Page 1 of 21

East End / Thresher Square / Trader Joes - 713 Washington Ave S

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 7:39 am
by trkaiser
Finance & Commerce (locked) and the Business Journal have an article about plans for George Sherman to build 150 apartments and a 110-room hotel on the 700 block between Washington and Third avenues - the same block as the Old Spaghetti Factory.

I feel like we're approaching a new project every other day. Yet another DTE parking lot bites the dust!

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/m ... -near.html
http://finance-commerce.com/2013/03/apa ... s-stadium/

Mod note 1: Jump ahead to the actual project announcement here viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1258&start=60#p58026
And a preliminary floor plan here: http://www.sherman-associates.com/files ... pdated.pdf

Mod note 2: Trader Joe's confirmed on 12/22/14 viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1258&start=180

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 7:49 am
by min-chi-cbus
I'm more excited to see continuing investment along Washington, what I consider to be an overlooked corridor (despite its current buzz). I don't suppose anyone has a rendering they were able to find, do they?

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 9:44 am
by mrcity
Great. News. Between this site and the potential tribune blocks development, seems like the new stadium plans are having a great impact.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 10:11 am
by Silophant
The article I could read wasn't clear, is this going to replace the old spaghetti factory building, or just go into the parking lot behind it?

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 10:26 am
by 612transplant
^^^I guess I'm unclear on the same thing, but I certainly hope they keep that building...

The parking lot + "vacant building" (which I'm assuming is that 1 story affair at 3rd and Chicago?) is a nicely sized space....big enough to support the scale of this project, but not so big that they can afford to sprawl out. It should have some height and density to it...

I'm excited.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 10:38 am
by beykite
I wouldn't think so... And I would certainly hope not. I think it will be built on the parking lot behind it and possibly the abandon warehouse on 3rd and Chicago.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 11:21 am
by John
I think the developer Sherman's offices are in the Old Spaghetti Factory building. I'm doubtful they will tear it down and if anything it might be renovated. It's refreshing to see a multi use project being proposed. I think we will see more of this as the amount of vacant land in downtown shrinks.

All the previous debate about the Vikings Stadium economic impact on the surrounding area is decidedly going in favor of the argument that it will spur development. DTE is on the verge of a enormous construction boom. And the remarkable thing is the stadium hasn't even started construction!

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 12:50 pm
by m b p
Nic on 5th is 253 units and 288 feet. So... if we are we expecting 150 apartments and 110 hotel rooms in one tower (260 total units)... This could be fairly tall... especially for that area.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 1:10 pm
by woofner
Depends on the size of the units. Lime, for example, is 171 units on a parcel about the size of the parking lot on this block plus the Grainger building. Mill City Quarter is 150 units proposed for a similarly sized parcel. If he gets the parking lot next to the Advance Thresher building he could fit a 150 units and a 110 room hotel into 6 stories.

And before every goes crediting the stadium for development like this, I'd point out that this is continuing a development trend that began near the river and has moved towards the stadium, not the other way around.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 1:22 pm
by John
And before every goes crediting the stadium for development like this, I'd point out that this is continuing a development trend that began near the river and has moved towards the stadium, not the other way around.
Good point. Its really a convergence of several development trends occuring in the surrounding area. And being one block from the LRT is yet another major factor. But I think one thing is for certain : we are going to see an explosion in development activity in DTE.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 1:28 pm
by MNdible
I assume that Advance Thresher owns that parking lot and wouldn't want to let it be developed. As I've discussed previously, it would seriously impact the rentable value of the office space on that side property lines. Right now, they've got a view (not a great one, but a view) and light. There's a big difference between having another building face 20' away as opposed to 50'.

I don't have time to look up how that block is platted, but based on how it's used, it looks a bit convoluted.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 1:35 pm
by MNdible
OK, I lied. I did have time to look it up. But I was correct, it is convoluted.

Assuming that they don't cut a deal for a portion of the Thresher Square land, the parcel gets really skinny behind Grainger.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 3:51 pm
by uptowncarag
I don't think historical buildings will allowed to be torn down. We need to save all that we have left.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 3:55 pm
by Archiapolis
Grainger is included in the parcel.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 4:00 pm
by twincitizen
Well good thing we aren't. 724 3rd St is ugly, was built in 1946, and should be torn down.

The Thresher Building (700 3rd St) was built in 1900 and will stay.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 4:41 pm
by Nathan
Sometimes Ugly-ish things have historic context. The front of 724 could actually be quite charming if it was refreshed. The 1940's were a tough decade, and this building tells the tale. Let's not throw ugly around too much. Is it not the best use of the block in today's world, maybe, is it historic, probably, could it look cute, definitely. With little left to break up (the future) modernity in DTE it would be nice to see an old single story store front/restaurant here or there. Variety... spice of life.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 6:36 pm
by MNdible
I know Grainger is included. Did you look at the parcel map I linked to? The lot it sits on gets skinny.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 21st, 2013, 9:16 pm
by nordeast homer
is it historic, probably,
I hope you were saying that tongue-in-cheek. How is there anything historic or significant about this building? I think that goes along with the saying, "if everything is special, then nothing is."

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 22nd, 2013, 7:05 am
by Nathan
is it historic, probably,
I hope you were saying that tongue-in-cheek. How is there anything historic or significant about this building? I think that goes along with the saying, "if everything is special, then nothing is."


If it were on Nicollet Ave South and had some swanky restaurant and a patina in it, people would swoon.

Re: 700 Washington & Third Apartments/Hotel

Posted: March 22nd, 2013, 11:25 am
by nickmgray
It's nice to see we'll have another development along Washington. After years or work, this area is truly turning into a residential neighborhood.

As far as size goes, they will be able to get the apartment units and hotel rooms all wrapped up in a 10-15 story building. While this is three blocks closer to downtown than Bridgewater, you really don't want something that's going to stick out like a sore thumb.