urbanMSP

There is lots of hard money moving to/from the building in this area, plus some underground parking already which is I think why they're going aboveground for this.

Is it feasible for the USPS "sell" their ramp to the Fed, who then leases back spaces to the post office? There is plenty of room but non-USPS employees can't park there for security. The Fed doesn't appear to have a similar rule since their proposed new ramp is open to the public. Surely USPS employees ought be allowed to park in a ramp owned by another federal agency, especially if it is only open to federal employees (?)

That's a really good point.

https://goo.gl/maps/iTDBmbeUNBC2

From the looks of it. There is a good amount of space to expand the existing parking ramp as well. wrap it with some housing or office or retail or whatever. In return we would get that proposed ramp site to be housing or office or something actually good. AND provided the Reserve bank would give up a bit of that green space out front so we could turn that into a nice connection to the riverfront I'd be 1000% game.

Given since the urban park idea really fizzled out, having a connection to the riverfront from the west side instead of the east side don't seem that much different. I know, file this as never gonna happen so not gonna give it much more thought besides a would be cool looking into.

Hypothetically, would we be be willing to trade this ramp for the USPS giving up theirs?

I would absolutely, without question, rather let the Fed build their new ramp over keeping the USPS ramp in place forever. The USPS ramp site is going to be a great park / transition down to the river someday.

It’s a silly question anyways. The Fed is gonna get their ramp approved. The only question is whether the city can force/convince them to wrap it with housing/office/etc

I also don't get why they don't have them slope the site down more to meet the river road instead of keeping the wall the way it is now. It would really connect that side of the neighborhood to the river again.

Hypothetically, would we be be willing to trade this ramp for the USPS giving up theirs?

It’s a silly question anyways. The Fed is gonna get their ramp approved. The only question is whether the city can force/convince them to wrap it with housing/office/etc

I don't like this. It's irrelevant whether this is good political analysis or not. It's paralyzing cynicism. The city should move to block a project this bad through every legal avenue available, and they should receive the support they need to do that from an engaged public. There's a climate crisis and an urban housing crisis, and the Fed's proposal is unacceptable in that context. Nobody should resign themselves to accepting a project that is so destructive and harmful, and I don't appreciate an attempt to shoot down an alternative idea offered in good faith.

Hypothetically, would we be be willing to trade this ramp for the USPS giving up theirs?

I would absolutely, without question, rather let the Fed build their new ramp over keeping the USPS ramp in place forever. The USPS ramp site is going to be a great park / transition down to the river someday.

It’s a silly question anyways. The Fed is gonna get their ramp approved. The only question is whether the city can force/convince them to wrap it with housing/office/etc

This. I'd love to see the postal ramp go away, that's the real piece of prime real estate and is a visual showcase to the city.

I also don't get why they don't have them slope the site down more to meet the river road instead of keeping the wall the way it is now. It would really connect that side of the neighborhood to the river again.

The bike trail is between river road and their property so that is a limiting factor.

I also don't get why they don't have them slope the site down more to meet the river road instead of keeping the wall the way it is now. It would really connect that side of the neighborhood to the river again.

The bike trail is between river road and their property so that is a limiting factor.

I mean its only like a 12 foot elevation change and they are already proposing the rework the trail turn you could just have it start sloping down sooner. I wouldnt say that that is a big factor in removing that wall.

HPC recommends denial - http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 217289.pdf

Glad to see the receommended denial. Surprised 212 Lofts are actually in support of it.

Holy crap, I can't remember the last time I've seen so many negative comments attached to the end of a proposal. That's heartening.

Turns out there's something to this online "organizing" thing. Writing things on streets.mn and the twitters can spur emails.

Also, pretty gross that Eric Dayton gave his "full support" to this project, despite his store's whole shtick about Keeping the North Cold.

Tweet that sentiment out and he'll invite you to coffee so he can Explain Business Things to you.

Does Kashkari drive in from some suburb in an SUV?

HPC recommends denial - http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 217289.pdf

To be clear, this is a staff report for HPC, so staff is recommending denial of the Certificate of Appropriateness, which is the only decision before the HPC. Last time HPC saw the project the committee members apparently liked it so we'll see what they actually decide.

Yeah, I don't trust the HPC to make the right decision here, no matter what the staff report says. Putting my faith in the CPC.

Assuming the HPC approved it against staff recommendation, any citizen could file an appeal within 7 days and the staff report would basically support their appeal, right?

Doesn't downtown zoning still prevent any new single-use parking structures, which this would clearly be? I don't get all the angst here when this is clearly going to get denied by zoning and planning. Or is the fed somehow exempt from this.

the Fed is somehow exempt from everything

There were crews out surveying the site today when I ran by.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

HPC Staff recommends denying certificate of appropriateness.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/meetings/hpc/WCMSP-218295