urbanMSP

A "Northern Irish" bar? Does that mean you have to sit on one side of the bar if you feel you live in "the Twin Cities", and the other side if you feel you live in "Saint Paul"?

Still miss being able to go to the Glockenspiel to get a nice selection of German beers. Or how about a British pub with a wide selection of British beers (like Brit's used to have years ago). Oh well, maybe there's not a market for those kind of bars anymore..

I haven't been to the newly opened World of Beer (WoB) in Lowertown yet but wouldn't they have many of these?

A "Northern Irish" bar? Does that mean you have to sit on one side of the bar if you feel you live in "the Twin Cities", and the other side if you feel you live in "Saint Paul"?

I mean northern Ireland is in a different country than Ireland... has a different currency...

Do protestants and catholics drink different beers in Ireland?

Park 24 apartments on Como Ave in St. Anthony Park are topped out with much of their exterior complete. Lots of brick. Very pleasant looking building so far.

Fits right into that intersection nicely.

Do protestants and catholics drink different beers in Ireland?

They drink Guinness everywhere on the island. I'm not sure, but there may be some regional differences is where Murphy's or Beamish is the second popular stout.

I don't know what the Irish do, but there's an American perception of Bushmills being a "Protestant whiskey." Probably because the town where it's made (Bushmills, obvs) is on the north coast in Northern Ireland.

Reading this http://www.twincities.com/2015/04/21/ne ... rish-fare/ made me remember that I participated in a taste test of Tennet's lager when last I was in Belfast. Got a free pint out of it, but I always thought it was British (turns out it's Scottish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellpark_Brewery).

I'd assume that the name is a reference to the Glens of Antrim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glens_of_Antrim.

Still miss being able to go to the Glockenspiel to get a nice selection of German beers. Or how about a British pub with a wide selection of British beers (like Brit's used to have years ago). Oh well, maybe there's not a market for those kind of bars anymore...

It does feel like the the demand for craft and local beer has somewhat displaced that for imported beer, compared to how it was, say, 10-15 years ago. Mexican beer is the exception to that, though, as that's become far more common and available.

Sears is selling their store near the St. Paul Capitol (yay!).

Buy they're looking to lease it back (boo!)

Maybe it will be for 50 years and include vacating a major street.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... tores.html

Wonder what will become of this dusty plan to add more retail buildings (and some housing) to the site?
http://www.twincities.com/2013/01/03/st ... oin-store/

That plan was done by Sears themselves. Have to assume that's off the table now. Anne Frankly, I'm glad that plan was shelved, as it was pretty darn underwhelming for the site. 10 years down the road, as downtown matures across the freeway, etc., I think developers will be looking hard at this site, and not for a few underwhelming strip mall / junior box additions, but for total redevelopment. Hopefully, one day developers will be salivating over this site like they are the Ford site and Midway site.

I'm more interested in what will happen to the KMart store off I-35E and Maryland, not just the Sears store just west of the capitol.

that one's just off the Gateway Trail.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/09/01/st ... -or-lease/

Looks like I spoke too soon. Sears is marketing the site to developers and brokers as well, offering it up as a "great redevelopment opportunity". The St. Paul real business leaders are also quoted talking out redevelopment at the site, which I doubt they would be doing if Sears was going for a sale-leaseback. Good news!

No, it looks like this is a non-story. Sears we have and Sears we get - for now.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/09/01/st ... -or-lease/

Anyone here an expert on Zoning in The Most Livable City In America? From what I gather so far, R4 in St. Paul is still single family, unlike R4 in Minneapolis.

R1-R4 differences probably relate to minimum lot size, setback, etc with regard to site plan, but still SFH in use?

Some surface lots on Selby may be affordable housing and retail soon! Pretty cool.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/10/17/st ... enue-lots/

According to a neighborhood list-serv there is some sort of two-story building now underway next to the Hampden Co-op. It's not clear what it will be, though.

Do you have opinions about permit parking in St. Paul?

https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/plan ... _democracy

From the BZA agenda:

617 Laurel Avenue
The applicant is requesting three variances in order to construct a new, three-unit row house development and a three-car detached garage onto this vacant lot. 1) A lot size of at least 9,000 square feet is required; a lot size of 7,204 square feet is existing for a variance 1,796 square feet. 2) Four off-street parking spaces are required; three spaces are proposed for a variance of one parking space. 3) A side yard setback of nine feet is required along Dale Street for the apartment building; a setback of two feet is proposed for a variance of seven feet. 4) A side yard setback of nine feet is required along Dale Street for the garage; a setback of three feet is proposed for a variance of six feet.

I've walked by this lot many times, and I think row houses would be the only realistic option. I really hope they get built.

Side note: Dale is such a pedestrian disaster, nearly got hit in a crosswalk yet again yesterday.