urbanMSP

Looks like HF2214 (technical MnDOT changes) included an amendment in the House version that passed to ensure the new parking facility's bonds will be paid by user fees. Still looking for this language in the Senate version that passed yesterday. I'm assuming this doesn't include the *other* structured parking *within* the Senate building which will provide the legally-mandated free parking.

So, is this under construction or what? I've a Facebook friend who posted a picture of a hole in the ground, but I'm not sure if that was this or not.

With the political hot potato that this turned into, we probably shouldn't be surprised if there weren't a bunch of politicians who wanted their picture taken at a big groundbreaking ceremony...

They started working on this last month: http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3525851.shtml

I passed by on the green line last week. There is definitely a large hole in the ground and they are well underway.

_mg_9066 by Mulad, on Flickr


_mg_9067 by Mulad, on Flickr


_mg_9068 by Mulad, on Flickr


_mg_9075 by Mulad, on Flickr

A shot from the corner of University and MLK Jr. Blvd. / Park St:


_mg_0366-edit by Michael Hicks, on Flickr

More close up:


_mg_0369 by Michael Hicks, on Flickr

They have bollards protecting the corners -- this is on the northwest corner at Park and Sherburne:


_mg_0376 by Michael Hicks, on Flickr

A few bike parking spots on the Park Street side:


_mg_0377 by Michael Hicks, on Flickr

It's hard to get much of an angle of the building from University Avenue itself, since the parking structure gets in the way. It's not entirely blank, since there's a walkway within that has windows, but it does seem endemic of the St. Paul Blank Wall Syndrome. Here's something from a parking ramp just to the east:


_mg_0378-edit by Michael Hicks, on Flickr