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

[PhilmerPhil]

David Brauer ‏@dbrauer: Compromise in Star Tribune historic preservation debate?Architect suggests hollowing it out into triumphal park arch!

[David Greene]

David Brauer ‏@dbrauer: Compromise in Star Tribune historic preservation debate?Architect suggests hollowing it out into triumphal park arch!

Which architect? Is anyone pursuing this with the city? I would love to but I have too many things in the air at the moment.

[Tom H.]

I like it! There aren't enough civic archways around here.

[MNdible]

The Met Building was a collection of small offices around a large open atrium. While it was privately owned, it had a public presence.

The Strib building, though, has always been private, for workers only. To the extent that it's Historic, it's because it represents an important historical concept, not because it's an important building. In this respect, the facade, or a reinterpretation of the facade, is probably just as effective as the building itself.

Really, if we're going to preserve anything in amber, it should be Sid's desk.

[mamundsen]

I really like that arch idea. Make it happen! Can I sign a petition?

[nordeast homer]

I actually really like the look of the arch. What would the doors on the one 'leg' be for, an ATM?

[woofner]

Which architect?

Um, [email protected]?

I was going to suggest this, but I think it's unrealistic that the city would be on board, since it would conflict with their plan to make the park a big empty patch of dirt for bros to get drunk on 8 times a year.

Edit: it would also conflict with their plan to spend $0.00 on building the park.

[mattaudio]

Sounds like Woofner knows exactly where this "park" is headed.

[David Greene]

To the extent that it's Historic, it's because it represents an important historical concept, not because it's an important building. In this respect, the facade, or a reinterpretation of the facade, is probably just as effective as the building itself.

If the historic value is what went on inside the building, even more reason to save the whole arch with the paper's name on it.

[mister.shoes]

I'm quite drawn to the arch idea, myself. It'll give that park a solid landmark and an immediate area of interest. Also, a great meeting point. It's far more interesting than the 6 random medallions embedded in a sidewalk somewhere.

[seanrichardryan]

Like the 8 or so random medallions embedded in the lobby of the convention center? Let's not make this 'pittance to preservation' mistake again.

[MNdible]

For me this is an easy trade-off -- the potential benefits of this project vastly outweigh the merits of this nice but really not great building. If you're going to mount the barracks, I think you need to be clear why you're doing it. The potential reason to save it is because of the history of its use, not because this is such a great building.

And the arch idea just feels icky and weird to me. Better to tear the thing down properly than leave that strange vestige of it, ruining the potential usefulness of the park. If somebody had a clever idea to incorporate that facade into a new building, I could maybe get behind that -- maybe.

I share others concerns about the park's future programming and maintenance, but I think it's very premature to say that just because there is not yet a plan in place, that it will just be sod and nothing more. The park isn't going to open for at least another two years. There's a lot of time to work through that aspect.

[MNdible]

Like the 8 or so random medallions embedded in the lobby of the convention center? Let's not make this 'pittance to preservation' mistake again.

Agreed that this wasn't handled the best, but short of keeping the old auditorium intact, what would you have proposed?

[Didier]

It would seem a little weird for the city to spend money to maintain a giant advertisement for a private company.

[Nick]

Other than the stadium?

[talindsay]

The arch idea is awesome but Paris is one of my favorite cities and it has a lot of arches so maybe I'm just partial.

[Nathan]

that arch makes me totally giddy.

plenty of landmarks and old buildings still have the name of their maker on them. that's not unusual.

[MNdible]

If you like Paris, then perhaps you could give us the English translation of gauche?

I certainly hope that the arch design was intended as a tongue in cheek joke.

[Wedgeguy]

The WHOLE building shows as a Art Nuevo building. I look at the arch entrance as pathetic. The best part of the building is the mix of the dark vertical layers that within themselves have a smooth to rugged look. I like the ziggurat accent that lines the upper line of the building. The mix between the cream and charcoal brick make the building. Slapping on a few medallions will not make for a great park or a way to save one of the few Art Nuevo building here in MPLS.

PS I did a lap around the building yesterday so I know what I see and I'm talking about. The interior has some great work also.

[PhilmerPhil]

deco