365 Nicollet (334' - 30 stories)

[mattaudio]

So will Xcel be building a skyway between 414 and their new Opus building? Any chance it will be public?

[Silophant]

Yes, there definitely will be a skyway across Nicollet. I would say there's no chance at all it'll be public, but I would have said there would be no chance of any skyways at all in the new building, and I was wrong there. We'll have to see.

[JackGrayson]

Forgive me for sounding dense, but aren't all skyways public? I can't say I've walked every mile of the skyway system, but I have traversed it quite a bit over the years and I do not ever remember a skyway that was not accessible to all during normal business hours.

Fill me in here? Examples of a private skyway?

[Nathan]

Forgive me for sounding dense, but aren't all skyways public? I can't say I've walked every mile of the skyway system, but I have traversed it quite a bit over the years and I do not ever remember a skyway that was not accessible to all during normal business hours.

Fill me in here? Examples of a private skyway?

For example Macy's It opens and closes when the store opens and closes. or while Macy's is staffed*

[Silophant]

I'm not sure, since I don't recall being in this building, but this might be one. Well, two. (Grain Exchange).

Basically, the difference here is that, unlike most other office buildings, everything in the Xcel HQ building past the lobby is a single secured zone with a single point of entry. I'm not sure, but I think this is federally required. Unless they build a new staircase and elevator bank, there's nowhere for a skyway to attach that wouldn't be in the secured zone. This will likely be the case in the new building as well, in which case the skyway will be private.

[Nathan]

I think Young Quinlan is too, and butler square too? At least I've encountered them being close when the greater system was open before.

Basically a lot of the skyways in building built before the skyway system was conceptualized that don't have the best dedicated space for skyways.

[ECtransplant]

Forgive me for sounding dense, but aren't all skyways public? I can't say I've walked every mile of the skyway system, but I have traversed it quite a bit over the years and I do not ever remember a skyway that was not accessible to all during normal business hours.

Fill me in here? Examples of a private skyway?

For example Macy's It opens and closes when the store opens and closes.

The skyway through Macy's is open before the store is

[JMS9]

The skyway through the Government Center is open on Saturday's and Sunday's, even when nothing else in the building is.

[John]

Forgive me for sounding dense, but aren't all skyways public? I can't say I've walked every mile of the skyway system, but I have traversed it quite a bit over the years and I do not ever remember a skyway that was not accessible to all during normal business hours.

Fill me in here? Examples of a private skyway?

If I remember correctly, most Minneapolis skyways are privately owned by the buildings that connect them, whereas St Paul's skyway system is publicly owned by the city.

[Minneboy]

I love skyways. I love skyway stories and hypothetical connections. Keep em coming. I'm up all night.

[JackGrayson]

Here's a thought. Make the building footprint U-Shaped (think Rockefeller Plaza). The office could be in a tower, while the apartments could be in two mid-rise buildings on either side (or vice versa?). That would create a great euro-style courtyard area that could have an iconic centerpiece (fountain, sculpture,xmas tree, etc.), a grand entrance for the tower, and tons of patio seating for restaurants on the ground floor of the apartments. .If someone could just call the president of Opus and pass that message along for me, that'd be greeat

[nordeast homer]

Sounds like a great idea to me!

[Andrew_F]

I'm *really* not convinced that courtyard plazas have any sort of advantage over plazas that surround buildings. The problem in this area is the sheer number and size of the plazas relative to the number of pedestrians around, not to mention curb cuts and the monotony of land usage here. A well-designed park on the Nicollet Hotel block could be successful, but I don't think there's a need for any more private plazas at this end of the Mall. A full-block podium here wouldn't be very nice, but I'm not sure a courtyard plaza (or any plaza) would be the silver bullet you're looking for.

Sorry for "contributing" to a speculative thread, but this plaza talk has got me all fidgety.

[JackGrayson]

I'm *really* not convinced that courtyard plazas have any sort of advantage over plazas that surround buildings. The problem in this area is the sheer number and size of the plazas relative to the number of pedestrians around, not to mention curb cuts and the monotony of land usage here. A well-designed park on the Nicollet Hotel block could be successful, but I don't think there's a need for any more private plazas at this end of the Mall. A full-block podium here wouldn't be very nice, but I'm not sure a courtyard plaza (or any plaza) would be the silver bullet you're looking for.

Sorry for "contributing" to a speculative thread, but this plaza talk has got me all fidgety.

No need to apologize for stating your opinion. Since there is nothing like what I was describing (A U-Shaped complex with a courtyard in the middle) in downtown Minneapolis currently, its hard to compare it to whatever private plazas you are referring to. In my opinion, having a courtyard style plaza with retail & patio seating for restaurants and a good centerpiece/some green space would cultivate activity and be a solid anchor for the north end of the mall.

[Wedgeguy]

Am I the only one that sees the green space in front of Marquette Plaza, or are people to lazy to take a few stairs up to the grass. There is a great 1/2 block of green space there.
I could see 2 towers off set like the Pillsbury twin, except with real street scrape and retail fronting the plaza on the two corners. Especially the corner of 4th and Nicollet. Allow for an atrium between the two buildings that would allow a criss/cross thru the block like Pillsbury. The pocket parks would be the entrance to the atrium Put the connections to the skyway and street close to the doors so people can get in and out easily. Also desing the skyways though the complex in a more orderly fashion that at the Mutt and Jeff towers.

[mattaudio]

I do like the Pillsbury plazas. Despite the fact that those two towers aren't an architectural masterpiece, the layout has aged very well. Even though it could definitely stand to open up some storefronts to the sidewalks. The Marquette Plaza green space is weird... the grass terraces feel like a private lawn, especially since it's behind that shallow retaining wall along the sidewalk.

[John]

I do like the Pillsbury plazas. Despite the fact that those two towers aren't an architectural masterpiece, the layout has aged very well. Even though it could definitely stand to open up some storefronts to the sidewalks. The Marquette Plaza green space is weird... the grass terraces feel like a private lawn, especially since it's behind that shallow retaining wall along the sidewalk.

The Pillsbury Tower was designed so the atrium is at a 45 degree axis with the City Hall tower with sight lines maintained through both the SW and NE corners of the block. Its strong geometric relationship and connection to the surrounding area is major reason it has aged well.

[Minneboy]

I've always enjoyed the Pillsbury atrium. Nice mixed ground level retail. Just wish the ground floor had some seating areas to just relax and perhaps read a book.

[sushisimo]

Funny that this is coming up, because I was recently thinking about a 45 degree orientation to the building(s) on this site. Or at least some facade of it. Could be interesting, in visually connecting the idea of the future street car line taking a 45 degree slice through the Nicollet Hotel block.

[JackGrayson]

My only issue with Pillsbury Center is that the lack of retail/restaurant on the exterior street levels makes the open space look baron, not urban. Pop a food/coffee cart or 2 out there and they might be in business. Cancer Survivors Park is too far north on the mall to get enough traffic to become a lively plaza. I don't think its the stairs that deter people, rather the half mile or so disconnection between its self and the CBD, and the expanse of surface parking lots that surround it.