urbanMSP

I actually like it much better than the previous images. It looks much lighter and less quirky. I like the color change.
I agree with most of the posts though; wrong building for this spot. Doesn't need to be the IDS, but should be better than a non-descript suburban office park building. Even 3 or 4 more floors would make this much better.

Looks like something transfer over from the 3M center in maplewood. And what view of the ballpark is being referred to here- One that looks up at it?

I know we all want good looking buildings, but some companies are simply not interested in spending the extra money for a building. The important aspect of an office building is how people are organized on the inside and how that facilitates the day to day operations of the business.

Adding 900 employees to this neighborhood is going to be amazing. Keep in mind that there is enough room in this area for another 10-15 development projects. Not every one is going to be a winner, but it's one thousand time better than leaving things the way they currently are.

I agree that this building isn't meant to be the be-all end-all in the North Loop, and there is still an incredible amount of development potential in the area, but I still am left wanting more. Some retail would be nice, but remember that The Interchange is going to have retail itself (probably at least a coffee shop), and the District 600 apartment building (the one wrapping around Fulton Brewery) has some retail/restaurant space as well. The Interchange can also host food trucks and mobile vendors.

My gripe is that this building is so close to The Interchange, it's practically a part of it...and that fact doesn't seem to be reflected in the concept or design at all. It's just a nondescript office building that could be anywhere...

With all the hype and talk of being a "gateway" building, it looks like the northern loop is going to be stuck with a glass roofing dumpster. (And not much taller than one too) I don't agree with this being 1000 time better than nothing. My 7 yr old daughter could design something better than this with Legos. If this building sets the tone for future development here, Minneapolis will look much worse in years to come.

There is absolutely no creativity in this design at all. Boring. It looks like the developer looked at blue prints from every suburban office park and went with the most bland.
I don't think it has to be exciting and daring, but at least have a little personality.

Is Perkins+Will still the architect of this new design? The previous design was much better and actually fit in next to the Ford Center and other warehouse buildings. This stands out...and not in a good way.

Previous:

Weak. Guess it's going to come down to quality materials on this one.

WTF! This project will really help signify that one is entering the urban core of Minneapolis. It WILL be a true gateway type of image for downtown Minneapolis. I can't wait.

The BizJournals article says that a few years ago Be The Match was looking for 300k ft^2 with an option for an additional 150k ft^2, but this building is only 250k ft^2. That appears to be just barely half what they'll eventually need. That doesn't make much sense to me.

Can you say "TWO of these beauties"?!

What were people expecting here? Bemoaning the lack of retail at ground level is one thing (especially since this is our grand central station, haha), but the design seems fine to me. Tall lobby, lots of glass, some deck space and curving facade further up N Garbage Burner Street. Sometimes less is more i think.

It'll be fine- the best part is this goes from a corner with an incinerator, a gas station, and a homeless shelter to a place that also has public outdoor space, two choo choo's, several hundred employees during the day and several hundred residents at night.

What were people expecting here? Bemoaning the lack of retail at ground level is one thing (especially since this is our grand central station, haha), but the design seems fine to me. Tall lobby, lots of glass, some deck space and curving facade further up N Garbage Burner Street. Sometimes less is more i think.

"[The site] has a dynamic position as we enter downtown off Hwy 55 to the west. It announces your arrival downtown. Whatever we do with architecture, it's going to be important to signify that your (sic) entering the urban area. We want it to be a gateway type of image for downtown Minneapolis." -- Bill Katter, executive VP of United Properties.

If you see this as a gateway design / image for downtown Minneapolis, good for you. Right now I see it as something that is prevalent in places like Bloomington, Edina, Woodbury, etc...

Yep, and a nice glass building makes a better gateway than a stinky one story industrial printing building. What's an example of a building you were hoping for? The walker? Oh wait, probably everyone is disappointed because they thought this was going to be the new 100 story skyscraper. Be The Match is a nonprofit, just sayin'- my whole point is that this development will help bring in the gateway projects. Patience young Jedi.

No one thought it would be a skyscraper. We thought it would be at least similar to what they already had said it would be. I agree that this is definitely better than what's there now. It's also definitely worse than the previous design.

Dude...it looks like a parking garage stacked on top of a 2 story glass box. It's just terrible architecture. At any height.

I have to say I agree with jet that this doesn't strike me as awful, and my first reaction was positive. Could it be exemplary? Sure, but as it is it's above average for buildings downtown. Not everything can be the new Mozaic. Sometimes a bit of function has to prevail over form...

No one thought it would be a skyscraper.

Clearly the first couple people to post after the news yesterday thought this was supposed to be a tower. They were confused, of course, but still.

Anyway, is this rendering floating around the final approved design or just the latest concept?

We probably need to go back and edit the first post(s) in this thread, since there was confusion between this site and the Hines spec office project (tower) from the very beginning. This particular site was never rumored for anything more than 8 stories.

Is Perkins+Will still the architect of this new design? The previous design was much better and actually fit in next to the Ford Center and other warehouse buildings. This stands out...and not in a good way.

Biz Journal story about new design says: "Mic Johnson, founder of Golden Valley-based Architecture Field Office, is the design architect, working in association with Minneapolis-based RSP Architects." http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... l?page=all

Interesting, because they've done some actually really cool work...