Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics

[LakeCharles]

That was easy. Thanks!

[Qhaberl]

Quick thought, I happen to be walking around the vicinity of warehouse district station. Are they ever going to do anything with the parking lots located just south of the station, and just east of Hennnipin Ave and south of fifth?

[HiawathaGuy]

Quick thought, I happen to be walking around the vicinity of warehouse district station. Are they ever going to do anything with the parking lots located just south of the station, and just east of Hennnipin Ave and south of fifth?

You'd have to talk to the owner:

Lot just south of the platform (between Hennepin & 1st)
Owner: Butler Properties Llc
Taxpayer: LOOP PARKING COMPANY
1200 WASHINGTON AVE S # 150
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55415

Lot across Hennepin from the platform
Owner: Baker Invstmnts Ptnr Ii Llc
Taxpayer: BAKER INVSTMTS PTNRSHP I LLC
150 5TH ST S #1425
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55402

But quick answer, no, nothing has been proposed for these lot. Hopefully someday...

[Silophant]

Yeah, it seems like a no-brainer to develop an empty lot directly adjacent to a busy LRT station, but it hasn't happened in 12 years, somehow.

As for the other lot, while the Dylan mural looks much better than a blank white wall, I kinda wish it wasn't there, because I fear that any development proposals for that lot will now face a Healy House-style national internet backlash.

[Qhaberl]

I was thinking the same thing about the mural.

[amiller92]

Yeah, it seems like a no-brainer to develop an empty lot directly adjacent to a busy LRT station, but it hasn't happened in 12 years, somehow.

Just to play devil's advocate: it's also directly across the street (and tracks) from a strip club, a kinda-sleazy bar, an inconsistently maintained storefront (that's attached to another strip club) and another bar space that goes in and out of business.

It's funny, on one side that lot faces fairly class stuff -- Cowles Center, the renovated Masonic Temple and Gluek's (although I've not been in there for decades) -- that would seem to make fairly appealing neighbors. But not so much on the other (no offense to Rosenthal's Furniture).

Anyway, it kind of seems like we need some broader plans to stabilize this part of the warehouse district, where the hospitality businesses often seem to have pretty short life cycles. (And maybe there are some I don't know about).

[EOst]

As for the other lot, while the Dylan mural looks much better than a blank white wall, I kinda wish it wasn't there, because I fear that any development proposals for that lot will now face a Healy House-style national internet backlash.

This wouldn't be the worst place for a small park or plaza, if it came down to it. If the LRT-adjacent lot is developed, this area will feel very dense with or without a building on this corner.

[Nathan]

Yeah, it seems like a no-brainer to develop an empty lot directly adjacent to a busy LRT station, but it hasn't happened in 12 years, somehow.

Just to play devil's advocate: it's also directly across the street (and tracks) from a strip club, a kinda-sleazy bar, an inconsistently maintained storefront (that's attached to another strip club) and another bar space that goes in and out of business.

It's funny, on one side that lot faces fairly class stuff -- Cowles Center, the renovated Masonic Temple and Gluek's (although I've not been in there for decades) -- that would seem to make fairly appealing neighbors. But not so much on the other (no offense to Rosenthal's Furniture).

Anyway, it kind of seems like we need some broader plans to stabilize this part of the warehouse district, where the hospitality businesses often seem to have pretty short life cycles. (And maybe there are some I don't know about).

It's funny because the media asked Hines if they were concerned about building their new dock street flats and office complex next to the deja vu and sex world and train tracks and abandoned buildings, and their response was that their residents wanted to live in and work in an urban area, and these are a part off the urban landscape. Now deva vu has remodeled, sex world is being revamped, and an amazing hotel is moving across the street... and as far as I know the building is full.

[Qhaberl]

Whats going to happen when the day comes, that we dont need all this parking space? We all, i think, can agree that the days of personal automobile owernship are numbered. Within the next 10 years, you will see the rise of self driving cars. There will be vary little need for all the parking, Even the parking within buildings, both above and below ground. There are countless places in wich apartments complexes are constructing buildings that incorporates 2 or more floor of parking.

[MNdible]

This wouldn't be the worst place for a small park or plaza, if it came down to it. If the LRT-adjacent lot is developed, this area will feel very dense with or without a building on this corner.

I'd rather see the mural lot developed, and then have a park on the 1st Avenue face of the Cowles block.

[Qhaberl]

If they do decide to develop the lot, can the mural be moved to a different place? Is the mural attached to the building?

[Silophant]

Yeah, it's painted right on.

[grant1simons2]

So why not this?

[EOst]

I'd rather see the mural lot developed, and then have a park on the 1st Avenue face of the Cowles block.

That would be cool too, as long as they covered that massive blank wall on the back of the Cowles Center. Like a cement Borg cube, that thing.

[amiller92]

This wouldn't be the worst place for a small park or plaza, if it came down to it. If the LRT-adjacent lot is developed, this area will feel very dense with or without a building on this corner.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think this area needs housing so there is a built-in base of people to support the various retail businesses that try to locate nearby.

And Nathan, one of the things I've always been kind of proud of about downtown Minneapolis is our ability to tolerate adult-oriented businesses as relatively normal. Maybe it's all the Germans.

[VacantLuxuries]

I don't think the mural is worth preserving a parking lot over. Besides, it was paid for by Goldman Sachs, and if they ended up taking a $50,000 bath because someone realized a building is worth more than a parking lot, I wouldn't exactly cry over it.

Edit - I also predict a photograph of a building under construction in front of the mural with the words 'The times they are a-changin'" visible would be a far more interesting piece of art.

[xandrex]

So why not this?


[...image...]

This is pretty much what I've been thinking. It seems like you could build something on that lot while still respecting the artwork. The open space could create a sort of cool pocket park.

[MNdible]

Murals are, by their very nature, temporary. Just cover it up. Any open space that you carve out of that lot will be dreary, always in shadow, and unloved, whereas the 1st Avenue block face would get nice midday to afternoon sun, and also will play well with the setback that already exists at Block E.

[Nathan]

I think the mural would be an awesome amenity for a hotel on that block. Instead of a brick wall, their guests would see portions of an awesome mural.

[HiawathaGuy]

Not sure if this belongs here or not, but this article looks like a good indication of downtown's health in 2016.

Report: Apartment absorption keeps pace with new units
http://finance-commerce.com/2016/03/rep ... z42Q7pKEpU
*LOCKED*

Insiders believe the demand for new apartments in downtown Minneapolis will continue in 2016

I'd be curious to know what else the article says.

Mod note: reply in Apartment Boom topic here: https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=958&start=280