urbanMSP

Wrong block. This is just Opus' 30-story apartment building. You're thinking of the United development on the city owned "Gateway" block to the north.

Oh Thanks!... My brain is really off lately... I may need to lay down for a few months... On the upside - I am excited to see activity on this block!!!!!!!

This is awesome news! Glad to see so many projects getting off the ground before winter.

For a quarter of a century, this had a magnificent parking ramp.
Then, for a quarter of a century, a full block of surface parking.
Now, a parking podium once again!

Will said parking podium have retail at street level?


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The plans are available here: http://minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/pub ... 148254.pdf

There will be a single large commercial space on Nicollet and a smaller space on Marquette. 4th Street frontage ain't great.

I know I said this already on this thread but I'm disappointed this thing hasn't died. Not because the architecture, which I like, not because the street level retail is underwhelming, although it is, but simply because this project lacks any grand vision or ambition. This is the single most developable, vacant parcel in DT, and it isn't even really close honestly, and all that's getting built is another Nic on 5th with the chance we might get 4 Marq in the future.

I get that this is Opus and ambition isn't a word you would use to describe them but if MPLS can only get 30 stories on this site what location in the future will the numbers pencil out to get a taller building? I'm not trying to be super negative, in fact on the whole I'm pretty upbeat about the future of DT, but if the economics of a taller building don't work here where are they going to work?

Remember that the numbers were penciling out just fine for a 50-story tower on the TCF site, until UP stole the Four Seasons out from under them.

If anything, I would expect that continuing to fill up the giant empty parking lots would put more pressure to be taller on the less-than-full-block lots that are left.

I get the supply and demand part of it but can you find a parcel on a map of DT that is a logical place for a 30 plus story building. Nothing jumps out to me

The half-block lot between 9th and 10th on Marquette, the 7/9ths of a block by the dispensary, and the half-block adjacent to Hennepin station are the ones that seem the best to me.

I get the supply and demand part of it but can you find a parcel on a map of DT that is a logical place for a 30 plus story building. Nothing jumps out to me

This one looks pretty good to me!

I've said it before: Minneapolis needs a supertall like it needs a hole in its head. Our problem isn't insufficient density, it's desolate and empty streets. Two or three 30-story towers will do a lot more to solo that than one 90-story status symbol eve could.

I agree. I don't think Minneapolis needs a super tall building. Minneapolis is not a New York City or Chicago. I don't think we should try to imitate those cities. I would rather see tons of smaller projects, say a six story apartment building with 200 units and ground floor retail, then a 90 story skyscraper.


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If anything, I would expect that continuing to fill up the giant empty parking lots would put more pressure to be taller on the less-than-full-block lots that are left.[/quote]

I agree... height comes with available land.

I'm not saying Opus needed to build a new tallest or even anything to complete with the current big 3, I would just like something with ambition. If this was 40-45 stories with the same design I would feel 100% different about the project.

I'm not a height for the sake of height guy, I'm a big, bold, grand idea's guy, hence the name. Looking at what Opus wants to do on this block is the exact opposite of a big idea; it's the safest, smallest idea that the city would approve.

I agree with big ideas guy that this project is simple and safe and probably a waste.

I'm not as hung up on the height, I think 30 stories can be done well and be engaging.

This project though lacks vision. They are trying to be other cities and failing at it. This looks like a poor man's version of aqua in Chicago (whether you think that's a good building or not). These two Towers they're building here remind me of the towers on Franklin near 25th, only these are downtown and have parking podiums and they slapped on some balconies. Literally the cheapest thing they could do. There's no common space, public realm, connectivity between the two buildings, completely lacking in street frontage except for Nicollet. The height could be more dynamic, I'm not vying for more height, but a variation in heights, and walking in a colonnade under a parking garage is just gross as we've learned from the nic, which is hideous also.

Mortenson had a fraction of the land and pulled off a far superior project.

There's just no excuse. It's s full block on Nicollet and they're giving us cheap 70s architecture with fancy balconies and awkward parking at eye level.

I don't mind the height, I don't even mind a less-than-stellar design. I hate the parking podium. I've said it a few (dozen?) times and I'll say it again: if K/A can pull off their wonderfully mixed-use project in Elliot Park with all the parking underground, I can't understand why Opus can't/won't do the same here. Four stories of above-ground parking is an embarrassment. Even if they need (???) more stalls than can fit in two underground stories, they could at least hide the above-ground parking on the interior of the lot. This is gross.

I totally agree this block should have been something better, like the KA block. At least there is no parking fronting Nicollet though! So that is an improvement over Nic on 5th...assuming it stays that way.

Opus is ready to start building its 30-story Nicollet Mall apartment tower
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... polis.html
*LOCKED*

Gist:
Opus Development Co. President Dave Menke told the Business Journal he anticipates construction will start in August. Opus also has received a construction permit for site work to begin.

Nothing else new in the article that hasn't already been discussed here.

Gotta start practicing my smug grin for when coworkers start complaining that the loss of ~160 spots across the street has made it completely impossible to park anywhere near work and why didn't we build our new building in Maple Grove and so on.

I'm with EOst, height is a distraction that can cause mid-size cities similar to ours to misdiagnose their issues. Ten blocks of four-to-six-story brownstone-like apartment buildings would do much more for our city than a couple status symbols that worldwide skyscraper fans briefly talk about.

I'm with EOst, height is a distraction that can cause mid-size cities similar to ours to misdiagnose their issues. Ten blocks of four-to-six-story brownstone-like apartment buildings would do much more for our city than a couple status symbols that worldwide skyscraper fans briefly talk about.

For a city and populace with general aspirations of being a global city we should aim for both. No reason we can't have both, and there is no reason we shouldn't aim for both.

I'm not sure you're exactly contradicting that, and I'm sure most everyone here feels the same way.