Shady Oak Station Area - Hopkins/Minnetonka
Posted: April 1st, 2016, 8:33 pm
Because this crosses over both Minnetonka and Hopkins, covers a generally wide area, I thought thread is deserved.
I've attended a few of the public open houses held for this station area. Hopkins and Minnetonka are coming together to create a joint planning area covering development around the Shady Oak Station. It seems like both cities are expecting to lead significant change around the Shady Oak Station area based on how much they seem to be taking to planning consultant Crandall Arabula's guidance.
I hunted for the documents I saw at the public open houses and I never could find them anywhere easily. In the April 5th council agenda, Hopkins will vote on whether to direct city staff to begin implementing the proposed zoning changes. In the agenda is a 90 page document drafted by Crandall Arabula for the station area. (I hope this link gets you to a page to download the big .pdf. Go to 2016, then 4/5.)
http://www.hopkinsmn.com/weblink8/Brows ... 78&&dbid=0
The entire .pdf with worth downloading to see the proposed transformation. Little of the vision is going to be there on the opening of SWLRT. A 5 to 10 year horizon is expected to build the new grid of streets to create access to station and make redevelopment attractive. Here is a vision for what could be developed in the future.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
This is the envisioned station plaza.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
The biggest area changes are on the the north side of the trail. Here is a zoomed look at a possible future if all development happens like the consultants lay out as possible.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
That yellowish area nearest the station is proposed housing. The bluish, office/commercial/innovation. I think the proposed office/“innovation” space is highly optimistic, but maybe an LRT station can generate demand for a sort of space that otherwise is different from the seeming glut of suburban offices.
The document has interesting profiles of the proposed street right of way on the primary and secondary streets. Here is the view of the “signature street” 17th Ave.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
Crandall Arabula proposes the vast swath around that station be zoned as a “Transit Supportive Employment District”. Focusing development that happens to push transit, walking, and cycling. In their presentations to the public they highlighted how LRT station areas around the world worked out when they were cycling centric, even in northern climates. Their proposal highlights the zoning area should require bike parking in large numbers. Other parts that otherwise stuck out from Crandall Arabula’s proposals. These development standards:
* *minimum* height requirements or 55’ in parcels by the station.
* *minimum* FAR 1:1 by the station.
* *minimum* residential density, 60 units/acre by station, 40 units/acre a block out.
* Require build-to-line
I've attended a few of the public open houses held for this station area. Hopkins and Minnetonka are coming together to create a joint planning area covering development around the Shady Oak Station. It seems like both cities are expecting to lead significant change around the Shady Oak Station area based on how much they seem to be taking to planning consultant Crandall Arabula's guidance.
I hunted for the documents I saw at the public open houses and I never could find them anywhere easily. In the April 5th council agenda, Hopkins will vote on whether to direct city staff to begin implementing the proposed zoning changes. In the agenda is a 90 page document drafted by Crandall Arabula for the station area. (I hope this link gets you to a page to download the big .pdf. Go to 2016, then 4/5.)
http://www.hopkinsmn.com/weblink8/Brows ... 78&&dbid=0
The entire .pdf with worth downloading to see the proposed transformation. Little of the vision is going to be there on the opening of SWLRT. A 5 to 10 year horizon is expected to build the new grid of streets to create access to station and make redevelopment attractive. Here is a vision for what could be developed in the future.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
This is the envisioned station plaza.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
The biggest area changes are on the the north side of the trail. Here is a zoomed look at a possible future if all development happens like the consultants lay out as possible.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
That yellowish area nearest the station is proposed housing. The bluish, office/commercial/innovation. I think the proposed office/“innovation” space is highly optimistic, but maybe an LRT station can generate demand for a sort of space that otherwise is different from the seeming glut of suburban offices.
The document has interesting profiles of the proposed street right of way on the primary and secondary streets. Here is the view of the “signature street” 17th Ave.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
Crandall Arabula proposes the vast swath around that station be zoned as a “Transit Supportive Employment District”. Focusing development that happens to push transit, walking, and cycling. In their presentations to the public they highlighted how LRT station areas around the world worked out when they were cycling centric, even in northern climates. Their proposal highlights the zoning area should require bike parking in large numbers. Other parts that otherwise stuck out from Crandall Arabula’s proposals. These development standards:
* *minimum* height requirements or 55’ in parcels by the station.
* *minimum* FAR 1:1 by the station.
* *minimum* residential density, 60 units/acre by station, 40 units/acre a block out.
* Require build-to-line