Mayo Clinic Square

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
Anondson
IDS Center
Posts: 4645
Joined: July 21st, 2013, 8:57 pm
Location: Where West Minneapolis Once Was

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Anondson » February 13th, 2014, 7:22 pm

No street level entrances on 7th? Lame.
Downtown needs less of this. Ugh. Is this a thing where the architects of the world who design these kinds of projects don't understand how harmful this is to a city?

User avatar
Avian
Union Depot
Posts: 385
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 6:56 pm
Location: Minneapolis
Contact:

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Avian » February 13th, 2014, 8:11 pm

No street level entrances on 7th? Lame.
Downtown needs less of this. Ugh. Is this a thing where the architects of the world who design these kinds of projects don't understand how harmful this is to a city?
Architects have nothing to do with this. They are beholden to the owner and to the building codes, who and which ultimately makes decisions like this (to everyone's dismay, sometimes).

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.”
― Plato

John
Capella Tower
Posts: 2102
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 2:06 pm

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby John » February 13th, 2014, 8:27 pm

The 7th street side is where the current exit /entrance to the underground parking is and there are no street level entrances on that side either. There's really no way to open it up, although I agree it would look better if it could. Otherwise ,the remainder of the complex looks tremendously better from a pedestrian point of view as compared to the current design. The Hennepin Ave entrance in particular opens up nicely to the street. I also hope the new retail tenants have some nice bold signage to liven up the façade. The Mayo clinic signage seems a bit like overkill. There's so much of it around the complex it makes you feel like your entering a hospital.
Last edited by John on February 13th, 2014, 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

emcee squared
Metrodome
Posts: 66
Joined: December 18th, 2012, 8:46 am
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby emcee squared » February 13th, 2014, 8:32 pm

I think something like mc square is probably likely, it's punny and easy to say... emcee squuuur
Hey now! :lol:

Didier
Capella Tower
Posts: 2511
Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 10:11 am
Location: MSP

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Didier » February 14th, 2014, 9:36 am

While a different style, the new building still has a fortress-like look. Or am I looking too closely at vague renderings?

User avatar
Nathan
Capella Tower
Posts: 3695
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 10:42 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Nathan » February 14th, 2014, 10:05 am

While a different style, the new building still has a fortress-like look. Or am I looking too closely at vague renderings?
I think it would be difficult to make a full block square 4 story building not be fortress like, but they have done s number of things to note. included Windows that span floors 2 to 4, cut 45 degree open corners on the Hennipen [sic] ave side to make the ground level feel more open, and made sight lines through the building when entering it at both ground and skyway level, as well as more glass at street level.

I think yes, if you could stand back and look at it, maybe it would look fortress like, but you can never see the building from that far away, I think they've greatly enhanced the users realm.

Tyler
Foshay Tower
Posts: 976
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 10:10 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Tyler » February 14th, 2014, 10:16 am

Yeah, it's a great improvement considering what they were working with.
Towns!

Didier
Capella Tower
Posts: 2511
Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 10:11 am
Location: MSP

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Didier » February 14th, 2014, 10:20 am

I must have looked at something wrong because I didn't see that they improved the street level mobility. It still looked like a staircase right inside the door.

User avatar
woofner
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1242
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 10:04 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby woofner » February 14th, 2014, 10:23 am

No street level entrances on 7th? Lame.
It looks like they're assuming a door at the corner of 7th & Hennepin, at which the plan has an arrow pointing labeled "tenant door locations to be determined." It kind of looks like they're not sure if they'll get office or retail tenants for the large spaces yet, so they're trying to keep the entrance locations flexible.

It's too bad, because in one respect it looks like they've really improved the internal circulation by widening the first-floor hallway and cutting it all the way through the block. But on another level, it will probably be confusing to have the interior doorways on the second level rather than the first. Maybe I'm reading the plans wrong though. Skyways confuse everything.
"Who rescued whom!"

John
Capella Tower
Posts: 2102
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 2:06 pm

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby John » February 14th, 2014, 12:16 pm

While a different style, the new building still has a fortress-like look. Or am I looking too closely at vague renderings?
I think it would be difficult to make a full block square 4 story building not be fortress like, but they have done s number of things to note. included Windows that span floors 2 to 4, cut 45 degree open corners on the Hennipen [sic] ave side to make the ground level feel more open, and made sight lines through the building when entering it at both ground and skyway level, as well as more glass at street level.

I think yes, if you could stand back and look at it, maybe it would look fortress like, but you can never see the building from that far away, I think they've greatly enhanced the users realm.
Agree. Also, the metal mesh screening components on the exterior should give it better sense of depth with a 3d translucent quality. The facade looks like many layers of planes overlapping similar to an abstract collage. If that really works out we will soon see.

twinkess
Target Field
Posts: 543
Joined: November 26th, 2012, 10:46 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby twinkess » February 18th, 2014, 10:15 am

Demo has started inside the old Borders/Pancheros/Hooters spaces. There are also temporary walls up around the escalator to the movie theater. Possibly taking that escalator out?

lordmoke
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1331
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 1:39 pm
Location: George Floyd Square

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby lordmoke » February 28th, 2014, 11:49 pm

Exterior work has started on the 7th St side. The sidewalk has been closed off.

mplsjaromir
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1138
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 8:03 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby mplsjaromir » April 10th, 2014, 3:47 pm

Took this on Sunday.
Image

Wedgeguy
Capella Tower
Posts: 3404
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 6:59 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Wedgeguy » April 10th, 2014, 3:56 pm

They basically have 6 months to get this puppy reskinned before we have to worry about snow and Ice. Walking on 7th on my way to the IDS to see the lid I saw that they were taking the electronic signs and supports off. The only one I saw working was at the corner of 7th and Hennepin.
The one on the angled corner of 6th and Hennepin is still working also.
Last edited by Wedgeguy on April 20th, 2014, 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
trkaiser
Landmark Center
Posts: 259
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 9:05 am
Location: Northeast Minneapolis
Contact:

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby trkaiser » April 20th, 2014, 12:23 pm

Image

User avatar
Nathan
Capella Tower
Posts: 3695
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 10:42 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Nathan » April 20th, 2014, 4:52 pm

so excite!

lordmoke
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1331
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 1:39 pm
Location: George Floyd Square

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby lordmoke » May 9th, 2014, 3:51 pm


John
Capella Tower
Posts: 2102
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 2:06 pm

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby John » May 16th, 2014, 11:13 am

Fun video of the Mayo Clinic Square project: http://vimeo.com/93203098

grant1simons2
IDS Center
Posts: 4371
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 11:33 pm
Location: Marcy-Holmes

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby grant1simons2 » May 16th, 2014, 11:21 am

Holy cow... That is an awesome video, not just for Mayo but for Minneapolis in general

Aville_37
Union Depot
Posts: 366
Joined: August 28th, 2012, 4:51 am

Re: Mayo Clinic Square (formerly Block E)

Postby Aville_37 » May 16th, 2014, 3:30 pm

Nice. I just wish they would divide up some of those available spaces but I know they are aiming for office tenants. But even the dining/retail spaces seem pretty large.

So - are they not going to replace the skyway to Target Center?


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 43 guests