urbanMSP

From Block E to Class A
http://finance-commerce.com/2014/12/blo ... t-class-a/

Walking around the outside of the building yesterday I was quite impressed by what has been done so far in the 7th street side of the building. The limestone on the street level will give this building a touch of class that the old version sorely lacked. Also there will now be a real honest to god front entrance on Hennepin Ave so people actually know where enter the building. I look forward to seeing how this project moves along. I like the mix of neutral tones and look forward to when the animated screen is added.

I am sure it will be much improved...but how was it not clear where the Henn entrance was before? I mean there was a giant marquee above it, and like 8 doors.

Anyway, the last article puts a lot of office on level one...I hope they get some destination restaurants for the corner spaces at least!

For those that are not familiar to Block E would have thought that was just the entrance to the Theater. Now there is a real 2 story entrance that is not hid under a skyway. It is slightly set back and surrounded by that nice limestone.

For those that are not familiar to Block E would have thought that was just the entrance to the Theater. Now there is a real 2 story entrance that is not hid under a skyway. It is slightly set back and surrounded by that nice limestone.

The Hennepin entrance is much more visible now. The renovation is startling and it looks like a completely different building from a year ago. The stone base is beautiful. The coloration makes it integrate better with the hotel It will be fun when they start putting up the screen elements to the exterior. Very fun to watch this transformation!

They are starting to put the steel support for the screens up on the corner of 7th and Hennepin. I'm really interested to see how this will change the look of the block.

I think the color and design make it look smaller, but it looks 1000x better than the previous design!

I agree NEhomer it does look better but it still is not great. The black contrasting helps. So sure it looks better and some are happy with that. Looking forward to when it's finished.

The complex will look particularly good at night with all the bluish accent lighting:

Looks like one of those silly rotating LED arrays.

A pic from inside the new practice facility.

https://twitter.com/APkrawczynski/statu ... 5994202112

Nice little video update from the Strib...http://www.startribune.com/video/289231711.html#hpmfv

Man...it's, you know, not done yet, but I dunno how well this situation is going to age.

P2080011 by streetsmn, on Flickr

P2080012 by streetsmn, on Flickr

P2080013 by streetsmn, on Flickr

P2080015 by streetsmn, on Flickr

P2080017 by streetsmn, on Flickr

I miss the original Block E. It was a terrible, lazy decision to tear it down.

Tear it down? I thought there was just the Shubert Theatre there (which was relocated) and a bunch of smaller open lots? Or do you mean even before that?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_E_%28Minneapolis%29

I'm sure he means the 80s version of Block E. I went to the Shinders on Block E a lot. I used to take the bus up from 39th St and Bloomington Ave.

There were a lot of "characters" on that block. Because of Moby Dicks it was usually a place where a lot of the thugs hung out. My brother ran into Boy George at that Shinders, guess he was killing time before his gig at First Ave.
The buildings were really run down, but the seediness gave Hennepin an interesting dynamic. The Mann and Shubert were great theaters to see a movie, but you wouldn't want to go at night. Of course, we were just high school kids at the time, so I may have selective memory at this point.

Yes, I mean the version that was torn down, with much glee by our city leaders at the time. I never felt unsafe there, ever.

They are starting to lay down tile in the skyway level on the City Center side. Also on that side they are starting to open up an atrium over the new main entrance. Feels much more nicer and open already.

Kierans patios fencing is down. They have a new sign up and everything