urbanMSP

Not to "pollute" this discussion with "the boondoggle" that is SWLRT but are there any alignments that were considered earlier for Uptown that would relieve some of the traffic issues for this area? This is just my opinion but I've seen others share it: get SWLRT to Uptown where ...

@MNdible: Fair point. @min-chi-bus: No, I see your point completely and it is an important one. The position that we are often in goes something like this: Client - "Put the city in the background." <shown realistic view out the window of the "city in the background">. "Whoa...

Cut the architect/render person a *little* slack. These elevated views are really hard to come by for use as background out of a window of a building that doesn't exist. Short of getting a bucket out there and getting lifted into place, on a summer day where the lighting is good, etc. you just aren'...

@min-chi-cbus: Glad that you guys are able to recognize the financial implications of these projects because they are often THE determining factor in whether or not they get built. We have to face the fact that we probably aren't going to see "point towers" anywhere but on very attractive ...

Probably a couple of constraints on the site that are affecting the design. In order to have active uses at grade at the sidewalk, you'd have to go down TWO floors to get the parking that they are talking about (sidewalk grade = active use, parking below = 2nd level down). In order to do that, you n...

I think that we need to see some other images of how this design works. It is great to hear the opinions. My opinion is that one shouldn't try to "appropriate" context and "tack it on" to one's building. That LRT canopy is so expressive that I don't see an easy way to use that as...

Project was approved last night at SLP City Council meeting.

Cheers. Also, I don't know if anyone saw this article over at streets.mn but this article also rightly holds developers accountable for the outcome of a building. Architects have the material palette that we have because of budget and we have the massing (the "boxes" that most people seem ...

The most encouraging thing about this development - developers sacrificed rentable square footage to get a unique design. Two story retail space, ground level amenity carved out of the streetscape and a story less than code will allow within the building type. Credit and respect to the developer for...

Long story short, easier to hold up something that is short and wide rather than tall and narrow...

@exiled_antipodean: Could you offer some examples of how to "incorporate ground-level parking than to have a long stretch of blank walls?" I don't understand the question. Other than trying to articulate the facade with material changes, banding, engaged columns/massing changes, or using s...

@Anondson: NAILED IT!
@mini-chi-bus: You bring up a VERY important point. The NIMBY's and the anti-progress crowd are currently winning...massively. How can the urbanists and progressives start to make our voices heard? I just don't see the representation at the public hearings.

There has already been a traffic study in this area for the office development that Duke Realty has put forward-->ONE MILLION square feet of office. Also, before the Flats at West End was built, the traffic study ALSO included 300 dwelling units. Flats at West End = 119. So, this area can ALREADY ab...

My take: The market in Mpls is ripe for a hotel (or three) and housing continues to be super-heated. It seems like housing alone for this site isn't feasible (big site/tricky site). Opus is doing a tall tower with rental housing close to this but that one has a different dynamic... the location is M...

@ztr421: This blog is all about urbanism but right now a 750 sf one bedroom apartment in uptown is renting for the same amount as a nice, single-family detached home around 1500 sf. In the Netherlands, much of their housing is designed WITHOUT built-in closets. There is an assumption that the reside...

@redisciple: Thanks. I tried to be specific and avoid minor subjective quibbles with the design. In the end, *most* criticism is subjective (despite how confidently it may be expressed). =^]

Disclaimer: JSA is a good firm doing good work. Also, I've said in other posts that the developers drive a LOT of what happens in design (for better or worse)so we don't know if what I am describing as "messy" are the ideas of the architect or developer. Lastly, I am not perfect. I don't h...

JSA is a really good firm and they've done some excellent work. Park Avenue Lofts is a really nice residential project. I'll wait until the building is done but judging by the renderings, Brunsfield is not their best work. Go to the marketing website and look at the flooplans and you'll see that the...

hotel and residential...book it!

Doran is the builder, not the owner/developer (on this one).