Block E (archive)

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Minneboy
US Bank Plaza
Posts: 669
Joined: January 15th, 2013, 1:18 pm

Re: Block E

Postby Minneboy » May 30th, 2013, 3:20 pm

Let's put them on the street level and have all of the people on the street watch them practice like they sometimes do with newscasters!!! I bet they focus more at practice.
I like this idea, or if not at least put windows up on the third floor for people to stop and watch. I mean inside up on the third floor put in windows.

Didier
Capella Tower
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Location: MSP

Re: Block E

Postby Didier » May 30th, 2013, 6:18 pm

There are few things more boring than watching a basketball practice.

John
Capella Tower
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Re: Block E

Postby John » May 30th, 2013, 8:24 pm

There are few things more boring than watching a basketball practice.
It actually fits in well with the entertainment /sports oriented activity going on around Block E. Sushimo commented previously that the practice facility will take up possibly 50,000 of the 213,000 square feet of space in the complex, so that leaves plenty of room for other uses.

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

Re: Block E

Postby go4guy » May 31st, 2013, 6:21 am

There are few things more boring than watching a basketball practice.
If you are a basketball fan, it would be really fun to watch practices. These are the best players in the world!

mullen
Foshay Tower
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Joined: June 4th, 2012, 7:02 am

Re: Block E

Postby mullen » May 31st, 2013, 6:29 am

they close off their practices at the lifetime gym in target center. i don't see a lot of windows or public access. all of these practice facilities springing up in other cities look like glorified industrial park buildings.

mplsjaromir
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: June 1st, 2012, 8:03 am

Re: Block E

Postby mplsjaromir » May 31st, 2013, 6:56 am

There are few things more boring than watching a basketball practice.
Watching a soccer game.

*booed off stage pelted with rotten vegetables*

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

Re: Block E

Postby Didier » May 31st, 2013, 7:21 am

I used to cover basketball for a newspaper. Believe me, it's not exciting to watch a bunch of players stand around and run drills. And beyond that, the Timberwolves wouldn't hold public practices anyway, so it's not even worth entertaining the idea.

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

Re: Block E

Postby min-chi-cbus » May 31st, 2013, 7:35 am

Let's put them on the street level and have all of the people on the street watch them practice like they sometimes do with newscasters!!! I bet they focus more at practice.
I like this idea, or if not at least put windows up on the third floor for people to stop and watch. I mean inside up on the third floor put in windows.
I was joking, but I also don't have any great ideas for Block E, so this could be a viable option at this point.

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Andrew_F
Rice Park
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Joined: May 31st, 2012, 10:15 pm
Location: Stevens Square

Re: Block E

Postby Andrew_F » May 31st, 2013, 7:43 am

It's too bad that they aren't trying to get another theater to come in with a reworked lobby, entrance, and marquee on Hennepin. But I think this is a decent use of the old theater space. I mean we're talking about a 3rd floor with 25-foot ceilings and no windows. A basketball facility seems like a relatively solid fit.

Didier
Capella Tower
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Re: Block E

Postby Didier » May 31st, 2013, 8:35 am

The interesting unknown with the Timberwolves/Lynx plan is what would happen to the rest of the building. Let's assume the basketball court and other workout facilities would fit into the old movie theater space, I can't imagine the Timberwolves/Lynx would need more than one floor of office space, which still leaves room for more. Since this was advertised as a "high-profile" office space, I wonder if there would be efforts to plaster team logos all over the place? Or maybe they would try to incorporate some sort of year-round public space, such as a team museum or something (the idea is almost laughable, but it would be nice to have something public, wouldn't it?).

mnmike
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: June 2nd, 2012, 11:01 am

Re: Block E

Postby mnmike » May 31st, 2013, 9:21 am

Everyone is talking like it would be so hard to cut windows into the top floors and build...we aren't talking about an impenetrable fortress here. That could easily be done, and a mezzanine could be built...maybe some rooftop features added. The owner just doesn't want to put any money into the building...I remember an article a while after his casino got shot down that said he was "looking for tenants that could use large floorplates and no windows". I guess it is all or nothing with him. He was going to totally re-clad the whole building if he got his casino, but since that didn't work, he wants to do nothing...that is the feeling I get. I doubt we would even see any improvement on the outside with this. I continue to be very disappointed with Bob Lux, with regard to most of his land holdings. WIth the current market conditions, the owner could easily do something with this space, and the lot at 10th and Henn. He is just all talk, and likes making the parking revenue.

PhilmerPhil
Moderator
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Re: Block E

Postby PhilmerPhil » July 25th, 2013, 9:37 am

Block E to get artisic makeover, don't hold your breath:
http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/bl ... c-makeover

John
Capella Tower
Posts: 2102
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 2:06 pm

Re: Block E

Postby John » July 25th, 2013, 10:38 am

What they really should do is renovate Block E into a live/work space for artists , with street level retail ( galleries and cafe'). Then Mr Lux could still collect his parking revenue and actually contribute something positive to the community!

Aville_37
Union Depot
Posts: 366
Joined: August 28th, 2012, 4:51 am

Re: Block E

Postby Aville_37 » July 25th, 2013, 7:03 pm

I am actually excited about them putting up temporary galleries into the empty spaces. Too bad not permanent. It will hopefully at least bring more people into the area and who knows - perhaps inspire some new ideas for the building. I really would love to see more art galleries along Hennepin mixed in with bars/restaurants and creative work spaces.

spearson
Landmark Center
Posts: 291
Joined: July 9th, 2012, 2:29 pm

Re: Block E

Postby spearson » July 31st, 2013, 8:07 am

Looking at the Alatus website section for Block E, they have a statement that says "exciting news coming summer of 2013". I wonder if the exciting news is the Art stuff mentioned above.. heh

And a few pics for your click (from the alatus website), what block-e used to look like:
Image
Image

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

Re: Block E

Postby seanrichardryan » July 31st, 2013, 4:03 pm

Note the 8 story warehouse being demolished in the background.
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

MotorCity2TwinCities
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 112
Joined: September 11th, 2012, 3:31 pm
Location: Downtown

Re: Block E

Postby MotorCity2TwinCities » November 22nd, 2013, 3:41 pm


Silophant
Moderator
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Re: Block E

Postby Silophant » November 22nd, 2013, 3:55 pm

"A major facelift", huh? Exciting!

Also, I've never remembered to mention it here, but, for the last couple of months, the old movie theater marquee has been used for a poem about Hennepin Ave, which I think is really pretty cool.
Joey Senkyr
[email protected]

twincitizen
Moderator
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Location: Standish-Ericsson

Re: Block E

Postby twincitizen » November 22nd, 2013, 3:57 pm

Well the owners did just score a cool $17 Million on the sale of the Downtown East parking ramp under the LRT station / gameday plaza.

I can't be alone in thinking that they need to rename this building. The "Block E" moniker just has to go away and die. It's too synonymous with failure.

MotorCity2TwinCities
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 112
Joined: September 11th, 2012, 3:31 pm
Location: Downtown

Re: Block E

Postby MotorCity2TwinCities » November 22nd, 2013, 4:01 pm

I can't be alone in thinking that they need to rename this building. The "Block E" moniker just has to go away and die. It's too synonymous with failure
Could not agree more.


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