Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

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sdho
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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby sdho » January 9th, 2017, 11:45 am

I'm going to miss the first open house, but plan to be at the second. My wishlist:

1. Primary pedestrian library access from 70th St & Xerxes (as the current pedestrian access is)
2. No surface parking (but I like the suggestion of on-street parking on 70th)
3. Trail access along Xerxes Ave to Edina Promenade/Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail

Long-term, of course, I hope York is a much more walkable place. But given the current situation, I think focusing on Xerxes makes sense, both for Richfield and for the many Edinans living between York and Xerxes.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby sdho » January 9th, 2017, 11:47 am

I don't think adding a large retail component would be wise, and would almost certainly mean more surface parking on the site, compared to housing or office uses.
Any idea what's up including surface parking in projects where ample structured parking exists? It seems to be something of a trend -- like Centennial Shops, Galleria (although the surface parking is older), Onyx, etc. It seems like these projects could easily just forego surface lots without affecting the balance sheet for construction. Have the developers just decided that tenants want customers to have big, visible parking lots?

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Archiapolis » January 9th, 2017, 1:15 pm

I don't think adding a large retail component would be wise, and would almost certainly mean more surface parking on the site, compared to housing or office uses.
Any idea what's up including surface parking in projects where ample structured parking exists? It seems to be something of a trend -- like Centennial Shops, Galleria (although the surface parking is older), Onyx, etc. It seems like these projects could easily just forego surface lots without affecting the balance sheet for construction. Have the developers just decided that tenants want customers to have big, visible parking lots?
When there is retail/commercial in front - yes. As long as the City of Edina does not push back/disallow such a thing - DOUBLE yes.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Anondson » January 9th, 2017, 2:32 pm

I kinda want to see 70th (and 69th) between York and Xerxes have main street-style angle-in parking and a traffic circle at 70th and Xerxes.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby sdho » January 10th, 2017, 11:37 am

I kinda want to see 70th (and 69th) between York and Xerxes have main street-style angle-in parking and a traffic circle at 70th and Xerxes.
Hmm interesting. Wonder if that would be enough to serve the equivalent of the "short-term" parking need for the library. (Employees could still park in ramp.) Small-scale roundabout would be nice, although residents on 70th between Xerxes and Penn might not like it... they have a number of unwarranted stop signs installed to encourage traffic to go to 69th instead. I'd like to see a roundabout at 69th and Xerxes.

I'm not a huge fan of angled parking because of bike safety issues, but I'd be open to the idea -- especially if they did the reverse angle-in parking that's supposed to be much safer. I'm not sure if Edina has any angled on-street parking at all.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby twincitizen » January 10th, 2017, 12:12 pm

I'd stick with accepted practices (parallel parking on-street) and push for the site to "count" the on-street parking that could be provided on Xerxes and 70th toward its total needs, thereby lowering the amount of space used for surface parking on site. Ideas like angled parking would just be a distraction from that goal.

This hasn't been explicitly stated, but has anyone asked if they're planning a one-story or two-story library? I'd hope it is two-story, as that would free up more land for development and/or open space.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Multimodal » February 10th, 2017, 6:37 am

There was another meeting last night that I went to (I also went to the January one). Looks like the 2 alternatives from last night have not been posted yet (http://edinamn.gov/index.php?section=So ... ibrarySite ) but they should be there soon.

Some nice things included the fact that they are mostly considering either 1 giant underground parking lot (since the site is below ground level already) or a multi-story parking garage (oops, ramp) that is *completely* surrounded by housing & retail so it's basically invisible from the street.

But all residents kept talking about was parking, parking, parking, and easy car access. The city started with some nice images from the Southdale Area Plan Working Principles (dense, multistory development; walkable, bikable), but the people want suburbia. I was surely the only person there who thought it wasn't dense enough. Why? Well, they showed all this green space in the middle and walking paths to get from one side to another. But that's very boring for a walker—it feels suburban, like you'd rather drive from one side to another to avoid the dullness.

It certainly needs some green space or plaza or amphitheater (for the library/public areas), but not too much.

I also suggested individually owned rowhouses along the Xerxes side (which they are capping at 3 stories) to give some variety and diversity to ownership and visually. (Consistent but not identical, like rowhouses in an old city).

The library will be 70,000 square feet and I think it was shown as 2 stories. It would occupy about 1/3 of the space. 1/2 of the space would be divided between 2 large buildings (mostly housing, some retail; condos in Minnesota are tough for legal reasons apparently nowadays). I suggested the leftover 1/6th along Xerxes could be the rowhouses.

Good progress since January by the planning group & city & county; it's the residents that want suburban style development.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby twincitizen » February 10th, 2017, 9:06 am

I'd be ok with this block being strictly library, residential, and some green space. There is so much retail space already in this area, so I think it's fine that this block not have any. Maybe a small commercial space for 1-2 tenants at the corner of 70th & York would be ok, but I'd almost rather not, as it means more parking that would need to be provided.

Regardless of the residents wanting suburban development, the sale price of the land is going to dictate what gets built here, and Hennepin County is going to get top dollar, which means whoever buys it is going to want to built to the highest density they are allowed. The 3-story restriction on Xerxes is fine, as long as the buildings are close to the property line. If the buildings are going set back 40' from the property line, then 3 stories is much too restrictive. To the north, York Place is 4 stories, set back far from the property line, doesn't overwhelm the houses across the street at all.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby mattaudio » February 10th, 2017, 9:25 am

Why isn't Richfield talking about upzoning the houses on the east side of Xerxes for 3-4 stories?

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby twincitizen » February 10th, 2017, 9:59 am

The block between Xerxes and Washburn, from 66th to 70th are guided as medium density in the Comp Plan.
Keep trollin' those Facebook pages tho :roll:

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby mattaudio » February 10th, 2017, 1:45 pm

What good is a comp plan when they're still SFH on the zoning map? Also, it's not trolling, it's business development. I'm working to create places where I can develop multifamily housing.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby VAStationDude » February 10th, 2017, 1:50 pm

You're right. Upzoning based on a comp plan rarely happens.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby twincitizen » March 13th, 2017, 1:36 pm

Edina Planning Commission met last week and saw this presentation: http://edina.novusagenda.com/agendapubl ... tingID=256

The same will be shared with Richfield City Council & Planning Commission at a worksession tomorrow night.

More details about the new library portion of the development will be shared on Thursday, March 23, 6-8 p.m. at Southdale Library.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Multimodal » January 9th, 2019, 8:55 pm

Just got an email from the county saying that Southdale Center has proposed relocating the library there.

“Currently, a location decision is expected by summer 2019, with a new library open to the public by 2022.”

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Anondson » January 9th, 2019, 9:03 pm

For the Herberger’s space, ya think?

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Multimodal » January 9th, 2019, 9:09 pm

Would seem weird—and not at all grand—to have a library fitted into the shell of an old retail anchor at a mall. Perhaps my imagination is not bold enough.

Maybe Victor Gruen’s vision will be realized after all, though.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby jtoemke » January 10th, 2019, 7:43 am

Would seem weird—and not at all grand—to have a library fitted into the shell of an old retail anchor at a mall. Perhaps my imagination is not bold enough.

Maybe Victor Gruen’s vision will be realized after all, though.
I can see a totally badass gutting and reuse. It could be super cool. Just get a great architect. Kind of like Cristo Rey redoing a Kmart store into a high school in Chicago - very cool.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby MNdible » January 10th, 2019, 10:30 am

The current Eden Prairie library is in an old Lund's store. The style looks a little bit dated now, but otherwise fine.

I suspect a big issue with renovating a non-purpose build library space that isn't built on grade is that bookshelves, when filled with books, are very very heavy. Most existing buildings probably aren't structured to support that kind of weight. But maybe libraries of the future won't have books?

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby twincitizen » January 10th, 2019, 10:47 am

Isn't design of the new library pretty far along at this point? Like they already decided months ago how much of the block would be library vs. how much sold for private redevelopment, where the library would be sited on the block, etc. Seems kinda hard to believe they'd hit the brakes on that to start over and move it to Southdale, regardless of the merits. Gov't is rarely that nimble.

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Re: Southdale Library Block Redevelopment - Edina

Postby Multimodal » January 10th, 2019, 11:06 am

Isn't design of the new library pretty far along at this point? Like they already decided months ago how much of the block would be library vs. how much sold for private redevelopment, where the library would be sited on the block, etc. Seems kinda hard to believe they'd hit the brakes on that to start over and move it to Southdale, regardless of the merits. Gov't is rarely that nimble.
Yeah, it’s pretty surprising.

I can only surmise that Southdale Center is offering a very, very sweet deal.


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