St. Louis Park - General Topics

[min-chi-cbus]

Couldn't you still plan a sidewalk around trees without making circular-type arcs? In other words, if you plotted it out on a map, couldn't you reasonably make linear lines angling between trees? Now I definitely understand if the reason that's not considered is because of the narrow ROW and property owners not likely being okay with allowing for a ROW variance into their properties, but if none of that is an issue, just make linear lines between trees, like the letter "M" or "W" or "V".

[sdho]

^ Yes, you could do that, but as you correctly detect, if ROW is tight, you'd need to acquire a lot more space or get a larger easement from the adjacent yard in order to do a more gradual transition.

The other nice thing about keeping it basically straight but working around an individual tree is that it makes it easier to straighten out the sidewalk in the long term (replacing just a few panels to remove a kink after a tree dies or is removed for other reasons).

Really the only major downfall is snow removal -- and if it's a facility for bikes, that would be awkward to be maneuvering around. But a 5' concrete walk is clearly designed mainly for pedestrians.

[Sara Bergen]

I was at this hearing and testified in favor of the plan. Unfortunately there was a higher proportion of sidewalk opponents than proponents compared to the 2014 hearing, but for the most part the opponents were less vehement and less aggressive. The main theme was trees---people were very concerned about the trees on Texas ave esp. There was also a lot of talk about how the west side (i think crestview nhood) is not as urban and hence does not need sidewalks. A few people also said there weren't many kids on the block anymore so sidewalks were not necessary. The main points of my testimony were:
1.The area being discussed for sidewalks is actually (mostly) within the city's ROW and does not belong to the homeowner
2.Although current residents may find the sidewalks upsetting, the next person to buy the home will be fine with the sidewalks because the new owner will self-select to be someone who prefers/does not mind sidewalks.
3. Home owners can change quickly, but the house is always within the St. Louis Park boundaries. No one homeowner should be able to stop connecting our City in a manner that affords safe passage to current and future residents. The vision is to "connect the park" for the long term. The sidewalk infrastructure will outlast all current homeowners.

I strongly encourage any sidewalk-supporters who live in SLP or who have a connection to SLP to contact the council members. I think the vote is 3/16.

[min-chi-cbus]

People make me sad.

[blobs]

It's frustrating yes but a little empathy goes a long way. If you don't have a sidewalk, it seems like a negative, you have to shovel it and it takes away from your yard. Of course, once you have sidewalks, most people like them. They desperately do need sidewalks west of France. I see some over in Edina folks walking in the narrow streets, and it is really uncomfortable for them and motorists.

[mnmike]

I completely agree about the trees...it is totally unnecessary for the city to take out that many mature trees for a sidewalk. It seems to me that trees are so often not taken into account in this city, not just SLP, but Minneapolis as well. Mature trees are a huge asset to us all... People who are opposed to this because of the loss of trees do not make me sad, and I don't think they should make anyone sad. People who are hiding behind that excuse, ok maybe.

Just drives me nuts to see total disregard for trees that I see so often in Minneapolis. Every new development, clear cut every blvd tree and replace with saplings. Every street reconstruction, clear cut every single tree and replace with saplings. I know we can't save them all (realignments and such), but I have seen these things happen in plenty of other cities, and seen them successfully save most mature blvd trees. A great example coming up is Washington...quite a few of the trees along that street have grown in nicely, even ones in the mill district that have only been there 10 to 15 years....but I am certain they will salvage none, and we will start over. We will see. It just seems we never end up with mature trees on a lot of the main commercial streets here, because they are constantly being replaced as new developments are built and as street work is done.

[sdho]

^Agreed about tree policy. Minneapolis has one of the worst treatments of boulevard trees -- which isn't always catastrophic, since 90%-ish of streets already have sidewalks on both sides anyway. But their current procedure of removing whole sidewalk panels, grinding out roots, and replacing them is damaging to trees, disruptive to pedestrians, and expensive to homeowners. There was a good discussion on Streets.mn: https://streets.mn/2015/02/06/sidewalks- ... ing-trees/.

I couldn't quite say that they have the worst policy around. That honor would go to Bloomington, which prohibits all trees in the right-of-way, except by a special permit from the city forester. So the city won't give you a boulevard tree, and may even remove or fine you if you plant one yourself in the boulevard. And yet even absent any trees to work with, sidewalks are as rare as hen's teeth.

But in general, we could all do better with tree placement and care in sidewalk design. Too often people see it as an either/or proposition -- trees vs sidewalks. It really doesn't have to be.

[HiawathaGuy]

Parkdales office park sold for $40M; major facelift planned
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... elift.html

[Anondson]

2015 sidewalks move forward with a couple segments removed.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2015/04/03/st-l ... pposition/

[Anondson]

HealthPartners merged with Park Nicollet months ago. Now will spend $140M to renovate and expand Methodist hospital.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... -140m.html

[Anondson]

Grand reopening celebration set for May 9. Update listing all the new tenants and a few more set to arrive.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2015/05/02/st-l ... ing-may-9/

Maybe a moderator could retitle the thread? Maybe call it "Knollwood Area".

[grant1simons2]

It looks as bad in its own way... I'm sorry but it looks like a place I used to go to in Lino Lakes when we lived in Forest Lake

This was the place: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.183916, ... !2e0?hl=en

[Anondson]

Yeah. There was lots of potential, and maybe there still is more. It's better off compared to what it had been, ranked among dead malls. But only so much can happen with an owner that doesn't want anything more that this. Even with Blake Road to the south getting denser, the owner of Knollwood didn't want anything to do with that trend.

[grant1simons2]

Basically everything south of 7 is going to look a lot different than what's north of it

[Anondson]

14-year-old Louisiana Oaks apartments, by the new Louisiana/TH7 roundabouts, sold for $39M. Barely walking distance to future Louisiana LRT station.

http://finance-commerce.com/2015/05/sid ... uture-lrt/

[twincitizen]

Sounds like St. Louis Park has municipal elections for Mayor and the two at-large CM seats in 2015. The four ward CM seats must be up in 2017 then.

Jeff Jacobs has already announced that he is not running for Mayor again. Current CM at-large Jake Spano is running for Mayor. And a handful of people have announced that they are running for that soon-to-be open council seat.

Are there any other known candidates for mayor? I think the filing period closes in early June.

[sad panda]

The Sun Sailor today has an article about it: http://sailor.mnsun.com/2015/05/06/two- ... ncil-seat/

[bapster2006]

Details on 3 projects:

http://m.bizjournals.com/twincities/blo ... -park.html

[Anondson]

The city had a proposal for 16 units of town homes at the corner of Quentin and Cedar Lake Road, 4903 Cedar Lake Rd is the address. Currently occupied by a vacant office building some locals call "the tent building" because of the distinctive tent-like roof features. The owner proposes 8 units to face Cedar Lake Road, 8 units to face the bike trail.

All underground parking.

[seanrichardryan]

Ah, behind Joffe? I thought there was a commercial proposal floating about there.