Suburbs - General Topics

[Silophant]

The Twin Cities are getting a new Drive-In theater. Cool! I've been to the one in Lake Elmo a couple times, but this will be a bit more convenient.

[lordmoke]

Sherman proposing 190 apartments on some random industrial site in Roseville:
http://finance-commerce.com/2014/02/she ... roseville/

Site:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2785+Fai ... 55113&z=18

[FISHMANPET]

That can't possibly be the right address. Why would you want to live in that area, surrounded by warehouses? That would be the creepiest place to live. Though it looks like something is going on right next door at Cleveland and County Rd C, anbody know what that is?

[Tom H.]

This is part of a large-scale redevelopment plan by the City of Roseville:

http://www.cityofroseville.com/index.aspx?NID=304

[FISHMANPET]

OK, that makes way more sense now.

[MNdible]

Yes, the site is next to a new Walmart and walkable to a fairly new park and ride ramp. So, not so random, and probably a very good location for market rate or affordable housing.

[mamundsen]

That is not SO random... They are putting finishing touches on a new (Super?) Walmart at the corner of Cleveland and Cty C. Plus the Metro Transit Park and Ride ramp right there is relatively new. I think that whole area has a master plan for redevelopment.

EDIT: Crap. I missed the posts that were on this new page... Sorry for the repost of what others already said.

[Anondson]

The city of Hopkins email newsletter announced that on March 12th, from 6–9pm at the Hopkins Center of the Arts, a pecha kucha is being held (a fast-paced style of presenting information on a variety of topics) presenting ideas for Hopkins downtown. Six-minute presentations then afterward chances to provide thoughts and ask questions.

Don't have a link to a webpage for this, it was only just sent via email newsletter.

Would love something ambitious like turning Mainstreet from 5th to 13th into a shared space urban design.

[Tcmetro]

Interesting development plan out of Eagan, at the site of the former Blue Cross/Blue Shield office tower on Yankee Doodle:

- Renovate the 10-story office building into 112 apartments
- Add a 90 unit apartment building (probably a 4-story)
- 10000 SF restaurant/retail
- 3000 SF restaurant
- 5000 SF bank
- 12250 SF restaurant/retail

http://www.cityofeagan.com/images/Commu ... ommons.pdf

[Tcmetro]

New 100-room hotel planned for Norman Pointe

Address: 5301, 5311 and 5401 Green Valley Drive and
5400 American Boulevard West
Application type:
1) Rezoning to expand and modify Planned Development
Overlay District boundaries, creating two separate planned
developments;
2) Preliminary and Final Development Plans for a new 100
room Hampton Inn and Suites Hotel; and
3) Major Revision to Final Development Plans for parking and
drive aisle modifications for the existing Crowne Plaza Hotel
Applicant: Norman Airport Ltd. Partnership and Delos Norman, LLC
Crowne Plaza and Hampton Inn

http://bloomingtonmn.gov/pccases/05891ABCD14.pdf

[nordeast homer]

They've had a sign there for about 2 years, it's about time they start moving forward.

[min-chi-cbus]

Ooooo Hampton Inn! I don't have much expectations for this project but my sense is that the parcel in question is fairly small, so maybe there's potential.

[Mdcastle]

Interesting development plan out of Eagan, at the site of the former Blue Cross/Blue Shield office tower on Yankee Doodle:

- Renovate the 10-story office building into 112 apartments
- Add a 90 unit apartment building (probably a 4-story)
- 10000 SF restaurant/retail
- 3000 SF restaurant
- 5000 SF bank
- 12250 SF restaurant/retail

http://www.cityofeagan.com/images/Commu ... ommons.pdf

My coworkers tended to not like working in the building. The views were nice but each floor was small, it was dingy until they remodeled it a few years ago, and they had no cafeteria, one was shut down due to lack of business. The Blue Cross mail center is at Silver Bell Commons, but the rest of the workers are either at home, in the main cluster of buildings, in India, or in the Virginia / Aurora units.

People probably imagine the CEO having a big office in the Main building tower where he can survey his minions, but the tower is actually an auditorium and conference rooms. Most of the important people have offices in the Riverpark building across the road overlooking the river valley.

[mamundsen]

I drove past this yesterday. It looks like they have all the floors poured... That's right this is NOT stick construction. YAY!

It does make the surrounding area look like it needs a lift into the new century. The lake is surrounded by old low apartments.

https://goo.gl/maps/N5uCL

[bapster2006]

In case you were driving on 394 at Louisiana Ave and wondered what the new building is. 22 units of assisted living right across the street from the Park and Ride.


Gateway Assisted Living by bapster2006, on Flickr

[Anondson]

Huh! Yup, in fact I was wondering.

[seanrichardryan]

HA, I was wondering, just yesterday.

[bapster2006]

I'm glad my post was well timed then! I think that area could use a few more small buildings near that park and ride. Maybe next door to the Frontiersman

[FISHMANPET]

Story about Brooklyn Park trying to improve it's reputation by hiring a marketing firm:
http://www.startribune.com/local/north/254292091.html

“Your brand is being shaped every day. It’s a question of whether you want to influence that,” Mayor Jeff Lunde said. “If left unmanaged, your brand can suffer. We need to do a better job managing our brand, telling our own story.”

Even a 1-2 percent increase in the value of existing and future development can mean tens of millions of dollars, Lunde said.

[Anondson]

Maybe Brooklyn Park could be absorbed by Minneapolis... Has there ever been a case of a suburb being absorbed completely by the core city in the past sixty years?