DTE: Wells Fargo, Radisson Red, Edition Apts & Millwright Building

[Wedgeguy]

Ryan Cos. makes $200K donation for Downtown East park
Sep 24, 2014
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... -east.html

Ryan Cos. US Inc. kicked off a drive to raise funds for a new green space in downtown Minneapolis with a $200,000 donation.

The money will hire a professional fundraiser to come up with several million dollars to turn two city blocks on the east side of downtown into a park. [...]

Well they should already have a major contribution from the Viking and Wells Fargo as they have the most to benefit from it. I'm sure they can get a few more corporate donation with Ameriprise and Capella close by. Maybe Target can put a bullseye in the middle of the park with red and white pavers to justify them kicking in a Million. That would pi$$ of the Queens front office. Have a bidding war for naming rights to this park. Make the Wilfs cough up some real dough for this park.

I LOVE this idea on several levels. Let me describe the levels...

Level 1. I don't know exactly (I'm sure I'll be corrected), but I think the Wilfs have little to no control over the park design. They are going to get bajillions for naming rights for the stadium. Why can't the city get some since this is already going to be "corporate square" (as the jokers have pointed out quite well). I'd rather have good programming, upkeep and design and a corporate logo in lieu of another "Gateway Park" (quotes added for hyperbole).

Level 2. IF the Wilf's indeed have no control over the park, it would be AWESOME to poke them in the eye and diminish the naming rights for the stadium WHILE making money (for aforementioned programming/upkeep/design).

Level 3. Target is a good brand that cares about design. I'll take a Target sponsorship over "Thrivent Financial Park" any day. Further, the very idea of a "paved" Target bullseye is pretty brilliant. Design like this is generally not very perceptible from the street/pedestrian level BUT, from a blimp (ahem), it would be VERY apparent. This could be designed in a way that it could be integrated into a "field" of paving, with only a textural difference or slight color difference further disguising it from the ground, it could be integrated into paths, given water features etc. From a strictly design perspective, the logo is a very pure design that could be played with in a variety of interesting ways.

LOL I was being factious, But I agree with your ideas 100%.

[Archiapolis]

"Temporary sponsorships" may work. Considering that things "permanent" in nature such as stadiums are really temporary structures deigned to last 30 years, I can imagine park sponsorships lasting 5-10 years could be construed as temporary.

Not sure how cheeky you can get with this kind of thing and risk legal action. Nor do I know what is construed as "signage." Consider what the city has been through on this, I'd look at skirting the law on this one.

Target writes a big sponsorship check with no formal "naming" or "signage" but it just happens to be that the paving patterns make a giant Target logo. Weird how that happened...

[David Greene]

The park is a hop, skip and a jump from the Washburn Mill, right? Why not dedicate to the history of the milling industry, focusing on one of our most well-known brands? A big G (and a doughboy?) worked into the pavers would not only be an appropriate historical tribute to what shaped Minneapolis but would also help make the transition from downtown east to the mill district.

General Mills could make a big donation to ensure that the park makes for a suitable interpretive experience to welcome people to the mill district and provide the appropriate historic perspective for what people see around them.

The exhibits should place high emphasis on the war service and charitable giving of Cadwallader C. Washburn, specifically pointing out that he was not ever indicted for racketeering.

[mullen]

good ideas. nice tie-in to existing riverfront mill park spaces. connections to the river.

[Wedgeguy]

Everyone keep brainstorming, we will find a way around it and get our park paid for one way or another. Hopefully sticking it to the Wilfs while we are at it.

[Gman12]

If Target were to become a sponsor we could put in roundabouts to calm traffic on Portland or Park and make them look like Target logos from the aerial shots of the stadium. Along the same lines as the Target logos in the plaza outside Target Field.

[mattaudio]

Don't you think this would scale up nicely, Mr. Wilf?

[uptowncarag]

Don't you think this would scale up nicely, Mr. Wilf?

If that was there I would surely vandalize it. That trashy logo has no place in Minnesota.

[Archiapolis]

If Target were to become a sponsor we could put in roundabouts to calm traffic on Portland or Park and make them look like Target logos from the aerial shots of the stadium. Along the same lines as the Target logos in the plaza outside Target Field.

-1

[HiawathaGuy]

The reason I asked my neighbor who's onsite this project about this floor is the lack of access to the elevator core. Haven't seen him yet for clarification.

While driving along Washington Ave last night, I noticed that the 2nd floor does have access to the elevator core - but only on the north side of the elevator shaft. So that floor does have access, you just can't see it from the webcam.

[seanrichardryan]

Oh shit, what will we argue about now?

[Suburban Outcast]

Probably the architectural features of the development for the next couple months which will lead to more arguing since everyone has different tastes, while within that time period somebody will get offended by a condescending post and then will leave the site.

And then the cycle restarts with another commonly-talked about topic, and so forth.

But anyways, I kinda hope Target doesn't sponsor the site given they already have the Target Plaza. Though I dunno what other corporations would do with the design of the park, Cheerios-styled roundabouts if it was General Mills?

[Wedgeguy]

Ever since General Mills left for the burbs, they have not really done much of anything to help promote the city or their brand for that matter. GM is low on the list for possible contributors in my opinion.

[Archiapolis]

After several "arguments" on this forum, I welcome the idea of unanimity. I put arguments in quotes because these discussions should be fun and/or philosophical. I never get offended by anyone's opinion about architecture or urbanism but maybe I'm thick skinned. If I put a design opinion out there, I'll try to defend it pretty strongly. What I have avoided to this point is ad hominem attacks or logical fallacies (that I know of).

Anyway, as an attempt to reestablish my design cred I should probably get on the record as saying I would rather NOT have corporate logos in this park and see a kick-ass design, calmed streets bisecting it (or a mews actually), and good programming. I honestly don't see any of this happening WITHOUT a corporate sponsorship but maybe I'm wrong (not the first or last time)

Back to the bickering.

[TroyGBiv]

Archiapolis - I just made this same type of post on the Opus page... This should be fun, interesting, full of different opinions and diverse members who have a wide range of experiences. Dynamic exchange of ideas still means respect and respectful exchange. Thanks for making your post - I hate that I have become wary of even logging on because of all the nasty posts. That is not what this site was intended for years ago when it started under a different name. Thanks to challenging gall of us to be more respectful.

[bapster2006]

Last night

Downtown East developments 10-1-14 by bapster2006, on Flickr

[holmstar]

Nice. I like how the cranes/trusses of the new stadium are sort of receding into the fog.

[MSPtoMKE]

Another one from last night (not my photo):
Fog by relux., on Flickr

[Nick]

[Minneboy]

It's all moving quickly.