Nord Haus - 315 1st Ave NE (208' - 20 Stories)

[MplsSteve]

ESG has done some very nice projects in the past, and they could do something very nice here if given the opportunity. I think it all depends on the developer here.

[mnjimn]

Does anybody know if this project includes the land where the existing auto body shop is on the corner of 5th/1st?

[twincitizen]

That specific parcel appears to be under separate ownership, but I think it is very safe to assume it will be part of the development.

[Nathan]

it would be cool if they kept 4th at the incline that it has currently, that could be a good way to grade separate a little shopping plaza along 4th and have parking behind and underneath.

[TTT]

Of course opinions are just that, but I was of the understanding that this was to be a tower, and if that is the case - Westin in Edina is nice, but Nic on 5th I think most people would consider a dissapointment. The other structures with any sort of height are even bigger dissapointments in New Orleans and Des Moines.

[MinnMonkey]

I am guessing most people hear don't watch KSTP, but while channel surfing, I saw this:

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S3617828.shtml?cat=1

[nBode]

100 retail shops?? So... it's a mall?

[Anondson]

Two 17-story towers. Good stuff. Tall and thin.

[Silophant]

How did KSTP manage to scoop everyone else on this?

A pair of 17-story residential towers is awesome. Exactly what I wanted to see for this site. However, I'm a little concerned about the hundred(!) retail spaces. Sure, retail's resurging in the neighborhood, but the last failed urban mall is what, six blocks away?

[twincitizen]

No surprise on the sloppy reporting, but I too am a little surprised they scooped everyone. Did KSTP have a quota to reach of one positive story about Minneapolis per week? Bored reporter decided to attend this neighborhood meeting?

It's entirely possible/likely the "100 retail shops" is just a huge mistake. I mean, that doesn't even sound physically possible, let alone necessary. My money is on "10 retail shops", which would make perfect sense across two city blocks.


Obviously this photo shows just the first block. Guessing that's a parking garage along University.

[Anondson]

Is that rendering showing the street car line running past, kind of even looks like a shelter built there... Would make sense if that line is a go.

[seanrichardryan]

Where's the other 17 story tower?

[twincitizen]

Re: Streetcars

Appears that way, but the placement is off. Preliminary engineering has streetcars running in the left-hand lanes of Henn/1st, assuming status quo of one-way streets. That way they aren't changing lanes between here and the Hennepin bridge.

Re: Frontages

University Ave frontage appears to be above-ground parking, which is fine. Considering the grade / bridge and speed of car/truck travel here, it's not like that was ever going to have meaningful urban frontage: https://www.google.com/maps/search/supe ... ftmi8Q!2e0 It makes sense to set the housing units back a ways from University Ave. From day one on this thing I've questioned the viability of major retail expansion along 1st Ave. Hennepin is where the action is. The streetcar helps with that some, but I'm still skeptical of adding a ton of retail (assuming a realistic number like 10 spaces, not 100)

I really want to share this on the urbanmsp Twitter, since it is BREAKING NEWS , but I absolutely refuse to share a link to KSTP. Not touching that with a 10 foot pole right now. C'mon Eric Roper or Sam Black, help a brother out!

[Silophant]

Where's the other 17 story tower?

The block behind the building shown (inexplicably rendered as gray rectangles) is also part of the site. I'm guessing it'll be a mirror image of this building, since twin towers is apparently now Minneapolis's thing.

[Nathan]

On mill Avenue in Tempe some new retail spots are only 10x10 and they fill up very quickly because they are perfect for and affordable for artists. Being this is the hub of the arts district yet there are no shops it would be nice to get something like that. 100 combinable retail bays wouldn't be that crazy in that scenario.

The tower certainly isn't skinny but it looks fine, the street realm looks great.

[Tom H.]

I'll note that KSTP also claimed that the new outlet mall in Eagan would add "hundreds of millions of dollars" in tax revenue to the state, so I'd take any numbers they quote as plus or minus an order of magnitude, at best.

[Wedgeguy]

100 retail shops?? So... it's a mall?

First of all this is channel 5 so I don't believe a word from them. I doubt they will try and do a Riverplace 2 in an area that is not a major retail hub. 100 shops is more than some of the Dales so that alone would not happened just due to lack of parking. If they get 10 to 12 retail spaces in a 2 block area they will be doing well to get them filled. Riverplace and St. Anthony Main still have alot of available retail space that could be used. At least there they have the river as a draw. I don't see this as a new 50th and France yet. Has many more years to build out that base. They would have to compete with the Nicollet Mall for tenants.

I do hope there are two towers and there there will be retail on the ground floor of the podium of this development. Super big and super flashy I do not expect though. The multistory urban mall does not really work here in Minneapolis. It will fail here as well due to the location.

[Wedgeguy]

I'll note that KSTP also claimed that the new outlet mall in Eagan would add "hundreds of millions of dollars" in tax revenue to the state, so I'd take any numbers they quote as plus or minus an order of magnitude, at best.

What the silly report forgot was that in Minnesota there is not sales tax on clothing so a majority of what is sold there is non taxable. The only thing that was raised was property taxes for the land at best and some taxes off the non clothing that is sold out there.

[twincitizen]

12 hours have passed and not a single other media outlet has picked up the story. Surely someone from The Journal attended...

If you search Google, you can see that KSTP had actually been following the story, with a couple previous reports about the site, hence their presence at the meeting last night. Still, it's weird that they were the only ones to care enough to show up...

[John]

A great improvement over the previous proposal of stick apartments. Will have a much better impact on the neighborhood with long term benefit.