches and railings and the planters and dart back and forth on the sidewalk between people and make that noise spread out all over the city. Yes, this idea to build a concentrated area for them, with specially built out features made to take a beating, and have a sense of community and place sounds like a terrible idea. NO. This should be exactly what those of you who don't want skateboarders on Nicollet, or other parks, making noise want.

Car People want better roads
Bike People want MOAR bike infrastructure
Skateboarders want a centrally located recreational park

It's a pretty legitimate sport. I've never been good at it or liked it much, but the idea of giving them a home and some sense of pride in an area makes a lot of sense to me. As much sense as making a white water kayak course down the east side of the river, or maintaining ice skating rinks, xx ski trails, swimming areas

... unless I guess if you want our youth inside sitting on their asses playing Tony Hawk... or worse out tagging shit cause they have nothing to do...

mplsjaromir
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby mplsjaromir » June 17th, 2013, 9:32 am

I'm not much of a skateboarder, but is there something deficient about the skate facilities at Elliot Park? I think building a new skatepark 0.6 miles from an existing one may be wasteful.

kirby96
Union Depot
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby kirby96 » June 17th, 2013, 9:41 am

... unless I guess if you want our youth inside sitting on their asses playing Tony Hawk... or worse out tagging shit cause they have nothing to do...
Strawman. (EDIT. Sorry, I just like saying, "Strawman" :) )

There are, by the way, several neighborhood skate parks around the city, and the city recently sent me a survey as they look to improve them and perhaps build more. My guess is they LIKE to have them DE-centralized, while still recognizing the need to have them. Seems reasonable. Skate park development is most certainly NOT being ignored in Minneapolis. I think there are valid points to not dedicating space to skateboarding in what should be one of the city's most visited locations. Especially since such a facility is not used in the winter, and more or less precludes any other winter use.

http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=901

Didier
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby Didier » June 17th, 2013, 9:53 am

Perhaps a farmer's market might be more appealing to the folks here?

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Nathan
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Re: Star Tribune Blocks

Postby Nathan » June 17th, 2013, 9:56 am

How is this a strawman considering that most people on this board are vying for Downtown East to become the next big residential neighborhood in Minneapolis... If we start getting 2,3,4 bedroom units going into a neighborhood like this with families that want an urban style of living, they most certainly don't want to have to pack up their kids and take them somewhere else in the city. I don't look at the area as a bunch of surface parking lots that "no one" uses, because I'm imagining this is its own full blown neighborhood. (which according to all you 'insiders' is about to happen) Those skate parks serve those neighborhoods, this one serves this neighborhood, and serves as an anchor for events and such.

The seasonal argument is a total strawman. SO many things that this city does caters to one season or another. We have life guard stands and life guards in the summer, snow tubing in the winter etc etc... and if there was any creativity going on one might think, wow all of those bowls and dips and ramps could make a really cool Centennial Lakes type skating area in the winter, and wow, poof, all of a sudden it's not catering just to skaters in the summer.


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