The Marshall - (515 14th Avenue Southeast)

[talindsay]

I have heard that about Dylan hating Dinkytown, which adds a layer of irony (maybe? I don't remember exactly what irony is) to the people who are nostalgiaing for his tenure here.

In English lit irony always seemed so complex and difficult, but then Alanis Morissette clarified to a whole generation that irony is rain on your wedding day and a black fly in your chardonnay.

Oh, and Bob Dylan is awesome, I'm sure he's worried about preserving Dinkytown ca. 2005 as it currently stands.

[Didier]

Maybe somebody can go to the Bob Dylan concert at Midway Stadium tonight and get his official thoughts?

[MSPtoMKE]

A little hard to fit this whole thing in one photo:

UTEC Development by MSPdude, on Flickr

[FISHMANPET]

They've got more stories on this, and I felt the best way to capture it was a panorma from 5th and 13th.

[mnmike]

I believe I read there is to be a grocery store here? I haven't found anything saying what grocery store, has that been mentioned? Or am I thinking of the wrong development? Sorry for the random question.

[twincitizen]

You bring up an interesting point. It's basically been stated as gospel that this development will have a grocery store. It's been stated repeatedly as one of the reasons for House of Hanson calling it quits (in addition to nearby CVS taking a huge bite out of their business). Non-chain grocery stores are basically non-existent, and would seem mighty unlikely in this location. You think we would know by now which grocer is going in here, no?

[Nathan]

I thought someone mentioned knowing what it was in the Opus Dev project thread?

[FISHMANPET]

I have no idea why a potential grocery store would be trying to court student government, but here's one in April doing just that:
http://www.mndaily.com/news/campus/2013 ... -dinkytown

That's the only piece I've ever seen about who could possibly go into that space. Also, it's a really tall space, the ceiling of the concrete space at the corner of 4th and 14th is is at the same level of the ceiling of the 2nd floor apartments.

[FISHMANPET]

OK, reading more closely, it sounds like it's going to be a Fresh City Market, owned by a guy that runs Fresh Madison Market in Madison. He's meeting with student groups because some people were trying to start a student coop grocery store on campus, but they're probably just going to work with Fresh City Market.

So it looks like it's actually going to be a non-chain grocery store, assuming nothing has actually changed here.

[TheUrbanGopher]

A little birdie told me a while back that a full size Walgreen's was going to go into this location. At the same time, I don't remember at all who told me that or when it was, so take it with a large, soccer ball-sized grain of salt.

I would so so so much rather see the Fresh City Market go into this location though. A Walgreen's wouldn't do anything special in this space (obviously).

[min-chi-cbus]

A little birdie told me a while back that a full size Walgreen's was going to go into this location. At the same time, I don't remember at all who told me that or when it was, so take it with a large, soccer ball-sized grain of salt.

I would so so so much rather see the Fresh City Market go into this location though. A Walgreen's wouldn't do anything special in this space (obviously).

You said it was a bird, that's who. Besides, I wouldn't trust a bird to know much...

[TheUrbanGopher]

I was reading through this thread, and it looked like sometime around May the sentiment of the project turned towards the positive. Many of the comments before the updated BKV renderings seemed very downtrodden.

What changed? Was it the Opus project hooplah that basically let this one fly under the radar? What do people still think of it?

[lordmoke]

I was reading through this thread, and it looked like sometime around May the sentiment of the project turned towards the positive. Many of the comments before the updated BKV renderings seemed very downtrodden.

What changed? Was it the Opus project hooplah that basically let this one fly under the radar? What do people still think of it?

I think it's big and ugly, and I don't like that the city didn't push for 13th to be reopened, even just as a large public walkway. I also don't like that Save Dinkytown spent all of their time attacking the Opus project and not this, but that really isn't about the development.

I do like that coupled with the Opus development, it might create another commercial corridor on 5th.

[Nathan]

I think it turned more to acceptance, they changed the massing a little bit, etc etc... but it's still just too big, and cuts off what could have been vital arteries...

[RailBaronYarr]

I think it's big, bulky, and I have my concerns about the nature of the pedestrian access where 13th should be (I don't know if it was ever cleared up if it will be truly a public through-way, will it close at a certain time, et). I think physically mentally this will be a big barrier to getting further density and retail to bleed naturally in to Marcy-Holmes over time, particularly because the retail faces Dinkytown and the superblock nature. That said, I like the mix of units. I like how it engages the street with the walk-up townhomes and retail. I like that it will provide a true grocery store for the neighborhood (one of the major things I think holds back students from being able to live in the Dinkytown area without a car). So for a 1.5 block sized mega-development, it's about as good as it can be.

[TheUrbanGopher]

I am at about the same point. They definitely missed a great opportunity to open up 13th. Think about if they just created the 1-block extension and put retail facing it!

Still though, I have to say that the townhouses+density+overall design+grocery store will be the best thing to happen to Dinkytown in a long time.

Side note... There is a new leased space in the old mediterranean cafe/salon on 14th that is called The Marshall. Potential project name, perhaps? It would be very appropriate.

[Silophant]

Walking by today, that space has another sign in the window saying "leasing office". Looks like it's time to change this thread's name.

Edit: Kraus-Anderson's display at the IDS Center also confirms "The Marshall".

[TheUrbanGopher]

I am kind of glad it is going to be called The Marshall for a shout out to the old high school, rather than naming a jazzy luxury-affiliated name like the Spunk, the Flash, the Swoosh, or something related to being drunk in college.

Also, a nice shout out to the character from How I Met Your Mother.

[Didier]

How about a Bemidji Pale Ale to celebrate?

[min-chi-cbus]

Haha, I like "Spunk"!