urbanMSP

Hopkins is set to vote on resolution to approve Hennepin County funds for this at tomorrows HRA meeting

http://www.hopkinsmn.com/weblink8/0/doc ... Page1.aspx

If the 2014 predevelopment report is still correct, there will be four one bedroom units for long-term homeless adults, and the remaining 47 units will be for households at 50% tax credit income limit and rents will be restricted to the 50% tax credit rent. For a three bedroom with five household members income could not exceed $44,800 and rent (including utilities) could not exceed $1,078/month. There will be a playground, indoor community space, and a rental office onsite.

A development like this is going to have several different funding streams. Most of them, particularly the tax credit investors, are concerned about the project producing positive cash flow and the maintenance of the building/grounds will reflect that. Tax credits (low income housing tax credits---LIHTC) is an IRS program and the IRS is pretty serious about compliance---much more so than HUD. Also, tax credits (unfortunately, in my opinion) have much more stringent requirements for the renters than some other affordable housing funding mechanisms. This will serve to screen out people with poor rental histories etc.

If SWLRT does end up getting built, this will be a sweet spot for many households who likely could not otherwise afford to live so close to one of the stops.

I very much agree. There was a lot of noise from the home owners in the area railing against this because so many of the rentals around that end of Blake have minimal screening. They weren't convinced the involvement of PPL was going to be any benefit to the drug and crime problems, in fact they were convinced it could only make it worse because when they were told that PPL was involved in helping get people on their feet and off drugs what they heard PPL say they were going to go out of their way and concentrate even more undesirable behavior in their struggling neighborhood.

The city council was unanimous in welcoming, especially as a vital element with the Cottageville Park construction, but the neighborhood is extremely upset.

Myself, I was upset with the city because city staff told PPL to remove the retail they wanted to put in along Blake. Still furious over that. Fools.

A small piece of Blake is coming together. The Met Council and city ave finally agreed on a location for a rebuilt lift station. Currently an old, outdated one exists right on Blake squeezed between Hiawatha and Lake.

In 2015 construction will begin on the new one about a block west on Lake. The Met Council was going to take a portion of a well-used public park for the station, the neighborhood rallied against it. The spot found for the new one is considered a win-win-win, especially since it makes multi use redevelopment along Blake near the SWLRT station easier.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2015/03/12/new- ... n-hopkins/

Hopkins created its Mixed Use zone category recently, about a few years ago. Gallery Flats on Eighth was the first development to fit in the Mixed Use. No details yet, but there apparently is another development proposal imminent on Eighth. In anticipation to this coming proposal Hopkins' Zoning and Planning Commission is considering an amendment to its Mixed Use to change the minimum floor area ratio, but also to set a minimum number of stories at four, between Excelsior and the alley south of Mainstreet.

http://www.hopkinsmn.com/boards/zpc/pdf ... packet.pdf

I wonder if the proposal the packet hints at is the Doran development for Hopkins that news reports said was in the works...

Looks like the Johnson property, at the corner of 8th and Excelsior, across from the proposed Hopkins Downtown Station is the property in Hopkins Doran is interested in developing.

http://finance-commerce.com/2015/04/dor ... iled-plan/

So yeah, this is the proposal hinted at in the document about the city's new Mixed Use zone. While four is the minimum the Mixed Use zone has, I hope this Doran development is at least six. We need as productive a property we can get to help pay for Artery.

Hopkins will grow much larger than predicted, I guarantee it. They have a great chance to build out of their current downtown and really increase density.

Hopkins has shown it has no real interest in a massive build out of their downtown area, only smart mixed use infill where appropriate. I used to work in the area and cannot emphasize how much I would hear from residents of Hopkins that their city feels like a small town rather than an urban jungle or sprawling suburb. They love it and they aim to keep it that way.

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/300607781.html

After reading that article, I took a "drive" down Main Street on Google Streetview and all I could think about was "Good god I hope they remove that ugly double yellow line as part of the reconstruction project". Does Main Street even have the volumes to necessitate a double yellow line? Or even a dashed center line? My preference would be no markings at all, or if they must it should be something non-standard/unique/thematic like a red line to match their logo. I'm guessing Main Street is a MSA route and the markings would be dictated by state rules though... so best case is probably no markings at all.

EDIT: Traffic Counts - http://www.dot.state.mn.us/traffic/data ... opkins.pdf

Looks like Mainstreet carries 4400-5400 vehicles per day, so I believe a center stripe is not required. They should go with as few markings, signage and visual clutter as legally possible.

Looks like Mainstreet carries 4400-5400 vehicles per day, so I believe a center stripe is not required. They should go with as few markings, signage and visual clutter as legally possible.

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Random question: can anyone explain why Hopkins' grid is ever so slightly skewed/slanted? Just poor platting between townships & their roads back in the day or what?

huh, I never noticed, so unorderly.

I've had some comments of mine to Strib articles get "moderated" out, glad that one I made four days ago made it through. My answer for why Hopkins streets are skewed is much like the irreverent answer for why St. Paul's streets are named like they are. In Hopkins, it was drunk farmer who couldn't find North. It's odd, but I find something appealing staring down my street and seeing the sharp, mild, bend where it crosses into Edina.

The businesses along Mainstreet have suffered through some horrible Mainstreet designs in the past. There was a time when Mainstreet was built to mimic the meandering of
Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. It must have looked great on paper, but it was pretty awful. At open houses I begged them to rebuild as a shared street/woonerf but there was zero political will to try and make it happen. My feeling was that it would have been too radical, and would have been viewed by the businesses as another experimental design doomed to get expensively ripped out like the old weaving Mainstreet.

Here's a presentation of the scope of the Mainstreet work: https://www.bolton-menk.com/sites/defau ... 100714.pdf

As for the pavement itself, it's just a mill & overlay so the 12' travel lanes and 11' parking lanes will remain. Not clear from the presentation whether they will put the double yellow lines back, but in a world where "no change" is the default option, it's safe to assume that they will, despite being completely unnecessary.

As for the pavement itself, it's just a mill & overlay so the 12' travel lanes and 11' parking lanes will remain. Not clear from the presentation whether they will put the double yellow lines back, but in a world where "no change" is the default option, it's safe to assume that they will, despite being completely unnecessary.

That screams for 8' parking lanes, 5' bike lanes, and 10' travel lanes. I'd recommend advisory bike lanes and no center stripe, so a solid white line for parking at 8' in, and a dashed white line for advisory bike lanes at 13' in from the curb. Easy.

That screams for 8' parking lanes, 5' bike lanes, and 10' travel lanes. I'd recommend advisory bike lanes and no center stripe, so a solid white line for parking at 8' in, and a dashed white line for advisory bike lanes at 13' in from the curb. Easy.

Actually I think in this context, a shared lane situation is better for bicyclists. I'd rather it be like a 10'+10', but I think shoehorning them into a bike lane would be a disservice. Traffic should be going about 15 mph or so anyway. Sharrows would be best, just to emphasize that cyclists are welcome.

Am I crazy/wrong for wanting them to have no lane markings whatsoever (aside from left turns at any major intersections, if applicable)

Is a dashed-yellow centerline required by MSA rules? (like Bryant/Grand in Mpls)

Am I crazy/wrong for wanting them to have no lane markings whatsoever

There are no lane markings whatsoever on Water St. in Excelsior. Works just fine.

Am I crazy/wrong for wanting them to have no lane markings whatsoever (aside from left turns at any major intersections, if applicable)

Is a dashed-yellow centerline required by MSA rules? (like Bryant/Grand in Mpls)

A center line is required on ADT >5000. At 7300-7500 ADT south of Excelsior, it seems like a non-negotiable for Blake. Also just as a matter of practice, I *believe* a center line is always striped when conventional bike lanes are included. But not generally when advisory lanes are striped, nor necessarily when sharrows are marked.

But I agree with the sentiment. I feel like cars go faster on 73rd/Diagonal in Richfield since a center line was added 18 months ago.

Is anyone heading out to check out The ARTery (8th Ave) experiment today from 11-4?

http://www.hopkinsmn.com/events/artery/

http://www.startribune.com/hopkins-givi ... 312199871/

I wanted to but work on Saturdays. I biked it last night after it was set out. Took some photos. Tried to get some word out to get some Minneapolis/St. Paul peeps who know good protected bike lane practices to check it out.