urbanMSP

3 story infill development on the site of an auto repair shop.
Photo via @nickmagrino


http://minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/pub ... 182169.pdf

I like it...a lot. I really like these smaller infill projects. I don't care if it's "just" 3 stories either -- it fits and it adds vibrancy.....more than an auto shop could, at least.

Just duplicate efforts like this all across both cities and eliminate vacant/underused parcels.

Here's the CPC approval packet. The second public comment letter is an exciting read, as it segues effortlessly from an extensive demand that the building be uber-sustainable to a complaint that there's not enough parking for each tenant to have their own environment-destroying vehicle.

I lived on 12th Ave SE in Como for several years, and have a deep affection for the neighborhood and Van Cleve Park. While retail might have been more attractive to me than ground-floor residential on this corner, it's just the kind of development the neighborhood needs--small scale and friendly.

Como Imports? In the late 80's I brought an old Saab in to them. They didn't fix it. Not sure if that's a reflection on them or the quality of Swedish auto manufacturing of the 70's. In any case, I'm never sad to see a parcel of land in Minneapolis that was devoted to auto sales or upkeep be repurposed. Now if only this would happen on Lake St.

Yeah, you're right. I don't know why the address didn't click for me -- I thought it was another place further east along Como. I'd really prefer to bump the building up by a story and have room for a retail presence on the ground floor.

In the grand scheme, there's probably plenty of retail space available (or underutilized) in the immediate area. That said, the visibility of this frontage does seem to call for a commercial space prominently facing that intersection. I agree that 3 stories is fairly underwhelming at this corner. But this is CPM and they've done plenty larger projects and mixed-use projects in this area, so I think we'll just have to trust their judgement.

My guess is that another story of residential and/or commercial space would have required digging out a level of underground parking, which they aren't doing here. As is, they are planning 12 parking spaces for the 30 units, which is probably just about right in this location. A commercial space and/or another level (13 more units) with no additional parking was probably a no-go for their lender, or CPM themselves don't believe it would be successful.

P.S. This is a nice, simple design that I would be very happy to see pop up on small corner sites all over the city.

http://local15apts.com/

Hoping to open in Fall 2017

My main observation concerning these apartments is how unfortunate it is that the apartments shown in photo below in the white-exterior section of the building (the section where the blue "renting for September" banner is) have headlights coming through their windows (even if the cheap blinds are closed) at night from northbound 15th Ave SE (NB approach to Como). I'm in this area often and have never seen blinds open for those units. I wonder if the tenants realized that before they chose their units. Layout could have avoided this by placing the office there instead of on the corner.

Also, the flat face dissapoints and I wish there was even a single commercial spot here.
At least this section of street is slightly better lit at night now, though the blocks to the west are still plunged into darkness each night.

We really need housing here though

Agreed, and there aren't many opportune parcels in the area. 1202 Como is the only other housing shift I know of around there - that is a 1909 house that got demo'd starting a couple months ago, and is being turned into a 2.5 story triplex similar to the units just south of it. Modest gains. Gopher Rentals will operate it I think. I'm really hoping a Bunge reuse housing development project moves forward soon.

The house in Como where I used to live will probably fall over any day now, creating another redevelopment opportunity.

Agree with the comments above, missed opportunity here for retail, considering that the intersection already has quite a few nice businesses. The design is nothing special, but it never was going to be. It's fine. Most important is the housing.

While in the area recently I was reminded of this building, which has a first floor apartment staring straight down 15th Avenue, and how did this ever happen?

Heh, bad as that is, it seems less bad than ground-floor apartments downtown like at Edition, etc. Though this one on Como has the added badness of headlights shining right into apartment(s).

I'm not sure what you are comparing, as none of the first floor apartments in Edition are directly at the end of a street, putting them in danger of an oncoming drunk/distracted driver. Which, from what I gather, was the point of Didier's comment. This city doesn't have <enough> ground floor and garden level living imo.