urbanMSP

There are options other than "you live in a city so deal" and "compensate them for their impacts." Pile driving is only one method of earth retention, all with their differing levels of external impacts, design impacts, and costs. Months of pile driving right next to your home wo...

Seriously, the Minneapolis skyway system is so confusing. I've had numerous people in Seattle tell me that they visited and hated them as they couldn't figure out how to navigate them but felt obligated as many of their destinations were off of the skyways. Treating them as numbered/colored routes a...

I agree MNdible. It's pretty bad form to expand the building after construction has started. If it gets approved, it helps write a bad narrative that developers will do bait and switch using step backs to get a floor added and then come back later after the building is under construction and expand ...

Also:
Lake Street (North side of Lake Calhoun) 1970: 41,743; 1975: 34,750. 1985: 41,125
Lake Street (West of Market Plaza) 1970: 19,374; 1975: 23,385; 1985: 19,265
Excelsior Blvd (West of Market Plaza) 1970: 21,385; 1975: 16,650; 1985: 18,720

can't be any worse than it currently is down there. That Red Line platform leaves much to be desired.

alexschief, I get it's a fantasy map and you did a really nice job with the professional design, but it's not clear who would use some of these lines. For example, who are the intended users of the Gold or Cyan lines? Seems like they'd require double transfers to provide that much use.

Looks better than I anticipated but the metal railing brings down the design.

Another nuance is that in the case of at least Midtown, the Greenway does not have local designation. As I understand it, projects constructed with federal or state funds or that require state or federal permits are what trigger the requirements/etc. For example, a project that I was involved in dem...

As an aside, the adverse impact finding could have ramifications for how, if ever, the Midtown LRT project advances since it is an historic district and would modify the embankments and likely remove or modify numerous old and likely contributing features, such as former retaining walls.

Alex, they did buy it for parking. The businesses partnered with the city to have a municipal parking lot established and the businesses and parking lot users paid the bonds the city used to purchase and build it. That's not to say they shouldn't rethink how it is used, but they did purchase it for ...

Anondson, would crossings that included those Z-shaped crossings at the center median help improve safety and predictability, as bikers would be forced to turn to look towards ongoing traffic, as well as make it clearer what leg of the crossing they're within? I'm thinking of something like the pede...

Presumably more windows than this new Nordic Museum near me.
http://mithun.com/project/nordic-heritage-museum/

No idea on why it got added but did the LRT tracks move closer to the freight tracks? Given its depth, I assume it really is to reduce risk that a freight train derails and hits a LRV that has passengers. I don't have much knowledge on this topic but I do believe that there are typical separation di...

A few photos from earlier this month.

The guys with vests, the golf carts, and dumpsters are all probably related to the Uptown Art Fair's sanitation wing, especially since none of it was there on Thursday.

I like the design where the pool becomes an activated space with water that jets up. It's pleasant to look at or listen to, and kids will enjoy it. I wonder if they would build up the ice in winter for ice skating, as 1/4" I'd suspect is too thin and could see damage from those with picks on th...

Interesting Sean. Attached is an aerial image that I can't recall the date of, but it is probably late 20s or early-to-mid 30s. Seems that it may support what you are suggesting. Then there's this image, undated, that shows the southward view.

The City's street map says it is Calhoun Parkway E until William Berry Parkway, where everything south becomes Richfield Road. http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/groups/public/@bis/documents/maps/convert_255931.pdf However, this public works document has a GIS map that appears to have that same sec...

Joe Biden had a nice comment tonight at a keynote at ULI/CNU in Seattle: he suggested it'd be a lot better for democracy to have people question someone's judgement, not motives. He shared an oft-cited lesson learned for him about Jesse Helms, who didn't support broader rights for those with disabil...

I can assure you that what Sara is suggesting, a CPTED review, is absolutely appropriate. We considered safety when designing buildings and the transit agency I work for also reviews station designs for safety. Hidden corners, lighting, location of activities....all play a role.