University of Minnesota - News & General Topics

Northeast, Near North, Camden, Old St. Anthony, University and surrounding neighborhoods
MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5988
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby MNdible » February 10th, 2017, 7:33 pm

Gets moved to the site of the grain elevators that they're demolishing. Which raises a question I've had -- will the relocated sports dome interfere with the planned extension of 27th Ave SE?

Mikey
Landmark Center
Posts: 262
Joined: January 6th, 2015, 2:33 pm
Location: Gunflint Trail
Contact:

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby Mikey » February 10th, 2017, 7:45 pm

How much life does the U's coal plant have? It sure would be nice to get rid of that spur through Dinkytown
Urbanist in the north woods

min-chi-cbus
Capella Tower
Posts: 2869
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 9:19 am

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby min-chi-cbus » February 10th, 2017, 10:10 pm

Here's a bad picture of the 401 University proposal. N'hood didn't like the fact that it was 5 stories (especially because it's CPM). They want something around 3-4 like they mention in their master plan. They also don't like seeing car parking line 4th Ave. Want something a little bit more active. There were other weird things mentioned. Like the fact that they're not using any brick, compared to other apartments on University (even though there's almost nothing new).

Image401University by grant.simons, on Flickr
That's a slick box -- I'm surprised the neighbors are complaining! However, if it were trimmed to 4 floors it wouldn't detract from its key qualities.

amiller92
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1981
Joined: October 31st, 2014, 12:50 pm

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby amiller92 » February 12th, 2017, 1:33 pm

How much life does the U's coal plant have? It sure would be nice to get rid of that spur through Dinkytown
Didn't they just expand/renovate or something? There was construction that disturbed the bike/led path.

grant1simons2
IDS Center
Posts: 4371
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 11:33 pm
Location: Marcy-Holmes

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby grant1simons2 » February 12th, 2017, 2:25 pm

Yeah. It's not coal is it? I know my sister did very extensive work to divest from coal. The rail spur in dinkytown is not determined by the plant either. It's Minnesota Commercial storage.

MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5988
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby MNdible » February 12th, 2017, 4:19 pm

That looks an awful lot like coal to me.

The Old Main Steam plant is the one that they just completed renovations on, and is now a natural gas only co-generation facility (steam and electricity).

I'm not clear what the University's plans are for Southeast, but one of the reasons that they recommissioned the Main plant is that they felt that they needed a back-up in case Southeast went down. Since the entire East Bank is heated by the steam plants, a failure during winter could be catastrophic.

MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5988
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby MNdible » February 12th, 2017, 4:29 pm

Although this article suggests that the coal fired burners at Southeast should have been decommissioned once the Old Main plant was reopened.

There's also suggestion that there is additional space at Old Main to add more natural gas units (which are much smaller than the coal units they replaced), so it may yet be that Southeast could be re purposed.

RailBaronYarr
Capella Tower
Posts: 2625
Joined: September 16th, 2012, 4:31 pm

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby RailBaronYarr » February 12th, 2017, 4:31 pm

Gets moved to the site of the grain elevators that they're demolishing. Which raises a question I've had -- will the relocated sports dome interfere with the planned extension of 27th Ave SE?
Some very rough Google Mapping says the current dome + baseball field as laid out could fit where the grain elevators are with room to spare assuming an extension of 27th Ave. I don't personally think one football/soccer field and one baseball field is enough for intramural + random activities for a school of 30,000 undergrads. I'm also not wild that their location is shifted away from the student population center of gravity, but it is what it is. Van Cleve + River Flats + West Bank Fields will have to do to pick up the slack.

Mikey
Landmark Center
Posts: 262
Joined: January 6th, 2015, 2:33 pm
Location: Gunflint Trail
Contact:

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby Mikey » February 12th, 2017, 9:40 pm

Yes, it was the Old Main plant I was asking about, didn't know they had just converted it. I wonder how much longer the coal storage building will stick around - they just built it when I was at the U ≈ 15 years ago

Still though, getting rid of those storage tracks would be great
Urbanist in the north woods

seanrichardryan
IDS Center
Posts: 4092
Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 9:33 pm
Location: Merriam Park, St. Paul

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby seanrichardryan » February 12th, 2017, 10:08 pm

They still burn coal during the coldest days as Xcel diverts supplies to residential customers during peak demand.
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5988
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby MNdible » February 13th, 2017, 10:13 am

I'm scratching my head about your comment, Sean. It makes sense that they'd need more steam to heat buildings on the coldest days, but I don't think that Xcel should have anything to do with it -- it's closed system that only feeds the University, no?

User avatar
FISHMANPET
IDS Center
Posts: 4241
Joined: June 6th, 2012, 2:19 pm
Location: Corcoran

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby FISHMANPET » February 13th, 2017, 10:36 am

Is Xcel not feeding them enough natural gas on the coldest days?

Silophant
Moderator
Posts: 4469
Joined: June 20th, 2012, 4:33 pm
Location: Whimsical NE

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby Silophant » February 13th, 2017, 10:40 am

When demand exceeds supply for natural gas, utilities are required by law to prioritize residential customers over commerical and industrial customers. Though, to be nitpicky, Centerpoint is the natural gas utility in Minneapolis.
Joey Senkyr
[email protected]

MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5988
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby MNdible » February 13th, 2017, 11:07 am

Ah, that makes more sense. Although it's sort of troubling that we'd be running short of natural gas...

So, regarding the coal storage building -- my understanding is that it was never feeding Old Main, which was de-commissioned and idle for the preceding fifteen years or so until the new boilers were installed over the last couple of years. I understand that it was a transfer point from the trains into a conveyor belt that feeds the coal bin that's adjacent to Southeast.

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

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby go4guy » February 13th, 2017, 5:07 pm

Gets moved to the site of the grain elevators that they're demolishing. Which raises a question I've had -- will the relocated sports dome interfere with the planned extension of 27th Ave SE?
Some very rough Google Mapping says the current dome + baseball field as laid out could fit where the grain elevators are with room to spare assuming an extension of 27th Ave. I don't personally think one football/soccer field and one baseball field is enough for intramural + random activities for a school of 30,000 undergrads. I'm also not wild that their location is shifted away from the student population center of gravity, but it is what it is. Van Cleve + River Flats + West Bank Fields will have to do to pick up the slack.
I think this is actually a better location, since it is closer to the light rail stop.

Didier
Capella Tower
Posts: 2510
Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 10:11 am
Location: MSP

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby Didier » April 24th, 2017, 1:09 pm

The steel silos appear to be gone now.

versitalex
City Center
Posts: 33
Joined: July 1st, 2012, 9:07 am

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby versitalex » May 24th, 2017, 9:33 am

Electric Steel Grain Elevator Demolition, May 22, 2017 (not my video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tclxzIdKwo

LakeCharles
Foshay Tower
Posts: 898
Joined: January 16th, 2014, 8:34 am
Location: Kingfield

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby LakeCharles » May 26th, 2017, 10:17 am

New climbing facility proposed at 518 Malcolm:

http://www.startribune.com/just-listed- ... 424425193/

"[T]he climbing facility would have a dramatic, sloped roof inspired in part by the Sawtooth Mountains near Lake Superior and would be clad in mostly metal panels. The second portion of the building that would make up the main entrance will resemble a small box."

Haha, glad they clarified the shape of the second portion.

Squidward
Metrodome
Posts: 57
Joined: August 2nd, 2015, 9:19 pm

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby Squidward » May 27th, 2017, 3:26 pm

http://finance-commerce.com/2017/05/min ... ding-bill/

Nearly $1B bonding bill includes (finally) $66.7M for the Health Sciences Education Center.

Nearby, the Pioneer Hall renovation has started.

Navin
City Center
Posts: 25
Joined: October 3rd, 2012, 9:24 am

Re: University of Minnesota - General Topics & Development Map

Postby Navin » July 31st, 2017, 9:33 am

Linking an update about the Bell Museum (in the St. Paul forum) just because it's a U project....

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1316&p=133260#p133260


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests