urbanMSP

That stretch of 7th might be the most uninviting city block in all of downtown Minneapolis. It'd be tough for any restaurant to survive there.

Goodfellow's restaurant was in that space for almost 18 years. So to say that it's tough for a restaurant to survive there is a bit exaggerated. Perhaps things have changed so dramatically in the restaurant business though - as we continue to have more and more "fast" options?

Is it an awkward stretch, yes. I think the bigger issue is how these cross streets feel so different than Hennepin & Nicollet. They feel windswept and gross. I'm not sure how to change that. Even if the podium of City Center were updated - the Foot Locker and parking ramp across the street are so uninspiring! It doesn't help that the prime real estate on the corner of 7th & Hennepin (old Chevy's space) still sits vacant! How is that possible?! There are so many things that make me shake my head in wonder...

6th, 7th & 8th streets are all bad stretches between Nicollet & Hennepin.
I can't imagine any owner will invest millions to update their facade so long as the City/County (whoever owns these STROADS) doesn't do anything to alter their 'feel'.

Goodfellow's restaurant was in that space for almost 18 years. So to say that it's tough for a restaurant to survive there is a bit exaggerated.

Goodfellow's was in business for 18 years total, but it was in City Center for only half of that time. It was previously in the Conservatory. It opened in City Center as popular, established restaurant.

Goodfellow's was in business for 18 years total, but it was in City Center for only half of that time. It was previously in the Conservatory. It opened in City Center as popular, established restaurant.

Thanks for that clarification. I knew there was something strange about that 18 years. But I do see that they were in City Center from 1996 until they closed in 2005. Besides Goodfellow's and Forum, these other restaurants have graced the location as well: Paramount Cafe, Mick's & Scottie’s on Seventh.

6th, 7th & 8th streets are all bad stretches between Nicollet & Hennepin.
I can't imagine any owner will invest millions to update their facade so long as the City/County (whoever owns these STROADS) doesn't do anything to alter their 'feel'.

Why would we want to invest in these streets while Nicollet Mall is so dated and cluttered?

Good point - just think how many streets and blockfaces we could improve if we weren't intent on blowing the whole budget on a $5 million per block Nicollet Mall redo. Maybe owners of buildings like City Center would respond in kind if the public decided to make the public realm a little better.

If we're going to the blow the budget somewhere, Nicollet seems like a pretty justifiable place to do it.

Also, it should be noted that most of this money is coming from the State and DID funds, with only a token amount coming from the city.

Also also, the CIP has pedestrian realm improvements scheduled for 2016 and 2017 on a number of downtown streets, including 6th, 7th, and 8th.

If we're going to the blow the budget somewhere, Nicollet seems like a pretty justifiable place to do it.

Also, it should be noted that most of this money is coming from the State and DID funds, with only a token amount coming from the city.

Also also, the CIP has pedestrian realm improvements scheduled for 2016 and 2017 on a number of downtown streets, including 6th, 7th, and 8th.

I wasn't suggesting that the City not upgrade Nicollet Mile. I wanted to make that clear. I think it's important to update the backbone of our downtown. Thank you for also pointing out the planned improvements for 6th, 7th & 8th. It's often hard to remember those things when these sections have been the same for 15+ years.

I'm not sure if it's just the Minnesotan way (being frugal, stoic, non-flashy), but I want to believe that with the thousands of new residents moving downtown that great things are on the horizon. New retail, new offices, new residential. There has to be pent up demand... it drives me crazy that at times downtown still feels sleepy. Hopefully more thoughtful improvements to the streetscape will make building owners (City Center especially) want to be better.

It's just going to take time, because the Nic on Fifth are the first true new residents to downtown. LPM is in an area full of apartments that is close to downtown but away from it at the same time. It mostly adds to the Loring Park neighborhood and slightly the downtown area. Nic on Fifth, the Ritz Block and all of downtown east will result in more of an "awakening" of downtown.

Nicollet Mall reconstruction will help it out too.. I hope. Every time I pass it though, you can see where things used to be and where they once had flags and signs, but no more.

I'm also sure that we'll see a lot of revitalizing the small things downtown as we get closer to the Superbowl. I would imagine the city will want to make it look like as friendly, active, and welcoming place as possible for all of our visitors.

It's just going to take time, because the Nic on Fifth are the first true new residents to downtown. LPM is in an area full of apartments that is close to downtown but away from it at the same time. It mostly adds to the Loring Park neighborhood and slightly the downtown area. Nic on Fifth, the Ritz Block and all of downtown east will result in more of an "awakening" of downtown.

Not Soo Line?

It's just going to take time, because the Nic on Fifth are the first true new residents to downtown. LPM is in an area full of apartments that is close to downtown but away from it at the same time. It mostly adds to the Loring Park neighborhood and slightly the downtown area. Nic on Fifth, the Ritz Block and all of downtown east will result in more of an "awakening" of downtown.

Not Soo Line?

You have Loring Park, Elliot Park, the North Loop, the Mill District just outside the core. You have the Marquette Apartments, Soo Line, Quebec, Symphony Place, The Towers, Churchill and Nic as your main residential towers in the core. There are plenty of residence to shop here. But at this point there is little for selection of places that anyone would really want to shop at besides Macy's.

Like Riverplace, our 80's shopping mecca was about built up about 20 years too soon. Had we built up the downtown residential back then, we would have a thriving mall right now. It will be interesting to see how many of the stores that have left downtown end up back here once the mall rebuild is complete.

I'd rather see the Walgreen on the ground floor corner of City Center where office Max was. I prefer for Lord and Taylors to take over the old Sak space. City Center needs to open the ground level back to the street again.

City Center needs to take down all of the textured concrete exterior walls and replace them with glass and lights... It is just so ugly and was ugly back in 1983 when it was built. Looks like a skyscraper from the Flintstones.

It's just going to take time, because the Nic on Fifth are the first true new residents to downtown. LPM is in an area full of apartments that is close to downtown but away from it at the same time. It mostly adds to the Loring Park neighborhood and slightly the downtown area. Nic on Fifth, the Ritz Block and all of downtown east will result in more of an "awakening" of downtown.

Not Soo Line?

You have Loring Park, Elliot Park, the North Loop, the Mill District just outside the core. You have the Marquette Apartments, Soo Line, Quebec, Symphony Place, The Towers, Churchill and Nic as your main residential towers in the core. There are plenty of residence to shop here. But at this point there is little for selection of places that anyone would really want to shop at besides Macy's.

Like Riverplace, our 80's shopping mecca was about built up about 20 years too soon. Had we built up the downtown residential back then, we would have a thriving mall right now. It will be interesting to see how many of the stores that have left downtown end up back here once the mall rebuild is complete.

I'd rather see the Walgreen on the ground floor corner of City Center where office Max was. I prefer for Lord and Taylors to take over the old Sak space. City Center needs to open the ground level back to the street again.

Yes that's true but I thought we were talking about the core. The core was still dead or barely awake later because the places you named are still a decent enough distance away because of highway separation, the river, etc. The core Will be refreshed And more alive through these projects. That's what I meant.

What? None of the buildings Wedgeguy named are on the other side of a highway or the river from the core. Most of them are even on the skyway! If they're not in the core, your definition of the core is so compact as to have no meaning.

!

What's that remaining sign from?

Can't read the center. If it were a linked image, that I could zoom into...

I think it says "guarantee".

Lowest prices guaranteed everyday

looked like "just nice" to me :/ My guess is it's bolted tot he wall, thus making it a 'permanent fixture' which cannot be taken at the end of lease.