Recently Opened - - Stories - - Units
Six Quebec - - 6 - - 21
http://6quebec.com/images/hm_rendering_600.jpg

918 Lofts - - 3 - - 30
http://www.918lofts.com/run2.jpg

Lenox Historic Lofts - - 3 - - 24

Under Construction - - Stories - - Units
The Carlyle - - 39 - - 255
http://www.humphreys.com/images/12101_2_big.jpg

http://www.humphreys.com/images/12101_1_big.jpg

http://www.humphreys.com/images/12101_8_big.jpg

5th Ave. Lofts - - 4-7 - - 137
http://www.theplaceforlofts.com/5th/images/5th1.jpg

The Groveland - - 7 - - 133
http://www.thegroveland.com/knowletcontent/images/50098.jpg

720 Lofts - - 8 - - 99
http://www.720lofts.com/Images/Rendering2.JPG

The Lofts at IMS - - 10 - - 97
http://www.bergandwanninger.com/images/IMSLofts_1.jpg

Grant Park - - 27 - - 318
*Tower is completed, but town homes are still under construction.
http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news11/DTI_957074.l.jpg

Bookmen Stacks - - 8 - - 45
http://www.jddltd.com/images/projects/residential/bookmenstacks/stacks005.jpg

http://www.jddltd.com/images/projects/residential/bookmenstacks/stacks002.jpg

Tower Lofts - - 6 - - 135
http://towerlofts.com/images/photo01.jpg

212 Lofts - - 4-6 - - 55
http://212lofts.com/images/212lofts2b.jpg

Park Ave. Lofts
This project will include two four- to five-story buildings on either side of Park Avenue (on the blocks known as Parcel D east and west). Each will include 38 luxury condominiums. Park Avenue West, currently under construction, is expected to be complete in 2004 and construction is expected to begin in 2005 on Park Avenue East.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/images/park_avenue_lofts-19.gif

301 Oak Grove - - 6 - - 59
http://www.301oakgrove.com/images/renderingSMALL.jpg

710 Lofts - - 4 - - 60
http://www.cuningham.com/Graphics/Portfolio/Housing/img710lofts1.jpg

http://www.cuningham.com/Graphics/Portfolio/Housing/img710lofts0.jpg

RiverWest - - 18 - - 416 (condo conversion)

Calumet Lofts - - 5 - - 35
http://www.calumetlofts.com/images/cal.jpg

American Trio Lofts - - 7 - - 90

Security Warehouse Lofts - - 6 - - 58
http://www.theplaceforlofts.com/security/images/security1.jpg

Village at St. Anthony Falls - - 6 - - 63
http://photos.mlsfinder.com/images/mn_rmls/photos/88/2306488-1.jpg

http://photos.mlsfinder.com/images/mn_rmls/photos/88/2306488-2.jpg

607 Lofts on Washington - - 5 - - 30
http://www.greatmn.com/images/607_washington.jpg

River Walk Condos - - 6 - - 75
http://www.theplaceforlofts.com/riverwalk/images/riverwalk1.jpg

Construction Soon To Start - - Stories - - Units
Skyscape - - 26 - - 252
http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news78/DTI_963801.l.jpg

Cobalt Condos - - 6 - - 110
This project will include one of the new downtown grocery stores.
http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2004/10/19/news/news07.jpg

Ivy Hotel + Res. - - 24 - - 88
http://www.ivympls.com/images/ivyTowerIllustration.jpg

Fifth Ave. Gateway - - 20 - - 136
http://homepage.mac.com/nathanl/.Pictures/City%20Scapes/Elliot24.jpg

Mill Trace Condominiums - - 4 - - 50

The Nicollet - - 53 - - 343
http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news18/DTI_965597.l.jpg

Approval Process - - Stories - - Units
Pillsbury ‘A’ Mill - - numerous - - 895
The design for the approximately 7.7 acres includes reusing six existing historic buildings and adding six new mixed-use buildings. The buildings will vary in height from 6 to 27 stories and include 895 units of housing and 175,000 square feet of commercial space. The parking required for the redevelopment will be hidden from view in underground parking or parking wrapped by housing.
http://www.cuningham.com/Graphics/Portfolio/Housing/imgAMill0.jpg

http://www.cuningham.com/Graphics/Portfolio/Housing/imgAMill1.jpg

http://www.cuningham.com/Graphics/Portfolio/Housing/imgAMill3.jpg

1016 Marquette - - 11 - - ?
Proposed for the same block as the Nicollet tower.
http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/03/21/news/news04.jpg

521 Condos - - 4 - - 60

Phoenix Lofts - - 15 - - 112
http://www.sr-re.com/Images/PhoenixLofts3rdAveElevation.jpg

520 Condos - - 6 - -45
http://www.520secondstreet.com/

The Eclipse - - 26 & 32 stories - - 506
http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/04/04/news/news06.jpg

The Sexton - - 7 - - 122

1010 Park Avenue - - 8, 16, 21 and 31 stories - - 380-400 units
http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/04/18/news/news02.jpg

Proposed - - Stories - - Units
Columbia Mill Commons - - 2 - - 15

Parcel E Development - - 5 - - 68-95

Park Ave. East - - 4 - - 38

Washington Live-Work - - 4 - - 28

Powers block - - 42 - - ?
http://www.humphreys.com/images/12126_1_big.jpg

Planning Stage - - Stories - - Units
Elliot Park Towers - - 27 - - 360

600 Main Street SE - - 5 - - 45

Depot site - - 4 - - 35

Portland condos - - 4 - - 45

401 Oak Grove - - 6 - - 90

Six-story Loring project.
The original plan was a 21-story tower. The Loring Park Community (CLPC) voted it down because the tower didn't was too tall for Loring Park's hill area, which is home to historic mansions. If approved by the city's Planning Commission in January, construction would start late spring.

Stalled - - Stories - - Units
Whitney Hotel Condos - - 7 - - 35

Skyway Theater site - - 42 - - 300

The Reserve - - 8 - - 108
http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/images/thereserve_web.jpg

OTHER DOWNTOWN PROJECTS
The Minneapolis area does an excellent job of supporting its local art scene. Listed are projects currently underway in downtown and the nearby area.

New Guthrie Theater
The new Guthrie will include three theaters:
-a 1,100-seat thrust stage,
-a 700-seat proscenium stage for contemporary drama
-a flexible, 250-seat studio theater for new work and artist development.
The expansion is expected to increase the number of annual Guthrie presentations and productions from 45 to 129 and the number of annual performances from 368 to 694. The new complex will employ about 1,000 people and is expected to attract over 500,000 people a year.

http://www.guthrietheater.org/act_ii/art/architect/northeast_night.jpg

http://www.guthrietheater.org/act_ii/art/architect/panoramic.jpg

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news55/FTguthlobby17.l.jpg

http://www.guthrietheater.org/act_ii/art/architect/thrust2.jpg

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news97/1gutvar090903.l.jpg

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news28/5gutvar090903.l.jpg

Children's Theatre Expansion
Became the first theater for youth to receive the Tony Award as the country's outstanding regional theater in June.
http://www.childrenstheatre.org/images/capital/ctc_outsideviewfromSE.jpg

http://www.childrenstheatre.org/images/capital/ctc_outsideviewfromNE.jpg

http://www.childrenstheatre.org/images/capital/ctc_interior2ndstagewindows.jpg

Walker Art Museum Expansion
-100,000sq. foot expansion

The project will vastly expand the Walker’s galleries, re-orient the entrance, and create an innovative, 350-seat multidisciplinary performance studio capable of meeting the needs of the numerous avant garde performers regularly presented by the Walker. In addition to the four-acre park, key outdoor elements include a plaza along hennepin avenue and rooftop terraces with spectacular urban and park views.

http://expansion.walkerart.org/images/pic_green_space.jpg

http://expansion.walkerart.org/images/slide_dusk.jpg

http://expansion.walkerart.org/images/slide_restaurant.jpg

http://expansion.walkerart.org/images/slide_events.jpg

http://expansion.walkerart.org/images/slide_entrance.jpg

http://expansion.walkerart.org/images/slide_v_lounge.jpg

Shubert Theatre Restoration
The entire complex will include the Hennepin Center for the Arts, the historic Shubert Theater, and a new Atrium space which will join the two historic buildings. This arts complex will be home to more than 20 arts organizations.

http://www.artspaceusa.org/minnesotashubert/images/mns_arch_02.jpg

http://www.artspaceusa.org/minnesotashubert/images/mns_arch_03.jpg

http://www.artspaceusa.org/minnesotashubert/images/mns_arch_04.jpg

Minneapolis Institute of the Arts Expansion
-Michael Graves’ design will add an additional 117,000 square feet and has three stories above ground and a full basement.

-The ground floor contains public study rooms for the library, print, drawings and photography collections, a seminar room and a small gallery all organized around a central atrium space. The northern portion of the ground floor reorganizes some of the back-of-house and loading dock functions for more efficiency.

-The second and third floors are devoted to galleries with the inclusion of a splendid new reception hall.

*A record of over 560,000 visitors came to the museum in the last fiscal year.
*12,000 visitors set a record for the largest single-day attendance of any American museum outside New York City.

http://www.artsmia.org/building-expansion/images/target-park.jpg

http://www.artsmia.org/building-expansion/images/elevation-24th.jpg

http://www.artsmia.org/building-expansion/images/elevation-stevens.jpg

Central Library
new central library currently under construction
http://mplib.org/images/nicwatersm.jpg

http://mplib.org/images/ncl_4henn_small.jpg

Chambers Hotel
A boutique hotel project at and around the site of the old Fairmont Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. New York-based Rockwell Group to be lead designer for the revised project. Rockwell designed the original Chambers hotel in New York City, along with projects including the Kodak Theater in Hollywood and the W New York hotel. Minneapolis-based Shea Inc. will work with Rockwell on the hotel complex.
http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news20/1hotel0902.l.jpg

*UPDATE*

A 12-16 story condo has been proposed for the Elliot Park neighborhood. Heritage Development and Argus Homes have proposed the mid-rise that will be located near the new Skyscape tower, which is about to break ground and the recently completed Grant Park tower. The project might include a grass roof.

@City of Lakes: A lot of the first pics aren't coming up.

Fantastic residences! All the projects are very special and look elegant. Good plannings!

Great thread! I posted this project on your earlier thread but thought I'd post it here too.
This is the American Swedish Institute expansion not far from downtown.
From the website:
A new cultural center will be built contiguous to the mansion. It will provide badly needed library, exhibit, education and program space, enhanced facilities for member and visitor services, collection storage and administrative offices. The facility will include: a performance hall, Swedish style café, exhibit space, retail shops, classrooms and rehearsal space, collection storage, archives, library and research center, and office space for the Swedish Council of America and the Consulate General of Sweden.
http://www.americanswedishinst.org/asidb/tour_images/lgasi_600.jpg

Thanks sfhoya. Please add any projects that I may have missed.

I almost forgot the two downtown grocery stores that were recently announced.

Two Lunds planned for Downtown Minneapolis
Ellen P. Gabler
Staff Reporter

Downtown Minneapolis will get its first taste of a grocery store when two Lunds stores open there in the spring of 2006. The announcement by Lund Food Holdings Inc. is a treat for many downtown city and business leaders, as well as residents, who for years have longed for a spot to shop for everyday food.

The new stores will open up on both sides of the Mississippi River -- one at 1201 Hennepin Ave., in what used to be the former World Wide Pictures building (also part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters,) and the other at 313 Central Ave. S.E., the current Rick's Market site.

Construction of the 15,000- to 18,000-square-foot store on Central Avenue store will begin in the spring of 2005, with a tentative opening a year later.

Pending city approval, construction on the 12,000-square-foot Hennepin Avenue store will begin next fall with an expected summer of 2006 opening.

Lund Food Holdings operates eight Lunds stores, 12 Byerly's and three Rick's Markets in the Twin Cities and surrounding area.

*UPDATE*

Immigrant school plans move downtown
Scott Smith
Staff Reporter

The Institute for New Americans (INA) plans to consolidate two schools with 1,500 immigrant and refugee students in the Hennepin Avenue Theater District in downtown Minneapolis.

The school will lease about 60,000 square feet and use all eight floors of an office building at 730 Hennepin Ave., said Joel Gibson, executive director of the Minneapolis-based INA.

Metropolitan State University currently occupies the building. The university plans to vacate the building at the end of January. The INA will start relocating students to the building in February.

The INA will consolidate a high school and an adult school that now hold classes at three different sites. The high school serves about 300 students, of which about 40 percent immigrated from Africa and 35 percent from Mexico or Central and South America.

The immigrant students are older than native-born high school students, ranging in age from 19 to 24.

The remaining 1,200 students are older adult immigrants primarily learning English as a second language.

Gibson said the school will become an asset for downtown businesses by providing immigrant employees work training and educational programs.

"We think that our presence will eventually upgrade the quality of the immigrant downtown worker," Gibson said. "The advantage we bring to the downtown community is that we are training many of the workers who work in the downtown service industry."

Gibson also wants to partner with downtown businesses to set up mentoring opportunities for students. The institute already partners with businesses such as Franklin Street Bakery in Minneapolis to educate and train their immigrant employees.

The prospect of an immigrant high school located in the city's theater district has raised eyebrows among some downtown business interests. Gibson said concerns he's heard have been easily addressed.

Most of the students use public transportation to get to the school. So there are no school buses to cause additional congestion on Hennepin Avenue, Gibson said.

Also, the institute's high school students are older and generally have a more respectful attitude than native high school students. "These immigrants and refugees usually come from countries where they have a higher reverence for authority, so we have almost no incidence of trouble."

Finally, the new school will have about half the students of Metropolitan State, he said.

The school will appear before the Minneapolis Planning Commission on Monday. It will seek a conditional use permit. City staff has recommended approval of the permit.

Mark Kolsrud, senior vice president Minneapolis-based Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, represented the institute in its real estate search.

*UPDATE*

More condos planned for Stone Arch area

By Sarah McKenzie
Bluff Street Development has another condo project lined up for the East Bank near the Stone Arch Bridge.

The developer has proposed 40 to 45 units of high-end condos for 600 SE Main St., near the Stone Arch Apartments, 601-701 SE Main St.

Bluff Street Development is a partnership between Bloomington-based Lupe Development's Brian Flakne and Steve Minn, a former Minneapolis City Councilmember, and Downtown-based Wall Companies' Fred and John Wall.

The developers have another condo project planned nearby at 520-521 SE 2nd St. The proposal calls for 105 units of housing in two buildings and 9,600 square feet of retail near the Pillsbury "A" Mill and an old rail corridor.

BKV Group, a Downtown-based architecture, interior design and engineering firm, is also consulting on Bluff Street's new condo proposal.

Said Minn, "We think that a creative solution to the side that fronts the steam plant is required. The other three sides of the site all have nice views. The view down the Stone Arch Bridge at Downtown is spectacular."

The site has been a surface parking lot and a trailer storage site for 40 years and was once serviced by a rail line that has since been pulled up, Minn said.

Another massive condo complex is proposed for Main Street Southeast due west of Bluff Street's proposed projects. Northeast Minneapolis-based Schafer Richardson has plans to build 1,050 condos along the riverfront between 3rd and 6th avenues. The units would be spread among the "A" Mill, the Red Tile Elevator and five new towers ranging from eight to 27 stories, and be built between 2006 and 2012.

*UPDATE*

3 New Residential Towers Planned for Elliot Park, including a 27-story Tower

These planned towers would rise near the new 27-story Grant Park condo tower, the 26-story Skyscape condo tower, which is under construction and the 20-story condo tower Fifth Avenue Gateway, which will be starting construction soon.

The Carlyle looks great.

these ones looks also great:eek:

10th & Nicollet Condo - - 48 - - 343

Skyway Theater site - - 45-50 - - 300+

Powers block - - 42 - - ?

*UPDATE*
Zehring Development

New condos offer a floor of your own
The design Lisa Goodman killed. By Sarah McKenzie

St. Paul-based developer MSP Cos. is moving forward with plans for a flashy, 9-story "boutique" condo development at South 10th Street & Marquette Ave., across from the Hilton Minneapolis.

Dick Zehring, owner of the commercial real estate and development services firm, said the proposal is based on stately Manhattan lofts.

The proposal calls for eight spacious 3,500-square-foot units that would occupy a full floor each. A lobby and parking garage would go in the first floor of the 167-foot-tall building.

Each unit would feature 15-foot-high ceilings, a fireplace and a 600-square-foot balcony. Finished units are expected to sell for more than $1 million, Zehring said, though they can be bought unfinished.

Here's the article:
http://www.skywaynews.net/articles/2005/01/17/news/news07.txt

*UPDATE*
Sexton Project

Sexton conversion adds ramp, more condos
By Scott Russell

The conversion of the Sexton Building, 521 7th St. S., into condominiums will include a new five-story-tall mixed-use building next door.

The developers plan to build the 67-foot-high building at 516 8th St. S. on what is now a surface parking lot immediately south of the Sexton building and east of the House of Charity, according to a city staff report.

Here's the article:
http://skywaynews.net/articles/2005/01/17/news/news07.txt

Preliminary rendering of Zehring project
http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/01/17/news/news07.jpg

Newer rendering of Eastgate
http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2004/11/29/news/news08.jpg

@City of Lakes...you have a nice thread here. Keep it up!

*UPDATE*

Changes to Warehouse District housing plan.
A new Twins stadium is no longer in the mix.

"Right now our assessment of the ballpark plan is that it's very unlikely anything will happen until after the [2006] gubernatorial election," Pogin said. "You can always have a Hail Mary at the end of the [legislative] session. If history is any judge, I don't think that the current political configuration is going to move that ball forward."

Therefore, Investment Management is now talking to national residential developers and a local developer about a large-scale housing development on the entire site, Pogin said. He declined to name the developers.

"We hope to be full speed under way in the next six months at the latest," he said.

The development would be massive -*about 2,000 housing units built over a five- to eight-year period, Pogin said. He estimated the project would cost anywhere from $500 million to $1 billion.

It would include a combination of senior housing, rental units and condos. The condos would likely be priced below $300,000 -*the lower end of the Downtown housing market.

"I see this more as workforce housing," Pogin said.

Here's the article:
http://www.skywaynews.net/articles/...news/news01.txt

I have fond memories of this city. The Twin Cities was my home in the US for 3 years in mid nineties. The city has gotten a few new projects onstream since I left it. The light rail wasn't there I know. Would be interesting to revisit it. :cheers:

This will be much appropriate in the proper local forum.

^ HUH?

.................

^ ???? :(

Hey, if you think that 3-4 replies in 6 weeks is a success, I will gladly move your thread back out there, where it will quickly be buried within a few hours (and no, constant 'bumping' is not a viable solution).

I think that you will find that your thread will get much more attention and appreciation here. In fact, if it gets some decent posting activity, I will sticky it to the top of the forum, just as I do for the development compilation threads of other cities.

Thanks for the explanation.

I like that one called the "Powers Block"... That's not a very common shape.

................

the second one is rsp's attempt at the phoenix lofts on st. anthony main; schafer richardson eventually chose an esg design, theres a thread at tc scape about it.

the first was designed for lupe development, probably had a similar fate to phoenix lofts. neither lupe nor rsp will verify the proposals progress.

sum: both are probably dead.

Outstanding thread! Thanks Jasonhouse for the sticky.

I've always though Minny had such weird condo architecture. That Second St 20 floor design is a good example but I guess I still like it.

City of Lakes. The Saint Anthony proposal (16 stories) at 2nd Street, is a dead proposal. They chose another design. It is known as the Phoenix. It should be breaking ground this spring.

^ Thanks for the info. It's too bad we won't see the St. Anthony proposal rise. The Phoenix looks boring.

http://www.sr-re.com/Images/PhoenixLofts3rdAveElevation.jpg

YAY 56 floors!!!!



12. The Nicollet (BZZ-2145, RLS-33, Ward 7), 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South, 1001 Nicollet Mall and 1000 Marquette Avenue (Hilary Watson).

Staff report

A. Variance: Application by Jeff McDonell, on behalf of Barbour/LaDouceur Design Group, for a variance to reduce the south interior side yard setback from the required 91 feet to 13 feet for the building, to 11 feet for the balconies on floors 10 through 50 and to 0 feet for the 9th floor roof terrace for the property located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South and 1001 Nicollet Mall.

Recommended Motion: The Community Planning and Economic Development Department - Planning Division recommends that the City Planning Commission adopt the findings and approve the variance to reduce the south interior side yard setback from the required 91 feet to 13 feet for the building, to 11 feet for the balconies on floors 10 through 50 and to 0 feet for the 9th floor roof terrace for the property located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South and 1001 Nicollet Mall.

B. Variance: Application by Jeff McDonell, on behalf of Barbour/LaDouceur Design Group, for a variance to reduce the east interior side yard setback from the required 91 feet to 15 feet for the building, to 14 feet for the balconies on floors 10 through 50 and to 12.5 for the architectural fin for the property located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South, 1001 Nicollet Mall and 1000 Marquette Avenue.

Recommended Motion: The Community Planning and Economic Development Department - Planning Division recommends that the City Planning Commission adopt the findings and approve the variance to reduce the east interior side yard setback from the required 91 feet to 15 feet for the building, to 14 feet for the balconies on floors 10 through 50, to 12.5 feet for the architectural fin and to 0 feet for the 9th floor roof terrace for the property located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South and 1001 Nicollet Mall.

C. Site Plan Review: Application by Jeff McDonell, on behalf of Barbour/LaDouceur Design Group, for a major site plan review for a 56-story, 360-unit residential development with some retail and office space located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South, 1001 Nicollet Mall and 1000 Marquette Avenue.

Recommended Motion: The Community Planning and Economic Development Department - Planning Division recommends that the City Planning Commission adopt the findings and approve the site plan review for the properties located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South, 1001 Nicollet Mall and 1000 Marquette Avenue subject to the following conditions:

At least 25 secure bicycle parking spaces shall be provided within the building.
Approval of the final sign plan by the Community Planning and Economic Development Department - Planning Division.
An additional seven square feet of windows shall be added to the 10th Street South facade in order to bring the development into conformance with the Nicollet Mall Overlay standard that requires that at least 40 percent of the first floor facade that faces 10th Street South is windows and or doors.
The maximum FAR of the building shall not exceed 22.07 unless the applicant obtains a variance to exceed this limit or provides additional qualifying F.A.R. premiums.
A lighting plan showing foot-candles shall be submitted as part of the final plans.
Approval of the final site, landscaping and elevation plans by the Community Planning and Economic Development Department - Planning Division.
All site improvements shall be completed by February 7, 2006, unless extended by the Zoning Administrator, or the permit may be revoked for non-compliance.
If estimated site improvement costs exceed $2,000, the applicant shall submit a performance bond in the amount of 125% of the estimated site improvement costs before exterior building permits are issued.
D. Preliminary Registered Land Survey: Application by Jeff McDonell, on behalf of Barbour/LaDouceur Design Group, for a preliminary registered land survey (RLS-33) for the property located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South, 1001 Nicollet Mall and 1000 Marquette Avenue.

Recommended Motion: The Community Planning and Economic Development Department - Planning Division recommends that the City Planning Commission adopt the findings and approve the preliminary Registered Land Survey for the properties located at 81 10th Street South, 87 10th Street South, 1001 Nicollet Mall and 1000 Marquette Avenue.

Has anyone heard about a possible buyer for First Avenue? I guess there's a developer who wants to build a residential tower on that site.

This is great news! I'm psyched for this building. We need to see how many actual feet it will be. I love the design for this tower, it's going to be another beauty for the minneapolis skyline. Thanks for posting this!

No, I havn't heard of a tower proposed for first avenue. That simply isn't going to happen, first avenue is a minneapolis icon. I wonder if that building has some sort of protected historic status? It used to be the old bus depot.

I thought First Ave. would be on the historic preservation list too, but apparently it's not.

hey, the rendering for the 5th ave. lofts just changed!
http://www.theplaceforlofts.com/5th/images/5th1.jpg
they used the same name for the image which is why it changed in the original post. this is a thumbnail of the old rendering for reference.
http://theplaceforlofts.com/images/5th.jpg
you can't really tell but this rendering is a vast improvement over the old one.

YAY 56 floors!!!!


Do you have any pics? How tall is that going to be?

This is the closest thing there is to having a rendering of this baby:
http://www.directimagehost.com/is.php?i=68695&img=10th&Nicollet.jpg

YAY 56 floors!!!!


Do you have any pics? How tall is that going to be?


Well, since it also has retail and office space, in addition to the condo levels and parking... I would say it's probably going to be around 650-700ft, without any kind of ornamental top that it may or may not have.

It was announced that this tower would be 56 stories, including the fin-looking ornament.

That's still not that bad. It would be, what......the 4th or 5th tallest? Fall somewhere in between 33 South Sixth and US Bank Plaza (oops...almost called it Pillsbury...lol).

The Carlyle, The Nicollet, Ivy Tower, 5th Avenue Gateway, and Skyscape.

Damn. That's a nice collection of cranes in our skyline this summer!!

I just found this message board so go easy on me. I have a lot of questions about condo's and lofts in downtown minneapolis. Any of you people live downtown? I used to live at riverwest and i would like to move back downtown. Which area of downtown do you live in or would you prefer to live in? Wharehouse district, Mill area, Elliot Park, St. Anthony, Loring Park.... etc. If there's a better place to find out about or discuss this type of stuff let me know--

Thanks-

Eric

hey killer, check this out for more local opinions-
twincityscape.com/forum

thanks bud

I've been browsing the Minneapolis forums for a while....and I really like what I see. Minneapolis is my dream city to live when I grow up after college. I'm only 16 now though haha. I might go to college in Minneapolis, but I'm still browsing. I just can't believe all of the residential development! Its simply AMAZING!

Okinawatyphoon, I got a question for you. Are you a military brat or a local?

*UPDATE*

The plans for the 3 towers that were announced for Elliot Park a few months ago have been updated. The project, The Arcades at Elliot Park, now includes 4 towers that will be 8, 16, 22, and 32 stories.

Also, according to the Skyway News, the Nicollet (10th & Nicollet) will be 50-stories.

Okinawatyphoon, I got a question for you. Are you a military brat or a local?

I'm mostly a military brat...:(. My dad is a civilian though, but we live on the military base. I want to study typhoons in Okinawa as a local when I get out of college, but I also want to move to Minneapolis. Choices choices choices....hmmm....

No typhoons up here though. Thanks for answering. I was stationed on Kadena AFB a long ...long time ago.

*UPDATE*

Thank Sirus for finding these massing models of for the A-Mill project.

http://oddnature.com/a_mill/massing1.jpg
http://oddnature.com/a_mill/massing2.jpg

Different variations
Before
http://oddnature.com/a_mill/before1.jpg

After
http://oddnature.com/a_mill/after1.jpg

Before
http://oddnature.com/a_mill/before2.jpg

After
http://oddnature.com/a_mill/after2.jpg

One more
http://oddnature.com/a_mill/after3.jpg

So, does this mean it's finally moving along now? Have they cleared that hurdle that was hanging it up for so long with our lovely city offcials?

*UPDATE*

Colink (tcscape) posted this rendering of the new Cobalt Condominiums. The sales center opens Feb. 26 and projected completion is late 2006.
http://www.colinkulow.com/twincityscape/cobalt.jpg

*UPDATE*

Funding for the Planetarium for the Minnesota Planetarium & Space Discovery Center at the new central library has been approved in both the state House and Senate borrowing plans. This is great news being it's been such a struggle to get the state involved. Here are the major features:

Planetarium Theater
The 200-seat, 60 foot diameter, Planetarium Theater will feature a fiber-optic star projector that will simulate a glorious day & night sky. The theater will also include a full-dome, 3-D video system that will engage audiences like never before.

North Star Observatory
The North Star Observatory will connect visitors to remote telescopes and orbiting satellites portraying recent and live images! For example, a 2nd grader can view Saturn--live--at 11:00 in the morning via a satellite link to a telescope on the other (night) side of our planet. The observatory will also feature an iconic, 8-foot Earth Globe displaying live images of our planet.

Space Exposition Hall
The Space Exposition Hall will feature traveling national exhibitions that attract wide audiences. An "art gallery" of Hubble Space Telescope images is one of the most popular shows currently on tour.

Holodeck theater
The signature Holodeck theater will add an innovative, thrilling virtual environment as the theater's walls, ceiling, and floor disappear and transform the space into a spectacular landscape like the surface of Mars!

Star Lab
A traveling Star Lab outreach program, based out of the center, will bring cutting-edge astronomy education to communities across Minnesota.

.......................

This is great news!!! I will definetely be among the first to go when it opens. :)

I just hope Pawlenty doesn't veto it. This is such a worthwhile project and I just don't get why party politics have to come to play when it comes to teaching children (and adults). It's all about Republicans hating "LIBERAL" Minneapolis. I'm surprised the funding was approved by both houses this year. How many years did this take, 4?

Well the TaxPayers League is against it. So that actually helps it. The League has pissed off quite a few people lately in the public, so their sway in dimming. When they supported renaming Olson Highway to the Reagan Highway, they really screwed themselves. So I see that the chances of this passing are higher this year, then it was in the past. Same goes for the Shubert and Northstar.

I've been browsing the Minneapolis forums for a while....and I really like what I see. Minneapolis is my dream city to live when I grow up after college. I'm only 16 now though haha. I might go to college in Minneapolis, but I'm still browsing. I just can't believe all of the residential development! Its simply AMAZING!

It's a real nice city, but it's ugly during the winter, and there are much dreamier similar cities, like San Diego, Seattle, Raleigh-Durham, Boston, etc. Plus, Minneapolis doesn't really have culture...

Still, if you can handle the winter it's an awesome city, I suppose.

It's a real nice city, but it's ugly during the winter, and there are much dreamier similar cities, like San Diego, Seattle, Raleigh-Durham, Boston, etc. Plus, Minneapolis doesn't really have culture...

Still, if you can handle the winter it's an awesome city, I suppose.

Well, winters in Minneapolis can be beautiful in my experience but I suppose that's in the eye of the beholder.

What I can't accept is the contention that Minneapolis "doesn't really have culture." I live in San Francisco now and I have to say that institutionally Minneapolis exceeds this city in many areas of the arts, especially live theater. There is an incredible variety and depth of theater there - the outgrowth of a very talented community of artists. Minneapolis needs a lot of work in other urban categories but the arts simply isn't one of them.

Here are some stats on theater audiences I posted a month or so ago from a 2001 study in the Star-Tribune:

Total 2000 theater attendance in selected U.S. cities, ranked as a rate of population:

CITY........................ Tickets sold....... metro population.... and rate of theater attendance:
1. Mpls.-St. Paul 2.3 million.............. 2.8 million................. 82%
2. Seattle ................. 1.9 million............... 3.4 million ..................56%
3. Chicago.................. 4.0 million.................. 8.8 million ..................45%
4. Atlanta.................. 1.7 million............... 3.8 million ..................45%
5. Philadelphia........... 1.5 million............... 6 million .....................25%
6. St. Louis................. 600,000 ................... 2.5 million ..................24%
7. Boston ................... 1 million.................. 5.7 million ..................18%

What a surprise. Badger77 spews some ignorant crap about Minneapolis, and it proven to be wrong, once again. I've never seen somebody have such a bigger issue with a city before.

I've never heard of anybody refer to Raleigh-Durham as being "a dreamy city" before either.:weird:

Somebody with a "badger" monikor takes a swipe at minneapolis, there's a shock. But seriously, you can find plenty to diss the city about, but culture? Thats one area that's widely viewed as a strength for the city. Museums, theater, music, it's a top tier city. Your comment is pretty ignorant. Are you a packer fan by any chance? That would explain a lot.

.............

Looks like more development headed for the downtown riverfront near the University of Minnesota:


University officials prepare for a new rowing facility

Preliminary plans for the University’s rowing team’s new boathouse were approved last week.

By Than Tibbetts


University athletics and capital planning officials are gearing up for the construction of a new rowing facility on the East River Flats Park.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board approved preliminary plans for the new boathouse last week.

Gophers rowers have been waiting for a facility since the team’s inception in 2000, as their temporary, unheated tent can be frigid in the early months of the spring season. Women’s rowing is currently the only athletics team without a permanent facility.

Rowing head coach Wendy Davis said it is impossible for her to talk with the rowers after practice because they don’t have a heated facility.

The University has produced a tentative design for the facility, which would be a two-story building to accommodate the women’s varsity and men’s club rowing teams.

Regina Sullivan, the associate athletics director in charge of the rowing project, said the University will work with the park board to lease the land. In exchange for the land, the University will most likely provide public restrooms, improvements to the park and recreational programs at the facility.

Richard Pfutzenreuter, the University’s chief financial officer, said the rowing facility is also an important project that relates to Title IX, the federal gender-equity law.

Davis said the University needs to act now to avoid inflation and increasing the cost of construction on the East River Flats Park site.

“Already, we’ve had a delay of a year and a half, and the cost has gone up by a million dollars,” she said.

The final estimate of the project’s cost will be determined later in the planning stages. University officials said they hope to finance as much of the project as possible with private donations.

Although Davis said she was excited to hear about the progress, she still remained cautious.

“All I know is that the biggest domino has fallen down with the board’s approval. So now, the rest of the dominos can start falling down,” she said. “But I’ll be happy when there’s a hole in the ground.”

Some loft-style apartments are under construction on University Ave. in Dinkytown... the renderings look great!

www.1301University.com

Dinkytown to see more housing next year
By Jared Roddy


Students and faculty at the University of Minnesota will have another housing option come August when the cranes and dump trucks finally rumble away from the hole in the ground that used to be a Pizza Hut.

Brett Naylor, of Urban Land, LLC, is developing the 1300 block of University Avenue Southeast into a six-story building with 92 luxury apartment units and two retail spaces.

The complex will be known as "1301 University" and began preleasing the apartments Thursday, Naylor said. Its Web site, which features floor plans and an interactive map of Dinkytown, also went online this week.

“We’re getting all our ducks in a row,” Naylor said.

When completed, the structure will have a brick-and-stone facade. Naylor said the units will vary from studios to four-bedroom apartments and will feature hardwood floors and 9-foot ceilings.

“I can be very honest,” Naylor said. “We are spending a ton of money up front on this structure because we want to own it long term.”

Local businesses are reacting to the plan with careful optimism. Skott Johnson, president of the Dinkytown Business Association, said most were supportive of the new project.

“I think most people support the idea of having more students living in and near Dinkytown,” Johnson said. “That’s always good for business.”

The new structure will be two floors taller than the current Marcy-Holmes neighborhood master plan allows. Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association President Brian Biele said that because the association approved the building before it adopted the master plan, it is exempt.

Biele was complimentary of Naylor’s efforts to appease the neighborhood.

“He didn’t come to us and say, ‘Here’s my plan, will you support it?’ ” Biele said. “He came to us and said, ‘Here’s my idea, will you help me develop it?’ ”

Two issues that had to be addressed in the original plan, Biele said, were the size of the structure and parking. The neighborhood association wanted to make sure the new building wouldn’t cast shadows across Dinkytown and other buildings wouldn’t be dwarfed.

Naylor said the original plan called for an eight-story tower, but after meeting with the neighborhood, the plan was amended.

The parties also addressed parking.

“They wanted to see more parking,” Naylor said. “Which is only a positive for me — it’s expensive to build, and you can’t recoup the costs, but it’s a long-term amenity.”

The building will have 66 underground parking spaces for residents and 33 street-level spots, a portion of which will be for retail patrons.

Naylor said he has not decided which businesses will occupy the lower level of the new building. Banks, coffee shops and ice cream parlors have shown interest. Biele and Johnson said they hope it will be something that complements the businesses already in Dinkytown.

“We certainly don’t need another coffee shop or any more hair salons,” Johnson said.

Greg Pillsbury, co-owner of Burrito Loco and Red Rocket, said he wasn’t worried about new competition.

“I’m sure there are people in the world who would rather be the only place in town,” Pillsbury said. “But I think more is better — the more businesses in the area, the more people will come. In the end, it’s good for everybody.”

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/dinkytown1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/dinkytown2.jpg

^major yuck, see that monster every day and am very scared because the shitty façade is getting ready to go up. i'll snap a pick next chance i get.
regarding the boathouse-
there is a rendering the in southeast angle of it, looks pretty good, i'll try to come across a scanner. that said, it is in the wrong spot. the area were they want to build it is great now, quite undisturbed and accessible. the boat house will stick out like a sore thumb and be a blemish to the east flats natural beauty. i say, squeeze it into the spot they are currently using at the foot of the old soo line rr tressle. that area is already marred by inproper use, so they could actually do a little rehabilitation and make the area more accessible/aesthetically pleasing.

A scan of the boathouse would be nice... I haven't been in that area in a while, but I do agree that the new lofts going up in Dinkytown, while nice looking in their renderings, are too much like the cheap "Grand Marc" in the Seven Corners district across the river... I hope the 1301 University building doesn't look too out of place with the retro-ness of Dinkytown.

So how do you find out more about all these new loft condos. Do they have websites I noticed some are posted but very few.
Anyone know?

read the local-local periodicals (esp the skyway news), look for c/s in your hood, and go to tc scape.

Is there a "The Nicollet" site out there yet with some official renderings? The newspaper photos/sketches don't really allow for a good feel of what the building will look like IMO.

no, but things are still moving at a steady clip, according to a bizjournal article spotted by mplsuptown at tcscape, they've already picked a marketer - financial freedom - and begun soil samples.

We should see better renderings next month. That is when I heard they want to start the marketing. I can't wait to see it from more angles.

They really need to create a set of renderings that show what it would look like in the city from various angles.

I heard on TCS that Skyscape broke ground this past weekend, and Ivy is due in a week or so.

I still can't believe that there's a market for all of these highrise condos in downtown. The Nicollet, Skyscape, Ivy Tower, The Carlyle, Grant Park,----that really seems to be a lot of condo space for a city the size of Minneapolis.

Does anyone have any idea how much these are going to add to downtown's population?

Don't forget that block by Skyscape that will house 4 new condo towers, ranging from 12 to 32 stories and the Pillsbury A Mill, which just cleared a major hurdle.

21st Century Towers by the new library too.

There is a public meeting on the Pillsbury A Mill project this Wednesday, March 9:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/planning/docs/AMILLProjectDEIS.pdf

Let's have people turn-out and give their feedback to the Planning Commission!

I heard on TCS that Skyscape broke ground this past weekend, and Ivy is due in a week or so.

Juat a correction from that post on TCS you are referring too...

It was the Reflections building in Bloomington that broke ground. Skyscape is expected sometime in April/May. :cheers:

Bloomington hopes to create 'third downtown'

Dan Mitchell, Star Tribune
March 7, 2005


The shovels will hit the dirt within weeks for a project in Bloomington that developers and government officials hope will spur further development south of the airport, helping to create a "third downtown" in the metro area.

With the Bloomington City Council's approval in late February of public financing for infrastructure items such as sewers and parking structures, construction will go ahead on two 17-story condominium towers near the Hiawatha Line's Bloomington Central stop. Groundbreaking, originally slated for sometime in February, is set for March 31.

The condo development, called Reflections, is the first phase of a planned five-phase project that, if completed, eventually will include retail shops, offices, restaurants and a 300-room upscale hotel. It will take 10 years or longer to complete the $700 million development, called Bloomington Central Station, according to McGough Development, which is managing the project.

McGough initially had planned to build an office park at the location, but with the construction of the Hiawatha Line, those plans evolved into what McGough project manager Mark Fabel said will be a "nationally recognized, transit-oriented, mixed-use development."

McGough worked closely with Bloomington officials for three years to get approval for the project. So closely, in fact, that Clark Arneson, Bloomington's economic development manager, used almost precisely the same words as Fabel to describe the project.

Bloomington will kick in up to $58 million for infrastructure as the $700 million project is built. The money will be raised in increments via bonds that the city will pay off using the increased tax revenue from the development.

Each phase of the project would be financed separately.

"It's pay as you go," Arneson said.

Fabel said nearly 80 percent of Reflections' 267 units are either sold or have been reserved.

"There are 210 buyers itching for us to have a groundbreaking," he said.

The smallest condos, at 700 square feet, sell for $170,000. Larger units, at 1,400 square feet, are priced at $400,000. In addition, 12 penthouse units of 2,000 to 2,300 square feet and priced from $800,000 to $1 million, have all been sold. The penthouses offer panoramic views of downtown, the airport and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

"Those went pretty quickly," Fabel said.

To address potential noise problems from the nearby airport, the buildings will feature an exterior made of triple-paned sheaths of glass. Condos will sport neither balconies nor windows that can be opened. While sealed-up living spaces might be seen as a drawback, things aren't playing out that way in this development, said Tom McGough Jr., the developer's vice president.

"We've turned that into a selling point," he said. Thanks to a state-of-the-art ventilation system, the building will offer "dramatically better fresh air" than traditional windows would afford. Some of the city's tax-increment financing proceeds will help defray the high cost of the exterior design, McGough said, but "not as much as we anticipated."

Nobody at McGough had much to say about the startling revision in plans for expanding the Mall of America, announced by developer Nader Ghermezian on Feb. 15. The latest plan for the mall, just across from Bloomington Central Station, would double its size and include a 200,000-square-foot casino, a 6,000-seat concert hall and an NHL-size ice rink. The expansion, Ghermezian said, depends on government approval of the casino. Ghermezian has been accused of grandstanding, but McGough had no comment except to say, "Whatever happens there, we're excited about the synergy it creates."

As for whether the "airport south" area is in danger of being overbuilt, especially given the metro area's glut of office space, Tom McGough said he has no worries.

"This is such a special site, we think we'll be successful," he said.

Plans call for 2 million square feet of office space. Brad King, McGough's marketing chief, added that despite the glut, "there is ample opportunity for high-density office space in this area -- if it's planned properly."

Nonetheless, offices aren't likely to be built on the site for at least a couple of years, The next phase of Bloomington Central Station most likely will be more residential space, King said.

"Before you have strong retail, you need a mass of people."

Between residents, workers, and visitors, McGough expects 8,000 to 10,000 people on the site every day once it's completed.

By clicking on the link below, you will be transferred to the City of Bloomington's website, which has a web video at the bottom of the page with a terrific video/rendering of the Reflections condo project... this whole new "downtown" area, including the condo project at the bottom of the page, is just west of the Mall of America, between the mall and the Wildlife Refuge (check Mapquest to see this location on a map)...

http://www.ci.bloomington.mn.us/cityhall/dept/commdev/planning/econdev/central/central.htm

I mean, just EAST of the Mall of America.

Bloomington Central Station/McGough Development

The approved Bloomington Central Station project is a 43.3 acre mixed-use transit oriented development (TOD) located on the HealthPartners corporate office campus west of 34th Avenue, south of American Boulevard and north of East Old Shakopee Road. The project centers around the Bloomington Central Station, one of three Hiawatha Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations in the City of Bloomington. The project land uses include high density residential (1103 dwelling units), a 200 room full service hotel, office and retail uses and park or common open space with a total project gross floor area of approximately 2,990,600 square feet.

The final development plan for the initial Bloomington Central Station phase is for a high density residential development. The project site is a 2.9 acre parcel east of the existing HealthPartners tower, south of the Hiawatha LRT alignment and north and west of 34th Avenue and East Old Shakopee Road. It will consist of two 17-story residential towers (275 dwelling units) above an underground two level parking structure (33 visitor and 339 resident spaces). Below is a computer generated perspective on the Reflections component of the Bloomington Central Station development.

Web video rendering of project:
http://216.43.109.68:8080/ramgen/misc/reflections.smi

^ This thread pertains to development in downtown Minneapolis.

Yeah, it was pretty foolish of me to assume that anyone interested in downtown Minneapolis development would even be remotely interested in Bloomington, wasn't it? It's not like they're neighbors or anything...

Yeah, it was pretty foolish of me to assume that anyone interested in downtown Minneapolis development would even be remotely interested in Bloomington, wasn't it? It's not like they're neighbors or anything...

Yeah I know what youre sayin. I think that name should be changed to at least MPLS city wide development. But whatever.

I think that would be a good idea... it could include some of the flashy Uptown development as well (speaking of which, did anyone see the article about the new "treehouse" condo proposal for Uptown in today's Star Trib?

Anyone got pics to add of all the condo development in Uptown?

Let me start with this article from today's Star Tribune:

Developers dream of an upsized Uptown
Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune
March 7, 2005

A 287-space surface parking lot behind the Lagoon Theater may soon become the epicenter of an urban earthquake -- a major project that will reshape the Uptown neighborhood.

Supporters say they would be building a gigantic "tree house" with more than 100 condominiums, as well as a public plaza and office space.

Others raise environmental concerns and ask whether it isn't a premature super-sizing of Uptown.

The Ackerberg Group and Clark Gassen in concert with BKV Group architects have the grand designs for the 2.8-acre site that include two curving, architecturally modern structures. Their plans also include an art gallery, an expanded Lagoon movie theater, office space for several hundred employees and 11 floors with more than 100 condominiums above a retail-restaurant space.

Condo modelKyndell HarknessStar Tribune"We've been dreaming through some different options of what to do," said Stuart Ackerberg, whose company has controlled portions of the site for almost a decade.

To proceed, the group will need approvals from the city for the project.

"I was surprised when I saw the plan," said Gary Schiff, chairman of the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee.

Schiff, who coined the super-sizing description, added: "It will dramatically change Uptown as we know it."

While Schiff has some questions, Council Member Dan Niziolek, who represents Uptown, is ready to go.

The block bounded by Lagoon on the south, and Hennepin and Fremont avenues on the west and east, respectively, is slated for two buildings. A European-style plaza would lie between the two -- an office on the east side and condominiums on the west -- connected to the 29th St. greenway and Girard Av. S.

Underneath it all: a 780-space parking garage.

"In our opinion, Uptown is lacking a couple of things: a public space to meet, and there's really no art in Uptown even though it's known for the art fair," Ackerberg said.

A new light

The project also would expand the Lagoon theater from five to eight screens and install stadium-seating theaters, doubling the seating capacity.

A yet-to-be revealed office tenant wants to move 200 jobs into the building. Gassen also expects to move about 100 from his company into a 100,000 square-foot office building.

Niziolek said that move will make Uptown a desirable place for employers. "Just by one player doing that, people will perceive Uptown in a new light. You now can have people live, learn, work, play and shop all in close proximity to each other," Niziolek said.

The developers, who have moved the condo building off the greenway to allay concerns from the Midtown Greenway Coalition, need city permission to build above four stories. The developers are referring to the condominium as "the treehouse," no doubt in part to quell worries about the height.

Tim Springer, executive director of the Midtown Greenway Coalition, is pleased with accommodations the development group has made so far, especially in allowing for future transit.

"They have been very interested in developing a plan that enhances the greenway as much as possible. That is wonderful," he said.

And Springer said the project will help integrate Uptown with the greenway in many ways, including landscaping, public art, lighting and a pedestrian overpass.

Still, some members of the coalition's board, which includes representatives from many neighborhoods, remain concerned about auto traffic from the development as well as long shadows on the greenway from the buildings, he said.

One thing even Schiff likes: the modern architecture, which is full of curves, glass and probably native stone.

First look

The Planning Commission gets its first look at the project on Thursday. Schiff said the commission has yet to even discuss such an increasing density in Uptown.

"It's a choice. We don't stay a small town forever but we have a choice to make about whether we concentrate new development downtown or along the light-rail line or in Uptown," he said.

Schiff, for one, is worried about air quality given that light-rail connections and a midtown streetcar are years off.

"The good thing about that area is it's poised for transit so more density won't just mean more cars. The concern is we're not there yet," he said.

Niziolek countered, "The solution for Uptown is not to stop development but to continue to grow the development in a pattern that supports transit and in parallel to bring that transit to Uptown."

If everything goes smoothly, the condos will be available in December 2006.

Gassen declined to set a price range for the homes, but said there will be a mix, like the rest of Uptown, which includes gracious homes as well as apartments for the younger crowd.

"Some of these homes will have the ability to be spectacular," he said.

Bill Baxley, project manager at BKV Group, calls the overall design of the project "dynamic" and "contextual."

"We don't want a glass office building, we want something a little more rooted," Baxley said.

He refers to a "pedestrian spacial sequence" tying the project to Calhoun Square and calls the design a "sculptural marker for Uptown."

He and the developers are quick to mention that the space currently is a parking lot with no green space, while the project includes an 18,000-square-foot plaza they call a "flexible urban space" for reading, resting, drinking coffee and entering the theaters.

The developers have set an aggressive schedule for approvals because the office tenant would like to move in next year. The Planning Commission vote could occur April 24 with a City Council vote on May 27.

The developers say that under current zoning, the site would accommodate a hulking four-story building, something they say is not nearly as inviting as their proposal.

Ackerberg won't reveal the price of the project except to say it's more than $40 million, a previously published number. What he won't be asking the city for is public subsidies.

"We just don't believe in it," he said. "We've been doing business for 40 years; we've never asked for a subsidy."

But, he warns, "That's why we're not able to compromise on the height of the condominium."

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/Uptown1.jpg

Yeah, it was pretty foolish of me to assume that anyone interested in downtown Minneapolis development would even be remotely interested in Bloomington, wasn't it? It's not like they're neighbors or anything...

Yeah I know what youre sayin. I think that name should be changed to at least MPLS city wide development. But whatever.

Okay children. I'll say this one more time. This thread is about projects in downtown Minneapolis. If you want to post articles about projects in Uptown, Bloomington, Edina or some other city, feel free to start your own thread.

It seems that the next few years will be critical to downtown. Whether other amenities spring up around the new condo developments (fitness clubs, groceries, tranit, restaurants, convenience stores, etc.) will determine whether people stay. If people move downtown and find that life is just as comfortable there as in the 'burbs, but with the added benefits that downtown has to offer, then I don't think there will be a "glut" of condos. If, however, those amenities do not follow, people will soon tire of having to drive out the 'burbs to get the things they need to make life comfortable. Why drive to the 'burbs when you can just live there? It will all hinge on how the Minneapolis City Council sort of "directs" other development around these condos, IMO.

Something long overdue for Uptown. Nice high density in a very underused and potentially dangerous parking lot. I hope it gets approved.

maybe we can be hopeful and think this may push the walker library rebuild to be at a bigger scale.

The Southwest Journal had a story this week on the Walker Library site. They said there are three competing proposals, one being an 8 story condo i believe. It's all very preliminary but imagine the density of the area if all of these projects actually happen.

Okay children. I'll say this one more time. This thread is about projects in downtown Minneapolis. If you want to post articles about projects in Uptown, Bloomington, Edina or some other city, feel free to start your own thread.

I dont think it was too grown up of you to call me a child, I was just stating my opinion. And that is perfectly fine. thank you. :sleepy:

Who the hell gave you power anyways? You sound very pompous.

I agree with you East Side, in order for the DT residential population to really flourish, these necessary amenities will need to be in place. Sounds like theyre trying. My BF and I are planning on moving to the warehouse district in 4 years or so. Damn if we will though, if there isnt a grocery store!

^ Troll elsewhere. The thread is about downtown MPLS. projects so, deal with it. Besides, most people could care less about what's going on in other parts of the Twin Cities. For example, the St. Paul construction thread was overlooked quicker than I thought it would be.

Point taken. I never wanted to start a fight. Jeez if anyone knows me they would know Im not like that. Can I not have an opinion? I dont understand why I am being persecuted for agreeing with someone. I guess you cant do that here....... So I guess Ill go where more mature, nicer people are. This is my last post in this thread.

You are free to have an opinion and that's fine. I had the opinion that it would be ridiculous to start a Twin Cities construction thread for the simple fact that there is so much going on throughout the metro that not many people care to see or read about it. I chose to compile a downtown MPLS. list because I live near (Seward neighborhood) and work in downtown. All my interest is in downtown Minneapolis and I do have some in downtown St. Paul. I honestly don't care what's going on in Lakeville or Woodbury or even Uptown.

BTW, this thread was doing just fine until two or three people decided to dump on it.

In Minneapolitan's defense the first post of this thread does include projects that could be considered "out of downtown" but I agree that suburban stuff has no business here....

I gotta jump to Minneapolitan's defense...

Pride in city, man, 'tis all...

Exactly. The way I see it, if the planning commission plays their cards right and allows such development (condos, eateries), Uptown will rival Chicago's Lincoln Park/Wicker Park neighborhoods as THE place to live in the city limits...

whats wrong with you guys?

guys, this thread is about dowtown minneapolis' developments, nothing else. if you want to start a new thread for projects elsewhere, i will be happy to sticky it for you but subsequent posts not pertaining to this thread's topic will be deleted.

capice?

Sorry guys, I never wanted to start all this, and I sure didnt know this would happen. I guess that wasnt my last post, lol but people say things they dont mean when theyre mad.

So to keep this thread on track, I was wondering about something I heard a while ago about Trump wanting to stick his name or something on the Nicollet building. What is that all about???

^bs. wouldn't read too far into it.

but how about all those high-sal jobs heading to new brighton from medtronic? ;)

walker competition is heating up...
(thanks to tc scape for the heads up)
http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2005/03/02/news/news05.jpg

Task force can't decide what to do with Walker Library
By Michael Metzger

A joint city-Library Board task force missed a Feb. 28 deadline for recommending whether to repair the Walker Library, 2880 Hennepin Ave. S., or replace it with a mixed-use building.

The City Council and Library Board mandated the deadline so the unerground library's parking deck could be repaired this summer. However, a decision was postponed to at least April 1.

The task force now awaits a city-library staff report on whether $700,000 in repairs to the underground Walker's cracked parking deck can wait.

All four developers submitted proposals at a Feb. 23 task force meeting that said a mixed-use building must be taller than the area's four-story zoning limit.

The developers and their proposals are:

Greco Real Estate Development: a five-story building, with four condo levels and an unspecified number of units.

Legacy Management & Development Corp.: A five-story facility with 26 one-bedroom and 26 two-bedroom apartments. Forty percent of the units would be affordable at unspecified income levels.

Central Community Housing Trust: a five-story, 66-unit mixed-income complex. Half the units would be affordable to renters making 30-60 percent of the area median income.

Lander Group: an eight-story building featuring 44 loft-style condos.

Mayor R.T. Rybak, a task force co-chair, said he thinks a four-story structure isn't economically viable but wants more public input before upping the height limit.

"We now know that [a mixed-use building] can't be done under the current zoning. It could be done if you had a taller building, but that decision should not be made without a very thorough and deliberate conversation with the neighborhood about whether that trade-off is worth it."

All the developers struggled to identify funding sources. Each relied on optimistic projections for Neighborhood Revitalization Program funding and contributions from other cash-strapped institutions.

Library Trustee and task force member Diane Hofstede, a vocal supporter of fixing the Walker's roof, said, "Each proposal had some major [funding] problems in them. There would need to be some work done before you could even consider them."

Former City Councilmember and longtime Walker advocate Pat Scott said she's very frustrated that the task force couldn't make a decision by the deadline.

"The inability of the task force to accept that it had timing parameters puts the future of Walker Library in serious doubt," Scott said. "The library system can't handle an additional development at this time since they are beginning the total renovation of two large libraries."

The North Regional and Eask Lake branches are undergoing major renovations.

Library Board President and task force co-chair Rod Krueger said the task force could wait a month to get better data on deck repairs.

"We're just trying to clarify if there is a sense of urgency to get this parking deck fixed right away. If there is, what I think the recommendation would be is to get the parking deck fixed and do a more long-term proper study of mixed-use on that block," he said.

Alex Wakal, who retired last year after 25 years as superintendent of library buildings and grounds, said short-term fixes could forestall major repairs for an indeterminate time. However, he said that judging the risk to the building and its books is difficult because several feet of dirt and concrete cover the rubber membrane.

The Walker task force has no scheduled next meeting, but members said they expect it sometime after April 1.

Here's a letter I sent off to my council member.

Dan I just want to express my feelings on both the Lagoon Parking Lot site and the possible rebuilt Walker Library. First I think the Lagoon site is prime for development. I love the concept the developers are proposing. As far as the library redevelopment, I rather liked the corner in the rendering in the SW Journal, it ties in nicely with Calhoun Square a block away. I believe something this massive next to the Midtown Greenway and the Henn/Bus platform should be of less height and rising midway to an apex then again descending down towards Lagoon. Thereby minimizing the shadow effect on the Greenway and offering the potential new residents some rather large balconies. Perhaps even a nice plaza for library patrons to sit outside and read. Height in the middle could possibly be 6 stories to help the loss of height on the north and south ends. Just a suggestion that many people would have a hard time arguing.

On another note I guess some of my neighbors had a meeting on Sunday night on a rumour that Calhoun Square is interested in buying up houses on the west side of Fremont. I'm not sure if this is true or if I'm in favor of it. I guess I'd have to see what they plan on doing, but getting rid of the residential component on that street would be highly detrimental to the neighborhood. I do like the fact that there is a potential Best Buy component being added to the mix. I've written to Best Buy in the past that since the loss of the Uptown store I've found it extremely aggravating to drive out of Minneapolis to shop at their stores and at the very least they could open up a boutique type store somewhere in Uptown where they could have a few items on display and where people could go and order and perhaps pickup items. I never heard back from them. I think the idea has merit.

I guess all of my concern is somewhat mute since I've currently got my house on the market. I have many reasons, some are just the quality of life issues, some are lack of outdoor space for myself (yard), and another is the fact that for the last 3 years I've received minimal pay raises, this year it's .07%. That's really sad, considering the prices of everything else keeps going up at 100x or more of that dismal payraise. I'm being priced out of my house and neighborhood and their is nothing in the future that I see that is going to change. I find this extremely ironic when just a few years ago the city was forcing all new employees to live in the city. Speaking of jobs, I hope you're not in support of the city's 911 service being taken over by Hennepin County, at least not at this point. There are so many negatives for the residents of Minneapolis if this should happen. Having worked there for over 10 years and knowing the extremely high level of service our 911 service provides, if I hadn't already decided to move, this would be the icing on the cake.

I hope you and yours are well. The twins must be growing tremendously by now, I'm sure quite the handful.

Oh one other thing, I'm glad you voted for the Edgewater redevelopment. I'm sure you got a lot of flack from it but I believe it was the right choice. I may not have always agreed with everything you've done Dan but I respect you and your choices and I'm sorry to see you stepping down.

Sincerely,
Mike PXXXXXXX

thoughts like those make we wish we you were staying to fight!

I'll try to keep my 2 cents in. I'm sure I'll be coming back to the neighborhood on occaision to visit all my friends and neighbors I've made these past 15 years.

^bs. wouldn't read too far into it.

but how about all those high-sal jobs heading to new brighton from medtronic? ;)
Andy, Andy, Andy. Those jobs are just going from one burb to another.

They started assembling the crane for the Carlyle today. So soon this tower will really start moving upwards.

^:)

hot damn, won't it be nice to get some height there?

http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2005/02/16/supplements/2005_spring_real_estate_guide/supp01.jpg

A sneek peek inside Midtown Lofts


The three-story north building offers eight townhomes and eight one- or two-level flats.
A Southwest home for urban hipsters right along the Greenway

Uptown may already possess an abundance of stylish and artistic people, but now it's got an equally stylish place to house them.

Lander Sherman, a Lander Group and Sherman Associates development partnership, will soon complete the Midtown Lofts at 2829 Colfax Ave. S.

Midtown Lofts' 72 units - a combination of townhomes, one- and two-level flats - should be completed by May. However, at press time, only nine units were available, according to Lander Group Marketing Director Wren Aigaki-Lander (daughter of company founder Michael Lander).

While many worry a condo-glut in Minneapolis will result in vacant units - not a nearly sold out before opening day? In addition to the convenience and cool-factor of living in Uptown, not to mention the hopes of someday making a mint on a resell, these lofts are a striking neighborhood addition, inside and out.

The basics

Midtown Lofts is comprised of three buildings: two four-stories that face the Midtown Greenway and a two-and-a-half and three story row of townhomes just to their north. The 56 units available in the south or greenway-facing buildings are one-or two-levels and start at $299,900. The 16 two-and-a-half-story townhomes begin at $419,000. The units vary widely in size, from roughly 750 to 1,750 square feet.

Although a residents association is yet to be formed (since most people haven't moved in yet), Aigaki-Lander expects the residents-group-to-be will set association fees at 18-20 cents per square-foot monthly (approximately $570 for a $300,000 unit). Association dues will go towards such upkeep basics as snow removal, as well as amenities.

One such amenity is the common courtyard. Aigaki-Lander expects the landscaped garden area, complete with a fountain, to be finished in May. Additionally, each resident owns his or her own underground parking stall (an additional stall costs $19,000).

'It' factor

To be blunt, Midtown Lofts' artful design makes some nearby "modern" developments look like oatmeal and cinderblock cubes.

In addition to varying in height, the exteriors of the three Lofts buildings are a veritable patchwork of colors and materials. Yellow stucco, red brick, galvanized metal and "Hardiplank," a durable material that compensates for wood siding and trim, combine to form a sort of giant collage.

Aigaki-Lander said adding such texture to the traditional neighborhood mix is important to the developers. "I think that [texture] is probably one of the strengths of this type of design," she said.

On the inside, residents can select either a "traditional" or "loft" floor plan - "loft" meaning less separation between the bedroom and main living area than normal - and a "traditional" or "contemporary" interior finish.

Aigaki-Lander said a buyer attracted to the classic bulb-shaped doorknob would best stick to the traditional finish. They may not appreciate the sleek, handle-like "knobs" of the contemporary finish.

This differences goes deeper than doorknobs. Significant traditional finish options include hardwood (cherry) cabinets, kitchen islands, hardwood floors, tiled bathroom floors and carpet. Because of the cost associated with these finishes, opting for the traditional finish is going to be pricier.

Contemporary finish can mean sealed-concrete and/or high-gloss, birch plywood floors. Ductwork remains exposed, to give that semi-industrial/warehouse-like feel.

While concrete flooring may sound clunky and cold, Aigaki-Lander pointed out how the contemporary style lends a lighter, airy feel that seems to expand the space. While touring one home, she pointed to a stairwell "wall" made of wood slats, as opposed to drywall, that allowed light to filter through.

Whether traditional or contemporary, each unit has plenty of windows. "The concept is to let the light in," Aigaki-Lander said. "And really try to keep the space open even though you are keeping a separation between living spaces."

Environment-friendly design

Aigaki-Lander said the developers also incorporated a few environment-friendly designs in Midtown Lofts for responsible buyers.

Interface Flor's recycled-carpet squares change carpet-cleaning-as-we-know-it, for example. "If you spill on them," Aigaki-Lander said. "You can just pick them up and wash them and throw them back down."

Such options might be a sign of things to come for future Lander developments.

One Midtown Loft unit, the "green unit," serves as a demonstration home for the Lander Group's enviro-friendly research and development arm, Lander Green.

The green unit features recycled rubber floors, recycled-content sheetrock and cabinetry with formaldehyde-free veneer among other earth-friendly touches. Aigaki-Lander said it features water-conserving or low-flow appliances as well, such as dual-flush toilets. "That's sort of the 'next thing' in environmental bathrooms," she said. "Yep, it's got a full-flush and a half-flush, depending on your need."

Whether the half-flush will fly with consumers remains to be seen. However, residents and neighbors of the swank new development can bank on more condos coming to their area.

Midtown Lofts is the first phase of the 192-unit Urban Village project - meaning 122 additional condos, duplexes and townhomes - between Aldrich and Dupont avenues along this stretch of railway-turned-bikeway.

For more information, visit themidtownlofts.com.


http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2004/12/01/news/news09.jpg
An aerial illustration of the promenade at Bryant Ave. S. and the 29th Street corridor.

Promenade and road repair to go with Urban Village


An aerial illustration of the promenade at Bryant Ave. S. and the 29th Street corridor.
The first part of Urban Village, a 190-unit Wedge neighborhood development, is nearly complete after eight years. Tenants have begun moving into the Midtown Lofts, a 72-unit condo project between Bryant and Colfax avenues along the Midtown Greenway's northern edge. The two-phase project will eventually run between Aldrich and Dupont avenues.

The city is now preparing to build a Midtown Greenway promenade along the stretch next spring and summer, according to city Project Manager Mitchell Sawh.

At the November meeting of the Lowry Hill East (Wedge) Neighborhood Association, Sawh showed illustrations of the sloped ramp that will bring bikers and pedestrians to the greenway.

Sawh said the promenade stretches from Aldrich to Colfax and is designed to create a gathering place for people, while providing corridor access.

He said the $340,000 project would add trees, shrubs and a retaining wall consistent with others used on the greenway. Sidewalks, benches and a wrought iron fence are also included.

City and state taxpayers will pay for the project, but once completed, the Midtown Lofts Building Association will own it and be in charge of maintenance.

Sawh said a staircase might be added, but that could delay construction. The greenway has state historic designation and the State Historic Preservation Office must approve changes, he explained.

The city also plans a mill and overlay of the 2800 block of Aldrich Avenue in 2005.

Country Home Builders, Inc. will add 52 townhome and 58 loft units to the 2800 block of Aldrich and Bryant avenues next year. Another parcel along the 2800 block of Colfax will be developed by Brighton Development but not for a few years.

http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2005/03/02/neighbors/neighbor02.jpg

Updated East Calhoun development design released



The Edgewater, as seen from East Calhoun Parkway.
By Robyn Repya
A new design for the Edgewater, a six-story, 23-unit condominium building at West Lake Street & East Calhoun Parkway, was released at a January meeting of the East Calhoun Community Organization (ECCO).

The new design has three fewer units and features an exterior with more stone and less glass. A green roof, which will capture approximately 70 to 80 percent of runoff, will also be part of the project.

In addition, the new plans also show the building's top floor will step down from six stories to four on the west end, closest to Lake Calhoun's shore.

Developer Clark Gassen, president of Financial Freedom Realty, said the design changes come from the work project's neighbors and his desire to differentiate the building design from other new buildings in town.

Last year, the ECCO and CARAG neighborhood groups withheld support of the project, which the City Council ultimately approved. (The East Isles neighborhood voted to support the new development plans.) Critics had voiced concern about the project's height and that the design featured too much glass in an otherwise traditional-looking district.

Gassen said 13 of the 23 units have been sold. The condos are 1,300-3,000 square feet and start at $700,000, though some exceed $1.2 million. He recently added a 24-hour-a-day concierge due to buyer demand.

For more information about the project, visit www.gatewaytouptown.com.

More condos coming to Uptown

The new Uptown-based real estate company Financial Freedom Realty, 1406 W. Lake St., is planning to build 27 to 30 condominiums at 2936 Emerson Ave. S., between Lake Street and Lagoon Avenue.

FFR owner Clark Gassen recently purchased the building from the Ackerberg Group, a large Uptown real estate business that previously occupied the site along with a Fairview heath clinic. The Ackerberg group is now at 3033 Excelsior Blvd.

Gassen said he's planning to have retail space on the first floor and the condos above. Sales for the new condominium units will begin in February. New condo units in the building will sell for between $170,000 and $400,000, Gassen said.

For more information about the project, visit www.ff-realty.com.

http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2004/12/15/news/news02.jpg
The Weisman Building (right) will be the site of new condos next to the Calhoun Beach Club (left).

High times may return to Lake Calhoun


The Weisman Building (right) will be the site of new condos next to the Calhoun Beach Club (left).
Three housing projects could test shoreland development height limits

While the housing redevelopment business is red-hot downtown, the craze has returned to Lake Calhoun's north shore.

Three unrelated projects are close enough to the lake to trigger the city's Shoreland Overlay District, a statute limiting how tall buildings near most Minneapolis bodies of water can be. In the past, height has been a major flashpoint between residents and lakes-area developers, and the Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhood finds itself grappling with a possibly controversial trio.

The three projects are:

- 100 new high-end condos on the site of the Warco-Variant building, 3104 W. Lake St. The land is next to the new Tryg's Restaurant, 3118 W. Lake St. The

developer is St. Louis Park-based Mathwig Development.

- 150 rental units where the former Ministers Life Insurance headquarters now sits, 3100 W. Lake St., behind the Lake Pointe Corporate Centre. The project is a joint venture between Uptown developer Stuart Ackerberg and the Village Green Company, which completed two condo developments in the Lyn-Lake area this year. Ackerberg owns the site.

- A condo/retail project replacing the Weisman Enterprises building at 2626 W. Lake St. -- known for its prominent spyglass facing Lake Calhoun. The CARAG-based Lander Group is the developer and has a purchase agreement.

Preliminary plans

Mathwig Development owner Troy Mathwig said he plans to develop condominiums in Southwest because "so much of the fear of [condo] saturation is downtown. Right now, there's so much room to grow" near Lake Calhoun.

Mathwig said his condos would be high-end, two-plus bedroom units. He said he hopes to start construction in late 2005, figuring for a 15-month construction time before occupants can move in.

Ackerberg said plans for his apartment project with Village Green aren't fully developed yet; the building will share parking with the Lake Pointe Corporate Centre building. "The condo market is hot, but we think long-term is rental housing," he said.

Ackerberg said construction should start in late 2005, with occupancy by late 2006. He said he's talked with a few residents and has identified parking and traffic issues that needs more work. Ackerberg said he plans to go back to the Cedar-Isles-Dean Neighborhood Association (CIDNA) with more information soon.

Lander Group President Michael Lander said he's in the very early planning stages of the Weisman site development, just east of the Calhoun Beach Club. For example, he said he still hasn't decided how many units the project will have.

Lander said Weisman Enterprises would relocate. He said he hopes to start construction by 2006, a schedule that allows lots of planning time. He will host a Jan. 13 public meeting to discuss his plans with residents (see information box).

Zoning and Lake Calhoun

Developers for each project have met informally with a CIDNA committee in recent months to discuss their plans and neighborhood development goals.

Bob Corrick, co-chair of CIDNA's Redevelopment Committee, said his group approved "development guidelines" in December so developers would know the neighborhood's expectations.

The guidelines address everything from aesthetics, zoning and sound to traffic, parking and environmental mitigation, plus many other concerns.

Corrick said the height issue brought some concerned residents of Lake Calhoun's east side to a recent meeting.

The city's Shoreland Overlay District (SOD) limits buildings within 1,000 feet of a body of water to no more than two-and-a-half stories or 35 feet high whichever is lower. However, the city can give a conditional-use permit (CUP) to bypass the restriction.

Such permits are common, as existing high-rises such as the Calhoun Beach Club indicate. In November, the City Council allowed the 28-unit Edgewater condo redevelopment at 1805 W. Lake St. on Lake Calhoun's east side of Lake Calhoun to have six stories.

The decision provoked vocal opposition at neighborhood meetings in the surrounding East Calhoun, East Isles and CARAG neighborhoods. Corrick said some of those residents attended CIDNA's meeting, voicing concern about the height potential for the new developments.

Neighbors eventually appealed the Edgewater's CUP to the Council but lost. While neighborhoods commonly make recommendations to the Minneapolis Planning Commission and City Council, neighborhoods have no formal "veto power."

Corrick said CIDNA so far has no comment on any of the three new proposals in their neighborhood.

Absent Shoreland Overlay limits, the zoning for the three Cedar-Isles-Dean parcels permits a four-story building or one that is up to 56 feet tall. All were aware that the Edgewater was able to bypass the shoreland limits. However, none of the developers has decided on their building's height.

While Mathwig said the city's Edgewater decision could set a precedent for other developments, Ackerberg said each neighborhood would probably confront the height issue in its own way.

Each developer said he would discuss his building's height with residents and plan to visit the CIDNA board with updates and for dialogue as his projects progress.

http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2004/12/01/news/news11.jpg
The historic Suburban World Theater, 3022 Hennepin Ave. S.


The historic Suburban World Theater, empty since May 2002, is finally showing signs of life.

At the November CARAG neighborhood meeting, Southwest property owner Don Driggs, who purchased the 3022 Hennepin Ave. S. building last year, said theater events are planned. He hopes to schedule more arts and music events and resurrect the Saturday morning cartoon shows at the theater.

Driggs, a Southwest property owner, paid $625,000 for the Suburban World, according to city property-tax records. He said it took him a few years to complete the sale because the site was involved in a bankruptcy and foreclosure. He added that much time has been spent cleaning the long-vacant theater.

Driggs said he would soon have more information for the community about his plans. Residents at the CARAG meeting thanked Driggs for his work and for doing something with the space.

whats Dinkytown..?

Dinkytown's a neighborhood adjoining the U of M.

Here's an article about a theater rehab taking place there with some history on the name 'Dinkytown'.
http://www.citypages.com/databank/26/1266/article13401.asp

Neighbors get look at redeveloped Calhoun Square

http://www.swjournal.com/content/articles/2004/10/21/neighbors/neighbors01.jpg
Three views of a redeveloped Calhoun Square: (top) the Hennepin Avenue side between Lake Street and West 31st Street, featuring housing on the 31st Street corner; (middle) the view from West Lake Street, between Girard Avenue and Hennepin; and the view from West 31 Street (bottom), showing the new housing. Illustrations courtesy of North American Properties.


Jay Scott, principal of North American Properties, brought a preliminary draft of the $75 million Calhoun Square redevelopment project to the CARAG neighborhood board Oct. 19. Neighbors filled the room to get a peak at illustrations and ask questions about the project North American Properties acquired the complex this spring, along with all buildings on the 3000 block of Hennepin, the vacant lot north of the parking ramp and Lake Street buildings between Hennepin and Girard. Scott said talks are still underway to purchase the Music-Go-Round building, 1301 W. Lake St.

The illustration he presented showed a block-long retail complex with an additional story-and-a-half on the parking ramp and 60 housing units along West 31st Street and on the corner of Lake Street & Girard Avenue.

Scott said North American would demolish the buildings that contain the Lotus restaurant, 3037 Hennepin Ave. S. and City Image Salon, 3049 Hennepin Ave. S. and as well as those housing The Great Frame Up, 1407 W. Lake St. and the Passage to India Restaurant, 1401 W. Lake St.

He said the reconfiguration would add up to 100,000 square feet to the complex.

Leasing agent Anne Knuth said North American wants to lure retailers who currently have no or one Minneapolis stores.

Scott has talked with existing retailers such as Express about expanding. Knuth said that she's talked to Borders about expanding into a two-level bookstore, but nothing has been finalized.

Scott said he doesn't see a need to increase Calhoun Square's restaurant or entertainment businesses, and will instead focus on retail and bringing more people to the complex during the day.

He said that would be done by adding housing and office space on the center's upper levels. Knuth also said a new mall entrance east of Figlio's could boost traffic in tucked-away areas the complex's east side. "The objective is really to open the mall itself," Scott said. "Right now, it's a very heavy presence on the corner."

Residents questioned Scott and Knuth about the taller ramp and potential noise increases. Some also expressed concern about housing that could rise as high as four stories. Scott said the plan is a work in progress and there's plenty of time to change it and incorporate new ideas.

Scott said the illustration will be the first of many, and said he'd return to the neighborhood for more discussion. Once a final concept is polished, construction would hopefully begin in early 2005, beginning with the parking ramp he said. Scott said the project would be done in phases spread over the next three to five years.

hell yeah, thanks for digging up all of those articles!

Here's a better rendering of the new Edgewater condos.
http://www.ff-realty.com/images/Edgewater_Rendering.jpg
http://www.gatewaytouptown.com/

Here's a better rendering of the new Edgewater condos.
http://www.ff-realty.com/images/Edgewater_Rendering.jpg
http://www.gatewaytouptown.com/


I think that anchors the corner much better than what is there right now.

thats really pretty nice, i'm very glad we didn't get another 301 kenwood rehash.
thanks for the rendering.

...and nice - only 5 units left. lets get another one of these!

I always liked these pics of the new Uptown City Lofts. Anyone have some actual pictures of the completed unit?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/uptown6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/uptown5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/uptown4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/uptown3.jpg

And, just for fun, I threw in a rendering of one of the other new projects going up, I forget the name:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/uptown2.jpg

Oh, I remember now... that bottom rendering is of the Midtown Lofts...

Here's a couple of photos I took of the Midtown Greenway last weekend.

http://www.colinkulow.com/twincityscape/mg_01.jpg

http://www.colinkulow.com/twincityscape/mg_02.jpg

I don't care that much for those Uptown City Apartments. They remind me too much of Block E.

agreed, looks like a faux wild west deal.
the midtown lofts, on the other hand, excellent use of contemporary materials.

agreed, looks like a faux wild west deal.
the midtown lofts, on the other hand, excellent use of contemporary materials.

definately, I really like how the brick is used on Midtown.

The Uptown Apartments were going to look much worse. You should have seen their first proposals when they brought them to the neighborhoods. I agree they do look quite fake and I wish they would have done something to the east side of the building. I mean really, the upper row is fake painted shutters on a cement facade.

I think that anchors the corner much better than what is there right now.

I still find it hard to believe that neighbors (to the south no less) were the biggest complainers. No loss of sun to them. It's going to improve the look and first impression of anyone entering into the neighborhood. Dang, what's wrong with people. :weirdo:

A bit of a side note...

Major car crash in Uptown today destroyed a historic building which housed the upscale Sudz Salon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/uptown7.jpg

It's unfortunate to see ornate old architecture destroyed in a flash. Maybe they can re-create if/when they rebuild?

Oh, and just so I don't sound like an insensitive jackass (caring more about the building than the people involved), no one was seriously injured in that accident, just scratches...

Here is a link to an editorial in the Star Trib from this weekend, discussing The Nicollet, and the impact of all of the residential development in downtown MPLS. (Registration may be req'd).

http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/5287413.html

I agree on the average quality of the uptown village apartments and the city should be diligent with this company, (village green), who is involved in a larger project closer to lake calhoun, that we get better than a hollywood set looking design. Midtown Lofts are excellent, it's like a marker for good design in that neighborhood.

The Carlyle now has a tower crane.
http://umbrage.iexposure.com/carlylecam/current.jpg

in-motha-fucking-deed! wouldn't it be nice if they kept the sidewalks open during construction?

Has there been a recent list of major projects/proposals in Minneapolis? I'd love to see it if there is.

not really anything major of late, things will heat up again with the weather.
you can always check out twincityscape.com/forum, anything new is always there.

Colle & McVoy is the company interested in the proposed condo/office development on Lagoon. They are looking at Edina, Downtown Mpls, and Uptown. Check out the Business Journal (Print Edition)

^Thanks for the link.

Hey, are there any new big developments going on in St. Paul? That city does not get represented enough. :(

*UPDATE*

Neighborhood supports 1016 Marquette condos
By Jeremy Stratton

The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) recommended city approval of a proposed 11-story condominium in-fill project at 1016 Marquette Ave.

The developer, MSP Commercial, gained DMNA's nod at the group's March meeting with a revised exterior design. An earlier iteration by architects Tanek, Inc. had received "mixed reviews," according to Alex Young, MSP's vice president of development.

The new design features more glass and a prominent curving rooftop to give the building a more stylish, transparent appearance than the previous boxy design.

"This project is intended to ... draw [potential tenants] into the sights, sounds, smells of Downtown," Young said. "You can walk out on your balcony; other [condominiums] might have great views but not necessarily operable windows."

The 5,170-square-foot site also dictates the project's design. The tiny plot of land is more than twice as deep as its Marquette Avenue frontage. Developers are seeking "setback" variances on three sides of the building that would allow them to build closer to the property lines than currently allowed. Tanek's Jim Lindborg explained that there wouldn't be enough footage for a viable project otherwise.

The project would include seven 3,300-3,400-square-foot units, one per floor, above-ground-level parking with a two-car space for each unit. A two-level, 5,000-square-foot penthouse tops the building, covered by the curving roof structure above. Each unit would have a long south-facing balcony (toward 11th Street) interrupted in the middle by a prominent copper column that architects expect to take on a green "patina."

Elevators from the lobby open directly into the units - just one uncommon feature that DMNA board members found intriguing.

Units are not yet being presold, Young said. He expects the project to go before the Minneapolis Planning Commission in early April, with a possible summer groundbreaking and occupancy by spring 2006.

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/03/21/news/news04.jpg

Very nice. Hopefully it will get approval and start going up soon.

Well, this doesn't quite fit in this topic, but I don't know where else to post it and I'm not starting a new thread. It does show the LRT and downtown though, so it's kind of relevent.

I snuck into my condo that's being built on Sunday to check out my view for the first time. I bought this place without knowing exactly what the view was going to look like.

I'm not happy about the cheesy townhomes and power lines in the way, but I can't wait to sit on my balcony and watch the LRT trains go by with downtown in the distance:

Balcony
http://img51.exs.cx/img51/2862/condoview22if.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Bedroom window
http://img51.exs.cx/img51/5531/condoview31dw.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Yay! I'm excited.

hey, sweet! congratulations!
and is that a red lrv? i don't think i've seen that ad, isn't a state farm one, like the buses? not the lotto one, right?

hey, sweet! congratulations!
and is that a red lrv? i don't think i've seen that ad, isn't a state farm one, like the buses? not the lotto one, right?

Thanks. Actually, I think that was a hot pink LRT. I'm not sure what the ad was for. I've seen an all blue one too.

aww man, you're right next to Minnehaha Park. Dang that's a nice spot. Lucky.

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/current/front/condo_map.pdf

Looks like The Nicollet is now up to 56 stories. In last week's Skyway News (I can't find the article), the developer indicated that it would be 100 feet taller than Target's headquarters across the street.

On a semi-related note, as some of you might know, Al Franken is thinking about running for senate in 2008 in Minnesota. I'd love to vote for him... but I can't.

On a semi-related note, as some of you might know, Al Franken is thinking about running for senate in 2008 in Minnesota. I'd love to vote for him... but I can't.

That'd be funny. Stuart Smalley for senate....I can just picture the campaign......

"Minnesota deserves good things. Minnesota is entitled to it's share of happiness. Minnesota refuses to beat itself up. Minnesota is an attractive state. Stuart Smalley for Senate....all I have to do is be the best Senator I can be....because you know what?.....I deserve to be Senator.....because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggonit, people like me!"

maybe the ad is one of the "fresh air" raps celebrating the smoking ban? i know they were supposed to get an lrv ad.

On a semi-related note, as some of you might know, Al Franken is thinking about running for senate in 2008 in Minnesota. I'd love to vote for him... but I can't.

he said no way about a month ago.

maybe the ad is one of the "fresh air" raps celebrating the smoking ban? i know they were supposed to get an lrv ad.


I'm pretty sure those are the blue ones. I'll find out about the hot pink ones.

He just said he was seriously thinking about it last night on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/current/front/condo_map.pdf

Looks like The Nicollet is now up to 56 stories. In last week's Skyway News (I can't find the article), the developer indicated that it would be 100 feet taller than Target's headquarters across the street.

yeah, but 6 of those stories are going to be the fin.

Al Franken recently bought a home in Minneapolis and plans to broadcast his radio show from there next year. That pink/red train is advertising the smoking ban. Nice view anti-cheesehead!

I'm pretty sure those are the blue ones. I'll find out about the hot pink ones.


i think those are the "do..." ones from bc/bs of mn.

i think those are the "do..." ones from bc/bs of mn.

trust me... the "do" ones are blue.

Cornered by nostalgia at 50th, France

David Peterson, Star Tribune
April 4, 2005

Linda Ward and her husband asked all the right questions two years ago before they opened a small boutique near the corner of 50th and France.

"We asked everybody, 'Is anything going to happen here in the next five years?' The city and everyone else said 'no.' One shop owner said, 'It's fabulous here, we've been here for 20 years.' "

Oops.

One of the most cherished neighborhood shopping districts in the Twin Cities metro region is about to undergo a dramatic transformation -- one that is expected to leave it a lot less quaint, a lot less quirky, a lot less anchored in its comfortable past than it is today.

In a move that is delighting many, dismaying others and startling almost everyone, many of the shops on the south side of W. 50th Street, at the border of Minneapolis and Edina, either have been or are about to be wiped out. It looks as if all four corners soon will be anchored by national chain stores.

A huge part of the southwest corner is to be replaced by a glitzy, four-story ocean liner of condominiums built above storefronts. Across France Avenue S., what had been three local shops are expected to give way to an Ann Taylor Loft, a chain store already found in local malls.

Sue Busch of Chanhassen, strolling along W. 50th Street last week with her daughters on a girls' day out, had one word for it all: "Sad."

50th and France, she said, risks losing what draws people to it in the first place. "It's the quaintness, the small-town coffee-shop feeling. There's an Ann Taylor Loft at Eden Prairie Center!"

New development

Daughter Kelsey, 13, said it reminded her of the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie "You've Got Mail," in which the gleefully predatory Fox Books threatens the future of the charming little independent children's bookstore, "The Shop Around the Corner."

The website of the Lunds supermarket on W. 50th Street makes clear that it's the entrepreneurs, not the Banana Republics, who give the shopping district its charm. Lunds boasts that its store "melds perfectly with the surrounding cozy and creative area boutiques."

A lot of others, however, love the look of the proposed 5000 France, a project one city official described as "New Orleans" -- with iron residential balconies, set back from storefronts, overlooking the busy street.

Linda Smith, co-owner of a tiny gift shop that is losing its spot, offered the best summary of the range of reactions to what's about to happen.

"It's 50-50 among my customers," she said. "Half want to buy one of the condos. The other half say, 'Oh my God, we're losing all the little shops!' "

If she wanted to stay, she said, her rent would nearly double, making it impossible to make a living "selling cards for two dollars."

Colleen St. James, who runs the neighborhood's business association, admits that it's a "bittersweet" feeling to have chain stores replace individual owners. "A lot of buildings here are 70 years old," she said.

On the bright side

Only about a quarter of the district's businesses, though, are national, she said. And she thinks an upscale retailer such as Ann Taylor is a "good fit," unlike another chain, Christopher & Banks, which made only a brief appearance in the district before slinking off.

"The nationals can be comforting," St. James said. "I go to Starbucks. But most of them don't get as involved in the local community as a local owner does."

Tom Lohmann, principal of Pinehurst Properties, which transformed the northeast corner of 50th and France a few years ago, sweeping a gas station out of the way in favor of an imposing brick edifice with offices built over national chain stores, has fond memories of what the area once was.

"I used to take the kids to the 'dollar breakfast' at Clancy's," he said, referring to a legendary drugstore and soda fountain whose patrons now head for a Walgreen's instead -- minus the soda fountain. "But the boutiques have a tough time making it. They turn over every couple of years."

The nostalgic mood, he added, also can overlook the darker side of the past. The gas station replaced by his building had multiple "curb cuts," or points at which danger was created between cars and pedestrians. Same thing at Arby's, formerly a Red Barn hamburger joint, which is about to be demolished to make way for the shops and condominium development.

'First class'

Dick Curtin is among those not quite certain what to make of it all. He owns the property recently occupied by Ampersand, a boutique that has decamped for the Galleria in Edina. The former Minneapolis City Council member describes 5000 France as a "very first-class project that will enhance property values."

But he would like to put a first-class restaurant with rooftop dining in the Ampersand building, right beside the condos and their balconies, and he worries about clashes with condo owners.

Ward, who commutes from Ames, Iowa, to oversee the folks who run her boutique, called Nesting, is about as ambivalent as everyone else.

The drawings of the new condo development are "beautiful," she said. But they will literally block out her sunlight and create a wholly different feel.

"I didn't locate in Galleria because I liked the uniqueness of the shops. Look down this street: How many different kinds of awnings can you count?

Today there's a "for lease" sign in her window, not because she's determined to get out, but because she wants it known she might consider it.

It's just too hard to tell, she said, what's about to become of 50th and France.

Here are pictures from the proposed 50th/France redevelopment:

Current (corner of 50th & France in Edina as it looks today):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/edina1.jpg

... and the proposed redevelopment of the same street corner:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/JT-MI/edina2.jpg

it looks like a good fit for the area to me.

*UPDATE - 21 Century Towers

I just saw the new design for this project and it's a great improvement. There is also a new name the Eclipse and a new floor count of 26 and 32 stories.

Eclipse

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/04/04/news/news06.jpg

From Skyway News:

Eclipse will rise in phases. The first, 26-story tower, scheduled to open in 2007, faces Washington & Hennepin's northwest corner. The second, 32-story building will rise along Hennepin Avenue. The overall project has 506 units, eight parking levels (four underground) and 32,720 square feet of commercial space, including a drive-through bank.

The project's most noteworthy proposed amenity is a golf simulator, a 30-by-12-foot room in which up to four people can enjoy a virtual 18 holes. Other attractions include a spa and massage studio, card, board and community rooms, and an indoor pool adjacent to glass that can be opened out onto fourth-floor rooftop green space.

When and if plans are approved, Shamrock will begin selling Phase One units from the adjacent Dolphin Staffing building, which will also be removed to make way for the second tower. Construction could begin this summer.

Thanks. Actually, I think that was a hot pink LRT. I'm not sure what the ad was for. I've seen an all blue one too.
i was on a pink one last friday (I even stopped at minneahaha falls) I think the ad was for like fresh air because of the smoking ban thing.

Eclipse

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/04/04/news/news06.jpg

26-story + 32-story towers

506 units



and it's green! I'm excited about this one fo sho!

It's a block that can obviously use some strengthening and mass building. That Arby's is just too out of place. On a side note I try to avoid driving through this area like the plague, the traffic congestion is horrible, sometimes taking 2 lights to get through one intersection is unacceptable.

Eclipse will consist of towers of 270 feet and 360 feet. That will add a tall boost to the northwest corner of dt.

The new Eclipse is going to add to the green, blue and silver atmosphere of the buildings downtown. It's a huge improvement over the stale brick ghetto look of the original.

To me it looks like any other suburban development you can see in any city. Not impressive IMO. Not ugly, just eye-rollingly redundant.

Slightly out of the area but does anyone have photos of the new waterpark.
Its called waterpark of amarica They ar building it across 77/cedar ave from the mall of amarica.

No pictures but I was driving past it about a week ago and saw the cranes up. It should be rather eye catching from the freeway.

*UPDATE*

1010 Park Avenue
-380-400-unit project
-will rise a block east of the newly opened Grant Park development and a block south of the Skyscape condo tower, which is currently under construction
- 8, 16, 21, and 31-story towers.

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/04/18/news/news02.jpg

(from http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2005/04/18/story1.html)

Giant condo project planned in Elliot Park
Sarah McKenzie
Staff Writer

A St. Paul development company has proposed a four-tower, 396-unit condo development in Elliot Park -- a project that would dramatically alter the landscape of the downtown Minneapolis neighborhood.

The towers, ranging from eight to 34 stories, would rise near the neighborhood's new 27-story, 327-unit Grant Park condo tower. The condos would span a 2.8-acre block on South 10th Street between Park and Portland avenues.

The development would be more expensive and larger in scope than the $100 million Grant Park -- a project many have credited with sparking a wave of redevelopment in the neighborhood on the southeastern edge of downtown.

Heritage Development, a company that has previously focused on residential projects in the Twin Cities suburbs, secured support from Elliot Park neighborhood leaders this week for a conceptual plan for the project called 1010 Park.

The developer has met with city planning officials and expects to go before the Minneapolis Planning Commission sometime this summer, said Michael Moriarty, director of development for Heritage.

The four condo towers would be built in two phases. An eight-story and 16-story tower would go up during the first phase. Pending city approvals, the developers would like to break ground next spring. The towers would face Park Avenue.

The second phase would include a 27-story and 34-story tower facing Portland Avenue, across the street from Grant Park and behind the Balmoral Apartments and R.S. Eden House, a housing facility and treatment center for people recovering from substance abuse.

Condo floor plans, pricing and the timing of construction will be dictated by future market conditions, Moriarty said.

The architect on the project is Minneapolis-based DJR Architecture Inc.

Heritage's massive four-tower condo proposal comes on the heels of two other condo projects proposed near Grant Park. A 26-story, 250-unit condo tower called Skyscape is slated to rise across the street from the Heritage site. The developer, Chicago-based Tandem Developers, said the project is nearly 50 percent sold. Tandem plans to break ground later this spring.

Horty Elving, an architectural firm based in the neighborhood, has proposed a 20-story, 136-unit condo high-rise south of Grant Park. The tower, called the Fifth Avenue Gateway, would be built on a parking lot next to the firm's offices at 505 E. Grant St.

If all of the projects move forward and become fully occupied, the neighborhood of roughly 6,500 people stands to gain more than 1,000 new residents. Elliot Park has long been dominated by renters.

From suburban to urban

Heritage's development plans for Elliot Park mark its first entry into an urban neighborhood. The development company was founded by Jeffrey Gardner in 1988. It has developed about a dozen residential projects in the Twin Cities. It's working on other developments in Wisconsin, Kansas, Indiana and Florida.

The company is a member of the JAG Investment Group, a diversified multi-state real estate company that includes Argus Homes, Omni Investments, Hennessy Financial and Assured Financial.

Moriarty, a Boston native who started working for Heritage a year ago, said he's excited about what Elliot Park has to offer.

"It's really a cool, eclectic neighborhood," he said.

However, the developer sees room for improvement and would like to see 1010 Park make the neighborhood more vibrant. Besides new condos, the development would include 17,000 square feet of neighborhood retail on 10th Street.

Possible tenants include a bistro, hair salon and dry cleaner.

"It will be more of a destination place for residents -- not just a bedroom tower," Moriarty said, adding that Heritage wants to create the feel of something like Boston's Quincy Market, a large open-air market.

The firm also plans to preserve three buildings on the block: the historic Hinkle-Murphy Mansion; the Baker building, home to a new coffeehouse called E.P. Atelier and Gallery Atitlan; and the Enger building, which houses a popular new art gallery called Outsiders and Others.

Heritage also has agreed to negotiate new, long-term leases with the building's existing tenants.

Sharon Kanan, a co-owner of the coffeehouse E.P. Atelier who served on a neighborhood task force that reviewed the Heritage proposal, said she's excited about 1010 Park, particularly the plans for new retail and new landscaping on 10th Street.

Green roof

In addition, the developer wants to top the towers with green roofs -- a layer of vegetation designed to filter storm water. Heritage also will hold a landscape design contest for the overall project at the University of Minnesota's College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

Minneapolis City Council member Lisa Goodman, who represents the neighborhood, has voiced support for the project. "I love the historic preservation included in this development. The Hinkle-Murphy Mansion has been a centerpiece for the community and an icon for the neighborhood," Goodman said in a statement.

David Fields, a building, housing and land-use coordinator for Elliot Park Neighborhood Inc., called 1010 Park an ambitious and complicated proposal that will further add density to the neighborhood.

The neighborhood needs more residential density to attract more retail, Fields said. So far, retailers have stayed away from Elliot Park. The area is home to a few coffee shops, small grocery stores and the Band Box Diner, a hip hangout at 729 S. 10th St.

Mary Bujold, president of Maxfield Research Inc., a Minneapolis multifamily consultant, said Heritage's four-tower condo proposal will be viable if the project is broken into phases and priced to compete with other residential projects hitting the market.

She compared Elliot Park to the Loring Park of years ago, noting that new development has sparked a renewed interest in a neighborhood once seen by some people as an undesirable place to live.

"I think Grant Park totally changed the character of the Elliot Park neighborhood," she said. "I think Elliot Park has always been a strong part of the downtown area, and now it's becoming even stronger."


-----------------------------
looks like we have some discrepencies in the height. Skyway says 21, 31 and Biz says 27, 34

This has been shown on other forums, but for those of you who haven't seen it, here is a small recap of the major towers planned, approved or under construction in downtown Minneapolis. It shows some new renderings of The Nicollet, 1010 Park and the 5th Avenue Gateway towers. I'd kinda disregard some of the story and unit counts, especially on 1010 Park. This is the third set of different numbers we've recieved now.


http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/620/3106towers.jpg

Sweet!!!! :eek2: ^ That will make coming in on I 35w diferent.

Twins, Hennepin have stadium deal
Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune
April 24, 2005 STAD0424

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news24/3stad0424.l.jpg

With a new promise of $125 million from Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad in hand, Hennepin County will seek state permission to increase the local sales tax for a Warehouse District ballpark in downtown Minneapolis.

Under the terms of the plan to be unveiled at a Metrodome press conference Monday, the Twins and the county would build a $360 million, 42,000-seat open-air stadium. The site is near the confluence of Interstate Hwy. 394, the end of the Hiawatha Light Rail line and the proposed Northstar commuter rail in downtown Minneapolis.

The total cost of the ballpark project is projected to be $478 million, including bonding costs, site preparation and surrounding infrastructure, such as road and pedestrian improvements. No state money would be required.

The team, which has been seeking a new ballpark for a decade, would reap revenues from concessions, naming rights and luxury suites.

"It's simple. It's straightforward. You know exactly what you're voting on," said Jerry Bell, Pohlad's longtime point man on stadium matters.

One group that probably won't be voting on the tax -- which would amount to three cents on every $20 in purchases -- is Hennepin County residents: County and team officials said that requiring a public referendum would kill the deal.

St. Paul voters killed a proposed ballpark plan in 1999, and polls have shown scant support for public funding of stadiums.

The proposed ballpark wouldn't include a roof, but the Twins still favor one.

The team will encourage the state to help cover that cost, projected to be at least $100 million.

Top legislative leaders said on Saturday they will consider the proposal after this session's major budget bills are complete, but the plan already has detractors. Gov. Tim Pawlenty declined to comment.

The Hennepin County Board is expected to endorse the plan Tuesday.

"It's important to have a vital downtown," Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat said of the ballpark plan. "The team is a state asset, and we can't forget that."

The proposed 0.15 percent increase in the general sales tax is projected to raise $28 million a year and underwrite $353 million in county debt. County officials involved in drafting the proposal plan to issue 30-year bonds, but they predict the tax would raise enough money to pay off the bonds more quickly.

In Denver, 20-year bonds issued to build Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies were covered by a 0.10 percent sales tax and were paid off in less than 10 years.

The use of the sales tax -- as opposed to user fees -- allows the county to issue tax-exempt bonds, which carry lower interest rates than taxable bonds. The sales tax also is a stable and predictable funding source that would grow along with the local economy.

Opat said the goal was to "keep the public's involvement as reasonable as possible, and I think this deal does that."

Pohlad, known as a steely negotiator, sent a letter to the county on Friday saying he would pay $40 million up front with an additional $85 million to follow before the ballpark would open in 2009.

If the Legislature approves, the deal would go back to the County Board, which would then vote on whether to increase the tax.

Capitol reaction

Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, and House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, both said on Saturday that they would support the proposal.

"This is a very workable plan because it does not require any state general fund money," Johnson said. "Three cents on $20 falls out of most people's pockets before breakfast."

Sviggum called it a "reasonable" plan. "Obviously, it's a significant commitment of the Twins owner," he said.

But both also warned that they would not consider a stadium proposal until after the budget bills for health care, education and transportation were done. That's an important caveat because in recent years the Legislature has had major trouble putting together a budget.

But Sviggum said from what he knows now, he could support the plan without a referendum, which would delay construction. "I could see where that would add cost," he said.

Through a spokesman, Pawlenty said, "We are going to withhold comment until Hennepin County and the Twins have the opportunity to make a complete presentation of their proposal."

The proposal requires the Twins to sign a 30-year agreement with no escape clause that would have to be approved by Major League Baseball. If the team is sold before 2016, the Twins would share some of the gross franchise sales price of the team with a new Ballpark Commission. The longer Pohlad and his family own the team, the smaller the percentage of the sale price that would be shared with the Ballpark Commission.

If the Pohlads sell out after the first season in the proposed stadium, the team would pay 18 percent of the sale price to the commission. By the 10th year of the new stadium, the commission would get no share of the sale.

Rep. Ron Abrams, R-Minnetonka, a key player on tax and county issues, said he is scheduled to meet with Bell on Tuesday. "I would certainly want to hear them out before I would come out against anything, but I don't see much of an appetite for a countywide increase in the sales tax," Abrams said.

Johnson said that although the tax would be imposed only on sales in Hennepin County, most Minnesotans spend money there often. "We in Greater Minnesota will end up paying our fair share," he said.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, a longtime opponent of public money for stadiums, didn't like the plan. "It seems to me at a time when we're cutting working people off health care because we don't have the money in government, paying for a stadium is not a high priority," he said.

Opat said the stadium plan should be considered on its own merits. "This is the proposal we're making," he said. "It's for a ballpark."

Both Bell and Opat said neither the team, the county nor St. Paul was interested in going to the Legislature with competing proposals. Bell acknowledged that until recently the team had been negotiating with both Hennepin County and St. Paul. The deal to be announced Monday takes St. Paul out of the discussions.

The plan came together after weeks of negotiations among Opat, Bell, county financial consultant Jim Ufer and team consultant Bob Starkey.

Bell said the team prefers the Minneapolis site because of abundant existing parking and access via light rail transit, the upcoming Northstar commuter rail and roads.

Also, Hennepin County's economic might was a factor.

"No one else could do this with this small a tax," Bell said.

Unlike previous proposals, which relied on revenue streams from the ballpark to finance the debt, those revenues, including naming rights, would go to the team.

Most parking revenue, however, would go to the city because Minneapolis owns the adjacent ramps. The deal doesn't require any money from Minneapolis, where a citywide referendum would be required to spend more than $10 million on a ballpark.

The deal differs significantly from previous efforts in two key areas: Pohlad is wholeheartedly on board, and the team and the county are going in tandem to the Legislature for the authority to levy a tax but are not seeking any state money.

Asked whether the state should be involved, Bell said, "They've decided not to."

The team would prefer a retractable roof for fan comfort and reliability. "People are accustomed to not having the weather interrupt their game experience," said Bell, who added that the Twins would do fine without one.

The proposed ballpark would sit next to the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, also known as the garbage burner, which converts 365,000 tons of garbage a year into electricity.

"Everybody looks at that and says, 'a garbage burner.' But it's not really. It converts garbage to energy, and that's a good thing," Bell said.

Because of the proximity to the energy source, there has been talk about heating seats at the new ballpark. Bell said that's not currently in the plans but may be explored.

Staff Writer Jay Weiner contributed to this report.

Rochelle Olson is at raolson@startribune.com

Very cool. Those sitting along the third base foul line should have a nice view of downtown Minneapolis.

I think the Twins organization and Hennepin County should also talk about changing the team's name to the Minneapolis Twins.

Thanks for posting my scan Seth. I forgot to do it over here.
I am really hoping that the stadium deal will happen this time. There will be little opposition to it, since it is no longer a state issue.

The Eclipse looks amazing. Granted its not the tallest of buildings but the way it curves will look fantastic :)

Very cool. Those sitting along the third base foul line should have a nice view of downtown Minneapolis.

I think the Twins organization and Hennepin County should also talk about changing the team's name to the Minneapolis Twins.

That would be the bee's knees. Start speading the news, because I cant wait to see the look on St. Paul's face (note i know a city has no face i am talking about the people in it.) When they see they got nothing on super hot and sexy Minneapolis. Really it sould be called the Minneapolis Millers (after the flour mills) taking it back to the citys roots. Because calling them the Twins wouldn't be very right to say. After all the reason why they are called the MN Twins is because of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Just think about it

The Minneapolis Millers vs (put team here) at (put some big company name here) Park. That would be so cool i would defenitly go to more games if they changed the name :)

On that note what would you like the new ball park to be called?
Maybe like
Viagra Park
Oxxycotten field
or how about The Trojin (condom) dome
(i kid i kid i kid you can put that bat down now)

I'd love it if it weren't at THE corner of 50th and France...

To me it looks like any other suburban development you can see in any city. Not impressive IMO. Not ugly, just eye-rollingly redundant.
50th and France isn't really suburban, though, half of it is in Minneapolis and it's actually a walkable area.

Remaking Lake Street
Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune
May 3, 2005 LAKE0503

The transformation of Lake Street begins May 16, ultimately bringing wider sidewalks, more lighting and more left-turn lanes to the main commercial artery in south Minneapolis.

"There's no question we want to make it welcoming to people who have either A) never visited us or B) have this negative connotation. We have so many wonderful ethnic businesses around here," said John Wolf, owner of Chicago-Lake Liquors.

The $25 million, three-year Hennepin County-federal-city-private business project is the first reconstruction of the street since 1954, when the streetcars were mothballed.

"The goal is to create a 21st-century Lake Street, one that is going to be much more pedestrian friendly and have better accommodations for bus riders," said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, who represents the area. "It builds on the excitement that's coming along with the new immigrant businesses and the Midtown Exchange."

John Wolf got businesses to agree to higher assessments.Jerry HoltStar TribuneRedevelopment of the former Sears building at Lake and Chicago Avenue S. is driving the first part of the project.

The building, now called the Midtown Exchange, is being redeveloped by Ryan Construction Cos.

Allina Hospitals and Clinics intends to move its consolidated headquarters into the building at the end of the year, bringing hundreds of new employees. That portion of the street must be completed by then.

County and city officials, along with residents, kicked off the project at a news conference Monday on Lake Street.

"We are now going to renew the physical features of Lake Street to go along with the incredible renewal the people have provided," McLaughlin said.

The neighborhood is planning a May 15 block party to celebrate the street's past and future. The party will run from 1 to 4 p.m. between 12th and 14th Avenues on E. Lake Street.

Doing it right

Eventually, the reconstruction will stretch from the Mississippi River to Uptown.

When the project began, it wasn't clear what form a re-created Lake Street would take. Some favored limiting Lake to one uninterrupted driving lane in each direction, supplemented by sidewalks as wide as 28 feet. Others were interested in widening the road. But it will stay the same, with four lanes, adding only left-turn lanes at busy intersections.

"This works because it's a compromise," said Paula Gilbertson, a Powderhorn Park resident and chairwoman of the project's advisory committee. "We had long, impassioned discussions and conversations," she said.

One compromise: The project will cost businesses along the street.

"In general, people wanted the street to be upgraded without costing the property owners, but that's not a reality," she said.

Wolf of Chicago-Lake Liquors led the effort to get businesses to agree to be assessed both for street upgrades and maintenance. His store covers a city block and he anticipates he will pay at least $150,000 for new street lights and maintenance over the next 15 years.

"How often do you get to redo a very important corridor in the whole city?" Wolf asked. "This street won't be redone for another 40 to 50 years. Let's do it right."

The area is seeing a renaissance, expected to be enhanced by the widely anticipated opening of the Midtown Exchange. Along with the consolidation of Allina's headquarters, the project includes condominiums, apartments and townhouses at various price points as well as a global market and hotel.

Wolf argues that while the Chicago-Lake area has a rugged reputation, it's not so different from other shopping areas, noting the recent robberies in the Uptown area and crime problems at the Mall of America in Bloomington.

"People assume this stuff goes on down here," Wolf said. "It does go on, but no more than any place."

Approval for the Interstate Hwy. 35W access project remains in limbo, but some expect some form of access to breathe life back into the street and tie it back to the rest of the city and suburbs. "Lake Street has really been neglected since the freeway cut us off," Gilbertson said.

The I-35W project remains controversial and in the design stage. The City Council has approved a concept, but funding remains uncertain and opposition exists.

"I think there are other ways of improving access to Lake Street without doing the access project as proposed," said Council Vice President Robert Lilligren, who represents the area.

As for Lake Street, Minneapolis City Council Member Gary Schiff said drivers need to recognize that long-term gain will come at the cost of short-term pain. The road won't be closed, but the reconstruction is "going to cause headaches," he said.

The street will remain open throughout construction, as will businesses. A marketing campaign is underway to get out the word.

It's good that the twins got a deal where the reap concessions profits. The bucks have a huge problem with that and the Bradley Center, and the Brewers have a similar problem.

50th and France isn't really suburban, though, half of it is in Minneapolis and it's actually a walkable area.

That was kind of my point. It looks too suburban for the area. Reminds me of something youd see walking around Excelsior and Grand. Or Arbor Lakes. It just doesnt do it for me. And that's fine I guess. We cant be pleased all the time. ;)

www.thenicollet.com
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Toggie/nicollet.jpg

It will be so cool when we can actually stand there and see that in person. I cant wait.

Found this graphic in the Indianapolis Business Journal and thought it was really impressive just how much more was being invested in biosciences in Minnesota than every other midwestern state...

http://tampa.ibj.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=IBJ/2005/05/09/44/Img/Pc0440500.jpg

Illinois is a real surprise there, doesn't really make sense....


anyway, the Phoenix is starting its marketing campaign

nice view :eek2:
http://www.phoenixontheriver.com/
http://www.phoenixontheriver.com/Images/MinneapolisShot.jpg

since this is a metro thread now...

from the pioneer press
http://www.twincities.com/multimedia/twincities/archive/downtownconstruction/STPprojects700.html
DT St. Paul development


Downtown St. Paul development projects


9th Street Lofts: Lander Sherman Urban Development is selling 49 loft-style condominiums in the converted Workforce Building at 225 E. Ninth St. About 80 percent of the $250,000-plus units are spoken for, the company says.

Armstrong-Quinlan House: Two years ago, the city spent $2 million to move the historic Armstrong-Quinlan House seven blocks from Cleveland Circle to the base of Eagle Parkway near the Mississippi River. A $2.8 million restoration of the protected, 118-year-old building is proving difficult. It has been hard to find contractors able or willing to do some of the work, such as installing massive sandstone corners and replicating handmade porches. The building is to be sold this summer to the Irvine Park Association for $1. The association then will fix up the interiors and sell the building’s four condominiums and a carriage house that has been added.

Block 19 Parking Ramp: The newest downtown parking ramp, a 1,070-space, $18.5 million facility at Jackson and Seventh streets, opened in April. The new ramp brings the total of downtown parking capacity to an estimated 25,000 public spaces, 13,000 private spaces and 1,600 on-street parking meters.

Bridges of St. Paul: This is a massive billion-dollar-plus redevelopment on 75 acres of the West Side Flats bounded by Wabasha Street, U.S. 52 and Plato Boulevard. Developer Jerry Trooien envisions up to 4,000 homes, 600,000 square feet of retail space (three times that of the downtown Marshall Field’s), plus theaters and several public attractions. The whole area would have an “Old World’’ feeling with brick-and-stone construction. Years in the planning, the entire project would take six to 10 years to accomplish, but Trooien says some sort of groundbreaking will occur this year. As a base for other developments, the first phase likely would be a 5,000-stall, two-tier parking structure.

Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary: This 35-acre nature preserve is being developed on downtown’s eastern edge. Contaminated soil is being removed from the area that housed a railroad shop and yard for nearly 100 years. The city has decided, for now at least, to seal the front of the historic Carver’s Cave to protect the site. Work is under way on a link from the Bruce Vento Trail to downtown along a separate path and streets.

Crane-Ordway Building: Central Community Housing Trust, a 17-year-old nonprofit that creates affordable housing, is planning a $9.4 million renovation of the historic — and vacant — Crane-Ordway warehouse at Fifth and Wall Streets. There would be 61 housing units on the top four levels, with office space and other uses on the lower two floors. The agency, which has an option to buy the 100-year-old building, plans to close the deal by year’s end.

Farmers’ Market: The historic Farmers’ Market underwent a $2 million makeover and opened for regular hours this month. The thousands of people who come to the 22-year-old Lowertown market will find wider aisles, more handicapped parking and a new roof with skylights. In addition to Saturday and Sunday morning hours, the market is open on Friday afternoons.

Grain trade relic: The 140-foot-tall head house and adjacent sack house were once slated to be torn down, but the remains of a 1931 grain terminal on the Mississippi River were deemed worthy of placement on the National Register of Historic Places in preliminary action. A state board will further review the nomination next week. If the buildings make the list, the $6.4 million plans by ADRZ Corp. to refurbish the two into City House (a spiffy riverside restaurant and grain trade historic interpretive center) could get a boost through tax-credit eligibility.

Lowertown Bluffs: This housing project is in redesign, according to developer Jeff Wallis. Original plans called for 25 or so condominiums in a 90-year-old building at 293 Commercial St., tucked away between Interstate 94 and the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. Wallis said the building may be razed, and the project changed to 100 units of new construction. The goal is to start building this summer, whatever the final design, he said.

Lowry Plaza: Construction bids to convert the Lowry Professional Building into condominiums proved too expensive, so developers Richard Zehring and Richard Pakonen will upgrade the 12-story building at 350 St. Peter St. into offices again. Exact plans and a timetable are under development. The change will allow the city’s License, Inspections and Environmental Protection agency to stay on the third floor, but moving the office remains an option.

Lyon’s Court: Construction already has begun on another Lander Sherman Urban Development project, which will have 60 units for senior housing and an underground garage to serve the neighboring 9th Street Lofts. The project, which is named for an alley that used to run through the area, will be managed by Sherman Associates.

Market Lofts: Plans for the five-story building, which includes 15,000 square feet for a year-round indoor Farmers’ Market, are still in the works. Construction could start in a year if land acquisition issues are resolved. The building, by the Lander Sherman group, would include 10 condominiums on each of four upper levels.

Marshall Field’s: Target Corp. announced in March that it may sell its 62 Marshall Field’s stores, including the downtown St. Paul store, as part of a business shakeup. Federated Department Stores, which owns Macy’s and Bloomingdales, is among those expressing interest. In 2002, the 41-year-old downtown store, formerly Dayton’s, underwent a $22 million updating and compression, which reduced it from five to three levels. If the St. Paul store closes, Marshall Field’s or any new owner would have to repay a $6.3 million city subsidy that helped fund the remodeling.

Minnesota Museum of American Art: The museum recently moved its exhibit space out of the second floor of Landmark Center to the Ramsey County West Building at 50 W. Kellogg Blvd. It is seeking permanent, street-level presence in downtown, possibly in the redevelopment of the West Building. The museum, an often-overlooked downtown asset that has been at the Landmark Center for 25 years, draws about 40,000 visitors a year.

Minnesota Public Radio: Work will begin this month on MPR’s $41 million plan for its St. Paul campus. Ninth Street will be closed and, by late 2005, a new building will replace 480 Cedar. It will be linked to MPR’s current building, where remodeling is planned through 2006.

Minnesota Twins stadium: Mayor Randy Kelly, with the support of organized labor, the Area Chamber of Commerce and others, has St. Paul in the running to be the home of a new Minnesota Twins baseball stadium being considered by the Minnesota Legislature. The city has proposed paying for its share of the $520 million stadium through a 3 percent food and beverage tax, although stadium financing issues remain to be resolved. A ballpark could be built on 17.5 acres of what is called the Gateway Site, between the Xcel Energy Center and the Minnesota History Center.

Plaza de Honor: The Mexican American Veterans AMVET Post 5 is spearheading an effort to create a Plaza de Honor on Harriet Island to honor Mexican-Americans and all veterans. The plan has the support of the city administration and City Council.

Post office and Union Depot/concourse: In February, the U.S. Postal Service said it could move out of the Eugene McCarthy Post Office on Kellogg Boulevard, the concourse attached to the Union Depot and the 12 acres of land the agency uses. Such a move would open this part of St. Paul’s riverfront for redevelopment, something Lowertown boosters have wanted for years. They envision thousands of housing units and a grand connection to the river. A revamped depot could serve as a massive transit hub, which Ramsey County, acting as the Regional Rail Authority, has been exploring. Under study are local bus routes, high-speed commuter rail from Chicago and light-rail routes connecting the depot to Hastings on the south and the Rush City/Forest Lake area on the north. It is also looking at bringing Amtrak to the depot and concourse. Ramsey County, with backing of St. Paul, is asking the Legislature for $5 million to help it acquire the depot.: The county also is seriously looking at a $840 million light-rail connection along University Avenue between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis. Public hearings on such a central corridor connection will be held in late summer and early fall.The future of the 17-story post office tower, built in 1934, is unclear, however.

Printer’s Row: Lander Sherman Urban Development will build two new buildings, each with 40 condominiums, one on either side of an extended Temperance Street through what was the Sweet Parking Lot. Work will begin this summer. Units are expected to cost $160,000 and up.

Public Housing St. Paul: The St. Paul Public Housing Agency last month moved into its new, $12 million headquarters at Minnesota and 11th streets. Its old home at 480 Cedar St. was sold to Minnesota Public Radio, which plans to raze the building this summer to build its own office complex. The agency project includes a 107-space parking ramp for agency clientele and employees and a rain garden at 11th and St. Peter streets.

Public Safety Building and Police Annex: With the Police Department’s recent move to Grove Street on the near East Side, the two buildings have become surplus property. The city is trying to move them to the tax rolls by selling them to developers for either new construction or conversion into housing.

Ramsey County riverfront properties : Ryan Co. of Minneapolis was picked by Ramsey County to plan the redevelopment of its vacant jail (the Adult Detention Center) on Kellogg Boulevard and part of the County West annex. Ryan’s $62 million proposal for 170 high-end residences, plus restaurants and retail space, is being refined. The project still faces several hurdles, such as height restrictions and financing dependent on pre-selling many units, but the development would have a major impact on downtown.

Raspberry Island: The city has an agreement with Minnesota Sports and Entertainment — parent company to the Minnesota Wild — to add an outdoor music venue to this small spit of land under the Wabasha Bridge. The island, home to the little-used Schubert Club bandstand, will host events for Grand Excursion 2004 and Taste of Minnesota. After that, work will continue on its upgrade. Twenty-seven slips for boats from the St. Paul Pool and Yacht marina will be added.

Real Estate Development Group: Developer Spiros Zorbalas is planning a $55 million, eight-story building with 260 condominiums and 8,000 square feet of retail space along Jackson Street between Ninth and 10th streets. The project includes 300 underground parking stalls and a 255-stall ramp between the building and the recently converted Rossmor True Lofts.

River Park Lofts: Developer Henry Zaidan is turning his 89-year-old Lowertown Business Center and an adjoining fire hall into 120 loft condominiums. The center is at Sixth and Wacouta streets. About 40 of the units, which cost $150,000 to $500,000, have been reserved. The city’s Historic Preservation Commission recently approved adding balconies to the rear side of the building.

RiverCentre connection: Ramsey County is looking at extending the RiverCentre skyway and connector tunnel as both a cost-saving measure and added convenience for downtown visitors. The 2-year-old tunnel would be extended a block (using an existing utility tunnel as a base) under Fourth Street, where it could connect to a new tunnel between the Lowry Medical Arts Building and the Courthouse-City Hall. If the new tunnels are built, all traffic into the courthouse could go through one entrance, possibly cutting two-thirds of the building’s security costs. The new tunnel also would provide public access from the planned redevelopment of county riverfront property to downtown.

Road work: St. Paul Public Works will do one major downtown road project this summer, a $300,000 resurfacing of Kellogg Boulevard from Wabasha Street to the Third Street Bridge. The work is tentatively set for May 21-24. Plans for the ongoing beautification of downtown streetscapes, which began several years ago, are still on the books. But no work will be done this year because of budget restrictions. Work by both Xcel Energy and District Energy will frequently restrict downtown traffic, but no major closures are foreseen.

Science Museum of Minnesota: On June 26, the Science Museum of Minnesota will open its $2.5 million environmental park, located between Shepard Road and its main building. The 1.2-acre space, to be known as “The Big Back Yard,” includes a mini-golf course with environmentally themed holes and a $700,000 education center, which makes its own emission-free energy.

St. Joseph’s Hospital : HealthEast, which is committed to keeping St. Joseph’s Hospital in downtown, is working on a five- to 10-year expansion/ upgrade. HealthEast officials say the details and financing are yet to be worked out, but the goal is to have something started by early next year. They say that estimates of $100 million project price tag are purely speculative. HealthEast has about 15 acres to work with at the 69 W. Exchange St. site.

St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts: This charter high school will take over the fifth floor of the historic Landmark Center at 75 W. Fifth St. The school, which will open in 2005 and eventually could have 550 students, will be one of four charter schools in downtown.

St. Paul Downtown Airport: The Minnesota National Guard wants to keep its helicopter station at the St. Paul airport, despite flooding that disrupted operations three times since 1993. The guard needs a $55 million maintenance base for its 23 choppers. But the first step would be a dike for protection. There is disagreement, though, over who should pay for the wall. Some oppose the city paying $1 million as its share of $25 million in proposed improvements at the airport and worry that increased business there will add to annoying airport noise. Advocates of the airport say it adds about $100 million a year to the area’s economy. With city backing and the support of the congressional delegation, the dike is expected to be completed by 2007.

St. Paul Hotel renovation: The St. Paul Hotel, 350 Market St., is getting a multimillion-dollar freshening. The exact cost of the work has not been released. The interior remodeling will be the third for the 94-year-old hotel since 1983. The upgrade will include computer hookups in the rooms.
Despite several proposals for new downtown hotels over the past five years, none has been built. There are 1,200 rooms in the downtown market, a total considered adequate for most needs, but the rooms are widely scattered. That proved a problem earlier this year, when the National Hockey League held its All-Star Game at Xcel Energy Center but used a lot of Minneapolis hotel rooms because they were close together. That situation has spurred a new look at St. Paul’s long-range hotel needs.

State building at 390 Robert St.: The future of the state’s building at 390 Robert St. is unclear. The five-story building is said to have a negative value because of asbestos issues and the need for a new roof. The building’s condition is not a health issue. But fixing the roof would require asbestos abatement, which would be expensive. The new state Department of Employment and Economic Development was set to move from the building to the First National Bank Building down the street. However, a bill before the Legislature would prohibit the move, requiring the department to stay put to save money.

State office buildings: Three state buildings are going up along Interstate 94: (1) The $77 million Orville L. Freeman Office Building, at Columbus and Robert streets, to house the Agriculture and Health departments. (2) An adjacent $60 million Agriculture and Health Laboratory Building at 12th and Robert streets. (3) The $101 million Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building between Cedar and Minnesota streets. All are to open in 2005. St. Paul’s downtown fire station, which has been housed in the Public Safety Building since 1930, will move to the Andersen building.

Upper Landing Park : This 3½-acre city park, which was used last year as a staging area for the reconstruction of Shepard Road, will get a $2 million fix-up this year. Work includes removing several concrete walls and adding a walkway along the river. The park is on the Sam Morgan Trail.

Upper Landing Urban Village: Construction of the $170 million, seven-section project keeps moving along. Block 1, the closest to downtown, is still under design and may involve one or two towers of owner-occupied housing totaling 80 to 100 units. David Bernard/Rottlund is building for-sale units ranging from $900,000 to $1 million on Block 3. When that is completed, work will start on Block 2. Centex Homes is building townhomes on Block 4, and some residents moved in last fall. North American Partners will start work this summer on 350 market-rate rental units on Blocks 5 and 6. On Block 7, the one farthest from downtown, Shelter Corp. will start renting its 90 units of affordable housing by July. A small park at the west end of the project is on the Sam Morgan Trail along the Mississippi River. The park is owned by the Upper Landing Association but open for public use. It includes a water fountain for dogs.

Wabasha Court, now 417 Wabasha St.: The complex of vacant stores known as Wabasha Court was razed two years ago, leaving the vacant site to serve as a parking lot. Civic leaders are marketing the spot as “417 Wabasha.” Talk for the space has ranged from a hotel to an office or multi-use building, but it all remains talk. It is not the only under-used space in downtown, but its location and visibility along a main downtown thoroughfare make it important that a high-quality development land there.

Wacouta Commons: This block-sized city park — now a patch of grass with a row of small trees — will be developed this summer as an amenity for residents living in the North Quadrant area. The $1 million park transformation will add a fountain, walkways, lighting, benches, a shelter and a dog walk.

West Side Flats: The Lander Sherman group, which has completed a half-dozen downtown projects and is working on another six, is planning to develop the West Side area just across the Wabasha Street Bridge. Details of this deal are pending, but an announcement is expected within a year.

That must be old, because Doyle has made numerous other investments in Bioscience, well exceeding 30 million. He recently pledged 750 million over a number of years in stem cell research.

That must be old, because Doyle has made numerous other investments in Bioscience, well exceeding 30 million. He recently pledged 750 million over a number of years in stem cell research.

i got it from next week's issue of the indpls business journal.

That must be old, because Doyle has made numerous other investments in Bioscience, well exceeding 30 million. He recently pledged 750 million over a number of years in stem cell research.

"over the past 15 months..."
a mayo + u of m partnership is soldifying too, further outdating the figures.

Words have been floating around about a possible 30-35 story residential tower for the Loring Park area. Due to a recent moratorium on all building projects for a year however this project may be facing a hard battle.

In other news-

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news37/1uptown0307.l.jpg

This Uptown project near Lagoon and Hennepin was approved at the planning commission level. It now moves on to be approved by the city.

edit:
I guess the tower is actually outside of the boundries of the moratorium so there's a much better chance of its success.

New view of The Nicollet:

http://img32.echo.cx/img32/1875/thenicollet015th.jpg

^Wow! I love it! I'm always pleased to see urban buildings incorporate greenery.

Those condos are going to cost a pretty penny.

The Nicollet will look awesome! It will be another skyline changer like wells fargo or first bank place....

So, is downtown and metro consolidated into one thread now?

If so, there is a proposal for a 30-35 story condo for Loring Park, on LaSalle Ave. No rendering yet though. Was in this weeks Skyway News.

wow, the nicollet will be i killer addition to the skyline!

the Nicolet looks very cool. Great addition to the skyline indeed. How tall is it going to be?

the Nicolet looks very cool. Great addition to the skyline indeed. How tall is it going to be?

568 feet

it'll be the 6th tallest

I take back my previous statment.

looks like it'll be 625 feet to the top of the arc, 593 to the roofline.

It'll be the 5th tallest.

and anyone who hasn't visited the website should, it's live now and there's an awesome movie with 360 panos of the building.

http://www.thenicollet.com

NEW 48 story proposal, but near Loring Park so the chance of approval is miniscule

http://www.skywaynews.net/content/articles/2005/06/13/news/news03.jpg
Loring tower grows from 35 stories to 48, draws barbs



Courtesy of BVK Group
The 48-story version of the Eitel condo tower, superimposed on the existing skyline.
By Jeremy Stratton
Developers and architects of the proposed condo, rental and retail Eitel Hospital project near Loring Park, brought a surprise to the June 8 meeting of a neighborhood task force: a 48-story tower - less than a month after the developers proposed the building be 35 stories.

There was some laughter - and a few barbs at developers - among a group that has had what one member called "eight months of contentious meetings."

Those months saw the Eitel project change substantially, including moving the tower one block off the park. Until the June meeting, the design had been for 30 floors of condos atop five levels of parking.

Task Force Chair Katie Hatt said that task force members left the previous month's meeting feeling positive about the 35-story project.

Paula Vesely agreed. "After all the pushing and shoving and kicking and screaming, everyone came away saying 'that's a hell of a building.'"

Now, after what Hatt called "dramatic changes" - the addition of 13 more floors - she wondered "what the point has been in us being here."

"This is a bait and switch," Vesely said. "We are not in favor of a 48-story tower like a rude middle finger."

Said David Carlins, vice president of Chicago-based Magellan Group "This is the starting point of a designed tower."

Carlins listened patiently to the comments.

"If you say no to a 48-story tower, we'll come back with something else," Carlins said, taking responsibility for any miscommunication.

Carlins said that developers and architects "were not thinking about the height" during their recent design work. They intended the tower be narrower and more elegant than a shorter building would permit. He noted that 80 percent of the taller tower's units have a park or city view.

The design "kept evolving," Carlins said until developers "realized it was 48 stories."

Task force members were not entirely opposed to the design - one even said he liked it, 48 stories and all - but most thought it was too tall for the neighborhood.

Task force member Paul Hinderager said that a building that tall "needs to be a signature building for the whole city. I don't see that it in this building. It's far too simple."

Architect Jack Boarman noted that the taller tower has the same square footage as the 35-story proposal, and with 487 units, still has 120 fewer than the 607 permitted under B4S-3 zoning. That's a sticky point right now, because the tower is currently planned on the half of the block zoned OR3, with a seven-story limit.

Developers are banking on a rezoning of the block, which Hatt has said in the past the task force might support. City staff, the Minneapolis Planning Commission and the City Council all still must weigh in.

i wonder if someone has made a list of all the crap a developer has to go through, and every city agency, and every neighborhood association, and every meeting and every little obstical that a developer has to go through just to build something in this town.

i think the towers themselves are not monuments to human engerenering and strenghth, they are a monument to the abilitiy of developers to play petty politics well.

not that i'm saying no oversight is good...i'm just arguing for a little more balance. i just get annoyed when a neighborhood like loring park refuses any new construction...you're either a growing city or a dying city...and if you don't make the changes needed to grow, then your neighborhood and your city will slowly wither away

Loring park really has the potential to become one of, if not the best hood in Minneapolis. That's a subjective statement, but will that ever happen? Not anytime soon.

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news61/4design0616.l.jpg

Glitzy, ritzy condos planned on Minneapolis riverfront
Linda Mack, Star Tribune
June 16, 2005

On the historic Minneapolis riverfront, so far, new buildings have tended to look old. Now comes something dramatically different: two condo buildings of glass and curving zinc that look like the shimmery shapes of architect Frank Gehry toned down by a dose of Minnesota nice.

Minneapolis architect James Dayton, a Gehry-protege, described the two buildings he's designed for Brighton Development on S. 2nd St. and Portland Avenue as "a bit of Santa Monica style."

The riverfront boasts plenty of powerhouse architecture, from French architect Jean Nouvel's towering Guthrie Theater to the serene Mill City Museum by Minneapolis architects Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle. Condo projects such as the Stone Arch and Humboldt Lofts have won awards, too, but most borrow the boxy brick look of the area's historic buildings.

Dayton is introducing a look Minnesotans will call "different." Glass, Kasota stone and vertical zinc bands will sheath the Nine, which will hold nine high-end condos (read $1 million and up). Glass cubes and yellow brick walls leaning out over the street will give a related but distinct look to the Portland, with 26 smaller, less pricey units (read $300,000 to $1 million).

"It's an interesting test of how the market values design," said Peggy Lucas of the developer, Brighton Development. "There are so many condo units on the market that people are confused. We hope that this will 'unconfuse' them."

A recent condo craze is bringing thousands of new residential units downtown. Most are encased in buildings that look like new versions of 19th-century brownstones, with brick, little entry stoops and either flat or gabled roofs. Many architects have lamented the backward-looking design ethos.

Rival architect Tom Meyer of MS&R was overjoyed at Dayton's design. "It's good for the city," he said. "It promises to up the ante for everybody."

The two-building project isn't the first time that Brighton has hired a top-rank architect. Since developing the North Star Lofts more than 10 years ago, Brighton has hired Julie Snow Architects for two projects, the award-winning Humboldt Lofts and the recently completed Park Avenue West Lofts. They've worked with MS&R on the office space in the Mill City Museum complex. The late Paul Madsen designed Brighton's first three projects, the North Star Lofts, Stone Arch Lofts and Washburn Lofts, with an eye to history.

Because those projects were in the St. Anthony Falls Historic District, the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission reviewed the designs for historic compatibility.

The new condos will stand just outside the Historic District but within Minneapolis' Mill District, which has looser guidelines for new construction. The Minneapolis Planning Commission will review the project.

Next week a City Council committee will consider a land purchase agreement. There is no city financing, but the city is selling the land, now a construction staging site, to Brighton.

Tara Beard, a project manager with CPED (Community Planning and Economic Development), the city's economic arm, said she saw the innovative design as a way to help market a location that doesn't offer stunning views of either the riverfront or downtown.

"They're getting away from the brick and vinyl exterior and using more walls of glass," she said. "It's more sophisticated and modern."

Dayton said the Nine is geared to attract the same clientele as the pricey Washburn Lofts on the riverfront and 301 Kenwood near the Walker Art Center. New York-style elevators will open directly into each unit, which will occupy about 3,000 square feet on one floor. The fourth-floor unit has a "pop-up" glass penthouse on the fifth floor.

The Portland will feature 26 one- and two-bedroom units with balconies and a shared rooftop deck. Both buildings will look onto what will be a landscaped mid-block courtyard to be shared with the Park Avenue West Lofts and future live/work units planned for Washington Avenue.

Bedrooms will be in the masonry part of the buildings while the living areas will be in the glassy parts. The Mill District Master Plan requires a retail space on the corner of S. 2nd St. and Portland.

Dayton, who designed the industrial-looking Bookmen Lofts going up in the north Warehouse District, said he believes "there's a way to make a contemporary building that's an incredibly pleasant place to live and adds character."

"Not every location can pull it off," cautioned Lucas. But, she said, she thinks this corner of the riverfront can and will.

Views of the new 48 story Loring Park tower

http://oddnature.com/misc/eitel.jpg

From David Brauer, Skyway News

Love the tower, hate its location in Loring Park. Its height will completely ruin the downtown skyline.

I don't think it will ruin the skyline at all. In fact it will enhance it and spread it out to the west.

i think it would be a really cool addition to downtown

^It won't be built downtown, it may be built in Loring Park.

I think anything within the I-94/35W/Mississippi River loop (semi-loop) is "downtown." To say the Loring park is NOT downtown really puts an unreasonable limitation on downtown Minneapolis's geographical area.

I am a Minneapolitan from Indianapolis, and they consider "downtown" to consist of a minimum of 5.5 square miles, in other words, a radius of at least 1 mile in each direction from the downtown center.

Technically part of downtown or not, a 48-story tower poking out of Loring Park is going to look terribly out of place, IMO.

The IDS looked out of place when it was built as well.

There's tremendous demand to build in Loring Park and, once Goodman's moratorium is out of the way, there will be proposals for other towers in the area. That area is so close to having the density it needs to be a great urban neighborhood and this tower would help speed its progress.

Areas like Loring Park, Uptown, and Midtown are going to have to get used to higher densities and taller buildings. The metro area is going to grow by 1 million people over the next 25 years. Minneapolis has a choice: it can help to reduce sprawl, expand its tax base and make mass transit viable by fostering and zoning for high density along primary traffic and commercial corridors; or it can declare moratoria, designate the whole city a "shoreline overlay district" and ensure that all those new residents move out to Woodbury and Anoka. And it goes without saying that we'll have to widen 35, 94 and 394 even further, uprooting hundreds more Minneapolis homes, to accomodate more freeway lanes for those suburbanites passing through our city.

We're not talking about plopping towers in Kenwood or Linden Hills here. Loring Park is bordered by 94, Nicollet and Hennepin (the city's main arterial). The 11,000 student MCTC is right on the park and St. Thomas is a few blocks away. This neighborhood is perfectly suited for this kind of development and can only benefit. After all, the park is not exactly a safe place to be at night and all the new residents will create greater vibrancy and put more eyes on the street.

I know your argument wasn't about density but height, gaviidae. It just seems to me that several Minneapolis neighborhoods are going to have to adjust to the idea of taller buildings than they're used to over the next 25 years. Our energy might be best spent on ensuring that these new towers are well designed and that they animate the street - two things Loring Park's tallest, Summit House, can certainly not claim.

Couldn't have said it better sfhoya. I remember when the IDS Center was identified as the middle finger and look at Minneapolis now. What would our city look like if we had not gotten that gem.

I think quite a few Loring Park's nearby residents would be highly surprised to find that they don't live downtown.

The IDS looked out of place when it was built as well.

There's tremendous demand to build in Loring Park and, once Goodman's moratorium is out of the way, there will be proposals for other towers in the area. That area is so close to having the density it needs to be a great urban neighborhood and this tower would help speed its progress.

Areas like Loring Park, Uptown, and Midtown are going to have to get used to higher densities and taller buildings. The metro area is going to grow by 1 million people over the next 25 years. Minneapolis has a choice: it can help to reduce sprawl, expand its tax base and make mass transit viable by fostering and zoning for high density along primary traffic and commercial corridors; or it can declare moratoria, designate the whole city a "shoreline overlay district" and ensure that all those new residents move out to Woodbury and Anoka. And it goes without saying that we'll have to widen 35, 94 and 394 even further, uprooting hundreds more Minneapolis homes, to accomodate more freeway lanes for those suburbanites passing through our city.

We're not talking about plopping towers in Kenwood or Linden Hills here. Loring Park is bordered by 94, Nicollet and Hennepin (the city's main arterial). The 11,000 student MCTC is right on the park and St. Thomas is a few blocks away. This neighborhood is perfectly suited for this kind of development and can only benefit. After all, the park is not exactly a safe place to be at night and all the new residents will create greater vibrancy and put more eyes on the street.

I know your argument wasn't about density but height, gaviidae. It just seems to me that several Minneapolis neighborhoods are going to have to adjust to the idea of taller buildings than they're used to over the next 25 years. Our energy might be best spent on ensuring that these new towers are well designed and that they animate the street - two things Loring Park's tallest, Summit House, can certainly not claim.

exactly. these people are coming, so we have two options: crate a more vibrant urban core and reduce sprawl, or try to keep it all exactly the same for ourselves and watch minneapolis slowly decay as it's suburbs thrive.

The IDS looked out of place when it was built as well.

I definitely understand what all of you are getting at. And I'm not arguing that density is a bad thing; I think we can all agree that Loring Park has potential to become a great high-density neighborhood.

I just don't know if a 48-story tower is going to be the most appropriate way to start.

I think they should build the 48 storey tower. It may look out of place at first, but this will force developers to build around it so it fits in.

Does anyone know if Minneapolis has height restrictions for highrises like Seattle, DC, etc...?

Kinda.

There is a "gentleman's agreement" that nothing is taller than IDS. Wells Fargo was SUPPOSED to be around 950 feet and US Bank (aka 225 South Sixth) was SUPPOSED to be around 1,100 feet tall, but people got there panties in a bunch and thus they were scaled down to less than 2 feet shorter than IDS.

Other than that, there is no "official" height limitations.

It was made public not long ago that 225 South Sixth is actually taller than the IDS. Someone involved in the building did it on purpose and sat on the information for over 10 years before the secret got revealed, though there were speculations.

I remember that. However, IDS must have included some kind of penthouse or something now, because Emporis lists it at 792' now, and 225 at 775' and Wells as 774'.

The IDS added an extra building on the top to house their window washing equipment, thus the 20 extra feet or so. Some sites don't recognize that as the 'official' height, since it wasn't a part of the original design, and others do. So, the 225 South Sixth building was actually taller than the IDS when built.

I'm almost sure that the IDS tower was never changed, emporis just agreed to include the window washing structure when it came out that 225 S. sixth was really taller.

Kinda.

There is a "gentleman's agreement" that nothing is taller than IDS. Wells Fargo was SUPPOSED to be around 950 feet and US Bank (aka 225 South Sixth) was SUPPOSED to be around 1,100 feet tall, but people got there panties in a bunch and thus they were scaled down to less than 2 feet shorter than IDS.

Other than that, there is no "official" height limitations.
There is "gentlemens agreement". The reason why Wells Fargo was scaled back was there was not enough office demand for such a large structure at the time. US Bank got scaled back TWICE. First was for the same reason, so it was scaled back to 875 feet. After that the owners of the IDS got involved and raised cain. They were mad that the antennaes of the IDS would be blocked from certain angles and make them useleess. This would mean broadcasters would need a new location for their transmitters. Thus the IDS owners would lose revenue from such a loss. Dain Plaza was also going to be taller than the IDS too, at 858 feet. Marqutte Bank and Dain were going to be the main tennants. That got shelved when US Bank bought out Marquette Bank.

Well, it's official. The Nicollet people bought the Scientology site, and the building will now be 54 stories, although it could possibly go up to 62.....

There was a great article in this past Sunday's Star Tribune about The Nicollet and the architects behind it's creation. http://www.startribune.com/stories/1405/5491071.html
Skyway News, which I just read is switching names come September to Downtown Journal, also had the blirb about buying the Scientology spot. It's a great little piece that still makes my stomach flutter with the thought of the building growing taller than 620'!!! I want nothing more than for it to grow another 100' and surpass the Multi Foods Tower. Also, does anyone know why no one is interested in a restaurant/observation deck on any of our tall buildings? The IDS Tower used to have one on the 50th floor I believe... but, I would think that'd be a huge hit- especially in this new tower (a restaurant that is). I want to email the developers so badly to inquire, but know I probably won't get a response.

www.waterparkofamerica.com theres the site for the largest waterpark in america and its gonna be built in minneapolis-st.paul

anyone hered anything latly of the mall of america doubling in size or the twins stadium

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news37/1385264870.l.jpg
largest indoor waterpark is more appropriate.

^really...the largest? By how much?

I don't know about such claims, I'm just assuming that they aren't lying. it is "in the USA" so the one in Edmonton would probably still be larger.

no mall of america in minnesota will be bigger and the waterpark of america is already being built.

I don't know about such claims, I'm just assuming that they aren't lying. it is "in the USA" so the one in Edmonton would probably still be larger.

Thanks for the info, I thought the indoor waterparks in The Dells were comparable so I was tying to figure out square footage.

It's amazing how much the market has grown for indoor waterparks, I was just curious how large one has to be in order to remain competitive.

no mall of america in minnesota will be bigger and the waterpark of america is already being built.
I meant the waterpark in Edmonton, not mall. but a mall in Dubai that is UC will be significantly larger than even an expanded MOA... if it is built to plan.

This article has no hard numbers, but it claims that the 70,000 ft^2 Water Park of America will surpass the Kalahari of Wisconsin Dells as the largest indoor water park in the nation.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1376/4975290.html

At a cost of $100 million, Water Park of America will eclipse the Wisconsin Dells' Kalahari Resort as the nation's largest when it opens about a year from now with the highest indoor slides in the country (10 stories) and a water roller coaster.

^Awesome, that's what I was looking for, thanks for sharing. 10 story slides? Jesus.

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news37/1385264870.l.jpg
Ugh... christ almighty...

anyone hered anything latly of the mall of america doubling in size or the twins stadium

The MOA expansion was politically motivated during the normal Legislative session, as the owners want to put a casino as part of the addition. Given the fact that both the City of Bloomington, and it's State Representatives have stood firm against a casino, not to mention our States inability to expand gambling beyond its current realm- it's hard to know the fate of such a large expansion. Here's a link to view the proposed expansion with the casino as part of the mix: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1608/5244163.html
The link has different views of the proposed addition.

The Twin's stadium proposal was unfortunately held hostage by our State Leaders' inability to do their jobs on time. So now, we're left holding out for a special session this fall to approve the language allowing Hennepin County to raise the sales tax by .15 to fund the new ballpark. It all seems a bit optimistic to me, given the Legislature can barely handle anything else.

Although, as with anything in business... there always seems to be some sort of behind the scenes work that always continues. Hopefully both projects will still happen, even if it takes a little longer than anyone wants.

minnesota is the best place to live

when is 3m gonna expand its headquarters with a bigger building

i have a question are there any good beaches in minneapolis if so could you tell me about them and supply a picture i want to go to a good beach and i dont know where to go.

Quick artist rendering of the Pillsbury A-Mill. Looks like this thing is slowly, but surely heading towards reality.

A Mill Condos (http://www.startribune.com/stories/1608/5526445.html)

does anyone have any population estimates of minneapolis for the last five years

http://www.skyscrapercity.info/900.php?id=1003 go there and vote for your favorite skyline minneapolis is number 14

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/jacobboyer1992/jake/MinneapolisShot.jpg

my favorite minneapolis picture

Is the water park underconstruction next to MOA? On the west side of MOA across 77 there is a building being built that looks like the water park, or it might be something different?

Is the water park underconstruction next to MOA? On the west side of MOA across 77 there is a building being built that looks like the water park, or it might be something different?

that'd be it

theres another one going up called majestic springs http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2003/12/19_williamsb_bloomington/

it has 700 hotel rooms

I think that may be the old design.

More condos for NE
proposal for a mixed use project that includes a 20 story tower and 300 condos.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2005/08/08/story4.html

Ryan weighing condo conversion at N.E. Mpls. factory site
Sarah McKenzie
Staff writer

Ryan Cos. U.S. Inc. is considering whether to redevelop a metal-finishing factory near downtown Minneapolis into a mixed-use project with hundreds of condos.

The developer has been talking with community leaders and officials at Superior Plating Inc., a manufacturer located two blocks east of the river, about replacing the business with a high-density project. There are no formal agreements to sell the site yet.

Ryan's preliminary plans include building more than 300 condos on the site, located at the corner of First and University avenues, said Michael McMonagle, president of Superior Plating.

The development would likely rise about 20 stories and include some commercial space for either retail or office tenants.

Collin Barr, vice president of development for Ryan, declined to comment on the proposal.

Community leaders have pushed for a transit station at the site to accommodate the proposed Northstar Commuter Rail line, which would run on tracks directly north of the roughly 5-acre site. The line would connect downtown Minneapolis with Big Lake, a city about 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cites.

According to a proposed Northstar route map, however, the only station in Minneapolis would be near Target Center.

While Superior Plating occupies prime real estate in fast-growing northeast Minneapolis, Ryan would face hurdles in redeveloping the site.

For one, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) lists Superior Plating as an active Superfund site. The manufacturer has an ongoing cleanup effort to remediate the pollution, which includes trichloroethylene, a colorless liquid used to clean metal parts that has leached into the groundwater.

Superior Plating has been in the metal-finishing business for 75 years. The company employs about 100 union workers.

While the manufacturer is eager to see the site redeveloped, a deal would be contingent on Ryan agreeing to pay for Superior Plating's relocation costs, which might include building a new headquarters. The moving expenses are expected to approach $20 million.

Superior Plating sent letters to major Twin Cities developers to see if any had interest in redeveloping the site, and Ryan's proposal stood out.

"Ryan was the best fit for us," McMonagle said.

The Minneapolis-based developer has a strong track record in taking on challenging sites. The developer's Midtown Exchange project, under construction in south Minneapolis, is known as one of the most complicated in the state's history.

The $190 million redevelopment of the 1.1 million-square-foot former Sears complex on Lake Street will house Allina Hospitals & Clinics' headquarters, a Sheraton Hotel, more than 300 housing units and the Global Marketplace, a retail market and business incubator, when complete.

Besides the Midtown Exchange, Ryan has completed several other high-profile projects, including the renovation of the Grain Belt Brewhouse in northeast Minneapolis and the development of Target's corporate headquarters and retail store on Nicollet Mall.

Victor Grambsch, head of the Nicollet Island/East Bank Neighborhood Association, said community leaders plan to form a task force to review Ryan's proposal if the developer decides to move forward with its plans. Meetings would likely start sometime this fall.

While Grambsch likes Ryan's ideas, he's quick to laud the metal-finishing manufacturer for its contributions to the area. "Superior Plating has been a very good neighbor," he said.

The site is next to the Village at St. Anthony Falls, a three-block, mixed-use development with new restaurants, townhomes and apartments built in 2001.

Nearby, developers have proposed other large residential projects, including the Cobalt Condominiums, a 96-unit development replacing the Eastgate Shopping Center at Central and University avenues.

There also are plans for a 12-story, 150-unit condo mid-rise next to Superior Plating at First Avenue and Sixth Street Northeast, and new condos at 700 Central Avenue.

Condo sales in neighborhoods near downtown Minneapolis remain strong, but absorption levels for 2005 are expected to be lower than last year, according to a recent market update by Minneapolis-based Maxfield Research.

Buyers will absorb about 1,000 new condo units this year, compared to 1,263 in 2004. In the next two years, the market is expected to absorb between 800 and 900 new units.

smckenzie@bizjournals.com | (612) 288-2107


© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc.

well are they still gonna build the majestic springs waterpark

could someone post all the development for minneapolis over 20 stories

Use R=Residential O=Office HO=Hotel HP=Hospital E=Education C=Cultural P=Public

Status P=proposal A=approved UC=Under Construction F=Future C=Complete

*=see tallest in larger development

Name Height (feet stories) Use Units Status Site
The Nicollet 650 55 R 314 A Link (www.thenicollet.com)
Nicollet Place 42 R Unkn F
The Carlyle 473 39 R 255 UC Link (www.thecarlylelife.com)
Eitel Hospital Site 39 R 300 P
The Eclipse 360 32 R 506 P
1010 Park 31 R 400 P
Skyscape 291 27 R 252 UC Link (www.skyscapecondos.com)
Pillsbury 'A' Mill 27 R 1095 P
The Eclipse 270 26 R * P
Ivy Tower 286 24 R 88 A Link (www.ivympls.com)
Pillsbury 'A' Mill 24 R * P
1010 Park 22 R * P
5th Ave. Gateway 267 20 R 136 A
Pillsbury 'A' Mill 20 R * P
Superior Plating Site 20 R 300 F