Xcel Energy HQ - 401 Nicollet

[writruth]

It would add vibrancy if the top floor of the Xcel building included a restaurant and rooftop dining, patio.

[spectre000]

According to the reporting, the construction of the office building is being timed to coincide with the expiration of leases in the buildings where many of the Xcel workers currently have offices. As those existing leases expire, the workers will move into their new digs across from the Xcel HQ on Nicollet by 2016, which is also the year the new downtown stadium is scheduled to open.

Too bad the residential tower is being shortened by 6 stories, now down to 27 stories, according to The Biz Journal story, but an acceptable tradeoff to get this rest of the block developed. The last portion of the story also projects a November construction start for the residential building.

Encouraging to hear the Xcel spokesperson boldly declare, downtown Minneapolis is our home now and in the future and even more encouraging to see them back up the rhetoric with construction commitments.

Any reason for shortening the Nicollet Residences by 6 stories? It CAN'T be NIMBY's this time!!

I'll bet it's a cost issue.

[MplsTodd]

I think this is great news all around:
The building looks nice and I actually like the idea of a mid-rise building rather than a high-rise.
this plus the Nicollet Residences will help bring life to the barren north end of the mall (not to mention the 222 Hennepin and Velo projects coming at downtown from the other side.

I also like the fact that they aren't planning a skyway (at least initially) as this should help provide more street life. I hope that any future developments between here and theriver and North Loop are focused on the street rather than the skyway. We'renot likely going to have enough density to keep expanding our skyway anyway and I' d rather w
e focus on enlivening the street scape.

[Nathan]

The sky way is what has done a really good job of keeping our skyline compact and beautiful though, you can argue a lack of street life, but it's one of the major reasons our downtown doesn't sprawl across random parts of the city.

[John]

The new Xcel building looks high quality albeit somewhat generic and conservative in design. A great improvement over the horrendous parking ramp though. The Nicollet Residences scaled back to 27 floors is more of a disappointment. The original 33 stories gave it a more tower like-form on the corner of 5th and Nicollet. The top 6 stories would have offered a great view and amenity for the residents...an odd thing to change IMO as the height and views would be a great selling point in attracting tenants to live there. 27 stories of high priced apartments with no view?...hmmmm. Opus is choosing play it very safe and cautious with these developments. In the grand scheme of things, however, it is nice to see this block revitalized and having something built on it of decent quality. Much better than having it vacant and blighted for decades to come.

[Didier]

Looking at the renderings, the new Xcel building looks to be configuring itself to open up onto the new proposed library park there.

[John]

Looking at the renderings, the new Xcel building looks to be configuring itself to open up onto the new proposed library park there.

It is opening up to the corner of Nicollet and 4th Street diagonal to the southeast corner of the library. The proposed library park is actually the block bound by Hennepin and Nicollet Mall , Washington and 3rd (the block just south of the library). The new Xcel building has a nice corner entrance that fits well for the intersection and acknowledges the library in a very respectful manner. The street level is well defined. Despite my feeling its a little too conservative in design, its most definitely a high quality and decent building that will get rid of one of the biggest eyesore parking ramps downtown.

[Didier]

Maybe I'm just confused, but in the rendering it looks like the big glass parts of the building would be along 4th Street, and I thought the proposed library park would include the block directly across 4th that is currently a surface parking lot?

Or maybe I wasn't clear when I said "open up." I didn't mean the physical door would be opening up to the park, but rather that it looks like a building that would be bordering a park.

[Wedgeguy]

THere was talk of doing that, but there is little need for 2 block of parks that will rarely get used by anyone. That area will never be a residential area. Only a few lunch time workers will use it if it is a park. I'm still scepticle that the block north of the Library will really ever be turned into a quality park Like Mear's Park in the Lowertown St. PAul.

[Didier]

We're starting to veer off topic a bit, but in short I generally agree that a park there wouldn't be a great draw.

[Nathaniel]

This kind of made my day. I like new construction.

Indeed. Glad I'm reading about it. I'm happy to see the ramp go. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Xcel Energy's old HQ.

[seanrichardryan]

Perhaps Opus has 'options' for the old Xcel site.

[Shawn]

Just to be 100% sure, this is the ramp we're talking about, correct?

[John]

Yes, that is exactly the turd parking ramp that is being flushed away forever!!! Xcel is planning to continue to occupy their old building with the new building as part of their plan to consolidate their employees scattered in other office buildings. They want to create a corporate "campus" of sorts. They are not vacating the current headquarters.

[MSPtoMKE]

Aside from how ugly and run down it is, one of my major annoyances about some parking ramps is in view in that google aerial. I hate it as a pedestrian when the car ramp juts out into the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians to go under and around the ramp into a poorly lit walkway. Nice to see that aspect go as well, which should improve 4th St. as well.

[Lancestar2]

This is totally great news! Also probably makes a good extension of the skyway and possibility of getting the library connected!? One surface lot away!!! Ha!

Actually I think the Nicollet tower will be connected to the NEW Xcel energy building and if that is connected to the OLD Xcel energy building then a skyway over 4th street to the Library would be possible! Although I wonder if the library was designed to have a skyway option? If they can easily add one it would be fantastic to see a 2nd floor entrance into the library also with a smaller checkout and a smaller combined entrance/exit into the library would be great! (also they could close it when they are low in staffing and force everyone to continue to enter on the 1st floor though it does seem pretty counterproductive)

Also I think another great option would be connecting the NEW Xcel energy building to the Nicollet tower and then create a skyway over 4th street and create a stairs/elevator down to street level on the corner. (like just outside of the excel center on the north west side) That way it would be very close and would help create more cross traffic (from skyway to sidewalk) Like they had envisioned in their update of Nicollet Mall renderings (the glass tubes with elevators to access street or skyway)

Either option would be great although I prefer the full skyway into the library. Oh and does anybody else think the rendering looks VERY strangely close to Target Plaza?

[woofner]

Here is the Central library's 2nd floor plan:



I only see a few options for a skyway connection to the library (assuming no major renovations). One is on the south side of the building to the left of the Pohlad auditorium, and it would connect across 4th St, I'd guess parallel to the alley between the parking ramp and the existing Xcel HQ. The barrier to that construction is presumably the layout of the Xcel building.

Another is on the north side of the building next to the Friends of the Library room. I hope that doesn't happen because I favor the Nicollet Hotel block for a downtown park, but I could see it being designed with some sort of transit facility that a skyway could connect to.

The third possibility that I see is on the east side of the building next to the Doty boardroom. It could connect to a future structure on the block to the east (the Ritz block I believe) but it would be an insult to aesthetics (not that that has stopped anyone from building a skyway in the past).

[mullen]

oh god a skyway connection. what is this the 1970s? sorry but i hate them and it's not probably minneapolis fashionable to say that. we're trained to just love them and their convenience from cold weather. the majority if cold weather cities get by just fine without them and probably have a more lively streetlife.

if a skyway connection ensures a company expanding or relocating to downtown or keeps a company in the core, than fine, build as many skyways as you want. i just think they have proven to kill street life.

[Silophant]

According to the source I read, the new building isn't currently going have a skyway connection to the old one, but will be designed so they can add one in the future. Hopefully they decide to add one before they actually build it, or I don't think it'll ever happen, as useful as it would be.

However, I don't see them ever connecting the Xcel buildings to the greater skyway system. I suppose it's possible, given how close the new one will be to the Nicollet Residences and since Opus is building them both, but I don't think Xcel's ever going to let the general public into the current HQ building. It'd be too much of a security risk.

[Didier]

I'm not as down on skyways as most people here, but having a skyway into the library is a terrible idea.