urbanMSP

If this project, the Alatus tower and the Downtown East ramp tower get built I'll be happy with the results of the current boom.

I'd take a development on the West Hotel lot over the Downtown East ramp tower, personally

It has long mystified me why there hasn't been any development proposals for that West Hotel lot (or the Warehouse District Station lot, as I want to call it). Do you know why there has been so little discussion of developing that site?

To bring my post back on topic, I don't think it's been mentioned in this thread, but the Untied Properties website has some renderings for the tower that are newish, and clearly change the design a bit.

Interesting that these three newer illustrations don't appear to have the street car running through the main floor... earlier they had the tacks run through it kind of bisecting the block to connect it to the Hennepin Washington intersection...

Do you know why there has been so little discussion of developing that site?

Probably because it's right at ground zero for all the 'concerns' people have about safety downtown. But I argue putting more lights, eyes, etc on the street could only help with the situation. And keeping the bars open longer so there isn't a mass exodus at 2am.

Otherwise we'll probably be waiting until North Loop rents push people into the fringes of West Downtown and start to drive out the seedier nightclubs, but I won't hold my breath.

Plus - I worked at the Cowles Center and we were told that that lot makes a ton of money!

Probably because it's right at ground zero for all the 'concerns' people have about safety downtown.

The single best thing to alleviate those concerns would be a building there.

The single best thing to alleviate those concerns would be a building there.

Agreed.

I walked past this and the Opus project. I went up the stairs into Cancer Survivors Park and looked across the street to the empty Gateway parking lot. Looking across I could only think how nice it would be to have something there. It's a huge hole in the Downtown fabric.

First time poster here.
I've been following this site for a long time and I love all of the things I learn from it.
Minneapolis wanted something "iconic" on this site, but we still have a big empty space in a prime downtown location. What I would love to see here is somnething truly bold, make it a mixed use tower, like the John hancock building in Chicago. It would be a great destination for locals and visitors who could get a great view of our cities from up high, and give us a new focal point in our skyline. At least 1,000 feet tall.

I walk past this parking lot multiple times per week on my way home. I question whether business travelers that need to be downtown would stay over there considering the part of downtown you have to walk through to get to the core. Maybe it would work because, Four Seasons, but it's always seemed like a reach to me.

It's an 8 minute walk down Nicollet to IDS according to Google. And a 10 minute walk down Washington to Nordic House. It's serving two office markets in reality.

If Alatus didn't think a hotel would be attractive to investors across the street from the Convention Center of all places, what hope does a hotel on the other side of town have?

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if they pivoted plans to a giant condo tower and called it a day.

It's an 8 minute walk down Nicollet to IDS according to Google. And a 10 minute walk down Washington to Nordic House. It's serving two office markets in reality.

That's a good point. Maybe it'll help get something built here or across Hennepin from the block. If somehow Four Seasons dropped out I don't see how they would fill a tower unless they get a large corporate client which someone mention a possibility of above on this thread. I think the Opus tower under construction and if they would announce their next tower would help this a bit, or at least tie it to the rest of Downtown more. I also wish we had a skyway connection over the Nicollet Station to connect this developing end of Downtown to the rest Nicollet Skyway network.

And here I thought maybe there was news on this.

The skyways aren't a catalyst to development anymore.

The skyways aren't a catalyst to development anymore.

I wouldn't say that...it is still very desirable to be connected. Look at how Thrivent's plans unfolded. I am willing to bet the skyway connection has played a part in Alatus latest announced project too...and Four Seasons wouldn't commit to this project without a guaranteed connection. Not AS MUCH of a catalyst maybe.

As an aside, I am pretty skeptical that Four Seasons will actually happen.

Was just looking at the site on Google maps. Holy cow is the satellite image old. You'd think they'd update that with the Super Bowl coming up...

I walk past this parking lot multiple times per week on my way home. I question whether business travelers that need to be downtown would stay over there considering the part of downtown you have to walk through to get to the core.

I'm not sure what this means. You're talking about the one block past the library?

Because the first business location is literally across 4th from there, with Xcel on both sides of Nicollet and one block further still and you're right in the center of things.

And the new buildings on the Ritz block should help with the mix of people that currently populate the library block, which is actually probably less scary to business travelers who spend time in cities than local suburbanites.

Was just looking at the site on Google maps. Holy cow is the satellite image old. You'd think they'd update that with the Super Bowl coming up...

I believe google maps now defaults to the 3D view which is more outdated. If you toggle 3D off, you will see a more recent image. For example, US Bank Stadium is completed in the 2D view.

I walk past this parking lot multiple times per week on my way home. I question whether business travelers that need to be downtown would stay over there considering the part of downtown you have to walk through to get to the core. Maybe it would work because, Four Seasons, but it's always seemed like a reach to me.

having worked at the hewing since its opening I can guarantee you business people are more than willing to stay that far away from downtown. We're sold out almost every week night.

I question whether business travelers that need to be downtown would stay over there considering the part of downtown you have to walk through to get to the core.

Yeah I don't really get this either. This building would be on Nicollet Mall.