urbanMSP

I'd like if we did the same thing with our Armory that San Francisco did to there's, but there's probably not enough demand for another one of those...

HAHA! I was JUST in San Francisco... I wouldn't mind our Armory being used for those purposes

Sounds like a business trip.

I guess I'll be the resident prude. No thanks. I think we can do better.

but you like using the internet right? Thanks Porn Industry!!!

Boy, this ones been quiet for a while.

Finally looks like plans could POSSIBLY move forward.

From Finance and Commerce website: Owner looks to move Armory plan forward

http://finance-commerce.com/2014/05/own ... n-forward/

Don't we have a glut of venues already? I wish them luck, but I can't see how much demand there can be for concerts and events. Hopefully this will be truly multipurpose, allowing for it to be programmed deeper than just events.

It could be a cool venue for concerts. There are a lot of bands that are too big for First Avenue, but not ready for the Target Center or the Xcel. Right now, their choices are either Roy Wilkins, which is a terrible venue, or one of the big theaters, which aren't really great for a rock concert because of the fixed seating.

I'm assuming that the North Star Roller Girls would love to move out of the Convention Center to a venue like this.

No doubt it's a niche, and I'm not sure if there's enough demand to sustain them, but it will definitely fill a void in the market.

I also agree that it would be great if it were flexible enough that it could host something like the Farmer's Market on a regular basis.

Man I hope this happens. I used to park there and it is a disgrace to see such a beautiful building with so much history in such bad shape.

A lot of midsize bands go to Myth now too. Would be happy to see that end.

I'm bullish about this. I've never been a fan of Roy Wilkins and nobody I know is a fan of the Myth. This space could blow those out of the water and dominate the sweet spot between First Ave and Target/Xcel. Square footage wise it is 3x as big as the Myth and over 2x as big as Roy Wilkins (a huge floor for general admission), aesthetics are no comparison and the location/transit-infrastructure put within the convenient reach of MSP music scene regulars. Keep your fingers crossed that they get the renovation elements right (sound in particular). Could be a treasure.

A lot of midsize bands go to Myth now too. Would be happy to see that end.

Heh. The NE metro is so lame. Bands are itching to not play there.

This is exactly what I have been hoping for at the Armory for years!!! the mid-size concert venue is really really lacking in MN compared to other cities of similar size. On top of concerts if designed right it could be used for: Rollergirls, HS basketball/volleyball games, support events for new stadium, business events, etc

I hope they keep the look of the windows, and add a few rooftop decks on the corners.

My greatest hope for this is that they find a way to put in skylights over the arching roof. But that is a wish I never expect to see, I'll be pleased when it isn't car storage anymore.

The biggest problem with the skylights is the curved roof and having skylights that don't leak with all of the freeze/thaw that goes on in the seasons. Will I agree that it would be awesome, but our climate makes it just another headache for maintenance. Skylights and water features up here are a maintenance headache.

My greatest hope for this is that they find a way to put in skylights over the arching roof. But that is a wish I never expect to see, I'll be pleased when it isn't car storage anymore.

Me too! Just wonder if it would get past the preservationists.

The biggest problem with the skylights is the curved roof and having skylights that don't leak with all of the freeze/thaw that goes on in the seasons. Will I agree that it would be awesome, but our climate makes it just another headache for maintenance. Skylights and water features up here are a maintenance headache.

Done correctly skylights or glass roofs are not an issue in this climate. See: Vikings Stadium.

The armory will also be great for Peewee Hockey Championship!! We could hang banners commemorating Bombay, Conway,Goldberg, Moreau, Reed, Averman, Hall, and Banks!

The biggest problem with the skylights is the curved roof and having skylights that don't leak with all of the freeze/thaw that goes on in the seasons. Will I agree that it would be awesome, but our climate makes it just another headache for maintenance. Skylights and water features up here are a maintenance headache.

Done correctly skylights or glass roofs are not an issue in this climate. See: Vikings Stadium.

Good point. They have not had any problems yet.

Could the lower level of the Armory include a Trader Joes?

So. Parking access to the Armory upper level will be removed with this project. As a venue, they will need a truck dock, and there's no way the two existing doors with the steep ramps are useful for anything other than cars. The existing dock (3 garage doors at 5th/5th) looks to be original, yet could easily be changed to face midblock and thus gain additional public space (or a storefront) on the southeast corner of that intersection.

East of Portland, the Hyperbaric Medicine move means any redevelopment could use Portland rather than 5th St for vehicular access. With the exception of the two ramps on the block to the west (Government Center city ramp and Allied Parking ramp) there are no longer any needs for curb cuts on 5th Street east of the Government Plaza LRT station.

Coupled with the move of the Interstate 94 ramp from 5th Street to 7th Street, along with the construction of The Yard on this stretch, now is the time to close this street for vehicular uses except for the short one block lane for access/egress to the two parking ramps. And even those could possibly go. It would be much easier to reconfigure the base of the municipal ramp rather than the Allied ramp. Although reconfiguring the base would possibly allow for conversion of the corner at 5th and 5th into a storefront.

This would be awesome. I cringe whenever a band I really like makes it big enough to play the Roy instead of First Ave.

I have to imagine acoustics will be a big challenge in a building like this. If they spend the money to do it right the first time this could be fantastic.

Construction could start by late summer. Cool!

So. Parking access to the Armory upper level will be removed with this project. As a venue, they will need a truck dock, and there's no way the two existing doors with the steep ramps are useful for anything other than cars. The existing dock (3 garage doors at 5th/5th) looks to be original, yet could easily be changed to face midblock and thus gain additional public space (or a storefront) on the southeast corner of that intersection.

Yea, there is two current truck docks both on 5th flanking the building one on Portland, one on 5th. Im not sure those can work in their current orientation as trucks would have to use the LRT tracks to maneuver. Could it be as simple as flipping those to face mid-block?

Also, I forgot that the basement is the so big. I wonder how that will be used?