Xcel Energy HQ - 401 Nicollet

[nfschauer]

I work at Xcel Energy, more specifically for PSCo (their Colorado company) but I work out of Minneapolis. We have had conversations about each of the HQ's for the three companies (SPS, PSCo and NSP). PSCo has the coolest design for their HQ, the Larimer building in downtown Denver. I think it's a good idea SPS gets a new HQ, their current one is actually in the tallest building in Amarillo, but they obviously lease a few floors. They deserve a full building like PSCo and NSP have. Kind of funny how the HQ of the entire holding company Xcel is an outdated building in downtown Minneapolis. It will look weird once the new HQ in MPLS is built and connected to the old building, will look out of place.

[mattaudio]

Is the plan still for a non-public skyway? Or if it's purely a private link maybe they could do a tunnel to 414 to help improve that dark and dingy basement area (unless it's been remodeled in the last decade). That would preserve more of the midcentury aesthetic on the Nicollet face of 414, which is rather cool in a way.

Does Xcel still have some of their execs on a couple floors in the US Bancorp tower a few blocks down the Mall?

[nfschauer]

To my knowledge I believe there are no more employees in the US Bancorp Tower, however there are still emplyoees working out of Marquette Plaza which they are leasing. I think all of those employees will be moved to the new building, along with some other departments in service centers around the TC. As far as the skyway is concerned, I do not know. I would agree with you that the tunnel would make more sense, especially if it's private. Though a skyway would always be welcomed in Minneapolis to add to the endless length of skyways we already have!!

[Silophant]

I haven't heard anything new about the skyway, or about what changes will be made to 414. I'm still assuming it'll be a private skyway, but maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised. A tunnel is very unlikely, since there's transmission lines running under that portion of Nicollet that would be extremely expensive to relocate.

[xandrex]

Is the plan still for a non-public skyway? Or if it's purely a private link maybe they could do a tunnel to 414 to help improve that dark and dingy basement area (unless it's been remodeled in the last decade). That would preserve more of the midcentury aesthetic on the Nicollet face of 414, which is rather cool in a way.

And what of a Nicollet transit tunnel?

[Silophant]

That's true, wouldn't want to block that, decades out though it may be. Being serious, not sarcastic.

[nealh]

Update from Opus:

​When construction resumes the middle of the month, crews will be swinging steel and erecting the structure of the building with top out anticipated in May.

Once completed, this office tower will be 222,000 square feet and nine stories and create a two-building campus for Xcel. A skyway, spanning Nicollet Mall will connect the new building to the current headquarters. The new office space will include collaborative workspaces that will assist the company with its employee recruiting and retention efforts.

http://www.opus-group.com/OurNews/Const ... -Expansion

[nickmgray]

It's nice that they will have a direct connection between the two buildings, but I'm not sure how I feel about it being a private skyway, not accessible to the public.

[mattaudio]

I assume it requires an easement of some sort to put a skyway above a public street. Couldn't the city demand that this is a public skyway, or at least will be a public skyway by some point in the future, as a condition?

[twincitizen]

Almost assuredly yes, they needed specific approval of an easement to have the skyway built over the "air rights" of the street. If city code does not currently require that to be a public skyway, that's probably something that should be looked at and amended.

Ideally, if someone wants to build a private skyway over public streets, at the very least they should have to apply for a variance and go through a public hearing specific to that request.

[go4guy]

I'm not sure it matters if this is a private skyway. It is a skyway going from one private building to another private building. There would be absolutely no reason for anyone to use it, since the new Xcel building will not have any skyway level shopping, or any connection to any other buildings. This would be the same as the skyway between buildings at the Wells Fargo campus in the Phillips neighborhood. All private. Doesn't hurt anyone. Meant for the employees only.

[grrdanko]

I heard the the new hq is going to connect to 4marq. Maybe my informant was wrong.

[Silophant]

If so, that's more than they've told their employees. 4Marq does not appear to have any skyway connections at all.

[Wedgeguy]

I heard the the new hq is going to connect to 4marq. Maybe my informant was wrong.

I think a lot of people think that there will be some kind of skyway. But the reality is that there is no secure zone to connect a skyway to. To get to the elevators from the skyway you would have to walk thru the parking deck to get to any skyway connection on any side of the building. You would also be walking across active drive lanes to get to and from the skyway to the building elevators. Also takes out a few parking spots as well. I give the Marq a 10% chance of being connected by a skyway due to those safety and security concerns.

[IllogicalJake]

I'm not sure it matters if this is a private skyway. It is a skyway going from one private building to another private building. There would be absolutely no reason for anyone to use it, since the new Xcel building will not have any skyway level shopping, or any connection to any other buildings. This would be the same as the skyway between buildings at the Wells Fargo campus in the Phillips neighborhood. All private. Doesn't hurt anyone. Meant for the employees only.

I think that can be argued, though. The public skyways set a precedent in Minneapolis that doesn't typically exist. The city already has a tough enough time providing clear entrances to the skyway, let alone adding in the complication of marking what is and isn't private. Adding a private glass tube crossing a public street with 4 or 5 public glass tubes, I think it's introducing more confusion.

But, that's an issue for the city to address, not Xcel.

[twincitizen]

Excellent take, Jake.

I think what many of us are lamenting is not the lack of public connection between the two Xcel buildings. The frustration (for me anyways) is that now the only way that the Opus-Ritz block will be connected to the skyway system is through the public library. Ideally, the Opus-Ritz block would connect into either 4Marq or new Xcel, which would connect to the system thru Nic on 5th's existing link.

Wait, now I'm confused...

The Nicollet Hotel block's connection to the skyway system is supposed to be via the library. How exactly does the library connect to the skyway system? Via the old Xcel building (which connects to what?...see above)? Via the Opus-Ritz block? (which connects to what?...see above).

What am I missing here? I'm running in circles trying to figure out how the either the Opus block or the Nicollet Hotel block connect to anything other than the library itself.

[Silophant]

Probably through the Ritz Block, which will connect to the new Xcel building (401 Nicollet) There are definitely plans for a public connection from 401 across 4th to the Ritz block. Its just the 401-414 connection across Nicollet that I think is likely to be private. Maybe we'll be surprised, though.

[twincitizen]

And 401 connects thru Nic on 5th then? That's the only possible answer, right?

[Silophant]

Right.

[MNdible]

Probably through the Ritz Block, which will connect to the new Xcel building (401 Nicollet) There are definitely plans for a public connection from 401 across 4th to the Ritz block. Its just the 401-414 connection across Nicollet that I think is likely to be private.

Yes, I think the issue with having the connection to 414 Nicollet be public is that there's nothing public in that building to connect to. It's easier to design a new building that accommodates a tube of public space running through it, and deal with the accompanying security concerns, than to try to retrofit an existing building.

I'm trying to figure out if the new skyway will try to slide in under 414's portico and connect to the mezzanine level, or if it will connect to the "third" floor (not sure how they actually label floors in that building).