Uptown - LynLake - The Wedge - News & General

[MNdible]

I'm just saying it could have been avoided entirely by simply having lower parking requirements.

Ehh? Was the developer pushing for less parking?

Please just play along with the script. "The reason that we have too many cars is because of the zoning code."

[RailBaronYarr]

I'm just saying it could have been avoided entirely by simply having lower parking requirements.

Ehh? Was the developer pushing for less parking?

Please just play along with the script. "The reason that we have too many cars is because of the zoning code."

If you remove parking minimums today, developers will likely offer the same amount of parking for a given amount of time as they have been (in most cases). But to claim the zoning code and parking minimums for the last 50+ years haven't shaped land-uses to the point of necessitating the amount of parking to handle the cars needed to get around our metro is absolute craziness.

[Wedgeguy]

Very few are going to rent when they don't have a convenient place to park. With the winter and snow restrictions I don't see too many wanting to risk having their car towed or wake up to a dead battery in the sub Zero. Remember this is not NYC or Chicago where you have plenty of convenient transit options.

[Tyler]

If you remove parking minimums today, developers will likely offer the same amount of parking for a given amount of time as they have been (in most cases). But to claim the zoning code and parking minimums for the last 50+ years haven't shaped land-uses to the point of necessitating the amount of parking to handle the cars needed to get around our metro is absolute craziness.

OK. But that's not really the claim twincitizen is making here, is it?

[twincitizen]

I'll take suggestions now for updating the map at the top of this thread. I'm going to mark a bunch of things as complete, including those that are nearly complete (Track 29, 2700 Hennepin, etc.) I don't think we have a single new proposal to add to the map, and I haven't touched it in months...

[TheUrbanGopher]

I'll take suggestions now for updating the map at the top of this thread. I'm going to mark a bunch of things as complete, including those that are nearly complete (Track 29, 2700 Hennepin, etc.) I don't think we have a single new proposal to add to the map, and I haven't touched it in months...

Perhaps you could add the proposed 29th Street Mall that Rybak talked about in his last budget speech?

[Wedgeguy]

Rybak is gone, the concept went with him!

[Nick]

[blakehanson]

I purposely left Buzza off. I think it's an awesome project, but it isn't going to change the urban fabric much. The changes to the exterior will be minimal. I was mostly focusing on *NEW* development when I made the map. Now, if they would do something about that massive parking lot...

Plus, Buzza opens in 10 weeks. (NOV. 1)

Buzza Phase II is now in the works to be an L-shape over the current surface parking lot.

[martykoessel]

Hey there, everyone!

I think I remember someone asking about where Trader Joe's might go, so I'll cast an idea out there.

How about the northeast corner of Lake and Harriet, just one block east of Fuji Ya? Standard Heating and Air Conditioning has abandoned the location and owns three of the four decrepit properties on the corner, or .31 of the total .47 acres. With the building fronting Lake and parking behind, the store could have a decent street presence and perhaps fewer problems with in-and-out traffic than the 27th and Lyndale site.

I wonder if the Trader Joe's folks are still looking in the neighborhood or if they've bowed out for the time being.

[David Greene]

I wonder if the Trader Joe's folks are still looking in the neighborhood or if they've bowed out for the time being.

Do people really prefer TJ's over The Wedge or one of the other four groceries within walking distance in the area?

IME, TJ's has terrible produce and its shady business practices are well-known.

[martykoessel]

Hi David!

We do about 80-90% of our grocery shopping at the Wedge and Seward Coop, but we've stopped by the Trader Joe's on Excelsior for an occasional odd or end and especially for the cheap beer and wine. If they're intent on coming to the neighborhood, I wouldn't want them too close to the Wedge. Other than Rainbow and SuperValu, neither of which strike me as out of the ordinary, what's the other major grocery within walking distance?

I'm not informed about Trader Joe's business practices. Will you enlighten?

[Wedgeguy]

TJ will not be able to go to Harriet and Lake as there is a fairly new liquor store at about Grand and Lake. That is about 2-3 blocks away.

[David Greene]

Other than Rainbow and SuperValu, neither of which strike me as out of the ordinary, what's the other major grocery within walking distance?

Lund's and Kowalski's, which are certainly in walking distace for a portion of the populace TJ's would target and Bill's, which is in walking distance from a good portion of the rest of the populace. Granted, Bill's is more of a specialty place and probably has stuff TJ's wouldn't carry anyway. Between The Wedge, Kowalski's, Lund's, Rainbow and Bill's, I think the grocery market in the area is pretty saturated. Another grocer would only take business from the rest and not really add anything new.

I'm not informed about Trader Joe's business practices. Will you enlighten?

It's funny you mention Rainbow as not out of the ordinary, because TJ's sells the same stuff, repackaged. TJ's is very secretive about its suppliers because they don't want you to know you can get much of the same stuff at Cub or Rainbow.

I for one can't stand the wine but that's just me.

[martykoessel]

Hey there again, David. As for the 2-buck-Chuck, I'm with you, but there are lots of wines that are decent and much less expensive than other places. Still, if you think that TJ's is doing unethical things and I agree, I would stop going there. Clearly, you can't stand 'em, but is there more to it than the repackaging? Are they treating employees or vendors badly? Giving lots of money to Ted Cruz? Cozying up to the NSA? Cheering for the Packers?

[orangevening]

Anybody know what's up with this building? It's new but empty and has been there empty for awhile now. In fact I don't ever remember anyone in there. Faux-European style, commercial 1st floor, residential 2-3 floors.

[seanrichardryan]

It has never been leased. It was orginally rumored to be a bakery when that building went up.

[Wedgeguy]

That was the retail level of a condo building that came in at the tail end of the condo market. They had hoped to have had a wine shop and cheese store in there. But I think Kowalski's wine store, made that a no go. Small floor plate also kind of make it hard to find uses for. Not sure if anything went into the floor space above there. That I thought was to be small offices.

[min-chi-cbus]

I am personally a bit shocked that there are not more projects being proposed in the pipeline in Uptown. I realize the Bennett Lumber project still has yet to add its 600 units to the market, and so does Track 29, Lime, The Walkway, and others, but it didn't seem like there was any reason to believe that these new units wouldn't be plucked up fairly quickly in our market and even in the Uptown sub-market, considering the incredibly low vacancies, rising rents, success of other recently-completed projects, and the strengthening economy.

[twincitizen]

Hey y'all, Let's Go to the Mall:

Shop the Mall
Monday Dec. 16 5:30pm Meet at 29th and Pillsbury
Some of the most interesting and international shopping is right here in Whittier. If you have never been to Karmel Mall, our new community organizer Osman Ahmed will give you a personal introduction to the shops, vendors and excitement of shopping at Karmel Mall. An added bonus will be Mayor Elect Betsy Hodges who will be at Karmel that evening for a henna painting appointment. Join the excitement of this evening by meeting Osman at the corner of 29th St & Pillsbury Ave at 5:30pm.

I think I'm going to tag along. I live a block away and am damn curious what goes on there. Perhaps after going this I'll be more comfortable venturing into the "What The?" building, which is right across the street from me.

P.S. Before anyone tells me this is not Uptown, I'll remind you that this thread encompasses Lyn-Lake as well and this thread was simply the best place to put this announcement.