222 & Whole Foods - (222 Hennepin Avenue)

[lordmoke]

Haha. This is a less-than-typical situation for me (and I'm sure others here as well) where I'm not so much excited about the building itself as i am about the things that are coming with it: the Whole Foods, new downtown residents, and one less dilapidated parking lot to look at. Is it a work of art? Not even close (that will be on the other side of downtown). But it's better than nothing.

[mplsjaromir]

Meh, nothing too exciting has happened at the site yet. I will be most excited when more people live in this area, and make the area better with more activity. Its Quality infill, I never was quite able to get financing available for a marquee tower myself.

[Didier]

Nothing significant has happened in the last couple weeks to comment on. There was plenty of discussion when it started. Now it's just sticks being nailed into more sticks.

[sushisimo]

Yeah, just more of the same. They started 5th floor framing today, on the 1st Avenue side.

[Konante]

Nothing significant has happened in the last couple weeks to comment on. There was plenty of discussion when it started. Now it's just sticks being nailed into more sticks.

Yep. This building is going to be a real P.O.S. but I'm going to enjoy having a nearby whole foods and some activity on that corner. I'm at least glad to see they continue to make noticeable progress on getting it up.

[Didier]

I personally don't have any problem with this building. I just meant that it's interesting early on when it starts to take shape, and it's interesting again when it nears completion, but in the middle there's not really much to say.

[Konante]

I personally don't have any problem with this building. I just meant that it's interesting early on when it starts to take shape, and it's interesting again when it nears completion, but in the middle there's not really much to say.

Fair enough. My mistake. To what I said--beating a dead horse--I don't have much of a problem with the outside of the building but the small, cheaply-built, expensive apartments on the interior disappoint me to no end. I thought that's where you were going with the "sticks being nailed into sticks" piece.

[Didier]

You're right, I was taking a dig at the stick construction, but in general there was a lot of negativity on this board about the height and other parts of this building, which I didn't agree with. Sorry, now I feel like we're just running in circles here.

[MotorCity2TwinCities]

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[MotorCity2TwinCities]

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[MNdible]

Thanks for the photos!

I know it's been said before, but can I tell all of you again how excited I am to have an active use at this location?

[John]

Thanks for the photos!

I know it's been said before, but can I tell all of you again how excited I am to have an active use at this location?

The vacant lots around this project will likely become "hot" properties in the eyes of developers, so it has the potential to spur a mini building boom in the area. " A Phoenix Rising from the Ashes" may be a cliche metaphor, but it describes this development perfectly.

[nasa35]

Thanks for the photos!

I know it's been said before, but can I tell all of you again how excited I am to have an active use at this location?

you're right, seeing stick building at the gateway is pretty effing exciting.

[MNdible]

you're right, seeing stick building at the gateway is pretty effing exciting.

Oh, you!

[lordmoke]

Is the webcam on their website working for anyone else? I haven't been able to get it to display anything ever since they updated the site.

[sushisimo]

The vacant lots around this project will likely become "hot" properties in the eyes of developers, so it has the potential to spur a mini building boom in the area.

Never. The non-parking lot blocks in this area are governmental and insurance buildings. Nobody wants to hang out here, roam around or do anything other than get in their car and leave. The only saving grace is the nearby river, but anybody can get to that without having to endure Hennepin, ING, parking lots and those stupid The Towers.

[John]

you're right, seeing stick building at the gateway is pretty effing exciting.

Nasa, I'm with you as far as wanting to see a high rise in this area. Althought I do like 222 (and some of the other projects of this genre) I think we have enough 6- 7 story apartment buildings to last Minneapolis for long long time.

[Nathan]

The vacant lots around this project will likely become "hot" properties in the eyes of developers, so it has the potential to spur a mini building boom in the area.

Never. The non-parking lot blocks in this area are governmental and insurance buildings. Nobody wants to hang out here, roam around or do anything other than get in their car and leave. The only saving grace is the nearby river, but anybody can get to that without having to endure Hennepin, ING, parking lots and those stupid The Towers.

I strongly disagree. These lots are right at the culmination of Nicollet, Hennepin, and Washington (which is now anchored by the mill city district and North loop. They are 3/4 or less of a mile from:

Theatre District
Nicollet Mall
North Loop
St. Anthony Main
Guthrie/MIlls
River
Target Field

AND: If the work in those Government/Insurance Buildings; Their own work.

I argue that they are super HOT lots for res/mixed use development.

[Didier]

I think the point is that, rather than being within 3/4 of a mile from those areas, why not just live in one of those areas?

I don't agree that there will "never" be development here, but John's "A Phoenix Rising from the Ashes" hyperbole is too much for me.

[MNdible]

Don't you dare underestimate the Whole Foods Effect.