Highland Bridge: Ford Site Redevelopment

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Tiller
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Tiller » March 5th, 2019, 1:07 am

We should ask Ryan companies what kind of density they'd need to cut that subsidy down to $50M, and even down to $0!

(and of course we should then upzone the site for those densities)

bubzki2
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby bubzki2 » March 8th, 2019, 1:56 pm

Strib: St. Paul planners reject single-family homes in Ford project

http://www.startribune.com/st-paul-plan ... 506882272/

Rather slanted tone in the headline, considering most other requests were granted...

Qhaberl
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Qhaberl » May 29th, 2019, 11:47 am

I’m very excited about the redevelopment of the Ford site, but I have a question to pose to people on the Fourm.

Do others think the Ford site would’ve been a great testing ground for a true form based code? I’m talking about a code that focuses on building a form first, and specific uses second?

This type of code would focus on the pedestrian experience. I think the current guiding document has guidelines, but guidelines are just that, guides.

I’m not talking about specifically regulating architecture, although if that something you wanted on the Ford site, particularly near the edges where it meets existing neighborhoods

I feel that if you don’t have some of these guidelines as laws, developers will just see it variances to get around them.


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Cat349F
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » November 7th, 2019, 8:46 pm

Locates called in for the Ford plant site for a development unveiling by Ryan scheduled for next Tuesday, 11-12-19. They will be erecting a large tent for a news conference. I checked the web beforehand, no mention of it yet.

Cleanup work at the former steam plant site to begin 11-18-19. Rumblings about possibly demolishing the two buildings continues, but I’m not holding my breath. The 275’ chimney tower has multiple structural issues in the top 70’, and we’re going to use an excavator mounted jackhammer right next to it for soil remediation.

Still no word on cleanup of the parking lot uphill (south) of the steam plant. (State Fair park-n-ride lot)
Unsustainable fossil burning fool.

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MN Fats
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby MN Fats » November 11th, 2019, 2:19 pm

Pioneer Press picked it up, not many details yet. Announcing a groundbreaking date perhaps?

https://www.twincities.com/2019/11/11/a ... land-park/

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby luigipaladio » November 12th, 2019, 4:50 pm

The visuals for this project are disturbing. While there are two apparent extensions of existing East/West streets into the site, this hardly constitutes a continuation of the city grid. The most disturbing aspect of the drawings is the interminably long stretches of apartments/row houses? - that run almost the entire length of the site. The water feature through the center has some redeeming value, but the bulk of the project as drawn looks like a return to scaleless repetition of tract suburban tract housing. The area closer to Ford Parkway is more interesting and varied. I understand that the drawings are just an idea of what could develop on the site. Hopefully, as time passes, the idea will take on more variety and interest. I note that a portion of the rail yard is shown simply vacant - perhaps a streetcar or light rail terminal could land there some day.

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » November 16th, 2019, 9:24 am

The portion of single family homes along Mississippi Boulevard have to do with money more than a design, imo. The infrastructure utilities are in the corner of Mississippi Boulevard and Ford Parkway. Starting from that point, go south and east with the utilities and streets. Single family homes can be built quickly, and will net Ryan money back in their pockets quickly. ROI on apartments or mixed up buildings will be much slower.
Also, biking along Mississippi, there is nothing along there but single family homes. It kinds of blends the new site into the neighborhood.
Unsustainable fossil burning fool.

Cat349F
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » November 19th, 2019, 9:01 pm

All monitoring wells on the property are decommissioned, meaning the MPCA has given it a clean bill of health.

Meanwhile, down by the river at Area C and the steam plant, the area continues to degrade. Vandalism and damage by individuals seeking scrap metal make it a sad sight to see. I hope they decide to tear it down, before someone gets hurt, or worse.
Unsustainable fossil burning fool.

Nate Reitz
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Nate Reitz » November 26th, 2019, 8:44 pm

It seems like a diagonal transit corridor across the project area would be required to make interesting ideas like the Midtown-Ford Corridor ever happen. Has such a corridor—above or below ground—ever been part of the project planning discussion?

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby alexschief » November 27th, 2019, 8:40 am

It seems like a diagonal transit corridor across the project area would be required to make interesting ideas like the Midtown-Ford Corridor ever happen. Has such a corridor—above or below ground—ever been part of the project planning discussion?
A diagonal is not necessary. I'm told that the extended Cretin Avenue will be built wide enough to accommodate future transit.

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » December 4th, 2019, 2:26 pm

Ford will be signing over the property to Ryan next Thursday or Friday.
Unsustainable fossil burning fool.

Cat349F
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » December 20th, 2019, 10:41 am

Site has been sold to Ryan for $61,000,000.
Unsustainable fossil burning fool.

twincitizen
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby twincitizen » January 13th, 2020, 1:33 pm

Ryan's press release: https://www.ryancompanies.com/news/ryan ... -ford-site

Official project website: https://highlandbridge.com/ (Updated 7/2020)

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby twincitizen » February 12th, 2020, 8:17 am

Ryan shuffling some components around as it moves towards construction:
https://finance-commerce.com/2020/02/ry ... ford-site/ [unlocked]

Cat349F
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » February 20th, 2020, 7:46 pm

Pending plan and permits approval, earthwork to start March 16th.
Equipment staging could begin next week.
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Nathan
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Nathan » February 20th, 2020, 9:28 pm

I've seen most of the proposals and presentations for this project but are there specific site and building plans if they're beginning? Which buildings are they starting with etc etc

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby lordmoke » February 21st, 2020, 11:03 am

This is a very concerning aspect of the Ford Site that I had no idea existed until recently- a huge potentially toxic waste dump on the river floodplain: https://fmr.org/river-corridor-and-land ... -ford-site

It's separate from the area being redeveloped, so it shouldn't have an impact on that, but... yikes.

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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby twincitizen » February 21st, 2020, 12:36 pm

I've seen most of the proposals and presentations for this project but are there specific site and building plans if they're beginning? Which buildings are they starting with etc etc
There's a ton of supplemental info on this page: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/plan ... /ford-site

Most directly answering your question is probably this plan & schedule: https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/fi ... ite%29.pdf

This plan shows which blocks are planned for the 100% affordable/supportive projects: https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/fi ... ite%29.pdf

Has Ryan ever identified who would build the riverfront homes or for-sale townhomes? I don't see a builder name listed anywhere for the low/medium density stuff. To the point above about the toxic waste dump (Area C or whatever it's called), that could be related to why all of the development overlooking that area isn't scheduled until 2024-25. It had earlier been assumed that Ryan would build the riverfront mansions first, since the roadway is already in place, would make for quick return on cash, etc. but that does not appear to be the plan. Then again, there's probably only so much demand for riverfront mansions per year that even selling just 33 of them would need to be spread out over a few years. I really hope these can be done by a number of different architects/builders. It would really suck if those look too similar and wind up looking like a suburban subdivision. What makes the "mansion parkways" in Mpls & StP so pleasant to drive/bike is the great variety of architecture. West River Pkwy in Minneapolis especially has a great funky mix of classic pre-war tudor and mid-century modernist architecture. All of it done without any formal design guidelines from the city.

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Nathan
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Nathan » February 21st, 2020, 2:12 pm

Awesome! Thanks!

Cat349F
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Re: Ford Site Redevelopment

Postby Cat349F » February 21st, 2020, 9:48 pm

This is a very concerning aspect of the Ford Site that I had no idea existed until recently- a huge potentially toxic waste dump on the river floodplain: https://fmr.org/river-corridor-and-land ... -ford-site

It's separate from the area being redeveloped, so it shouldn't have an impact on that, but... yikes.
There will be work done to that area in the near future. I do not know the scope of that work yet. The area where harmful contaminants are closest to the surface is the southeast corner of Area C, where the slope of the fill touches down next to the bluff and the park.
IMO, the MPCA is waiting for that work to begin. Once opened up, I don’t think the removals will end until the area is cleared.

On the development side of the road, utility hookup plans are going forward. Sanitary on Ford Parkway is insufficient, (too shallow, too small) they need to hook into the interceptor line on Mississippi Boulevard. That is deep, and will require jacking pits. Of course not nearly as deep as the old tunnels were:
Vehicle tunnels: 105’ deep
Sanitary: 65’
Storm: 102’
Electrical: 45’ (still in use)
Sand tunnels (mined to make glass) 55’, down to who knows how deep.
Unsustainable fossil burning fool.


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