urbanMSP

I think Nasa might be referring to the Excelsior and Grand development in STLP, however, that is really a suburban project that was part of the "New Urbanism" movement. Actually, IMO, it is a fairly attractive development that has some qualities that would work well in a more urban environment.

Actually, I'd go as far as to call Excelsior & Grand an example of new urbanism in a suburb -- and a good one at that! Most New Urbanist project utterly suck at bringing "urban" features to their intended area. Excelsior & Grand gets it half right, which basically makes it one of the better examples out there in the metro (city included)! The best SUBURBAN example (more suburban in look and feel) is Centennial Lakes in Edina. E&G could be at Franklin and Nicollet for all I knew and I'd think it was New Urbanism, not New Suburbanism.

I think Nasa might be referring to the Excelsior and Grand development in STLP, however, that is really a suburban project that was part of the "New Urbanism" movement. Actually, IMO, it is a fairly attractive development that has some qualities that would work well in a more urban environment.

Actually, I'd go as far as to call Excelsior & Grand an example of new urbanism in a suburb -- and a good one at that! Most New Urbanist project utterly suck at bringing "urban" features to their intended area. Excelsior & Grand gets it half right, which basically makes it one of the better examples out there in the metro (city included)! The best SUBURBAN example (more suburban in look and feel) is Centennial Lakes in Edina. E&G could be at Franklin and Nicollet for all I knew and I'd think it was New Urbanism, not New Suburbanism.

nasa doesn't care about any of this stuff. He just wants the skyline to look cool as he's driving by on the highway.

lot of doodz want the skyline to look kewl while rocketing a Camry LE up/down 35

but that's not the sum of things. In addition to the skyline looking dope, some want to promote a dense urban core with a self-sustaining microeconomy and green open spaces

I guess some of us are just disappointed because of what could have been on this corner. When you go from the original design of 30 + stories and a design that is very upscale to this present design it's actually quite a let-down. And I know I'm beating a dead horse, but it truly is more of a suburban design in an urban core...again, kind of a let-down.
Obviously we would like all these buildings to be successful and sustaining, and green spaces are an important aspect, but for those of us that remember the Foshay tower being the tallest building in Minneapolis we have seen more good, attractive, unique buildings die on the drawing board than ever get built. It would be nice for a change to see some of the larger projects get built rather than 6 and 7 story in-fill that more often times are built like crap and have no unique qualities.

How many times can we have this exact same conversation? Seriously. This has gone round in circles so many times...but I suppose this is a new forum now. lol.

How many times can we have this exact same conversation? Seriously. This has gone round in circles so many times...but I suppose this is a new forum now. lol.

Actually, I have an answer. After reading all of the gushing over a suburban project in the gateway district of all places, people with much better taste in architecture have to repeat the same ole' perspective. Gotta reel in those suburban designers!

BTW: NE gets it, he always gets it.

Yuck! The original design for 222 (eclipse?) was so retro 80's, it looked like it belonged on i494 in Bloomington lol and you think THIS is suburban!? All that eclipse needed was a band of neon at the top to finish it off.

Eclipse was different...for the parcel across the street. It was two blue glass towers.

Ahhhhh! I see, I couldn't find any image of the old proposal then :/

Ahhhhh! I see, I couldn't find any image of the old proposal then :/

Here's a render I found of Milliken Development's old proposal.


http://benganje.wordpress.com/2007/12/1 ... spring-08/

"...Above the ground level would be six floors of high-end apartments totaling approximately 250 units. The developers noted the block would be developed in such a way as to allow future expansion of an additional two towers reaching somewhere between 12 and 20 stories respectively..."

That was the later proposal...the initial proposal included a tower...around 33 floors I think? I couldn't find any renderings, but it was a pretty nice looking building.

Yeah the original proposal... Around 2006?

I think it was a very slender blue tower, somewhere in the 25-28 story range?

Since we are all complaining how much we liked the old proposals, let's not forget the one that included NO housing, just 1-2 floors of big box type retail.

Here was the original proposal, before shortening , no housing, and the current scheme. The two tower rendering was a weak copy of the Seattle whole foods project to generate interest/ marketing. This was what was actually designed. http://www.karlermanis.com/222washington.html

Oh yep, every body is right, that would have been nice. Oh well, I love the current design too. Especially since something was lacking in the taller design but the current design is and will be successful.

Here was the original proposal, before shortening , no housing, and the current scheme. The two tower rendering was a weak copy of the Seattle whole foods project to generate interest/ marketing. This was what was actually designed. http://www.karlermanis.com/222washington.html

Well, I'm glad the tower proposal didn't come to fruition because it wouldn't have fit in well with everything that has been built throughout the Twin Cities area over the past 5+ years.

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... vePage=272

A more correct history-

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... vePage=272

More- read, re-read, get over it.

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... vePage=272

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... vePage=272

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... vePage=272

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... vePage=272

None of these versions are the one I was talking about. I thought they had originally set on a 32 or 33 story tower with redish/brown stone and blue glass. It was an attractive building, but I can't seem to find that picture anymore...oh well, either way it's water under the bridge...