Dinkytown not Megatown/Save Dinkytown

[FISHMANPET]

A few things I mentioned specifically in the interview:
No, I'm not surprised that Doran sells off their buildings. Doran is a developer. They specialize in building buildings. Someone else can specialize at renting buildings.
Just because they're selling as soon as they're built doesn't mean they don't care about the neighborhood. A good building has value, so they're building a building with value. Whether they recoup that value in rents or in a higher sale price for the building, it's all the same.
Nick mentioned that the University built their dorms with steel and concrete, whereas apartments being put up were not. I pointed out to him that the market currently doesn't support the rents necessary to build steel and concrete right now. Also, I have no problems with these buildings not being uber luxury in 5 years. In 5 years there will be even nicer buildings, and maybe these older buildings won't be so nice anymore. They're replace stainless steel appliances with white appliances, damaged granite counters will get laminate put in. And rents will fall, and now these apartments will be affordable for all. And if in 10 years these get torn down, and replaced, I'm OK with that too.

I think people don't look at housing as a market. They for some reason expect developers to not be financially motivated, or just assume that anybody trying to earn profit is evil. But if you look at market forces so much of this makes sense. But everybody thinks that more luxury housing = all rents are higher, so clearly they don't get it.

And yeah, Silophant, I think he did zero research on me. Just from my Facebook page I think you can pretty easily tell I'm not a student (right? I don't have it locked down much, do I?) and from reading what I'd written you'd clearly see that I'm not a "member" of the Save Dinkytown movement.

[stock345]

Well, at least he got multiple opinions about the project and not just his own or only save dinkytown opinions

[Didier]

While I'm not making any accusations against current Dinkytown projects, it's not unheard of for developers to build a subpar building, sell it off immediately and have all of the subcontractors "go out of business" so when the building inevitably breaks down there is nobody to hold accountable.

[FISHMANPET]

I'm not sure how we missed this (unless only I missed it, in which case nevermind), but on the 17th the Daily posted an article about reexamining parking minimums:
http://www.mndaily.com/blogs/administra ... -ordinance
Moneyshot:

Southeast Como Neighborhood Coordinator Ricardo McCurley said developers don’t like the rule because they say many of the buildings don’t have the demand for so many parking spaces.

“The problem is that big buildings are saying ‘this isn’t profitable,’” he said.

[RailBaronYarr]

While I'm not making any accusations against current Dinkytown projects, it's not unheard of for developers to build a subpar building, sell it off immediately and have all of the subcontractors "go out of business" so when the building inevitably breaks down there is nobody to hold accountable.

So, isn't that what we have minimum building codes, inspections, etc for? Seems like the solution isn't to halt, limit, or make it unprofitable to build anything new (whether that's a SF home or a 6 story apt), but to actually enforce these rules to keep actual scumbags (not just people motivated by profit) from doing this.

[Didier]

You don't have to convince me.

[Didier]

Also, my point appears to be totally independent of the daily article. The reporter focused on a perfectly legal business practice without really delving into the real issue. And, IMO, the issue is much less relevant with an established local developer like Doran or Opus.

[mhwbkr]

I just want to say that I was fairly annoyed with how that article turned out on a few levels.

[FISHMANPET]

So this is what the Save Dinkytown group has devolved into, misdirected Schadenfreude because a company with a name that sounds like Doran is failing (this link was actually posted to the group, without comment): http://www.minnpost.com/twin-cities-bus ... 20-percent

[FISHMANPET]

So I'm very tempted to post this article in the Save Dinkytown group, in response to the latest discussion: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Persecution_complex

[Silophant]

I can't imagine she would read it.

[RailBaronYarr]

I'm trying to be respectful and just plainly ask questions without sounding condescending. It's hard to imagine the rhetoric changing much, but perhaps a few of the members who read but don't post often can see the other side's merits a little.

[Snelbian]

What is "Lindsay's"? Is this something I'm just too young to know or care about?

[woofner]

Just to clarify, you guys are using this message board to discuss a discussion you're having on another message board, right? Is this topic just about another message board now? Is Save Dinkytown still active in the non-virtual world?

[FISHMANPET]

Yep, this is now a meta thread.

And the only people that post are a couple cranky old people, so I think the movement is dead.

[RailBaronYarr]

I agree this is fairly meta, but at the same time the folks on the FB page do plan on attending meetings (HPC ordinace updates, Doran development meetings, etc) and continuing influence on the Dinkytown SAP. It's probably true they're mostly cranky old people, so it's probably not worth it.

[Anondson]

Time for Dinkytown not Megatown to nominate every single structure in Dinkytown. Nominations for historic preservation are open! Every 1-story commercial structure in town apparently is eligible according to some on the council.

Go!

http://finance-commerce.com/2014/03/cit ... on-awards/

[lordmoke]

^ I think those are actually awards given out to completed projects that did an excellent job preserving/ restoring a building that was in bad shape, ie. the Soo Line Building Apartments.

[Silophant]

I think you're right. However, I also think that a certain someone from the SD group is going to nominate every building in Dinkytown, probably with supporting evidence that has nothing to do with the building in question.

[twincitizen]

For real though, who is that Madeline Douglass person? She spews her anti-development rantings all over Facebook, accuses us (UrbanMSPers) of being paid off by developers, and doesn't have the courage to show her face (she has no profile photo). Does she actually show up to public meetings or just hide behind her computer and spread lies and misinformation?