urbanMSP

UNIQLO!!! Also a good fit for Uptown would be an AllSaints... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! Their stores are amazing.

I think that's Mark Andrew walking out of the mystery retail store-

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 111500.pdf

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 111499.pdf

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 111498.pdf

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 111497.pdf

Oh, and I hate the plain glass fenestration in the front. At least give us a nod to the original :\

Oh, and I hate the plain glass fenestration in the front. At least give us a nod to the original :\

The staff recommendation is to require that the storefront glass be redesigned to more closely match the original appearance, which takes care of the biggest issue I think I have with this otherwise surprisingly respectful and thorough project.

Looking at the photos of the interior, I have no idea what the 1999 HPC was thinking when they approved some of the cinema grill crap. Especially splitting the auditorium, which thankfully didn't happen.

I've read that major international retailers, specifically Uniqlo and Zara, don't have plans to come to middle America in the near future. This is in part due to the uncertainty of coming here based on previous examples and also in part because Americans don't fit as well in their clothes. Meanwhile, they are opening like 50 stores a day in China (only slightly exaggerating). Uniqlo is very public about wanting to be the biggest clothes store in the world, though, so it seems only a matter of time before they come to this market.

That all said, it's almost unfathomable that one of those stores would come to Uptown and not the Mall of America. From a business perspective there is no question that a destination store at MOA would be more successful than a "hip" store in Uptown.

Also keep in mind that MOA still has several open spaces to fill from the old Bloomingdales. They promised the same kind of unique, international retail, but as far as I know the only space to be filled so far is the basement, which now has Forever 21.

Not sure if you consider Chicago middle America, but I believe there is a Zara there. Also, aren't they rumored to be going into that new space at the MOA where Bloomingdale's was?

If you google "Zara Mall of America" you pretty quickly find several stories with the same premise: Zara and Uniqlo don't have plans to come here. Here is one from February:

http://racked.com/archives/2013/02/13/t ... the-us.php

Purely speculative on my part, but I have to imagine that Minneapolis-St. Paul would be the No. 2 Midwestern city for any of these companies. But our biggest draw is a space in the Mall of America, unfortunately, not Uptown.

Two new images for possible fenestration setups on the storefront:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 112153.pdf

Much nicer than the plain glass originally proposed, per city requirement.

Per HPC requirement. The 'preferred' is from the developer, the 'alternate' is what the commission asked for the first time. Turning the additional 'storefronts' and 'ticket booth' into beautiful display windows would be fabulous for the street.

Also, what is "wroght iron".

Also, what is "wroght iron".

I think the mean "wrought iron" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrought_iron

Sigh, I know.

Any word on this project. I would have thought like CB@ that they would have wanted to be open by Christmas. Yet is looks like nothing is happening.

Uh oh, looks like the Suburban World went back to the bank.

http://www.cbburnet.com/property/detail ... 55408.aspx

According to the Uptown Neighborhood News the Lyn Lake Theater is going to become a taproom.

http://carag.org/organization/uptown-neighborhood-news/

It's about time something happened in there.

More info on the proposed brewpub- reclaimed wood, rooftop patio, industrial styling...

http://www.southwestjournal.com/news/bi ... s-building

Sigh. I'd really like to see Bender push through the necessary ordinance changes so that the Granada/ Suburban World can feasibly be brought back to life as a live music venue.

She tweeted the other night that she had been speaking/ at an event with Dessa and that the two had agreed on, among other things, Uptown needing more performance spaces. Here it is!

Dessa should do a kickstarter for it, it worked well for her when she wanted to buy herself some new equipment.