urbanMSP

Here:
http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 143404.pdf

Has anyone seen the plans or a display for the renovation to the 100 Washington plaza? There are some heavy duty barricades up and very limited access to the buildings front door. Looks like the east portion will be done first with the west being done once the east is completed. Hoping for more green space is possible instead of the concrete slabs of the present configuration.

Well, sadly they took out a bunch of green space and some of the only mature trees in this part of town to do this "renovation" that basically replaces them with new grass and small trees. They weren't Ash trees that will die either, it was a nice green space on the north side of the building.

As Nathan said they didn't just take out the green space just because. There is a parking garage underneath and they dug it up to get to the roof to reseal it.

Here:
http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 143404.pdf

New seating, bike racks, fire place, bocci court, retail, new skyway entrance...seems like some nice upgrades for this sterile dead zone it's been.

Has anyone seen the plans or a display for the renovation to the 100 Washington plaza? There are some heavy duty barricades up and very limited access to the buildings front door. Looks like the east portion will be done first with the west being done once the east is completed. Hoping for more green space is possible instead of the concrete slabs of the present configuration.

Well, sadly they took out a bunch of green space and some of the only mature trees in this part of town to do this "renovation" that basically replaces them with new grass and small trees. They weren't Ash trees that will die either, it was a nice green space on the north side of the building.

one of my best friends works in the building.

The water proofing under the plaza was failing and needed to be replaced.

They're using this time that they had to dig up the plaza anyways to do an addition.

They are adding a glass curtain wall to the Washington side with a new skyway entrance and what the plan says is street level retail.

They're creating an outdoor seating area and doing some new landscaping.

Good to know...I wondered if it was maybe something like that...like they had to do at the condos down by the Loring Greenway a couple years ago.

I was worried about that...

In the plans, it doesn't actually show tearing down or destroying any of the structural features, or removing any of the original materials, they're basically adding a giant glass box under the over hang to add lobby and retail space.

Yeah, that's how it looks. I guess as long as they don't do anything permanent that's alright, but I'm a little queasy about it. The empty space underneath the tower and the view into that tiny (and nice!) lobby is really the building's defining feature.

I hope the class is SUPER clear so you can see the original architecture.

The thing that bothers me the most is how asymmetrical it is on such a modern building...

This is kind of neat

Target Corp. is looking for 11 startup companies with bright ideas for changing retail.

Applications open Monday for a program that will attract local, national and international comapnies to spend 13 weeks inside of Target's downtown Minneapolis headquarters.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... bator.html

This is kind of neat

Target Corp. is looking for 11 startup companies with bright ideas for changing retail.

Applications open Monday for a program that will attract local, national and international comapnies to spend 13 weeks inside of Target's downtown Minneapolis headquarters.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... bator.html

It's certainly the most interesting way I've heard outsourcing described.

There's an open house for the Pathways to Places Project at the Walker tonight from 6-8pm.
Pathways to Places is the joint project that includes the City's Downtown Public Realm Framework and the Park Board's Downtown Service Area Master Plan.
https://www.minneapolisparks.org/_asset ... _flyer.pdf

I believe they will be talking about putting in a new North Loop Park on 3rd street behind 730 Lofts.

Longtime Lurker

Lileks on Streetscapes: These unbuilt buildings would have changed the Minneapolis skyline
http://www.startribune.com/streetscapes ... /336321091

Lileks on Streetscapes: These unbuilt buildings would have changed the Minneapolis skyline
http://www.startribune.com/streetscapes ... /336321091

No mention of IDS 2??? Maybe it was never a real serious proposal.

Downtown perception survey from DID.


https://twitter.com/MinneapolisDID/stat ... 83872?s=09

Parking meter payment by phone goes citywide

http://www.startribune.com/pay-by-phone ... 337060891/

I know it's just a quarter, but... doesn't 25 cents seem like absolute gouging for providing a fully automated service?

The city is getting the app for free. This is how the developer makes money.

The city is getting the app for free. This is how the developer makes money.

A more transparent way to handle it would be for the developer to explicitly charge the city for development, maintenance, and support of the app. This 25 cent fee does seem like gouging and is far too open ended. With explicit billing everything is transparent, all costs are out in the open, and we don't end up tossing a quarter into the abyss from here to eternity. The developer gets paid either way by the city (ie. all of us that pay taxes).

Either way, it's a service. They didn't take away anyone's ability to use the parking meters traditionally, you're still free to leave your friends while having dinner out in 20 degree weather to feed the meter. it's not price gauging because you can still park for the same price.

And if the developer charged the city a fee everyone would have to pay for that, instead of the few who are going to use it. And while I don't mind subsidizing many things, subsidizing smart phone wielders who are parking is not one of those. In 5 years, when it becomes more common, then it can be renegotiated I would imagine.

I know that the developer is taking the fee (not the city), and that the developer needs to make money. I'm just suggesting that the actual cost to provide this service is negligible, and their 25 cent cut seems excessive. I know it's just a quarter, but it's the principle of the thing.