urbanMSP

I was just in Vegas and made a stop at that place. It was pretty neat, and was one of the few places in that city where I didn't feel like humanity was a lost cause.

The Las Vegas concept might work well as a new farmer's market space for downtown Minneapolis. One of the vacant lots next to The Armory or in the North Loop would be ideal.

Probably not a contributing structure:


2nd Ave N, looking toward 1st St by twincitizen, on Flickr

HOW HAS THAT SMOKESTACK NOT FALLEN OVER YET?

"Save our deteriorating smokestacks!"

This building had so much potential if renovated. Could be like The Park in NYC or another great bar/restaurant/event space.

Probably not a contributing structure

The owner of the Foundry is the daughter of the landlord. When I was photographing the shop last year I'm pretty sure she told me that it was protected by some historic status. I also can't believe that smokestack hasn't fallen. It seems like a safety issue at this point. I wonder if they're letting it go to skirt having to fix it. I don't blame them the least. BTW The storefront part of building is awesome.

Reminds me of the City Market in Charleston: http://thecharlestoncitymarket.com

Could be a great space for all sorts of things if someone renovated it.

I found a nice photo of the front: https://static.panoramio.com.storage.go ... 449477.jpg

It looks like it's deteriorating. I hope someone acts soon to restore this one.
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Separate North Loop topic: Is is really necessary to have 394 connect directly with Washington Avenue? Are the entrance/exit that connect to 3rd St/4th St, respectively, not enough? It really seems like the exit to Washington should go away. 394 still exits to 4th St, and 2nd Ave is a one-way northbound that brings you to Washington in 30 seconds. There's even a dedicated left turn lane and plenty of storage for vehicles heading north/westbound on Washington. It all seems pretty redundant.

The exit to Washington creates a really unfriendly/unsafe situation at that intersection, with speeding cars coming right up (in)to the crosswalk at J.D. Hoyt's. I walked across the intersection with my retirement-aged parents last night and it was not pleasant at all. I've crossed it alone several times now, and have never felt safe.

In addition, if you eliminate the exit ramp, and shift the entrance ramp a bit further south on 3rd Ave, you could fit a decently-sized building facing Washington here.

http://goo.gl/maps/5mVGa

The 4th St ramp feeds into that sucky three-way intersection and already backs up pretty badly during peak times. I think you'd need to significantly improve capacity somehow. (Remove the 94 viaducts!)

Back to 125 1st St N:

The American House Hotel is a three-story rectangular brick building designed in the Queen Anne
Style. The principle facade is defined by engaged pilaster strips which divide the building into
three bays. Oriel windows are located in the central bay of both the second and third stories. An
original cast iron beam is still in place above the first floor storefront while cast stone lintels with
pressed decorations are placed above the double hung windows. The building is completed with
an elaborate metal cornice with decorative rosettes. The Commutator Brass Foundry began
occupying the building in 1915. The structure has a rear addition that was constructed in 1919 and
another addition constructed in 1967. The roof of the 1919 addition has fallen in; the smoke stack
is leaning and the windows are missing. The original building retains its integrity.

This document contains a full list of structures, including photos, of everything in the Historic District:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 264533.pdf

This document contains a full list of structures, including photos, of everything in the Historic District:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 264533.pdf

Thanks. Really interesting read.

On Minneapolis' west and east sides, change is the game
Target Field gave new energy to the North Loop, and history is being repeated at Downtown East.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 71381.html

On Minneapolis' west and east sides, change is the game
Target Field gave new energy to the North Loop, and history is being repeated at Downtown East.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 71381.html

It's good to see Rochelle Olson is still a really bad reporter. Her completely biased reporting on the Vikings Stadium was stunning.

ummmm north loop was dead before target field?? this area has been under construction for almost 20 yrs! The stadium did not start development here. cmon tribune.

I don't think its fair to say the North Loop was dead before Target Field, but I also wouldn't say there's been no effect since it was completed. I think it also comes down to how you draw the borders, if you include the Warehouse District (anything north of the viaduct) then yes, there was plenty of development before TF and it probably would have continued to happen without it. Now if you look at everything literally inside the "loop" then I really don't think we'd be seeing District 600, Junction Flats, Fulton Expansion or NMDP if all that was over there was still a huge surface lot and garbage burner. I think it would be hard to argue those aren't a direct result of Target Field. Alas, these things are like doing a rain dance. Is it raining because I did the dance? Or was it just gonna rain anyways? Is the development from TF, or was it going to happen regardless?

The latest round of Met Council TOD & cleanup grants reveal some new information about a few upcoming North Loop projects: http://finance-commerce.com/2014/07/dow ... il-grants/

Bloomington-based developer outlines an 11-story project that could include a 160-room hotel, 40,000 square feet of office and 5,000 square feet of restaurant and other retail uses. United Properties spokeswoman Jessie Timmerman said more detailed plans for the site will be available in the fall.

Greco is working on something new:

A $98,000 grant will help Minneapolis-based Greco Properties complete its North Loop projects near the 700 block of Washington Avenue North and just three blocks from Target Field Station. Greco’s latest project, at 729 Washington Ave. N., would convert surface parking lots into a 10-story residential complex with 50 market rate apartments and ground-floor retail and office space. The site is across the street from Greco’s ElseWarehouse apartments and north of its Copham apartments, completed in 2012.

EDIT: We have a thread for 729 Washington here: https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2575

I think my size meter is broken from all these monolithic full block developments. 50 units over 9 stories doesn't seem like much when you can fit that many units on an entire floor on these new projects, but then you remember that this won't take up nearly as much of a footprint.

isn't the United properties project the target field station corner lot across from be the match?

isn't the United properties project the target field station corner lot across from be the match?

Yes.

Sharing and Caring Hands expanding their shelter.

http://finance-commerce.com/2014/08/she ... loop-area/

I had the opportunity to drive aroud the old 'hood yesterday and it's totally different than it was even 10 years ago when I was living in the old Riverwalk apartments (Lindsay Brothers warehouse). The walkability is out of this world. Any bets on whether this continues westward down 2nd St.?