Nicollet Mall

[John]

I like the mirror idea if it's sculptural like the bean in Chicago or gehry-esque

Let's completely clad City Center along Nicollet Mall with mirrors!

[min-chi-cbus]

I like the cafe/restaurant idea, and have been thinking of that idea for years now (having a restaurant in the skyway overlooking a busy/glitzy street like Nicollet or Hennepin). The mirrors aren't a bad idea either, but I definitely worry about trying to "copy" Chicago too much and would rather come up with something a bit different and more unique (c'mon, we're a creative city, let's innovate!).

[Nathan]

I wasn't saying imitate chicago I was saying employ sculptors like Anish Kapoor to make our city vital while rehabilitating our functional spaces.

[Tyler]

No one does vitality like Zoran Mojsilov.

[skyrab]

Throwing this out there (relates to skyway/street pedestrian traffic dilemma); what about embracing winter along the Mall with skating lanes either converted from spring/summer/fall bike lanes or beginning at the Depot and being able to stop at vendors/cafes or get a skate-through-window beverage? Not sure about skating and grabbing a scotch (or 2) laws, so call it a hot chocolate?

[ECtransplant]

I love that idea. Would be even better if it could connect to Loring Park somehow

[MNdible]

It's a cool idea, but what in the world would you do at the cross streets?

[ECtransplant]

Same thing cyclists currently do?

[MNdible]

So we're going to have an 8' wide lane of ice across the streets? Or am I just being dense and totally not getting this idea?

[skyrab]

So we're going to have an 8' wide lane of ice across the streets? Or am I just being dense and totally not getting this idea?

MNdible, you are asking the tough/necessary questions that can help flesh ideas like this out (so thank you). I fully admit that I've only just begun to think about this and don't have all the engineering solutions. I threw it out here because, I am confident that wiser minds than mine can help articulate and refine the possibilities.
I was just thinking about the Downtown 2025 Plan, the desire to make Nicollet Mall a curbless walking environment/zero-emission vehicles and such, a signature place/iconic even. Also, I've been reading the MPLS Skyway threads here and trying to brainstorm some idea that coalesces that ongoing skyway/street pedestrian dilemma and embraces our cold winters by building something that could be a draw for people to go to the street during those frigid winter days, really transforming the Mall into a "Must-See Destination". Could totally be a non-workable idea for the entire length of the Mall; rather, for strategic stretches along or around the Mall.

[ECtransplant]

So we're going to have an 8' wide lane of ice across the streets? Or am I just being dense and totally not getting this idea?

Sorry I was the one being dense. Thought you were asking about what skaters would so. Yeah, I suppose a bunch of ice lanes could be problematic

[Tyler]

I think the crossings should be "chains only."

[TommyT]

What about this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_ice

[Didier]

Maybe we could set up targets and allow folks to do biathlon commuting as well.

[Aville_37]

So we're going to have an 8' wide lane of ice across the streets? Or am I just being dense and totally not getting this idea?

MNdible, you are asking the tough/necessary questions that can help flesh ideas like this out (so thank you). I fully admit that I've only just begun to think about this and don't have all the engineering solutions. I threw it out here because, I am confident that wiser minds than mine can help articulate and refine the possibilities.
I was just thinking about the Downtown 2025 Plan, the desire to make Nicollet Mall a curbless walking environment/zero-emission vehicles and such, a signature place/iconic even. Also, I've been reading the MPLS Skyway threads here and trying to brainstorm some idea that coalesces that ongoing skyway/street pedestrian dilemma and embraces our cold winters by building something that could be a draw for people to go to the street during those frigid winter days, really transforming the Mall into a "Must-See Destination". Could totally be a non-workable idea for the entire length of the Mall; rather, for strategic stretches along or around the Mall.

Reminds me of the canals in Amsterdam.

[twincitizen]

Lisa Goodman was adamant the serpentine design of the Mall remain intact.

WTF, is she a transportation planner or architect now?

I'd imaging having streetcar tracks snake up and down the street would add significantly more than zero dollars to the project cost.

Again I'll ask, are we seriously going to rebuild Nicollet Mall just 2-3 years before the streetcar is ready for construction? It is starting to seem like that is what's happening. We're seriously going to rip up the street twice?

[Nathan]

They could probably just say they are getting ready to do this now, so that all the delays and nay sayers align it with the street car construction, otherwise the re-do would end up after street car construction

[John]

Lisa Goodman was adamant the serpentine design of the Mall remain intact.

WTF, is she a transportation planner or architect now?

I'd imaging having streetcar tracks snake up and down the street would add significantly more than zero dollars to the project cost.

Again I'll ask, are we seriously going to rebuild Nicollet Mall just 2-3 years before the streetcar is ready for construction? It is starting to seem like that is what's happening. We're seriously going to rip up the street twice?

To elaborate on Lisa Goodman's comment, the reason why she is opposed to changing the configuration is most of the restaurant owners along Nicollet Mall are opposed to it. Many would loose a great deal of outdoor dining space in the summer which is a big money maker for them. Her rhetorical question to the audience was they ( the restaurant owners) are the ones paying a large share of the assessment to renovate the mall, so why would they (or she representing them on the City Council) support a plan that severely hurt their business?

[seanrichardryan]

according to facebook, Lisa is in NYC with Mayor Hodges touring the High Line to see how the designer's ideas have been implemented.

[twincitizen]

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/news/WCMS1P-120735

Nicollet Mall project public meeting
4:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19
Presentation at 5:15 p.m.
Minneapolis Central Library
300 Nicollet Mall

Take survey here: http://www.nicolletmallproject.com/nico ... lic-survey