Hiawatha-Minnehaha Corridor - General Topics

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twincitizen
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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby twincitizen » April 20th, 2017, 6:21 am

Even though I live right by this site and would see it all the time, I'd support it if it meant UHaul would sell their Nicollet & 36th location for development. #greatergood

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby cooperrez » April 20th, 2017, 9:57 am

Here's definitely a case where I would like to argue against maintaining the character of the neighborhood. They made sure to get the freight cars in their rendering. This is not something that would go nicely with the Min Hi Line plans along this waning rail corridor.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby cooperrez » April 20th, 2017, 11:30 am

If projects like the U-Haul proposal are the best we can do along here and the railroad is eventually turned into a greenway, a nice compromise would be something like this along the greenway side of these storage buildings:

https://www.google.com/search?q=urban+g ... 00&bih=815

In fact, this type of wall would be cool to see on residential buildings along greenways and any other places too. Of course our climate won't allow for the full experience, but I think we could adjust for that. Also, murals should be required.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby John21 » April 20th, 2017, 4:36 pm

Ethiopian restaurant opening at 3915 Hiawatha.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... south.html

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby twincitizen » April 21st, 2017, 9:36 am

From the U-Haul project staff report:
The site is zoned I1, Light Industrial District and is located in the IL Industrial Living Overlay District. In the I1 zoning district, self-storage is a permitted use while truck rental requires a conditional use permit.

The maximum height limitation in the I1 zoning district is 4 stories/56 feet. The height of the proposed building is 5 stories/65 feet. A conditional use permit to increase the height of the building will be required.

The minimum parking requirement is 36 spaces. The applicant is proposing to vary the minimum parking requirement to 32 spaces. The minimum loading requirement is 3 large spaces (12 feet by 50 feet). The applicant is proposing to vary the minimum loading requirement to zero spaces. As shown, some of the signs on the building are over 28 feet in height, which is the maximum sign height in the I1 zoning district. A variance for sign height will be required.
Remember, a conditional use permit effectively means "allowed, with conditions" and is not the same thing as a variance, which the city can justifiably deny for many reasons (chief among them being, "Is this variance truly necessary?")

The only variance that I think the city would have just cause to deny would be the sign variance and I doubt any of you really care about that. Otherwise it seems this could pretty much go forward as is. Given that, I'd rather they were building a new office/showroom building at the corner instead of remodeling the crappy auto repair building, but the city cannot compel them to do that.

Like I said above, the most positive outcome of this development would be the closing of the Nicollet & 36th UHaul site. I'm not too sure it will though, given how well that location does (basically being the only moving truck rental place in the densest parts of the city). It could be totally separate franchisees and this one has nothing to do with the other. At the very least, I think it's worth asking the question.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby FISHMANPET » April 21st, 2017, 10:03 am

This whole area really needs to changed to transitional industrial in the comp plan so there's some guidance for housing along this corridor instead of more of these industrial uses.

At least it's a multi-story building, that seems promising considering the other single store storage buildings along here..

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby amiller92 » April 21st, 2017, 10:09 am

This whole area really needs to changed to transitional industrial in the comp plan so there's some guidance for housing along this corridor instead of more of these industrial uses.
Yes, this. We should be phasing out these uses here, not adding to them.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby MNdible » April 21st, 2017, 10:19 am

I don't love this building on this site, but it's pretty clear that they're responding to a real market demand to have storage in relatively close proximity to where people live. Especially in a part of town with increasing wealth but a paucity of 3 car garages for people to store their junk in.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby twincitizen » April 21st, 2017, 12:41 pm

I'll just further add that in the grand scheme of "development along the Blue Line", 42nd Street and on the wrong side of Hiawatha (this site) is about as far from a station platform as you can get. This site just isn't that accessible to the Blue Line, with a walk time over 10 minutes. I'm not saying we have to settle for bad/underwhelming development, but I am saying that this isn't an ideal site for dense housing development. Also, why the rush to kick out all industrial uses from this corridor? What's that about? That stuff has to go somewhere, and the Hiawatha corridor (outside of station areas and especially on the east side of the highway) is a seemingly ideal place for it.

If I'm calling the shots, I'd keep much of the Hiawatha-Minnehaha-freight corridor zoned for light industrial use long term, and instead upzone large swaths of existing R1A neighborhoods on the west side of Hiawatha. The "industrial living" zoning overlay is in place, so residential uses are certainly welcome to join the mix, should a property owner be so inclined.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby Mcgizz » April 21st, 2017, 1:01 pm

Also, why the rush to kick out all industrial uses from this corridor? What's that about? That stuff has to go somewhere, and the Hiawatha corridor (outside of station areas and especially on the east side of the highway) is a seemingly ideal place for it.

If I'm calling the shots, I'd keep much of the Hiawatha-Minnehaha-freight corridor zoned for light industrial use long term, and instead upzone large swaths of existing R1A neighborhoods on the west side of Hiawatha.
Here here. Why so hasty? This are should be a multi-zoned corridor where people both work and live.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby FISHMANPET » April 21st, 2017, 1:20 pm

No rush, but applying the "Industrial Overlay" district to the entire portion of industrial land east of Hiawatha would open up a lot of options without necessarily limiting industrial development.

My overall point is that a lot of this land is still guided for industrial development in the comp plan. The comp plan is an aspirational document designating a desired future state, not a prescriptive document mandating a specific current state.

This development is fine. It's multi-story and I think could provide a valuable service to the neighborhood, especially if apartments start creeping south from 38th st and north from 46th. But none of that is really in the comp plain, and that's what I'm talking about.

Edit: hey, I was looking at the wrong map, the corridor east of Hiawatha is already designated "Transitional Industrial" in the current comp plan, there's just been no push to look closely and rezone this. So actually this is totally fine.
Transitional Industrial (TI)—Industrial areas located outside of Industrial
Employment Districts will be labeled “transitional” since they may
eventually evolve to other uses compatible with surrounding development.
Although they may remain industrial for some time, they will not have the
same level of policy protection as areas within industrial districts.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby minneboom » April 21st, 2017, 5:04 pm

For a conditional use and variance to be approved the planning commission needs to find that this development is in keeping and consistent with the comprehensive plan, and the small area plans are amendments to the comprehensive plan. The 46th and Hiawatha Station Area Plan calls for offices and retail at this site, so this development is not in keeping with that. It also identifies the prevalence of drive thrus and auto oriented land uses as a major obstacle to development. Additinally, it encourages a mixture of pedestrian-friendly neighborhood-serving retail opportunities that support market rate housing options, fulfill neighborhood and trade area needs, and establish a complete transit-oriented neighborhood center. This development is missing on a lot of levels.

The "condition" should be that they provide some other sort of additional land use on this site, affordable housing, retail, offices, etc. Using this prime site entirely for truck rental and cold storage is not the best use for the community.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby thatchio » April 22nd, 2017, 9:12 am

Problem with industrial zoning districts that permit housing within them is that industrial is a low paying land use. Once other uses think they can be successful in that zoning district, there will be upward pressure on land value and rents and they'll be pushed out. It may be a fine zoning district when you're phasing out industrial uses, but it may not be the best district to keep a mixed-use, including industrial, district.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby minneboom » April 24th, 2017, 5:49 pm

For anyone following the proposed U-Haul development, they are going to the committee of the whole this week. There is more information about the project at the link below. Again, they are asking for conditional use permits which require that the planning commission find that the development is in keeping with the 46th and Hiawatha Station Area Plan.

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 197727.pdf

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby minneboom » May 19th, 2017, 10:42 pm

The Longfellow Community Council is hosting an input session for the U-Haul development at 42nd Street and Hiawatha Ave on June 19th from 6:30-8pm. There are more details at the Facebook event below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/276224242786806??ti=ia

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby minneboom » May 25th, 2017, 10:10 pm

There is an nice property for sale at 4525 Hiawatha Avenue in the TOD district around the 46th St Station. The small area plan suggests a residential and mixed use development at this site. With the Oppidan grocery story development and Snelling Yards, a development at this site could be a really nice addition.

https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/mn/ ... _18128170/

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby John21 » July 5th, 2017, 4:12 pm


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VacantLuxuries
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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby VacantLuxuries » July 6th, 2017, 8:52 am

I hope they don't seriously let them enshrine an old gas station as a historical site. What a waste of a corner.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby SurlyLHT » July 6th, 2017, 11:44 am

Is it just me, or do the community pictures they want on the side of the storage facility look way out of place for the rest of the building? It looks like they pasted a giant polaroid randomly on the a couple sides.

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Re: Hiawatha-Minnehaha Avenue Development & Grain Elevators/Freight Corridor

Postby BoredAgain » July 9th, 2017, 11:15 am

Is it just me, or do the community pictures they want on the side of the storage facility look way out of place for the rest of the building? It looks like they pasted a giant polaroid randomly on the a couple sides.
I assume that they have to do something because codes won't allow a giant blank wall. I also hope that they pick something better for the final selection because what they put on these drawings is just silly.


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