Search found 36 matches

by Brenns
June 17th, 2021, 8:40 am
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Future of Graco campus - St. Anthony West
Replies: 23
Views: 9181

Re: Future of Graco campus - St. Anthony West

Factories have been moving from the central city out to suburban and exurban locations since the beginning of mass auto-mobility. It's not due to the choice of core city politicians and planners, it's due to simple economics. Factories once clustered around railroads and maintained their own siding...
by Brenns
May 26th, 2021, 9:55 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Target Center Renovation
Replies: 548
Views: 129281

Re: Target Center Renovation

This is a fun discussion, and yes, it's probably technically possible to make this work. But it would add massive costs to the tower, to the point that no developer would ever want to undertake it.
Getting a headache just thinking about the fire protection/egress implications for this.
by Brenns
February 4th, 2021, 9:29 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: 800 Washington Av S (Guthrie ramp liner) - AECOM / City of Lakes Community Land Trust
Replies: 125
Views: 65380

Re: 800 Washington Ave - 14 stories - 173' (Guthrie Ramp liner development: Reloaded)

Isn't this very similar to the Pillsbury artist lofts situation across the river (and probably elsewhere)? I remember looking at the income limit vs rent scenario a few years back and wondering who exactly this subsidized housing was meant for.
by Brenns
January 28th, 2021, 1:39 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - General Topics and Citywide Issues
Topic: Ideas / Wish List for Mpls in 2021-2022
Replies: 52
Views: 31162

Re: Ideas / Wish List for Mpls in 2021

It's a bit funny to hear so many items out of the 70's-90's Civic Booster Playbook. Gotta bring the suburbanites to downtown for an evening! Cheap parking! Parades! Festivals! Meanwhile, residential and office construction in downtown Minneapolis is at a multi-decade high. Agreed - how many times d...
by Brenns
January 21st, 2021, 1:10 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: 420 East Hennepin
Replies: 136
Views: 94213

Re: 420 E Hennepin Ave

I don't mind this project. It's a little bland and the (still very visible) alley side is completely devoid of character, but there's some actual facade articulation along the street and no attempt to "jazz up" the exterior with an ugly multi-color melange of different panel types. We coul...
by Brenns
January 21st, 2021, 12:52 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: O2 - Washington/Portland Mixed Use - 22 stories - 247'
Replies: 95
Views: 66094

Re: Washington and Portland Mixed Use - 20 stories - 226'

I've frowned on street level walk-ups and street level amenity spaces in all these new development for a while, especially in the downtown core. Does nothing to activate the street, and honestly hardly ever seen anyone in most of the fitness rooms. I think it's kinda funny it seems residents with g...
by Brenns
January 12th, 2021, 9:08 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Renaissance Square / The Andrus
Replies: 61
Views: 25203

Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Downtown Columbus just got one about 9 months ago and its been fantastic so far. Open til 10pm as well. I think it’s no longer acceptable to just require windows as the bare minimum. We should require them to have at least 1 to 2 feet displays cases built into them that they can choose or choose no...
by Brenns
December 31st, 2020, 4:22 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: 21 North Washington - 27 stories - 300'
Replies: 66
Views: 86075

Re: 17 North Washington - CA - 27 stories - ~300'(?)

Good lord, what an embarrassment. Part of the argument for this historicity is the "car-centric design". I really like the Dolphin Staffing building. It's aged extremely well (from the exterior at least), and this style of facade has seen a major comeback. However, that charm absolutely d...
by Brenns
January 15th, 2020, 6:42 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis Restaurant News
Replies: 1261
Views: 524141

Re: Downtown Minneapolis Restaurant News

Seems like it would be very difficult to succeed with a large format restaurant, especially in downtown. Unless there's an event at Target Center or Target Field to bring masses of people in, how are they not actively losing money with such a huge lease area and the staff required to even keep the d...
by Brenns
December 4th, 2019, 12:24 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics
Replies: 964
Views: 339822

Re: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics

Hopefully something can be done - the railroad seems to enjoy operating with zero consideration for their neighbors. It's also been there for 132 years, long before anyone possibly unhappy about it today has been alive. I understand not wanting to live next to a railyard, but it seems a bit late in...
by Brenns
December 3rd, 2019, 8:55 am
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics
Replies: 964
Views: 339822

Re: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics

It's unfortunate that there will really be no practical alternative for that truck traffic than Central to Lowry, both with unprotected on-street bike lanes. It would be better for nearly everyone if they could take 29th instead. I didn't even consider that - the Central/Lowry intersection is a dea...
by Brenns
December 2nd, 2019, 12:38 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Ironclad Apartments & Moxy Hotel - Washington & Chicago
Replies: 161
Views: 47386

Re: Ironclad Apartments & Moxy Hotel - Washington & Chicago

Supposedly, Pearl and Thief will be moving in from Stillwater, but it sure is taking a long time to do so. I personally doubt that will happen. The closed almost a year ago to move. I don't know how any restaurant could afford to close for a year. IIRC the same restaurant group owns several other s...
by Brenns
December 2nd, 2019, 12:32 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics
Replies: 964
Views: 339822

Re: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics

Coincidentally ran into someone a few weeks ago who used to work at Shoreham Yards, and a few things he mentioned were that there would be a LOT more truck traffic on Central, it would be very loud, and the neighborhood would not be happy when the expansion was finished and they realized the extent ...
by Brenns
November 22nd, 2019, 5:11 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics
Replies: 964
Views: 339822

Re: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics

Saw that the General Mills complex on Central and Broadway was purchased by Hillcrest. All articles appear to be locked. Probably condos?
by Brenns
August 8th, 2019, 1:01 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics
Replies: 964
Views: 339822

Re: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics

It just seems an odd course to take, given that the wedge-shaped piece of land along Central containing the roundhouse has been lying unused and is due for redevelopment once remediation on the site is complete. Part of me wonders if one or more potential developers had expressed interest in the lan...
by Brenns
August 8th, 2019, 7:34 am
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics
Replies: 964
Views: 339822

Re: Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis - General Topics

Noticed this morning that there is a crew demolishing the roundhouse at Shoreham Yards, which I found quite shocking. I'd always assumed it would be preserved in some fashion when the site was redeveloped, as it is (was) a very cool structure.
by Brenns
August 17th, 2018, 8:01 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Archive Apartments - 110 1st Street N
Replies: 161
Views: 53934

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

As someone who has spent a lot of time doing renderings, they look very rushed. It's possible that the materials and detailing will come together on this one, and they're just not represented well in the images.
That said, these S/K condo buildings are getting a wee bit predictable...
by Brenns
August 16th, 2018, 9:15 am
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Upper Harbor Terminal
Replies: 69
Views: 39027

Re: Upper Harbor Terminal

I'm relieved they kept some of the infrastructure in place. It retains some history at the site and creates an interesting built environment without significant additional cost. I'm honestly quite confused that anyone here would advocate tearing it all down. As for the venue size being smaller than ...
by Brenns
June 28th, 2018, 1:32 pm
Forum: Saint Paul
Topic: Allianz Field and Snelling-Midway Development
Replies: 808
Views: 209368

Re: Soccer Stadium and Snelling-Midway Development

I don't know what product they're using, but it's entirely possible that the wrap has a protective layer that will be peeled away when the project is complete (hence the "tabs"). Not unlike the screen on a new laptop.
by Brenns
July 25th, 2017, 11:32 am
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: Rafter - 333 Hennepin Ave E (290' - 26 stories)
Replies: 328
Views: 90921

Re: Mortenson / USBank site - 333 Hennepin Ave E (~28 stories / 280 units)

I frequently drive by the building on 4th St and 13th Ave, and I challenge anyone to argue the aesthetic merits of this monstrosity. Challenge accepted. The design of the building addresses the pedestrian experience with a permeable and transparent façade, canopies over the adjacent sidewalk, and a...