Search found 409 matches

by Andrew_F
May 20th, 2014, 11:46 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Embarrassing Confessions of Urbanists
Replies: 349
Views: 98349

Re: Embarrassing Confessions of Urbanists

How have I missed this thread? I'm sure I'll think of more later, but here's a few: Glaring at motorists who block sidewalks waiting to exit curb cuts is part of my daily routine as a pedestrian. As a motorist I am guilty of this crime fairly often. Oftentimes the personable nature and lack of anony...
by Andrew_F
May 20th, 2014, 11:25 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: DTE: Wells Fargo, Radisson Red, Edition Apts & Millwright Building
Replies: 2909
Views: 447783

Re: Downtown East Project (Ryan Companies / Wells Fargo)

I am strongly against giving any private stakeholders any more say in the operation of the park than a typical neighbour would receive. The idea of having Ryan, Wells, or the Vikings as board members of a third-party management team for the park reeks like Millennium Park or the All-Star game "...
by Andrew_F
May 7th, 2014, 11:34 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Saint Paul Union Depot
Replies: 374
Views: 79177

Re: Saint Paul Union Depot

Really excited to be coming into SPUD on the #7 on Saturday. My only experience with SPUD since the remodel has been passing through on MegaBus 4-5 times over the last few months.
by Andrew_F
May 1st, 2014, 2:40 pm
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: Chicago
Replies: 158
Views: 69004

Re: Chicago

For the Red Line, I believe the best option (after reconstruction and express stop additions) is to operate Purple Express trains from Linden to 95th via the subway to provide faster travel times from Downtown and the South Side to the North Side. The problem that is created is that the higher-freq...
by Andrew_F
May 1st, 2014, 1:47 am
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: Chicago
Replies: 158
Views: 69004

Re: Chicago

Asking for a friend, why is the Brown Line not interlined with either the Pink or Orange Lines? All 3 lines terminate in The Loop...it seems like two of them could be interlined for operational efficiency, route simplification, and less train congestion downtown. EDIT: Orange & Brown would make...
by Andrew_F
April 28th, 2014, 11:36 pm
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: Chicago
Replies: 158
Views: 69004

Re: Chicago

There has been discussion in the past on further electrification, but I believe the railroads are very reluctant to allow it on trackage that isn't owned by Metra outright. I would have assumed that the commuting patterns are too asymmetric for interling to be of much use. I think it's very unlikely...
by Andrew_F
April 28th, 2014, 12:47 am
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: Chicago
Replies: 158
Views: 69004

Re: Chicago

I personally really don't like that plan. Its foundation is good-- yes, CTA and RTA need to merge, and yes, Chicago needs a transit tax, but the lines it proposes are asinine. The Red, Yellow, and Orange extensions are good (because they're actual planned projects), but the Blue extensions are silly...
by Andrew_F
March 28th, 2014, 12:48 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: MSP Airport / Metropolitan Airports Commission
Replies: 1359
Views: 346030

Re: MSP Airport

It's more about cost savings when they can forgo paying the externalities of safety, environment, and operating efficiency on the public end of the airport's operations. American Airlines didn't bank for many years, Southwest doesn't bank, etc. Southwest ABSOLUTELY banks. It makes MDW an absolute m...
by Andrew_F
March 20th, 2014, 1:47 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: North Loop Neighborhood
Replies: 1096
Views: 495023

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Interesting. The previous proposal for the site involved reuse of former industrial materials as well. Same owner/developer I assume?
by Andrew_F
March 20th, 2014, 10:08 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Video Games
Replies: 158
Views: 74272

Re: Video Games

This seems like the kind of game that would be of interest to posters here: http://dinopoloclub.com/minimetro/ Ahh, what a great game. I spent/wasted a lot of time playing it a couple weeks ago. It feels like somewhere in the 500/600s my strategy fails. If it had a pause button that would allow you...
by Andrew_F
March 18th, 2014, 2:21 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Car Ownership
Replies: 63
Views: 6564

Re: Car Ownership

In Chicago (60616) I get along well without a car.

My "Minneapolis family" (55419) has 3 cars for 5 people.

I don't think I try any harder to use transit now than I did growing up-- it's just that much easier where I live now.
by Andrew_F
March 18th, 2014, 1:40 pm
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: Pittsburgh
Replies: 14
Views: 5184

Re: Pittsburgh


Creative urban reuse is all over Pittsburgh. Old industrial areas have been reborn with all sorts of interesting uses.
This reminds me-- The Mattress Factory and the surrounding neighborhood would be a great way to spend an afternoon.
by Andrew_F
March 14th, 2014, 3:05 pm
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: Pittsburgh
Replies: 14
Views: 5184

Re: Pittsburgh

To me the most interesting thing about Pittsburgh is the development pattern along the rivers, where you have small dense clusters every couple miles, each one essentially built around different large industrial facilities. Driving along any of the three rivers out of downtown for maybe 60 minutes i...
by Andrew_F
March 14th, 2014, 8:40 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: U.S. Bank Stadium
Replies: 2080
Views: 188814

Re: Minnesota Multi Purpose Stadium

For what it's worth, according to the construction schedule there will be 5 tower cranes and three large crawler cranes. All the tower cranes should be up by the end of July.
by Andrew_F
March 6th, 2014, 5:24 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Green Line Extension - Southwest LRT
Replies: 5265
Views: 1246863

Re: Southwest Corridor (Green Line Extension)

The sort of people who post in a forum like this one should be its' most enthusiastic advocates. Or maybe we're just a little more pragmatic and realize that at this point in the process going back to the AA process is both politically very difficult and would do a lot of harm to the future of our ...
by Andrew_F
February 24th, 2014, 1:16 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Saint Paul Streetcar Study
Replies: 88
Views: 14947

Re: Saint Paul Streetcars

Are you suggesting that there would be fewer utilities to relocate by tunneling through the limestone? The utility companies operating in St Paul a hundred years ago were also aware that it is easy to tunnel through limestone, and that's why there is already a multi-layered maze of utility tunnels ...
by Andrew_F
February 23rd, 2014, 11:20 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Saint Paul Streetcar Study
Replies: 88
Views: 14947

Re: Saint Paul Streetcars

A second revision of Riverview LRT, allowing for more urban connectivity without taking up nearly all the width on West 7th... LRT would go below ground into the cliff adjacent to the abutment for the high bridge. Then under Smith Ave to Downtown. Interesting idea, but I have to imagine that the ut...
by Andrew_F
February 23rd, 2014, 8:12 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: 365 Nicollet (334' - 30 stories)
Replies: 624
Views: 136391

Re: Opus Ritz Block Development

I'm *really* not convinced that courtyard plazas have any sort of advantage over plazas that surround buildings. The problem in this area is the sheer number and size of the plazas relative to the number of pedestrians around, not to mention curb cuts and the monotony of land usage here. A well-desi...
by Andrew_F
February 23rd, 2014, 8:00 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Stadium Parking Ramp Development Site - 25 stories / 294'
Replies: 1070
Views: 262415

Re: Stadium Parking Ramp Air Rights Development

If you read the proposal closely they are teaming with Magellan that is building the LaSalle apt. tower in Loring Park. This could be great. I'm not sure where you saw this, as I couldn't find it in the Business Journal article, but if true, this would all but guarantee a relatively attractive and ...
by Andrew_F
February 13th, 2014, 12:56 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: The Eclipse
Replies: 461
Views: 56965

Re: The Eclipse

Thanks for the model, MBP. After looking at it, I have to ask, what do they plan on doing with the space on the pedestal that is blocked in? If the top level is just open-topped parking it will look pretty gross, but at the same time, how popular will a roof top deck be that is boxed in on all sides...