urbanMSP

If they serve no purpose but to signal to others that it's time to invest in this part of town, then so be it. Anything would be better than what is there now.

If they serve no purpose but to signal to others that it's time to invest in this part of town, then so be it. Anything would be better than what is there now.

I agree, this area is ripe for development with the next boom. If we're lucky we'll get 394 covered up more and perhaps density would jump the highway with the SWLRT if it ever gets built.

Huh. The presentation to the DMNA mentioned that one of the hotels would have a bar at one corner. Guess that got scrapped.

So this was approved a little over 18 months ago. The property did change hands to Hawkeye Hotels (developer/owner), so that would indicate they were pretty serious about it. Have you downtowners heard anything lately?

This is the rare project that I truly hope never gets off the ground. Just an awful design and an awful program.

It's had a for sale sign up since April or so - I meant to post about it, but apparently never did. I think it's dead, unless they're just hanging on to it until they wrap up their other double hotel by the TriTech Center.

It would be nice to see a development along the lines of Expo go on this block. doesn't need to be huge, but definitely something more substantial than the last hotel proposal.

I suspect this block may be limited by the surrounding crime. Not that a large project couldn't come in and change the neighborhood, but I see this more likely in areas closer to the North Loop.

From DMNA development tracker

"Per email from Hilary Dvorak on July 1, she was recently contacted
about changes the developer is making to the building. She has yet to
receive anything from the developer that outlines the changes.
Depending on the changes, the project may need to go back to the
Planning Commission.

received this reply:
“Overall building footprint is very similar. There are some additional
units that were added, however most of them within the existing
footprint of the building. Updated plans should come out next week.
We have not received direction from the city if the project will go
back to council or be done with staff review.
We will keep you posted.”
PC approvals are valid for two years and can be extended for a third."

I suspect this block may be limited by the surrounding crime. Not that a large project couldn't come in and change the neighborhood, but I see this more likely in areas closer to the North Loop.

Not so much crime as proximity to services for people experiencing homelessness and a pawn shop.

I suspect this block may be limited by the surrounding crime. Not that a large project couldn't come in and change the neighborhood, but I see this more likely in areas closer to the North Loop.

Not so much crime as proximity to services for people experiencing homelessness and a pawn shop.

Calls to police are calls to police.

I suspect this block may be limited by the surrounding crime. Not that a large project couldn't come in and change the neighborhood, but I see this more likely in areas closer to the North Loop.

Not so much crime as proximity to services for people experiencing homelessness and a pawn shop.

Calls to police are calls to police.

Yeah, I witnessed a shooting outside the Greyhound station about a month ago.

Is there crime because it's empty or is it empty because there's crime?

You'd have to think both. Lots of reports of businesses on that side of downtown writing to the city to clean up the crime because it has been impacting their business. Also the lack of development has to be to blame as well- bad streets, poor lighting, large empty parking lots, etc at night is not a good recipe for a safe area of the city either. Still developers need to make money and if existing businesses in the area are complaining that their businesses have been hurt because of crime, then the crime would probably need to be dealt with before any big (20-40 story) developments would take place on that side of town in my opinion. Before that, we will continue to get sad 6 story proposals over there.

Yesterday I heard this project will break ground soon, within a few weeks.

That’s unfortunate. I was hoping this was dead so that we could get something more substantial on this block.

Yesterday I heard this project will break ground soon, within a few weeks.

What a strange time for this to be going forward.

Yesterday I heard this project will break ground soon, within a few weeks.

What a strange time for this to be going forward.

Spring is a strange time?

^Coronavirus time is a strange time.

I think most projects that are underway will continue. If there's a construction slowdown, it will likely happen down the road.

Fences are up over here.