Theater Garage Marquee Apartments - (Franklin & Lyndale)

[clf]

I'm not sure what this means, are you saying there are new construction apartments that are vacant and/or foreclosed?[/quote]

Yep. Le Parisien for one.[/quote]

Is this currently blighting the neighborhood?[/quote]

There have been extensive research on the negative effects of vacant abandoned property to communities.

[FISHMANPET]

But this isn't a vacant property, it's an operating apartment building.
http://www.lionrockproperties.com/le_parisien

In 2008, six years ago, amidst the real estate crash, the developer filed bankruptcy to reorganize his debts (a legitimate reason to file bankruptcy). I see no evidence that is is a vacant abandoned property.
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/s ... l?page=all

[FISHMANPET]

As to who will rent it, well, there are plenty of apartments Downtown and in the North Loop renting for more, and they're not having trouble getting filled. This is an area full of amenities, I don't see why people wouldn't want to live here. Just because you can't afford to pay that much or aren't willing to doesn't mean nobody can. And if someone can afford $1200 a month for an apartment, but there aren't any avaible, they're just going to call your landlord and say "I'll give you $1000 for your next one bedroom" and as soon as your lease expires he jacks the rent up forcing you out.

Restricting supply will not keep prices down.

[TommyT]

which is a concern as there are foreclosed and vacant developments similar to this one

I'm not sure what this means, are you saying there are new construction apartments that are vacant and/or foreclosed?

Yep. Le Parisien for one.

Maybe you're referring to the retail space that has never filled up? If so... can the same thing be said about Blue and their retail space that STILL remains empty? (I did notice a whole bunch of drywall in there the other day though.. not sure if it's for that space or not).

[David Greene]

So you'd rather have a vacant lot instead of Le Parisien? Even though it went through fcl? The complex, which is still standing, provides negative value to the neighborhood?

I think it does. It creates an image of a neighborhood in decline. Get enough vacant buildings in a small area and we know what happens.

Would I prefer an empty lot? It entirely depends on what that lot looks like. I think an empty Welna hardware building on Lyndale and 26th would be worse than the current grass as would a parking lot. An abandoned building that is in disrepair could even be worse than a parking lot.

[widin007]

About Le Parisien though is it's not abandoned. Just the retail hasn't leased, and having walked past it hundreds of times, it's a good looking building. Abandoned buildings that are falling apart and unkempt are bad for a neighborhood, sure, but no buildings going up around uptown will be abandoned or fall into disrepair anytime soon.

[TommyT]

On top of that... you also have to give Le Parisien credit for being one of the only newer buildings that has some charm and doesn't look like a box. It's actually one of my favorite apartment buildings in Minneapolis as far as architecture goes. It adds a lot to the neighborhood IMHO.

[ECtransplant]

This lot is on several major transit routes, within walking distance of downtown in nicer weather, and in one of the State's densest census tracts. People who want cars to be given priority shouldn't be living there

Plenty of people live in the city and work in the suburbs. Given the state of our transit system, it's completely unreasonable to expect people to live in this location without a car.

I'm sorry but a dense, walkable neighborhood close to downtown on several major transit routes is exactly where we should expect people not to rely on cars

[gpete]

Just a quick question for my understanding: there are two apartment buildings and two, maybe three, single family homes along Aldrich that would back up to this development, correct?

[David Greene]

But this isn't a vacant property, it's an operating apartment building.
http://www.lionrockproperties.com/le_parisien

While technically true, I drove by it the other night and there was one light on in the entire complex. For all intents and purposes, it's dead.

It doesn't really help to argue minute details like this. People are talking about the big picture. While I personally don't think the proposed property has much risk of failing I can understand the fears people have that it might.

[David Greene]

On top of that... you also have to give Le Parisien credit for being one of the only newer buildings that has some charm and doesn't look like a box. It's actually one of my favorite apartment buildings in Minneapolis as far as architecture goes. It adds a lot to the neighborhood IMHO (obviously).

I totally agree about the architecture but there does come a point where even the most beautify building, abandoned long enough, becomes a problem. In this area, it's not just one building, there are several vacant storefronts.

Again, I don't see it as a reason not to do development. I'm listening to what the immediate neighbors are saying and attempting to understand their fears so they can be properly addressed.

[David Greene]

Just a quick question for my understanding: there are two apartment buildings and two, maybe three, single family homes along Aldrich that would back up to this development, correct?

Two apartments/condo buildings, three SFHs.

[David Greene]

I'm sorry but a dense, walkable neighborhood close to downtown on several major transit routes is exactly where we should expect people not to rely on cars

Those several major transit routes (2, maybe you can count three) don't nearly cover the metro area, nor do they directly connect to enough high-frequency routes that do.

We're just not there yet with our transit system. As one of the speakers last night said, we have to make a commitment to invest in transit before we can reasonable expect people to be carless anywhere in the MSP area.

[FISHMANPET]

This is a great place to not have a car if you've got a downtown job. No, not everybody can live without a car. But if you need a car then live in a place that can handle that car.

I'd love to live in a 3 story penthouse on top of a skyscraper with uncongested roads for me to drive my car on and a super frequent subway stop right outside my door and tons of street level activity surrounding my building, and I'd like to pay $20 a month for it. But I can't have that, so I have to compromise. And this is a location where a good compromise to make for some people is to not have a car.

[mattaudio]

Heck, people are free to live in Manhattan and have a car if they so desire. But since when are people entitled to subsidized car storage and congestion-free streets during peak hours? Glad we no longer bow to that post-war standard.

[RailBaronYarr]

I'd like to point out that, today, in our car-focused country and metro, only just over 50% of people living in the Wedge drive to work. To say people can't live without a car here is flat out false, particularly as car-sharing, bike sharing, and transit improve in the area. Beyond that, if we're constantly saying "no" to (or cutting back/limiting) developments because of the status quo of traffic, etc, how will things ever change? Will there potentially be a period of time where things get dicey? Sure! Will people living in the Wedge who drive spend an extra couple minutes during peak-hour commutes? Possibly! Will longer-term housing and job demands force more companies to react to the value of being located where a growing number of its employees can walk or bike to work? Yes! Will Metro Transit, Hennepin County, and state purse-holders finally realize we need upgrades to the system and dedicated ROW for key lines? Hopefully! None of that will change unless we start allowing these developments.

And, as I pointed out on the MRRDC FB page, the 2 apartment buildings to the west of this site sit 11' from each other. Given the N-S relation, the southern building poses much more of a shade issue to the northern building than this proposal does. woonerf is correct that 10' gaps between buildings isn't uncommon in cities or even Minneapolis.

[MNdible]

Le Parisien was a comically amateur hour development by a guy who was way in over his head, and this was evident from Day 1 to anybody paying attention. The fact that this one project has (sort of) failed should not at all be used as a predictor of what might happen to a professionally developed and managed project.

There's a ton of rental demand in this neighborhood, and it's also very resilient demand.

[Nathan]

Just to be clear about paid parking vs free parking for the existing retail... The developer said the public ramp would be hourly, yes. but he also said there would be validation for the neighboring retail. To what extent and to what cost to the businesses, if any, I'm not sure. BUT this keeps parking more organized, and hidden, with little effect on the people who already park in those lots.

In my opinion this building and their proposed street changes should help alleviate some traffic challenges, make entering the lot easier, and add a more pedestrian friendly realm and more residents who don't have to drive to the neighborhood.

CLF. why WOULDN'T you want to live here? It's on a bunch of major transit routes, there ARE three bars to frequent close by, restaurants, shops, a grocery store across the street, walkable to uptown, and downtown. This is about turning the neighborhood into a better neighborhood, not letting past problems keep it stagnant.

Also people living on the street here makes it harder for crime and rowdy things to happen. I have a friend who's home will back up to this project on Aldrich. He was more than excited to get rid of the surface parking where he's hear people being loud into hours of the night, fornicating on cars (yes literally), and who knows what else. It's hard to believe that anything going on in an enclosed ramp or even during a private party on the rooftop, could be worse than existing.

[clf]

"CLF. why WOULDN'T you want to live here? It's on a bunch of major transit routes, there ARE three bars to frequent close by, restaurants, shops, a grocery store across the street, walkable to uptown, and downtown. This is about turning the neighborhood into a better neighborhood, not letting past problems keep it stagnant."

I have the exact living conditions currently with half the rent. Why pay double? There are wonderful affordable apartments already. I would love to see a development at this location but I don't think this project has addressed the issues well enough to make it viable. I have lived in the Wedge neighborhood all my life and support improvement that fits the needs of the community. I have never owned a car but I'm realistic with the traffic issue. Walking, busing and biking need to be improved in this area. They have made a good start but there have been so many accidents that it needs to be taken into consideration.

[FISHMANPET]

Do you believe that if this building is built that it will make your rent go up? If it isn't built will rents in this desirable area go down, stay the same, or go up?