Vikings Stadium Miscellaneous Discussion

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
Ubermoose
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Ubermoose » July 12th, 2012, 2:59 pm

One article says a possible partially retractable roof. That should be interesting.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... able-roof/

Rich
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Rich » July 17th, 2012, 7:03 am

Elliot Park folks and a new Stadium Implementation Committee voice ideas in this article. Among other things, they think the stadium must be "woven into the community", it should incorporate premier public spaces including a world-class transit exchange, it should be family-friendly, and no part of the building "should look uninviting or like the back side". It seems like there will be more of an effort to make the area inviting than there was when the Metrodome went up.

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... ategory=92

John
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby John » July 17th, 2012, 11:05 am

Elliot Park folks and a new Stadium Implementation Committee voice ideas in this article. Among other things, they think the stadium must be "woven into the community", it should incorporate premier public spaces including a world-class transit exchange, it should be family-friendly, and no part of the building "should look uninviting or like the back side". It seems like there will be more of an effort to make the area inviting than there was when the Metrodome went up.

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.ph ... ategory=92
The design process is off to an excellent start. I like the "360 degree principle" to make all sides of the Stadium visually exciting. There are some very good people involved in setting the tone for the architecture , and its good to get community feedback. I agree that it should have a better relationship with the community around it compared to the Dome. But I hope the architects are careful not to interpret this too literally by designing a pseudo historic Stadium (like Indianapolis) as part of the solution. IMO, the design should have a contemporary aesthetic with an iconic presence. It should be a symbol of the future, yet have a sense of timelessness about its design. This was achieved quite well in the architecture of the Twins Stadium, and that should be their role model.

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Nathan
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Nathan » July 18th, 2012, 10:08 am

Another good article about the desires of the stadium committee.

http://www.minnpost.com/cityscape/2012/ ... polis-area

MSPtoMKE
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby MSPtoMKE » July 18th, 2012, 10:47 am

"Back when the Metrodome was built, there was a lot of concern that it would generate a second downtown that would draw people and energy from the one that was already there. And planners didn't want to set up an entertainment district to rival what was developing in the warehouse district. So there was a conscious effort not to encourage development."

That is the first I have heard that claim. People have always claimed that the Metrodome was supposed to bring all kinds of development.
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mullen
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby mullen » July 18th, 2012, 10:57 am

i find that hard to believe. back in the late 70's the warehouse district was just barely becoming an artists area. i've never read that claim before. they were afraid of a second downtown? umm ok. if that was the case the "planners" strategy was spot on.

we got a cheap concete bunker and zero activity/economic development for 30 years. good job planners.

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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Rich » July 18th, 2012, 12:02 pm

There's truth to the development claim. Rybak has made the same claim. Also, the head of the Downtown Council recently said "there's a reason why the first few decades saw nothing happening there, the development corporation that was formed at the time didn't allow any."

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_20102156

reeckman
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby reeckman » July 18th, 2012, 12:03 pm

"Back when the Metrodome was built, there was a lot of concern that it would generate a second downtown that would draw people and energy from the one that was already there. And planners didn't want to set up an entertainment district to rival what was developing in the warehouse district. So there was a conscious effort not to encourage development."

That is the first I have heard that claim. People have always claimed that the Metrodome was supposed to bring all kinds of development.
In the 1970s people were still leaving MInneapolis in large numbers. There was a massive effort to reinvent the downtown core of Minneapolis as a cohesive and desirable place, i.e. to satisfy/attract corporations, and the zoning ordinances reflected that. Concrete/parking lots replaced blight in a lot of cases, displacing the residents, perhaps making downtown feel safer too. The dome displaced even more residents, and was zoned a high-tech district to allow redevelopment without diluting the effort to strengthen downtown core as we know it today.

Major changes happen only as fast as the markets allow. It's starting to look like we are actually ready.

This article clarifies some of the points being raised about the history of zoning and development:

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_20102156

Didier
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Didier » July 18th, 2012, 1:34 pm

Rybak and the pro-stadium lobby mentioned several times that Downtown East was zoned to discourage development around the Metrdome. Definitely not the first time this has come up.

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woofner
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby woofner » July 18th, 2012, 5:02 pm

Rybak and the pro-stadium lobby mentioned several times that Downtown East was zoned to discourage development around the Metrdome. Definitely not the first time this has come up.
If they zoned it for the most inclusive zoning district (Industrial) to discourage development, imagine what zoning the rest of the city for more exclusive districts must have done for development.
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reeckman
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby reeckman » July 19th, 2012, 11:30 am

High tech industrial buildings in that era were popping up everywhere in the suburbs, and those buildings tend to sprawl and be under 4 stories, i.e. not compete with an effort to get high density skyscrapers. It would be nice for a historian to chime in and set me straight but I really think the dome, parking lots, and zoning sterilized the blighted, dangerous outskirts of the downtown core.

This is why it is so exciting to see this new stadium go in during a different time where, for the first time since the 1920s, the downtown growth rate is exceeding suburban growth rate, and Minneapolis is a prime example.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 71826.html

So what are we ready for by the Vikings stadium? What would people like to see develop along 4th and 5th Sts? Any rumors??

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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby reeckman » July 19th, 2012, 11:38 am

And I mean new rumors since this has been approved. I've seen the months old renderings and maps showing very basic outlines of park space, and general development space. Has anyone heard any specific proposals yet?

ace
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby ace » July 19th, 2012, 1:15 pm

And I mean new rumors since this has been approved. I've seen the months old renderings and maps showing very basic outlines of park space, and general development space. Has anyone heard any specific proposals yet?
Back when the stadium was formally approved, Lester Bagley said the design process would last roughly 10 months, which means you will not be seeing any official renderings until early next year.

writruth
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby writruth » July 19th, 2012, 5:47 pm

Any specific talk of designs are premature at this early stage.

But if you look very closely at the renderings currently available for the downtown site, you can read the signage for a proposed multi-story hotel across from the stadium. There's also been some public references from the team about a Vikings museum/Hall of Fame on site. Other speculations has focused on transforming some of the parking lots into soccer fields to attract people to the area, from the surrounding Cedar Riverside, University of Minnesota areas. Doing so, especially if they are public fields that are either free or cost very little to use, will draw players to the area and add an international vibrancy to the current asphalt wasteland. Also, a scaled-down version of the public tennis center, I suggested a few months ago would be another popular addition. The fields should be fitted with outdoor lighting to keep them operational until 11pm or midnight on weekends. In the winter these could be replaced by outdoor skating rinks. Build 10 outdoor courts that can be covered in the winter.

The key is to have attractions that are low cost and attract people to the area, especially when events are not scheduled at the stadium. I think the stadium should include public access for a large-scale gym/training center. It might also be great to add some kind of public outdoor swimming facilities. During these hot summer days, families are going to want easy access to safe, clean swimming pools.

Have heard nothing more about the so called Winter Garden, once proposed for the area. Might be interesting to see those plans dusted off again. For this blighted area, to prosper, it will need to provide assets not available in other parts of the urban core. Would be great to add some international eateries, like some of the ones only available at the Global Midtown Market.

The exterior plaza for a block or two leading up to the stadium should have huge video screens with speakers that promote the events taking place at the stadium. The speaker system should play music etc. to create a festive, lively, inviting atmosphere. It could also be used to provide directions and updates to other downtown events at the Guthrie, Target Field, The Convention Center, Nicollet Avenue etc.

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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby PhilmerPhil » July 19th, 2012, 10:21 pm

A grand skate plaza would for sure be well used on non game days. (note: go downtown on a Sunday, the only people using the public spaces and bringing life to the streets are skateboarders.) Not only would it be a regional draw if done properly, but it could easily host large national skateboard contests and events. Something like these: Image
Image
Image

Konante
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Konante » July 20th, 2012, 7:51 am

A grand skate plaza would for sure be well used on non game days. (note: go downtown on a Sunday, the only people using the public spaces and bringing life to the streets are skateboarders.) Not only would it be a regional draw if done properly, but it could easily host large national skateboard contests and events.
My first reaction to this was "NO WAY!", but it's actually an interesting idea for this area. East downtown is a long, long ways from being attractive to residents and other foot traffic generators so this might be preferable to dead zones.

Didier
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Didier » July 20th, 2012, 10:01 am

I really like the idea of skateboarding facilities in the area as well. I don't think you'd have to do anything outrageous, but that idea actually serves as an interesting, natural-looking way to draw new people to the area on a regular basis.

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Nathan
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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Nathan » July 20th, 2012, 11:01 am

Wow! I actually think that is an amazing idea. Having skating tournaments with the skyline in back, real urban setting. It would give a lot of the youth a place to gather and be, depending on your view of the sport, productive. Skate parks are definitely something that the Suburbs do out-perform the city in. If we plan on having families and more youth utilizing the area this would be a big draw. I remember when the Maple Grove Community Center built their Skate Park. It was and is THE place to be. That's saying something for MG. Mpls would have to go all out or face the dilemma of it being too small for the number of potential users.

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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Tcmetro » July 20th, 2012, 11:14 am

This would be a nice addition to Downtown East, and would help draw weekend visitors. I don't know about business stimulation. Most kids only want Arizona teas and Doritos. Although a skate shop could open in the area, if this ever came to be.

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Re: Vikings Stadium

Postby Didier » July 20th, 2012, 11:25 am

Personally I think you have to look at something like this as a park geared toward a slightly different audience. If you base it off a mystical giant skateboarding competition it kind of misses the point. The real value of a skate park would be that it would bring new people to this area on a daily basis.


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