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Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: January 30th, 2018, 9:57 am
by mattaudio
...On The Mall

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 11th, 2018, 8:06 am
by BBMplsMN
I know Nicollet was substantially complete last fall, but does anyone know what remains to be finished? I see they are tearing up concrete on nearly every block. Seems related to sewer work. And they have fencing around a lot of the trees where the grating is missing. What else is being done before glamor shots can be taken?

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 11th, 2018, 8:51 am
by Bakken2016
I know Nicollet was substantially complete last fall, but does anyone know what remains to be finished? I see they are tearing up concrete on nearly every block. Seems related to sewer work. And they have fencing around a lot of the trees where the grating is missing. What else is being done before glamor shots can be taken?
They are adding more public art too.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 11th, 2018, 9:27 am
by twinkess
Construction Update – Vol. 124
April 29–May 12, 2018

• Work will begin this week on warranty and punch list items. This work will continue over the next month.
• Concrete replacement work will begin this week in multiple locations along the corridor.
• Miscellaneous bus stop location and lane shifts will occur throughout the length of the Mall.
These occurrences will be short-term

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 11th, 2018, 2:35 pm
by mnmike
One thing I have been wondering is...Do they plan on returning any kind of planters to the mall? They removed quite a few, and of course all of the mobile ones too...if something like at least the mobile ones isn't put back, it is going to be pretty barren.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 16th, 2018, 10:16 pm
by John
What's up with all the trees between 8th and 12th street? The vast majority of them look like they're dead or dying! I haven't been north of 8th street for awhile. Hope that's not happening up there. Really sad. :(

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 7:42 am
by MNdible
While it would be sad, the trees are definitely going to be under warranty and would be replaced by the contractor.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 8:49 am
by nordeast homer
I was just looking at that this morning with another person and it looks like the leaves are just starting to pop out. They may just be delayed a little bit from the shock of being replanted last summer/fall. I know the first year my boulevard tree went through a winter we had the same thing. I hope that's the case anyway.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 10:44 am
by mnmike
I would expect them to be late...the first few years. And some will surely need to be replaced. Large trees always look a little iffy when they are moved. We have seen good examples with Gold Medal Park, recently the Commons (those trees are still going through growing pains) and now here. It is nice to have instant big trees, but actually if you plant a small tree and a large one of the same kind at the same time, they will probably both be at the same place in 10 years, and the smaller one will look healthier along the way. Smaller ones would likely have gotten broken on Nicollet anyway though. Also interested to see how the Birches do, not the best environment for them. They types of Oaks and Elms they planted should do really well though! Thank goodness no more Honey Locust trees!

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 10:57 am
by kirby96
I would expect them to be late...the first few years. And some will surely need to be replaced. Large trees always look a little iffy when they are moved. We have seen good examples with Gold Medal Park, recently the Commons (those trees are still going through growing pains) and now here. It is nice to have instant big trees, but actually if you plant a small tree and a large one of the same kind at the same time, they will probably both be at the same place in 10 years, and the smaller one will look healthier along the way. Smaller ones would likely have gotten broken on Nicollet anyway though. Also interested to see how the Birches do, not the best environment for them. They types of Oaks and Elms they planted should do really well though! Thank goodness no more Honey Locust trees!
Can you elaborate on why it's not the best environment for birches? Asking because the city planted one as my street tree, and it's done <ok>. Definitely plugging along, but still late to bloom after 3 years, and does seem to have a hard time feeding the branches at the top. I've started watering it more diligently, and that seems to have helped this year, or maybe it's just maturing...

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 11:46 am
by mnmike
They like cool climates and lots of moisture...surrounded by hot concrete wouldn't be their favorite. They used some River Birch (I know the city has been doing some of those on the boulevards) and Paper Birch (white bark). The River Birch are more hardy and stronger. I hope the city isn't putting paper birch on the blvd? Paper Birch aren't that long lived, in a natural habitat they live to about 80-100 but the average one in a normal city lawn environment only lives about 40 years...I would imagine much less in a sidewalk. River Birch seem to do a bit better in a city environment. There is your tree nerd update, pardon the tangent:)

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 12:06 pm
by John
^^I spoke with a gentleman taking soil samples along the mall today, and he suspects the Birch (and other distressed plants) are not tolerant of all the salt used during the winter months. He added that they are not likely to thrive in such an intensely urban environment. I guess I'm not sure why the landscape architect, etc were not aware of that ?

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 12:14 pm
by mnmike
Yeah, and it was brought up several times....there were a few articles in the Strib about their tree choices.

I will say though...WCCO has a Paper Birch in their plaza that has done well...and the ones in the plaza over at MCTC have done okay. So you never know.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 12:33 pm
by John
Those Birch are probably not exposed to as much salt. I guess there's some warranty on the trees so they can be replaced. Maybe they should just stick with the known, and plant trees that can definitely withstand the harsher conditions along Nicollet Mall.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 12:56 pm
by Multimodal
Are they the typical 3-stemmed native paper birch, or the supposedly more city-tolerant single-stemmed (Asian? Hybrid?) birch? (Veering completely off topic)

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 1:09 pm
by trkaiser
Really enjoying this side track, as I'm pondering planting a new birch cluster in my front yard...

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 1:14 pm
by kirby96
They like cool climates and lots of moisture...surrounded by hot concrete wouldn't be their favorite. They used some River Birch (I know the city has been doing some of those on the boulevards) and Paper Birch (white bark). The River Birch are more hardy and stronger. I hope the city isn't putting paper birch on the blvd? Paper Birch aren't that long lived, in a natural habitat they live to about 80-100 but the average one in a normal city lawn environment only lives about 40 years...I would imagine much less in a sidewalk. River Birch seem to do a bit better in a city environment. There is your tree nerd update, pardon the tangent:)
Thanks! That probably explains why my increased watering diligence seems to have made a noticeable improvement. And, yes, my boulevard tree is a River Birch, not a Paper Birch.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 2:49 pm
by LakeCharles
Are they the typical 3-stemmed native paper birch, or the supposedly more city-tolerant single-stemmed (Asian? Hybrid?) birch? (Veering completely off topic)
They are multi-stemmed. I think they look quite nice, so hopefully they survive the salt.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 4:02 pm
by grant1simons2
Looked good today. They were rather delayed which feels expected.

Re: Nicollet Mall

Posted: May 17th, 2018, 5:23 pm
by mnmike
Glad to hear...I wish I could get down there and check on everything and all the developments, but I have moved to LA! Thank goodness for this forum:) I would be much more homesick without it.