DTE: Wells Fargo, Radisson Red, Edition Apts & Millwright Building

[woofner]

I for one agree with Phil that accommodating massive amounts of cars in an enormous ramp will work against the development of good urbanism in the rest of the area. This isn't Michigan Ave or New York; a lot of work will have to be done to get people to want to move to East Downtown and then to want to walk around in the area, and every little bit counts. In New York motorists seem to mostly expect pedestrians and either adjust their driving accordingly or give in to their east coast arrogance and proceed regardless. It's different here (and in Chicago, mostly) in that most of the motorists are from places where pedestrians have been engineered out of existence and so they don't even expect pedestrians to be there. That's why we need to demand no compromise from the city around here; we need to demand that the Downtown Parking overlay be strictly enforced so any BS like that described in the Sunday strib article about stadium-area churches cashing out for parking lots is blocked from the start.

That said, it sounds like some kind of parking ramp was required by the (bone-headed) stadium legislation so it seems like the best outcome would be for it to be shared with an office development.

[Didier]

Can I take a step back real quick and clarify something.

Nobody knows what is actually going to be built here, right? Isn't this 10-story ramp simply a rumor?

[gahwi003]

Can I take a step back real quick and clarify something.

Nobody knows what is actually going to be built here, right? Isn't this 10-story ramp simply a rumor?

I think a few of the members have professional connections that are giving insight. But in the grand scheme of things, nobody knows anything yet besides the needs of certain companies.

[seanrichardryan]

Have they even signed a purchase agreement for the site or are they waiting for all of their public subsidies to fall into place first?

[nasa35]

Just heard some bad news yesterday. Three current projects are on hold until the state budget deal. Apparently two of these projects will NOT be built if certain new tax laws go in affect.'

Thanks Mr. Dayton.

[min-chi-cbus]

We don't need to be subsidizing a mega-profitable bank that isn't even HQ'd in the Twin Cities though. If they don't like it I really don't care....they can move to SD too for all I care. It's not "friendly" business to be giving the city an ultimatum just to have them subsidize a small portion of the cost to develop their own building. I realize this happens all the time but that doesn't make it right.

[VAStationDude]

I'm guessing your source also declared Wisconsin their model for private sector job growth. Thanks for proving how plutocrat fluffing always fails, Mr. Walker.

[nasa35]

I'm guessing your source also declared Wisconsin their model for private sector job growth. Thanks for proving how plutocrat fluffing always fails, Mr. Walker.

I guess I'm not sure what the Governor of Wisconsin, who saved the state from higher debt and a crazed public sector, has to do with our Governor wanting to rid our state of valuable law firms and mid-sized companies? You do understand macro economics? Dayon's budget will be catastrophic for businesses in our state. Also, proposing over a dollar extra tax on cigs? Seeing that the majority of smokers in this state are poor and minorities.......just saying.

[NickP]

Again Nasa, are you saying Governor Dayton is intentionally trying to shaft the state of MN? That sounds like a pretty hate filled, accusatory comment. Is it your intention to put this feeling across or are you simply stating you disagree with his politics? I ask, because, negative view of him or not, I don't think Governor Dayton is acting in a malicious way. I think he is doing what he views as best for the state.

[nasa35]

Again Nasa, are you saying Governor Dayton is intentionally trying to shaft the state of MN? That sounds like a pretty hate filled, accusatory comment. Is it your intention to put this feeling across or are you simply stating you disagree with his politics? I ask, because, negative view of him or not, I don't think Governor Dayton is acting in a malicious way. I think he is doing what he views as best for the state.

Hate filled? Wow....kooky.

quote:

"Minnesota's business leaders haven't minced words about Gov. Mark Dayton's proposal to tax legal services, advertising, accounting and other such basic functions. The impact: devastating, and a job-killer, they say.

There's good reason for concern. Businesses would bear most if not all of the cost of the increase in the state's tax revenue, says Jill Larson, fiscal policy director of the Minnesota Business Partnership, which includes the CEOs of Minnesota's largest companies.

Dayton's proposed budget would raise revenue by expanding the state's sales tax to more goods and services, while reducing the tax rate from 6.875 percent to 5.5 percent. The result is a net tax increase of $2.1 billion "coming at the expense of business-to-business services," Larson told us"


Yeah, business leaders are just hate filled...no, duh, they want to make money and work in a business friendly state.

[NickP]

I wasn't criticizing your idea man. I agree that we need to be careful with what we tax and that we do not want to create a environment hostile to economic stability. I was just confused because I understood your statement to be implying that Governor Dayton is intentionally trying to screw over MN. This is a statement with which I don't agree.
Do we know if, what ever builds here, will keep the nice facade of the star tribune building?

[ECtransplant]

I'm guessing your source also declared Wisconsin their model for private sector job growth. Thanks for proving how plutocrat fluffing always fails, Mr. Walker.

I guess I'm not sure what the Governor of Wisconsin, who saved the state from higher debt and a crazed public sector, has to do with our Governor wanting to rid our state of valuable law firms and mid-sized companies? You do understand macro economics? Dayon's budget will be catastrophic for businesses in our state. Also, proposing over a dollar extra tax on cigs? Seeing that the majority of smokers in this state are poor and minorities.......just saying.

Do you understand macro economics? "Lower the rate; broaden the base" is pretty universally accepted as good tax policy. That's exactly what expanding the sales tax would do. Taxing things with negative externalities, like cigarettes, is also pretty standard economic policy

[m b p]

Lowering the rate and broadening the base. That's been going well since the 80s hasn't it? (It has not). People pay less in taxes today than ever. The rich are richer. The poor are poorer. There are more "takers" than there were 30 years ago. We are infinitely more in debt than ever. If you make money by having money.... you're in great shape. You can pay less than 10-15% in taxes every year. If you make money by physically doing something... you're screwed. You pay more than 20-25% in taxes. Gross.

I would argue that responsible tax policy spurs real sustainable growth. Reaganomics spurs boom and bust.

and don't tax my smokes! I already pay almost $7 a pack. And I'm not a minority... and not that poor (nasa )

Either way, there are enough political forums to voice our political opinions. Let's just talk about building!

[min-chi-cbus]

No f'ing politics!

[Unity77]

We don't need to be subsidizing a mega-profitable bank that isn't even HQ'd in the Twin Cities though. If they don't like it I really don't care....they can move to SD too for all I care.

While I agree with you to an extent, I think it's time for people in the TC area to tone it down a bit when it comes to holding the door open for companies who have options. Our metro area is extremely lucky to have the number of large corporations (Fortune 1000, private, and regional headquarters, etc...) it has so, don't take them and what they bring to this area for granted. If we give the finger to the likes of Wells Fargo, its executives will be more than willing to move jobs to cities like Des Moines, Charlotte, or St. Louis.

[uptowncarag]

No politics and never compare Minnesota to the innately inferior Wisconsin.

[John]

We don't need to be subsidizing a mega-profitable bank that isn't even HQ'd in the Twin Cities though. If they don't like it I really don't care....they can move to SD too for all I care.

While I agree with you to an extent, I think it's time for people in the TC area to tone it down a bit when it comes to holding the door open for companies who have options. Our metro area is extremely lucky to have the number of large corporations (Fortune 1000, private, and regional headquarters, etc...) it has so, don't take them and what they bring to this area for granted. If we give the finger to the likes of Wells Fargo, its executives will be more than willing to move jobs to cities like Des Moines, Charlotte, or St. Louis.

Agree. There is sometimes a smugness about our thriving economy in the Twin Cities. I sensed this with the opposition to the Viking's Stadium downtown and more recently the possible convention center hotel. Improving our region's (and downtown's) economic viability is something we should cultivate and not take for granted.

[min-chi-cbus]

We don't need to be subsidizing a mega-profitable bank that isn't even HQ'd in the Twin Cities though. If they don't like it I really don't care....they can move to SD too for all I care.

While I agree with you to an extent, I think it's time for people in the TC area to tone it down a bit when it comes to holding the door open for companies who have options. Our metro area is extremely lucky to have the number of large corporations (Fortune 1000, private, and regional headquarters, etc...) it has so, don't take them and what they bring to this area for granted. If we give the finger to the likes of Wells Fargo, its executives will be more than willing to move jobs to cities like Des Moines, Charlotte, or St. Louis.

And I understand your point completely, except one thing: it's not luck! Just about every single one of those Fortune 1000 companies had grass roots here, so when they grow up, merge, etc. and decide they want to bend us over the barrel for what is essentially a drop in the bucket sometimes I get angry (especially Wells, who has NO business asking for anything ever again, IMO, after the housing bubble fiasco).

[Aville_37]

No f'ing politics!

Agreed!!

[twincitizen]

I'll just chime in and say that it is possible to have a conversation about fiscal policy without getting too political. However, this thread is definitely not the place. We can start a thread in Anything Goes to discuss the governor's proposed budget.