urbanMSP

The Minneapolis Central Library is one of our downtown architectural gems, plus it's a tremendous resource and a great atmosphere to work in with the giant glass windows and sunlight.

That said, every time I go there are people looking at porn (or at least something close to porn) on the computers, and people playing music or being loud and generally disruptive. I've never felt in danger there, but I feel like that atmosphere cheapens the resource and makes the library more of a place for homeless people to look at YouTube than a place for people to truly take advantage of the amazing wealth of information housed there.

To be sure, I'm not suggesting at all that providing internet access to low-income people is bad at all, or that it should be eliminated. My point is that we've invested tons and tons of money into the brick-and-mortar library that houses millions of books, reference materials and other physical documents, and if the computer lab — the most mobile part of the library — is taking away from the actual physical resources there, I would be open to re-thinking how and where the library offers computer access.

All of the "Coming Soon" signs have been removed from the Plaza.

Yay! (Crossing my fingers that they don't manage to find a way to screw this up.)

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/217960131.html

As a person who lives 50 feet away from the plaza, I am thrilled to hear this! I always felt a compromise with some improvements by Oslund while retaining some of the signature fountain elements was the best solution. Hopefully egos and people's rigid opinions ( on both sides) will not sabotage this better approach to renovating the plaza.

Tentatively very good news!

Didn't the original architect offer his vision of an accessible improvement? IIRC, it was a beautiful plan.

Didn't the original architect offer his vision of an accessible improvement? IIRC, it was a beautiful plan.

Yeah, and it's supposedly cheaper than the city's plan:
http://tclf.org/landslides/m-paul-fried ... avey-plaza

If that gets built, I will actually do a jig.

I just got so tingly and happy... I'm ecstatic!!!

doesn't sound like the city and the preservationists can come to an agreement to do any sort of minor renovations. so this will continue to be an underutilized, concrete lump.

This is just awful news. So now that pile of concrete crap remains the same. The updates would have been beautiful and made the space a place to go. I would bet all the money I've ever had that the people who were so upset about the proposed renovations have never spent a second there.

Didn't the original architect offer his vision of an accessible improvement? IIRC, it was a beautiful plan.

Yeah, and it's supposedly cheaper than the city's plan:
http://tclf.org/landslides/m-paul-fried ... avey-plaza

If that gets built, I will actually do a jig.

That's from 2012 and will never be built.

This is just awful news. So now that pile of concrete crap remains the same. The updates would have been beautiful and made the space a place to go. I would bet all the money I've ever had that the people who were so upset about the proposed renovations have never spent a second there.

I didn't like the plan that destroyed ALL of the original fountains, and I have been there many many times. Some years daily.

doesn't sound like the city and the preservationists can come to an agreement to do any sort of minor renovations. so this will continue to be an underutilized, concrete lump.

How did you come to this conclusion? I'm getting a sense of hope (with a window of opportunity) for a compromise from the StarTribune article.

This is just awful news. So now that pile of concrete crap remains the same. The updates would have been beautiful and made the space a place to go. I would bet all the money I've ever had that the people who were so upset about the proposed renovations have never spent a second there.

I didn't like the plan that destroyed ALL of the original fountains, and I have been there many many times. Some years daily.

Okay, there's you. What exactly is the biggest issue you had with the proposal? What design changes would you be okay with? I've spent many hours there as well but have no desire to anymore because of the condition. I like the 2012 proposal, would that fly?

I think you will find many others on this board who are with me, and well no, it isn't pleasant now with the fountains off and dying/dead trees...

I think the main fountain on the corner of 12th and Nic should be restored, with its multi level waterfalls and some kind of pool at the bottom, perhaps reduced in size, but still significant. That is my main sticking point. The rest of the block should be reworked around that, hopefully with more green space than is currently there, and maybe a lawn and some of the aspects of the new design... The new proposal was just as much concrete as now, and with a very sad fountain.

I certainly hope something is done though either way. I hate to see it sit there and languish as it has the past couple years.

The plaza does need alterations. It needs to be wheelchair accessable. The Oslund proposal for a more permanent outdoor performance space is a great idea which should be implemented. The water pool needs to be reworked to allow it to be drained easily so it can be used for seating during a performance. Connect the new Orchestra Hall "City Room" with lower level of the plaza. The plantings have to be changed. The seating around the periphery has to be eliminated to discourage loitering of vagrants. Some new materials could be introduced to replace the aging walkways around the plaza. New interesting lighting could be installed to accentuate the iconic fountains and cylinder sculpture at the corner of 12th and Nicollet Mall. The plumbing needs to be revamped for more efficient use of water. Lots to do !!

I think there are a lot of problems with the fountain/pool...but draining it wasn't one of them. It was drained relatively regularly for events when it was in use.

Now that they have gone and deemed it historic doesn't that siginificantly limit what you can and cannot do to the structure? Even if it's a minor repair it will take a significant chunk of time just to get through the red tape to get an approval. I find it hard to believe that they will allow any significant changes to the plaza now.

Now that they have gone and deemed it historic doesn't that siginificantly limit what you can and cannot do to the structure? Even if it's a minor repair it will take a significant chunk of time just to get through the red tape to get an approval. I find it hard to believe that they will allow any significant changes to the plaza now.

That's exactly why I find this entire project doomed. It's neither historic or unique in an urban setting.

You are correct; you will have to deal with multiple layers of activism to even propose a change.

It is what it is in my opinion. Or, what you see is what we will get for years and years.

John, your optimism is great; just wish I shared it.

This is just awful news. So now that pile of concrete crap remains the same. The updates would have been beautiful and made the space a place to go. I would bet all the money I've ever had that the people who were so upset about the proposed renovations have never spent a second there.

To me, the "updates" were disastrous. And I've spent plenty of time in Peavey Plaza.

So I've won your bet. I'll take a check, thanks!