urbanMSP

What about this: A strip mall (now hear me out!) that lines the first floor of a rather expansive semi-circle-shaped or crescent-shaped building (stocky, not super tall)....overlooking a circular park like the one pictured. So basically, the Fountain area of downtown Indianapolis meets Gold Medal Park, and the retail would be primarily foot-traffic-intensive like an ice cream shop, restaurants, taverns (bars), Apple Store, coffee shops, deli/market, etc. so as to place a lot of people nearby -- whether they are using the park or not -- to draw other onlookers and people watchers.

I don't know if there is the space to pull this kind of thing off but at least it kind of addresses the issue of the park being a destination or a park for the sake of adding green space.....even if it's not in the best proximity of many residents/workers.

Isn't there a loading dock at 1st street and 2nd avenue? Something drives into the building here.

Could it be that the trucks take a one way trip through the post office? In at 1st St & 2nd Ave, out onto Hennepin.

I think so. I see trucks only entering here. And only exiting on the Hennepin side. I think it would be very hard to turn a semi into the Hennepin dock.

I think it's a shame they filled in the park that used to be right in front of it:


I very much dislike the 60/70's development in that area.. The ramp, and the three apartment buildings are a complete misuse of that area.

The "City Beautiful" plan (I think this was the plan) was interesting though:


I can only hope that one day that they wipe a few of these 60's urban renewal blocks and do it right. The now ING building on henn and wash is about the only redeeming renewal building over there in my opinion.

I can only hope that one day that they wipe a few of these 60's urban renewal blocks and do it right. The now ING building on henn and wash is about the only redeeming renewal building over there in my opinion.

I think that the block directly south of the Post office could go, (even though the churchill is famous now, for being in that one movie... young adult...) and the building right next to the Carlyle, but I rather like the 1st ave Towers, and I think all of the Yamasaki buildings are worth keeping, not just the ING building.

I think a park here would fall more into that underutilized kind of space though, I love those old plans for the city. Screw the automobile. Maybe a couple of towers with good public plazas...

Interesting, I had no idea all the buildings that guy and his company designed. The late World Trade Center towers being one of them.

This article I just stumbled across kind of paints a poor picture of him:
http://e-five.hubpages.com/hub/Architec ... u-Yamasaki

I count three buildings by him downtown, ING, across marquette from ING, and across washington from that. Any others?

Isn't there a loading dock at 1st street and 2nd avenue? Something drives into the building here.

Could it be that the trucks take a one way trip through the post office? In at 1st St & 2nd Ave, out onto Hennepin.

Yes. Back in college I interned in the mailroom at an architectural firm and we drove our mail in that way. Its a big and busy loading dock with nowhere to turn a truck around.

Interesting, I had no idea all the buildings that guy and his company designed. The late World Trade Center towers being one of them.

This article I just stumbled across kind of paints a poor picture of him:
http://e-five.hubpages.com/hub/Architec ... u-Yamasaki

I count three buildings by him downtown, ING, across marquette from ING, and across washington from that. Any others?

I think there was also a short-lived IBM tower that was knocked down sometime in the late 80s.

Interesting, I had no idea all the buildings that guy and his company designed. The late World Trade Center towers being one of them.

This article I just stumbled across kind of paints a poor picture of him:
http://e-five.hubpages.com/hub/Architec ... u-Yamasaki

I count three buildings by him downtown, ING, across marquette from ING, and across washington from that. Any others?

I believe it's just those three. But because of the late WTC towers and his history is why I look at people who so flippantly say they the ING building or other towers and wouldn't care like they are crazy... lol...

So, if all we need is an access point for trucks to enter the post office on a thru course, and not a full parking ramp, couldn't a structure replace the existing parking ramp that would unobstructively perform the same function?

I can only hope that one day that they wipe a few of these 60's urban renewal blocks and do it right. The now ING building on henn and wash is about the only redeeming renewal building over there in my opinion.

I think that the block directly south of the Post office could go, (even though the churchill is famous now, for being in that one movie... young adult...) and the building right next to the Carlyle, but I rather like the 1st ave Towers, and I think all of the Yamasaki buildings are worth keeping, not just the ING building.quote]

You like the Towers but the Churchill can go? At least the Churchill provides some retail and a daycare to the area.

I can only hope that one day that they wipe a few of these 60's urban renewal blocks and do it right. The now ING building on henn and wash is about the only redeeming renewal building over there in my opinion.

I think that the block directly south of the Post office could go, (even though the churchill is famous now, for being in that one movie... young adult...) and the building right next to the Carlyle, but I rather like the 1st ave Towers, and I think all of the Yamasaki buildings are worth keeping, not just the ING building.quote]

You like the Towers but the Churchill can go? At least the Churchill provides some retail and a daycare to the area.

I just personally like that style of architecture. I have a relative that lives there, and it's rather nice. I think it would be wise of the Towers to add some retail to their Hennipen [sic] side, no doubt. When I looked at apartments in the Churchill it was very closed and strange inside. The amenities at the current churchill site could be made even better, all I'm saying, nor am I proposing that they be torn down, it was based on a hypothetical. (I was defending the buildings of architectural significance since the previous post was to "wipe them all out")

[offtopic]Heh. The Churchill is quite dated, yet they still charge a luxury rent. I firmly believe that the market can absorb many more apartments based on the rents charged at old, aesthetically unappealing places all over downtown. I was quoted a monthly rent of $2300 for a "Riverview" two bedroom unit. Old carpet and low ceilings. The renting agent to me I did not have much time because several people were interested.[/offtopic]

[offtopic]Heh. The Churchill is quite dated, yet they still charge a luxury rent. I firmly believe that the market can absorb many more apartments based on the rents charged at old, aesthetically unappealing places all over downtown. I was quoted a monthly rent of $2300 for a "Riverview" two bedroom unit. Old carpet and low ceilings. The renting agent to me I did not have much time because several people were interested.[/offtopic]

I have friends that live in the Churchhill, and been in it enough to know that they will have to start putting real money back into this building for them to get the rates that will keep people there and not move to improved digges with better amenities and probaly much better building insulation and electrical for those electronic toys.

Once they start losing there current leasees to competition they will either have to sell before the building loses value or invest heavily to keep up with the competition. Old buildings can still command a price, but you have to get something in return for it, and a riverview alone just ain't going to get you that top dollar. You have River view being built across the river that gives you both the river and skyline together.

Whenever a package can't be dropped off at my apartment it ends up at the downtown post office, so I end up going there a fair amount. I'm not in downtown zip code, and I'm not sure how many other zip code packages end up downtown. So if as much as it pains me to say, if the ramp goes, there needs to be good short term parking here.

SO maybe downtown isn't the right place for the city's main retail post office?

That would have been nice for me when I lived in Marcy-Holmes (55414), but I had to trek out to Prospect Park to pick up my packages when I lived there (yeah, okay, less than 2.5 miles, but whatever...).

[quote="fotoapparatic"]The 1st Ave towers will have 'eyes' on the park at all times, as well as the towers across the river will have good sight lines.

I think people often forget about the 1st Ave. towers and the other apartments near the post office that went up in the 70's and 80's. Personally - I'd like to get rid of a lot of the surface parking in that area and either build it up or make it more green.

Question - on the first floor of the 1st Ave. towers fronting Gateway Park/Hennepin Avenue - there are a row of windows belonging to empty offices. I've walked by several times over the years. Inside are some cool architectural rendings of proposals for that area from way back, along with OLD computers, books, etc. Anyone know anything about this? If Gateway Park is redeveloped - might be cool to fill this space with a cafe/coffee shop, or at least some other business.

I think it's a shame they filled in the park that used to be right in front of it:


I very much dislike the 60/70's development in that area.. The ramp, and the three apartment buildings are a complete misuse of that area.

The "City Beautiful" plan (I think this was the plan) was interesting though:


I can only hope that one day that they wipe a few of these 60's urban renewal blocks and do it right. The now ING building on henn and wash is about the only redeeming renewal building over there in my opinion.

Agreed.

Question - on the first floor of the 1st Ave. towers fronting Gateway Park/Hennepin Avenue - there are a row of windows belonging to empty offices. I've walked by several times over the years. Inside are some cool architectural rendings of proposals for that area from way back, along with OLD computers, books, etc. Anyone know anything about this? If Gateway Park is redeveloped - might be cool to fill this space with a cafe/coffee shop, or at least some other business.

Today, in fact, a crew was stripping out the old workspaces, etc and repainting. I don't know what if anything is going in there, but I'm glad the frozen-in-time architectural office is getting wiped out of there. Next to that, there is some bead workshop and next to that, going toward First, is some new art glass museum featuring pieces from early 20th century, apparently. I haven't been in there.

Thanks for the update! I would love to get my hands on some of the items from that office though. Hopefully they weren't just tossed!

http://m.startribune.com/downtown-leade ... 478578233/

Frey gauging interest on redevloping/repurposing the downtown post office. What would everyone like to see?