The Bridges - (950 University Avenue SE)

[Minneboy]

There was a gas station/ carwash on the corner, with a Hardee's restaurant behind. Never an Arby's.

The Arby's thing threw me off too.

[Minneboy]

Though the building itself is OKAY, who in the world would want to sit out on the balcony listening to 8 lane freeway traffic. Unless you planned on jumping.

[seanrichardryan]

There was a gas station/ carwash on the corner, with a Hardee's restaurant behind. Never an Arby's.

The Arby's thing threw me off too.

The Strib authors were called out in the comments section and amended their article.

[mplser]

Though the building itself is OKAY, who in the world would want to sit out on the balcony listening to 8 lane freeway traffic. Unless you planned on jumping.

doesn't look like any of the balconies are even facing the highway though. definitely designed better than this building with balconies directly facing a 12 lane expressway: http://goo.gl/maps/YtMnu

[Minneboy]

Though the building itself is OKAY, who in the world would want to sit out on the balcony listening to 8 lane freeway traffic. Unless you planned on jumping.

doesn't look like any of the balconies are even facing the highway though. definitely designed better than this building with balconies directly facing a 12 lane expressway: http://goo.gl/maps/YtMnu

That looks like a reuse building and there are too balconies facing the freeway.

[mplser]

my bad. from the rendering it looked like they only face the river

[Nathan]

Who would ever live near an airport, rail line, Hennipen [sic] Ave, Autobody shop... There are people out there who it doesn't bother.

[uptowncarag]

I grew up living near trains. You get so used to them that you don't even hear them. I was great.

[go4guy]

I lived in 7 Corners with a unit facing the 35W bridge. The noise never bothered me. When I went home that summer to the lake, I couldnt sleep for about a week because it was too quiet.

[Minneboy]

Make sure you have your hearing checked regularly. Just saying.

[RailBaronYarr]

As long as they charge slightly less for a unit that faces something like that, fine. There is clearly a tradeoff and a property developer shouldn't be able to charge the same. Choose: more money in your pocket with possible hearing damage (...) and mild annoyance, or the flip.

I, lived near the train tracks in Dinkytown and never had a problem with it. Now, the El running right past a window in Chicago might be a different story..

[gobezlij]

The balconies overlooking the freeway also have the downtown views. They may be the units that are most in demand.

[go4guy]

Make sure you have your hearing checked regularly. Just saying.

I am saying that I quickly got use to the freeway noise. And it got to a point where I needed that constant noise to fall asleep.

[min-chi-cbus]

I agree. Freeway noise is a "white noise", unlike the bass from a car stereo, people talking, the TV, etc. I don't mind it at all and find it almost soothing!

[FISHMANPET]

I slept with a fan next to my face all summer and now even when it's cold I feel weird not having the fan on. It's really easy to get used to freeway white noise.

Also used to have a bedroom that overlooked 94, and I didn't have any problems there either, and this building has really thin windows.

[contrast]

I agree with gobezlij- per the view. The view of downtown when crossing the river on 35W south is one of the best in the whole city and this building will have that same view except from a higher vantage point. These views, IMO, will be better than from places like the Phoenix or the Falls as it will be on a diagonal from the downtown grid so it looks more dense. Plus I could sit and watch freeway traffic for hours- I find it fascinating (and I'm not a traffic eng.). I would much rather have a downtown facing unit than one that faces FloCo to the east. I'd even pay a premium to face downtown and the freeway instead of FloCo. You couldn't go wrong with the top floors- it will have great views of campus to the east and downtown to the west.

[gahwi003]

I tend to agree! My house in Dinkytown is paper thin. How well do these new student housing complexes hold up in regards to sound cancelation?

[Minneboy]

Having a conversation will be annoying if even possible.

[RailBaronYarr]

Having a conversation will be annoying if even possible.

I dunno, whenever I was at my friend's places at University Commons or Melrose (not sure if they're still named the same now) I never had a problem with I-94 noise. Maybe these buildings are that much closer or constructed differently, who knows.

I also lived in the small apartment just north of Marcy Park for 1.5 years on the side facing 35, and even with the windows open I could have a conversation no problem.

[go4guy]

I lived in 7 corners with a unit really close to the 35W bridge before the collapse. Assuming the bridge was much louder then, since the new bridge has some noise reduction technology. Either way, back then we had NO problems with noise. Even with the windows open, you could hear it but it wasn't too loud.