AC Marriott Hotel - 401 Hennepin Ave (Andrews Hotel site)

[Lancestar2]

Why not, everyone can't afford to stay at the Conrad! Seems like a logical place for a mid priced limited service hotel. Walking distance from the theaters and the Mall, would have a skyway connection from the Lumber Exchange, right there a block from the Hennpin Ave LRT station which could take people to the Viking or the Twins Stadium. For walking distance to Target Center for ballgames and concert goers. Maybe help get the Lumber Exchange building a new lease on life too.

Is there still an effort to connect the Minneapolis Central Library to the skyway system? Considering the Xcel energy HQ is not interested in a skyway addiction for the time being, could this be an opportunity to connect via this new hotel? I'm sure there may be some drawbacks connecting to a public library, however is there even a possibility of this happening now or in the future? I think the Hyatt has a great skyway passageway from the greenway to the skyway network perhaps a Central Library/Hotel skyway end connection would be a great way to move people in between both levels?

[nickmgray]

It's a possibility, but navigating to the Lumber Exchange building isn't that easy and I'd guess that most skyway users have never been over in that direction.

[Silophant]

Seems like it would work, though it would remove some of the library's green roof. Maybe it could be relocated to the planetarium spot, since it looks like that's never going to happen.

As for the Lumber Exchange building, it is a maze, but it's not a huge footprint, so I feel like it could be greatly improved by spending a couple hundred on wayfinding signs.

[Nathan]

the library has always been planned with a sky way connection from the ritz block. so we won't see that until the new xcel building and ritz block are built out.

[mattaudio]

Two things:
- Skyway to Lumber Exchange is an excellent winter connection to Trieste Cafe, the best greek food downtown.
- I cannot find them now, but I once saw floor plans for the library that made it clear there could be future skyway connections across 4th, 3rd, and Nicollet Mall. I've had a few training sessions at a conference room in the library on the corridor I assume would be used to connect across 4th Street - it lines up roughly with the parking ramp helix across the street... it could either connect to this building, or could be a skyway above the alley between Xcel and the ramp (but that would block their second floor windows).

[MNdible]

Matt is correct here. If you go to Google Maps, and zoom in far enough they now conveniently have the library's interior all mapped out, so if you click up to Level 2 you can see pretty clearly where the Skyway connections are intended.

Shifting further to the NW along 4th Street isn't really an option, because then you'd get into the high-density storage stacks.

[fehler]

Wow, freaky google map floor plans. What other buildings have this (I found Gavidae Commons has it, to some extent).

[FISHMANPET]

Mall of America has an internal map, which is really useful.

[TommyT]

I wish they would google maps the shit out of the skyway!

[David Greene]

Wow, freaky google map floor plans. What other buildings have this (I found Gavidae Commons has it, to some extent).

MoA is plastered all over the building map homepage.

Strangely, you can't change floors on the web version. Must be an app-only thing.

[IllogicalJake]

Wow, freaky google map floor plans. What other buildings have this (I found Gavidae Commons has it, to some extent).

MoA is plastered all over the building map homepage.

Strangely, you can't change floors on the web version. Must be an app-only thing.

If you click inside the building, floor level options show up in the bottom right corner of the map.

[mullen]

skyways are so awesome. really. *cough*

[HiawathaGuy]

skyways are so awesome. really. *cough*

I have an idea - let's turn this thread into a discussion about the pros and cons of skyways in Minneapolis.
We've never done that before. Really. *cough*

[Lancestar2]

Two things:
- Skyway to Lumber Exchange is an excellent winter connection to Trieste Cafe, the best greek food downtown.
- I cannot find them now, but I once saw floor plans for the library that made it clear there could be future skyway connections across 4th, 3rd, and Nicollet Mall. I've had a few training sessions at a conference room in the library on the corridor I assume would be used to connect across 4th Street - it lines up roughly with the parking ramp helix across the street... it could either connect to this building, or could be a skyway above the alley between Xcel and the ramp (but that would block their second floor windows).

Well is it safe to say that the odds of a Nicollet, and 3rd St. skyway crossing are never going to happen? Considering plans of the Gateway park will make those spaces park, and it seems unrealistic to run a skyway over a public park. Or did they design the Library skyway connections already knowing they wanted to build a park there?

Xcel is still not wanting to build the skyway right away correct? So it may be pretty unrealistic to see a skyway connection to the Central Library anytime soon right? Seems like such a missed opportunity. Nothing like a public library to being inviting encouraging transfers between skyway and street. Though I never seen the Lumber Exchange in person yet using a Hotel skyway might be the only opportunity in the near future.

I wish they would google maps the heck out of the skyway!

I always thought the same thing! Ever since I seen a google "street" map of Oak Grove Grocery I thought they could easily use a segway and create a complete skyway map. I seen they mapped it in Loring park now too. I imagine it's only a matter of time.

[David Greene]

If you click inside the building, floor level options show up in the bottom right corner of the map.

Not working for me.

[mullen]

skyways are so awesome. really. *cough*

I have an idea - let's turn this thread into a discussion about the pros and cons of skyways in Minneapolis.
We've never done that before. Really. *cough*

that's what the thread was turning into is all i was saying.

[HiawathaGuy]

Well is it safe to say that the odds of a Nicollet, and 3rd St. skyway crossing are never going to happen? Considering plans of the Gateway park will make those spaces park, and it seems unrealistic to run a skyway over a public park. Or did they design the Library skyway connections already knowing they wanted to build a park there?

I may be wrong, but I don't think the Gateway Park plans are final - I believe those are purely speculative. The city owns this lot and has issued and RFP on it before. It'll be interesting to see what they do with it now that the transit aspect of the Federal dollar commitment to this property have been satisfied elsewhere.

[HiawathaGuy]

I hope we see some plans for this site soon at least. I'm curious to see how the building melds with the others around it!

[Wedgeguy]

Matt is correct here. If you go to Google Maps, and zoom in far enough they now conveniently have the library's interior all mapped out, so if you click up to Level 2 you can see pretty clearly where the Skyway connections are intended.

Shifting further to the NW along 4th Street isn't really an option, because then you'd get into the high-density storage stacks.

Ah, but you forget that they can run skyways diagonally like the Hennepin county government center. The skyway would probably run on the backside of the Lumber exchange to the new building. IF they want the skyway closer to their lobby then you would follow if thru the second floor level of the Lumber X. IF you look at the north face of the Lumber X you will see that they will have to deal with windows on part of the north wall. So I see the hotel having to have a T or L shaped floor plate to make the project viable above the second floor. Most rooms would face Hennepin ,4th, or the back side of the Xcel's building and parking ramp. The skyway would just run diagonal front the back side corner of the hotel to the planned skyway connection on 4th. You may have to build a joint support like the government center or the new hotel on 9th (Hampton Inns) where they had to connect the different direction of the skyways and needed supports. But there is plenty of sidewalk to be able to place a support and still not impede the pedestrian traffic on 4th.

[Minneboy]

Uuuuugh!