Rochester

[bubzki2]

Also, this is the site of a parking ramp that spans Center street. Would that entire ramp (both sides) have to come down for this to be developed? If so, this, in conjunction with Broadway at Center could really start drawing appeal and people to the north side of the core.

[acs]

Looks like Rochester may be close to buying itself itself another parking lot:
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... latus.html

I'm glad the DMC was able to cobble together enough bullshit private development like window replacement or minor roofing updates to unlock all that state subsidy without this. Of all the grand "transformative" projects proposed we've yet to see a single one even get to the permit stage. Great job Rochester.

[go4guy]

Looks like Rochester may be close to buying itself itself another parking lot:
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... latus.html

I'm glad the DMC was able to cobble together enough bullshit private development like window replacement or minor roofing updates to unlock all that state subsidy without this. Of all the grand "transformative" projects proposed we've yet to see a single one even get to the permit stage. Great job Rochester.

Huh? What parking lot? You do realize this block is still occupied by open businesses, right?

And obviously they aren't going to have shovels in the ground the second DMC is approved. There is a ton of stuff in the works right now, including many new 5-6 story luxury apartment buildings already completed or under construction, 22 story tower just needing the final funding to break ground. A huge project along the river in the planning phase, and this Alatus project which will likely be approved. Also, anything that is being done by Mayo usually doesnt see the papers until they are ready to break ground. They don't need city council approval. They can basically build whatever they want on their properties based on a blanket approval based on vague plans, which is done every 5 years.

[matthew5080]

Are any of those apartment buildings under construction right now actually under DMC money, other than the formerly named Buckeye? Such as the Flats on First and the 501 on First?

[matthew5080]

Not entirely sure where to put this as it's about Mayo, but not really their DMC expansion... anyway, they spent over $10 million dollars to buy various buildings around rochester, including some old IBM buildings.

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/heard_ ... 3c70c.html

[matthew5080]

A proposed redevelopment of Rochester's Miracle Mile shopping center was given a two-week pause at a Wednesday public hearing. New information on the project reached the city's Planning and Zoning Commission just hours before the hearing.

The redevelopment proposal would create a new, 30,000-square-foot grocery store and about 6,800 square feet of additional commercial space west of 16th Avenue Southwest between First Street Southwest and West Center Street. On the upper floors of the planned five-floor building, the developer proposed to build 107 apartment units.

After reviewing the plans, Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department staff had prepared a recommendation for denial of the application based on insufficient detail in several areas of the plan. But the developers were able to provide that information prior to the planning commission meeting, and staff switched its recommendation to approval.

The project will return for further consideration at the commission's Sept. 28 meeting. Due to the zoning of the property and the city's land development manual standards, the project will receive only one public hearing at the commission level and one hearing before the Rochester City Council for a final decision.

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... dd2fc.html

[bubzki2]

If this doesn't end up fronting 16th ... I may just give up. Cool project, otherwise.

[mattaudio]

Seems like they should go big or go home.... Tear down the entire superblock, regrid the entire area, underground parking, then build up.

[matthew5080]

If this doesn't end up fronting 16th ... I may just give up. Cool project, otherwise.

I feel like it would look worse not facing 52 though. Anyway, I'm not sure why they can't just have street level retail wrapping around to both sides, or at least include some sort of mural that would face 16th, that way the "ugly wall" is covered. My next question is who the grocer would be. They've been keeping it hushed up, and I'm rather curious if that information is what was released in their latest batch of information to try and get as much approval from the committee as they could?

In regards to tearing down Miracle Mile, I feel like it would be more upsetting to residents than not having this newest edition face 16th. A lot of the locals have fond memories of the mall, as seen in their Facebook comments haha

[bubzki2]

"Memories," and distant ones. It's just downright sad now.

[mattaudio]

Initially it was supposed to be a Whole Foods. Now I'm hearing Fresh Thyme.

[go4guy]

Retail along 16th would not work, as it is a 4 lane road with no parking. So anyone shopping would have to walk a ways to get to the retail spot. Would be really hard to land a tenant there.

[mattaudio]

Build a slip lane, and put the public sidewalk between the slip lane and the street.

[matthew5080]

Retail along 16th would not work, as it is a 4 lane road with no parking. So anyone shopping would have to walk a ways to get to the retail spot. Would be really hard to land a tenant there.

I was thinking that earlier as well...There's also a pretty decent sized slope from street level down to the actual base of Miracle Mile and if memory serves me right the nearest staircase is about halfway down the entire complex so they'd need to add better accessibility too. Not exactly the more pedestrian friendly in its current form.

[mulad]

It looks like they did a significant amount of earthmoving when constructing Miracle Mile in order to make a big, flat piece of land to put the buildings on. Some of the natural slope should probably be restored as the site gets redeveloped. Toward the south end, 16th sits higher than the surface of the Miracle Mile parking lot, but the street sinks down as it heads north, becoming several feet lower than the surface of the parking lot.

16th Street has fairly low traffic volumes -- 4,850 to 5,000 AADT according to MnDOT's traffic mapping application. Note that the street only has 4 lanes north of 2nd Street NW -- south of there, it is 3 lanes (2 southbond, 1 northbound). That's a very good candidate for converting to a 2-lane road (with or without a center turn lane).

[matthew5080]

I know one of the council members wants to adapt the street into a more pedestrian and bike friendly area, which could hopefully be incorporated with the redevelopment of this end of Miracle Mile.

[go4guy]

Build a slip lane, and put the public sidewalk between the slip lane and the street.

I think this would cause the building to be pushed back into the parking lot too much, and take away from the grocery parking area.

[Minneboy]

Personally I like the idea of this being built on the parking lot and keeping the mile. This could be built up over the parking lot and there by allowing the parking lot to continue for both residents and shopping needs. I do remember a grocery store on the south end of the Mile some 20 years ago. Also there was another grocery store on 2nd St just over the other side of 52 about 2 blocks west.

[matthew5080]

The 13 story Alatus tower near St. Mary's got a preliminary 'OK' from the Rochester City Council last night.

The Rochester City Council gave the Alatus project preliminary plan approval on a 4-3 vote after hours of public testimony.

The project will now continue into the final plan approval process with two more public hearings, the first at the City Planning and Zoning Commission and the second in a return to the city council.

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... 600e9.html

[matthew5080]

Possible new development on County 22 (West Circle Drive), near the Think Mutual Bank Buildings.

The plan created by the CRW Group of Rochester and Minneapolis-based WSB shows a "Phase I" that includes constructing an elbow-shaped, 10,000-square-foot building "for office use," just north of the parking lot of Think's headquarters.

Phase II includes a 8,700-square-foot building and a 7,200 building, both for "office use," on either side of the Phase I.

An L-shaped, 25,000-square-foot building for "Restaurant, retail and/office uses" is shown being constructed behind the nearby bank branch as "Phase III."

The final phase of the proposed development plan shows a 10,000- to 60,000-square-foot "Restaurant, retail and/office uses" center to be built along West Circle Drive, just south of the Think Bank headquarters.

http://www.postbulletin.com/blogs/kiger ... bcc31.html