urbanMSP

Is Lyndale going to reduce to one lane as you enter the roundabout on each side (it looks like two lanes to the north and south)? Or will Lyndale be reduced to one lane in each direction some time in the future?

Is it too late to switch to the barbell double roundabout for the 35W diamond interchange? Also, I know the Cedar interchange was "improved" 10-15 years ago, but it seems horribly inefficient with long waits at both stoplights. It would function much better as a barbell double roundabout.

Don't have a subscription, but MSPBJ article about "Local Roots on the Park", a new independent coffee shop and lunch place opening on 66th St opposite Veterans Park:

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

Here's the website for the business: http://www.localrootsfinefoods.com/ (currently just wholesale soup... this is their first retail operation).

Awesome. Local Roots was founded by a friend of mine, but I hadn't heard about this plan. Maybe I need to go on facebook more than once every 3 months. If I am guessing correctly, this is as much to have consistent access to a commercial kitchen for soup production as it is to open a retail coffee shop. Good soups if you see them.

A couple weeks ago, the Richfield Planning Commission and City Council heard a work session proposal (not a formal land use application) for a Dunkin Donuts at 66th St and Penn Ave. This is the current CarHop site, just north of the corner on the NE corner.

Write-up in the Richfield Sun: http://current.mnsun.com/2016/12/24/dun ... richfield/

I don't have the site plan, although it was shown at the meeting. What they proposed was sort of stock suburban, on a relatively small lot. They wanted a drive-through surrounding three sides of the building, with no direct sidewalk frontage or pedestrian access. It would need several variances to happen. Of particular concern is that they propose to remove the existing grassy buffer between the apartment property on Oliver and this property. The drive-through speaker would face the apartment building -- I'd guess about 20' away from the structure -- and cars would queue under the windows of this building.

I asked at the meeting if they would consider doing a building in compliance with Richfield's Penn Ave Design Guidelines, and forgoing the drive-thru. The Dunkin Donuts franchisee's rep informed me that Dunkin Donuts corporate is only considering "conventional" drive-thru designs for their initial build-out in the Twin Cities.

On Tuesday night, a developer presented a proposal for a small mixed-use building on the former site of Southview Baptist Church, at 66th St and 1st Ave S. Currently the site is 1.02 acres, to be slightly reduced by right-of-way for the new 66th St. It is currently zoned residential, which would have to change as well.

The project was described as a "miniature" Kensington Park (the mixed-use development from the mid-aughts at 76th and Lyndale). The developer envisioned 10,000 sq ft of retail space and between 5 and 10 apartments above. There would be surface parking only, but the parking would be behind the building and a fairly modest size.

Although there are concerns about neighboring single-family homes, the project was really well-received by Council and Planning Commission (including by me!). A previous proposal got a pretty tepid response -- a similar potential site plan, but strip retail only with no mixed-use component. They also did not envision any level of frontage like this on 66th.

Don't have a subscription, but MSPBJ article about "Local Roots on the Park", a new independent coffee shop and lunch place opening on 66th St opposite Veterans Park: http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... ormer.html

Awesome. Local Roots was founded by a friend of mine, but I hadn't heard about this plan. Maybe I need to go on facebook more than once every 3 months. If I am guessing correctly, this is as much to have consistent access to a commercial kitchen for soup production as it is to open a retail coffee shop. Good soups if you see them.

Local Roots opened on Saturday. Website is http://localrootsmn.com/
I've already been twice in 2 days. Currently open 6am-3pm 7 days/week for breakfast and lunch. Eventually they will add dinner service and beer/wine. Lunch menu prices are definitely at the upper limit for what the Richfield market will bear. ($12-13 for a modestly-sized sandwich with a few chips, no pickle)