Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
xandrex
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Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Postby xandrex » January 16th, 2019, 12:02 pm

This is another sign that the city (and Metro Transit) really, really, really need to figure out how to better serve the North Loop with transit.

Sure, a lot of workers are probably suburban folks who will drive in anyway. But the North Loop is a booming neighborhood. Minneapolis isn’t doing itself any favors by making it hard to access from many parts of the city and suburbs without a car. I know too many people who work somewhere downtown and enjoyed using transit. Then they got a job in the North Loop and, surprise, suddenly started driving.

sushisimo
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Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Postby sushisimo » January 16th, 2019, 12:26 pm

This is another sign that the city (and Metro Transit) really, really, really need to figure out how to better serve the North Loop with transit.
Yes, it's so lacking. I don't know, maybe have continual "circulator" buses that stem from the core and S-cut through the North Loop via, like, 4th street, down Washington and back up 1st street? God, anything to thwart this grotesque ramp. We just got an ugly one covered with The Maverick.

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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby kellonathan » January 16th, 2019, 12:45 pm

The fact that North Loop is only served by two local "coverage" routes, 7 and 14, makes it quite interesting to navigate to-and-from North Loop by transit. (e.g. Should I wait for the 14, or walk two blocks to catch the 7?)

On a sidenote, the lack of "direct" connection between Mill District and North Loop, both on Washington, is also noticeable with recent growth in both neighborhoods. I'd say, in the short term, route 7 should serve Washington Ave (instead of 1st St - Hennepin - 4th St - 4/5th Aves zig-zag) straight-shot, offering (i) direct connection between two fast growing neighborhoods in downtown Mpls, and (ii) high-frequency service on Washington Ave in North Loop.
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alexschief
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Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Postby alexschief » January 16th, 2019, 12:57 pm

This is another sign that the city (and Metro Transit) really, really, really need to figure out how to better serve the North Loop with transit.

Sure, a lot of workers are probably suburban folks who will drive in anyway. But the North Loop is a booming neighborhood. Minneapolis isn’t doing itself any favors by making it hard to access from many parts of the city and suburbs without a car. I know too many people who work somewhere downtown and enjoyed using transit. Then they got a job in the North Loop and, surprise, suddenly started driving.
Metro Transit does need to serve the North Loop better, but this isn't a sign of that. The Fed is on Hennepin Avenue, directly outside the building are stops for the 4, 6, 7, 11, 61 and 824. Just two blocks away are stops for the 14, 667, 672, and 674. Just a few more blocks in any direction and you'll hit nearly every bus route in the Twin Cities.

This is a sign that the leaders at the Federal Reserve drive to work and cannot conceive of any other alternative.

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Silophant
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby Silophant » January 16th, 2019, 12:59 pm

.I'd say, in the short term, route 7 should serve Washington Ave (instead of 1st St - Hennepin - 4th St - 4/5th Aves zig-zag) straight-shot, offering (i) direct connection between two fast growing neighborhoods in downtown Mpls, and (ii) high-frequency service on Washington Ave in North Loop.
As of a couple months ago, at least, CM Fletcher said he was working with Metro Transit on exactly that.
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xandrex
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Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Postby xandrex » January 16th, 2019, 1:39 pm

Metro Transit does need to serve the North Loop better, but this isn't a sign of that. The Fed is on Hennepin Avenue, directly outside the building are stops for the 4, 6, 7, 11, 61 and 824. Just two blocks away are stops for the 14, 667, 672, and 674. Just a few more blocks in any direction and you'll hit nearly every bus route in the Twin Cities.

This is a sign that the leaders at the Federal Reserve drive to work and cannot conceive of any other alternative.
Yeah, I should say that my statement was more overall for the North Loop. The Fed is on Hennepin, so it's better served than much of the neighborhood. But as the number of empty lots dwindle and street parking becomes ever more tight, there's going to be more pressure to build projects that seem to make parking the number one priority.

This should be a neighborhood that's easy to access without a car and it's...just not.

BBMplsMN
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby BBMplsMN » January 16th, 2019, 1:44 pm

On a sidenote, the lack of "direct" connection between Mill District and North Loop, both on Washington, is also noticeable with recent growth in both neighborhoods. I'd say, in the short term, route 7 should serve Washington Ave (instead of 1st St - Hennepin - 4th St - 4/5th Aves zig-zag) straight-shot, offering (i) direct connection between two fast growing neighborhoods in downtown Mpls, and (ii) high-frequency service on Washington Ave in North Loop.
Yes, this! Please.

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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby Anondson » January 16th, 2019, 10:48 pm

This is nearly a block-sized parcel, correct me but this space looks large enough that it deserves a block full of potential. Put in the parking, but leave space for someone to later construct a hotel or housing. Line the structure up with grid, let the future housing wrap into the odd shaped spaces.

I want to connect 2nd straight through to the river road for the public in a way a future crisis can’t force a closure like was done to 1st. I’d like to find a way to do something about the barrier of the retaining wall to the accessibility...

dajazz
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby dajazz » January 16th, 2019, 11:17 pm

This is nearly a block-sized parcel, correct me but this space looks large enough that it deserves a block full of potential. Put in the parking, but leave space for someone to later construct a hotel or housing. Line the structure up with grid, let the future housing wrap into the odd shaped spaces.

I want to connect 2nd straight through to the river road for the public in a way a future crisis can’t force a closure like was done to 1st. I’d like to find a way to do something about the barrier of the retaining wall to the accessibility...
I miss being able to get down to the river cutting through their center court off 1st Ave. I also thought their backyard used to be open more back then too.

Looking at the docs it appears the current retaining wall is gone and a plaza/promenade leads down to the river with a new pedestrian access point crossing W. River Rd by where the bike trail connects. Also looks like there is another sidewalk closer to the building that also connects. Here's what it says:

Design features and elements incorporated in the Heritage Landing site design concept include:

Pedestrian Promenade
Doubles as a code-required fire access route
Provides pedestrian access through the site to the riverfront
Linear plaza space (trees, seating, pedestrian-scaled lighting)
Plaza
Doubles as a code-required fire truck turnaround
Gathering area
Public art feature
Special paving, seating and lighting
Central Lawn Area
Flexible open space
River Overlook
Paved overlook at riverfront
Pergola


The space in the middle seems like it would be suitable for apartments/condos, or you could do a L shaped building and get closer to the river, just let the promenade cut through a courtyard, or push the promenade to the east closer to the bank.

amiller92
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Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Postby amiller92 » January 21st, 2019, 9:45 am

How easy is it to get from the suburbs to this part of the North Loop via public transportation?
Seems like there are a lot of buses on Hennepin, there are some on 1st and Washington, and it's only a few blocks from the trains, so not too hard??

MNdible
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby MNdible » January 21st, 2019, 11:45 am

Most suburban express buses run on Marq2, which is certainly walkable to the Fed, but not as if they're getting dropped off on the doorstep.

alexschief
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby alexschief » January 24th, 2019, 4:16 pm

1. Visionless use of valuable land.
2. Insipid design.
3. Morally bankrupt way to spend money.

Anything else? Everyone involved in this project should be embarrassed. I hope the CoW runs them out of the room. It's unbelievable to me that it's 2019 and this white elephant is what an organization of economists is proposing, or that an architect would publicly put their name to this dross.

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 216743.pdf

Anondson
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby Anondson » January 29th, 2019, 8:10 pm


ko123
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Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Postby ko123 » January 29th, 2019, 9:32 pm

This is a potential K-Mart moment. You know, when 20 or 30 years from now people complain, "How could this horrible thing have been built...and in this spot!?" and then others dig into the history to explain how it sort of made sense at the time.
A bit of a stretch don't you think? The land this would be built on will never be a future road, that is certain. I think a residential component above the parking and/or riverside would go a long way.

SurlyLHT
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby SurlyLHT » January 30th, 2019, 11:50 am

It seems to me that it'll be pretty simply to add some apartments alongside or on top of this project. I run along the trail often and personally I see it as a potentially nice place to live. Potentially it could be a project resembling, but hopefully better looking than the Shamrock projects on the other side of Downtown along the river. The Fed is being utilitarian and not very imaginative. This should look like the Thrivent Ramp at the very lease.

alexschief
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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby alexschief » January 30th, 2019, 12:41 pm

This project will have 800 spaces, a net gain of 500 spaces from the existing condition. The cost to build a structured parking space in MSP is about $20,000, so lets assume this is a $16,000,000 ramp. The Fed is paying roughly $32,000 per added space.

Besides the obvious and obscene waste of proposing a project like this in the middle of a housing and climate crisis, there's also the opportunity cost of spending so much money on this, instead of the alternatives. What would it cost the Fed to convince 500 employees to walk, bike, or take transit to work instead of driving? They could fully pay the $5 there-and-back fare for these 500 employees for 24.55 years before reaching the capital cost of this ramp. They could also wrap the ramp with revenue producing uses. Or they could develop the lot themselves. Or sell the lot entirely and use the proceeds to pay for increased subsidies.

This is an organization of economists making a completely irrational decision.

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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby Oreos&Milk » February 1st, 2019, 12:38 am

Why can't they build an underground parking ramp under the nice little green space & under the building side? Then build a 6 floor apartment building with the first floor for residential parking instead of retail. Granted I would like to see some retail here but not the best site, but would be neat to see a mini bike shop or coffee or sandwich shop. But come on! This is such a disappointment on such a nice bike trail with a exit ramp at the site!! Would be awful if it's not residential with a biking focused tenant target market which they have the occasional car for the 1st floor of parking.

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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby Blaisdell Greenway » February 1st, 2019, 9:35 am

There is lots of hard money moving to/from the building in this area, plus some underground parking already which is I think why they're going aboveground for this.

Is it feasible for the USPS "sell" their ramp to the Fed, who then leases back spaces to the post office? There is plenty of room but non-USPS employees can't park there for security. The Fed doesn't appear to have a similar rule since their proposed new ramp is open to the public. Surely USPS employees ought be allowed to park in a ramp owned by another federal agency, especially if it is only open to federal employees (?)

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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby MNdible » February 1st, 2019, 11:59 am

But we really want them to tear down the USPS ramp...

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Re: Federal Reserve Riverfront Parking Ramp

Postby Mikey » February 1st, 2019, 3:32 pm

Hypothetically, would we be be willing to trade this ramp for the USPS giving up theirs?
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