Rochester

Minneboy
US Bank Plaza
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Joined: January 15th, 2013, 1:18 pm

Re: Rochester

Postby Minneboy » October 22nd, 2016, 10:41 am

I imagine there are plenty of well paid young profession nurses and doctors who don't need or want a big suburban house and a commute. Downtown is strong enough to support retail and entertainment so I'm hoping more of it happens. BTW I hear Wongs is reopening in a new location. I think away from downtown though.

matthew5080
Rice Park
Posts: 413
Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » October 26th, 2016, 2:01 pm

Some news from the Post-Bulletin today...

The Discovery Square area of Rochester might see some new apartments and commercial development soon. Vance and Barb Vinar of Faribault bought some land near Soliders Field Park through Residence at Discovery Square LLC. The couple presented some brief initial plans to the Committee on Urban Design and Environment back in January, with the project being under the name of Lofts on Third (the name may change). Initial plans described the complex with an estimated 150 market-rate apartments, plus commercial space.

The land bought includes:
506 Fourth Ave. SW
509 Third Ave. SW
507 Third Ave. SW
514 Fourth Ave. SW
519 Third Ave. SW
There is no timeline for this project yet. Now's the time we roll up our sleeves and work out a plan, said Vance Vinar
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... 2953a.html


Work has started on revamping Barlow Plaza with plans to finish in roughly 8 months. Along with changes to the facade, the sidewalks and parking lot with be reworked and see added landscaping. Mega Express laundry will be moving into the commercial strip and Mestads Bridal plans to build a mezzanine level.

Here's the best image I could find for the project... this is a pretty dramatic change in look for Barlow.

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http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... a417f.html

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » October 27th, 2016, 2:10 pm

Another mixed-use apartment project announced for downtown Rochester... this time from Opus and Titan Investments (Titan's also behind the Broadway at Center). Located between the US Bank and Southern Minnesota Municipal Power buildings on a surface parking lot, with activation facing both 1st Ave and Broadway. It's interesting, to me, to see all of these apartment proposals... between the Metropolitan Market Place and 501 on First, 1st Ave is really changing and the parking lots are vanishing.



6 stories
156 market-rate apartments
9,000 sq feet of retail or restaurant space on main floor

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http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... b73b1.html

bubzki2
Foshay Tower
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Joined: September 19th, 2012, 5:38 pm
Location: Snelling-Hamline

Re: Rochester

Postby bubzki2 » October 27th, 2016, 2:31 pm

I see a massive amount of potential in this so-called "Discovery Square" area. Very pleasant area to walk, including the Solider's Field Park, and the Zumbro nearby. Pair this with easy access to downtown, and it's going to be a great corner of town for years to come. Now, there are still about 20 surface lots, but it's progress!

matthew5080
Rice Park
Posts: 413
Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » October 27th, 2016, 2:39 pm

I see a massive amount of potential in this so-called "Discovery Square" area. Very pleasant area to walk, including the Solider's Field Park, and the Zumbro nearby. Pair this with easy access to downtown, and it's going to be a great corner of town for years to come. Now, there are still about 20 surface lots, but it's progress!
Well a lot of those are owned by Mayo and are planned on getting developed on, so that's nice. Plus there's those lots bought up by Soliders Field for another apartment project. Truly amazing to see a shift from the typical suburban style housing and development Rochester had been practicing for years to include some infill and urban projects.

go4guy
Foshay Tower
Posts: 921
Joined: June 4th, 2012, 8:54 am

Re: Rochester

Postby go4guy » November 3rd, 2016, 3:46 pm

In a story about the Chateau Theatre rehab, there is a note about how plans for the development being done by the Stadium Village tower developers will be announced in the next few weeks. Sounds like they will be removing that ramp as part of the development.

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » November 4th, 2016, 9:42 pm

Best news I've heard all week. The sooner that ugly parking ramp goes, the better.

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » November 9th, 2016, 7:34 pm

Planning and Zoning commission recommends approval of the Riverwalk Downtown City Apartments.

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http://rochestercitymn.iqm2.com/Citizen ... nline=True

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » December 5th, 2016, 11:25 pm

Riverwalk Downtown City Apartments passed the city council vote.

TNC ordinance passed as well
The city council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a new ordinance regulating transportation network companies (TNCs). The decision, which follows months of public debate and testimony, still requires a second reading from the council at its regularly-scheduled meeting on Jan. 4.

Prior to taking the vote, council members said an outpouring of community support played heavily into their decision to push the issue forward.

Uber officials were not on hand for Monday's vote. However, a representative for the company said last month the app could go live within a couple weeks of the ordinance's formal adoption, depending on how many drivers sign up.
http://www.themedcitybeat.com/news-blog ... -rochester

Food Truck fees are lowered and a new "late night" zone was created.

http://www.themedcitybeat.com/news-blog ... truck-fees

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » December 13th, 2016, 9:06 pm

The Heart of the City North is now at 17 stories tall instead of 16 as previously envisioned. The owner of the property has hired and applied for demolition of the current Days Inn building. Planning and Zoning will review the project tomorrow and the city council will address the project in January, most likely. There's some controversy over historic preservation for the project though...
At a special meeting a week ago today, the city's ponderous Heritage Preservation Commission voted to recommend that the City Council designate the building a heritage preservation site under the city's preservation ordinance. The vote was 5-2, with commission chairman Jeff Allman and Aaron Benike voting no.

Just the night before, the council had approved a revision in the ordinance that assured that the Days Inn project will be considered under a previous version of the ordinance.
The city hired a consultant, the St. Paul-based 106 Group, to assess the historic importance and value of the Hotel Carlton property, and they say the building meets two of eight criteria in the city's new ordinance. Not a slam-dunk, in other words, in terms of historic value.
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/answer ... 24bd0.html

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » December 14th, 2016, 9:32 pm

Some more information and images regarding the Opus/Titan development. The project is still 6 stories, 156 units. They're proposing 9 new street stalls for parking, as well as 158 underground and a bike valet (whatever that is). Gross square footage of the building would be 238,717. Outdoor amenity deck square footage (not included in the building GSF) would be 15,350. Went to planning and zoning tonight, with good news.
Approval with conditions of the Incentive Development Preliminary Plan based on findings.

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The Heart of the City North also received a recommendation of approval for their preliminary plan by P&Z tonight.
GSF would be 395,500, and the height at 220 feet. Roughly 324 parking stalls would be added, as well as both interior and exterior bike parking.
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http://rochestercitymn.iqm2.com/Citizen ... nline=True

go4guy
Foshay Tower
Posts: 921
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Re: Rochester

Postby go4guy » December 14th, 2016, 11:29 pm

I just got back from this. The second project (Heart of the City) was denied just before 11pm. The reasons for it, I couldn't even tell you. A few of those Z&P members just talk themselves into circles.

matthew5080
Rice Park
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Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » December 14th, 2016, 11:52 pm

I just got back from this. The second project (Heart of the City) was denied just before 11pm. The reasons for it, I couldn't even tell you. A few of those Z&P members just talk themselves into circles.
Really... It said on their page that it was approved. Oh well, life goes on. I want to say that I'm surprised, but I'm really not. the city really wants to preserve that awful Days Inn building like no other.

bubzki2
Foshay Tower
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Location: Snelling-Hamline

Re: Rochester

Postby bubzki2 » December 15th, 2016, 8:06 am

Plenty of other spaces to build in town. That is far from the most worthy parcel of redevelopment.

twincitizen
Moderator
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Re: Rochester

Postby twincitizen » December 15th, 2016, 10:12 am

Anyone have any opinions on Stencil Group's projects in Rochester? From their website, it looks like they do a bunch of really bland/bad suburban-style (pitched-roof) projects on the suburban fringe of Rochester and in their home state South Dakota.
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They have one single example of an urban redevelopment site (Buckeye Liquor site, now known as Flats on 4th): http://stencil-group.com/projects/the-buckeye/

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Is that project underway? Any feedback? I hear they are possibly partnering with a Twin Cities developer on some projects (nothing official yet)...trying to get an opinion of them as a developer. Did they partner with anyone on the Flats on 4th project? I have to assume they used a different architect than their suburban edge projects in Roch.

matthew5080
Rice Park
Posts: 413
Joined: January 23rd, 2016, 6:06 pm
Location: Eden Prairie

Re: Rochester

Postby matthew5080 » December 15th, 2016, 10:26 am

The Buckeye (Flats on 4th) is well under construction and they post updates to their Facebook page from time to time. They were also supposed to be working on the Miracle Mile redevelopment, but pulled out of it. Not sure who's going to be handling that now...

As for the rest of their projects, they are pretty much all suburban as far as Rochester goes. That first picture is of "The Pines", which are located behind the new Hyvee off of West Circle Drive. Their projects are getting slowly better though, in Rochester at least, as their first one was Nue52... which is that awful building across Highway 52 from the new Menards.

They also have another project in the works which would, I believe, take out the old Wicked Moose bar. Not sure how that project is coming along.

grant1simons2
IDS Center
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Location: Marcy-Holmes

Re: Rochester

Postby grant1simons2 » December 15th, 2016, 10:33 am

United Properties is the same way. They've done a lot of crappy suburban office projects, but have shifted toward urban development now.

Thorondor
City Center
Posts: 33
Joined: October 5th, 2016, 4:40 pm

Re: Rochester

Postby Thorondor » December 15th, 2016, 10:58 am

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... bea51.html

Looks like the reason they recommended denial 4-3 of the Heart of the City North was due to height and a lack of building setbacks. Of all the reasons to deny a 17-story project, that has to be one of the worst. Hope the city council is more sensible and passes the project anyway.

MNdible
is great.
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Re: Rochester

Postby MNdible » December 15th, 2016, 11:48 am

Lack of setbacks seems like a completely appropriate reason to deny a tall building. (Not saying that this building should be denied, but building massing is a really fundamental design element that a planning body should consider).

Thorondor
City Center
Posts: 33
Joined: October 5th, 2016, 4:40 pm

Re: Rochester

Postby Thorondor » December 15th, 2016, 12:06 pm

The height more than setbacks, but they aren't even consistent on those. The Broadway at Center project (which I believe has been approved and is only waiting on financing) lacks setbacks as well.


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