urbanMSP

I’d be (half) shocked if McDonalds just straight up walked away from this lucrative market. Like, they could totally open a location in the former CVS spot kitty corner from here. But they won’t, because no drive thru, in MN. If they won’t bother to open one downtown, it probably won’t meet corporate muster here either

This would work.

WOW I'm actually shocked.

I favor the 25-story though. Less blocky.

Plus, the idea of turning the 5th and 15th Green triangle into a more public space with the park fees is pleasing.

Remember when it was like pretty dicey if the Venue project was gonna get approved back in ‘13, and it ultimately did pass like 9-4 with Barb Johnson’s support? This would probably go 13-0 or 11-2 at absolute worst, even at 25 stories. It goes unsaid how huge that council turnover in the 2013 election was for development. At the absolute perfect time too. A couple things had been approved around the U and Uptown, but nothing wildly controversial yet. And the massive development boom had really just begun

The height I have no problem with, but the proposed building is absolutely huge in bulk. While it's nice to develop a whole area all at once, it's often not great for the urban design of the area to have one megabuilding instead of many smaller ones. Architecturally, I hope they can at least split the tower and the mid-rise portion so that they have different characters and read as different volumes.

From what Chet Wedgely was reporting, they do seem attentive to the urban design, so I'm hopeful.

I’d be (half) shocked if McDonalds just straight up walked away from this lucrative market. Like, they could totally open a location in the former CVS spot kitty corner from here. But they won’t, because no drive thru, in MN. If they won’t bother to open one downtown, it probably won’t meet corporate muster here either

there is actually a "food court" going in where the CVS was. My feeling is that McDonalds will have one of retail spaces in the new building and I would think same goes for the liquor store as well.

Um, was not expecting this. My dad is the attorney representing one of the owners of the stores they would be redeveloping, but he said he's not remotely interested in selling. Looks like maybe they got to a deal with him? Anyways, as someone moving out of dinkytown next week after 4 years it's been extremely fascinating to watch the development of the U and I don't think it's stopping anytime soon.

Here is the proposal:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 220288.pdf

The 10 O'clock Scholar (where Bob Dylan arguably launched his career) was right across the alley. Perhaps they could incorporate a small exhibit.

It goes unsaid how huge that council turnover in the 2013 election was for development.

Of course, it doesn't go unsaid because you said it. I guess we'll see if that holds true though; Dinkytown has weird specific politics.

This is a really important set of lots. I really hope they put something of quality in there. The access to the Greenway would be terrific..but expensive. I hope they put something original in. The commercial spaces for artists is interesting, but would need to engage and draw people in.

10 floors at the McDonald’s site proposed.

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 221488.pdf

My favorite part is the picture on page 11 with the dude sitting on the bench holding out a can, and the dude digging in his pocket in front of him. Shows what the architects think of Dinkytown, eh?

Snark aside, nobody could accuse it of being an attractive building. I understand this is college housing but it would be nice if they could put a little more effort into not making it look like a hulking box.

Are those "4 BR" and "5 BR" units honest-to-god four and five bedroom apartments? I like seeing some bigger units but even for this demographic they seem to have a lot of huge units.

I’d be (half) shocked if McDonalds just straight up walked away from this lucrative market. Like, they could totally open a location in the former CVS spot kitty corner from here. But they won’t, because no drive thru, in MN. If they won’t bother to open one downtown, it probably won’t meet corporate muster here either

there is actually a "food court" going in where the CVS was. My feeling is that McDonalds will have one of retail spaces in the new building and I would think same goes for the liquor store as well.

One of the renderings includes McDonalds signage. Hopefully this is the case and provides a useful template for the McD's on Lagoon.

10 floors at the McDonald’s site proposed.

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 221488.pdf

Well that's a change...

I'd take this over the McDonalds with a drive through.

Me too. Is it aesthetically less pleasing than the 25-story tower? For sure. But, it's 300 units of sorely needed student housing right next to campus, on a site with no housing whatsoever, so it's not displacing anyone, and they're getting rid of the drive-though, and they're getting rid of three curb cuts, and they're adding an actual protected bike lane to their side of 15th... this is univocally a win.

I mean, I'll take it but I agree with the staff feedback on massing. Do something to break it up a bit so it doesn't look like a giant box.