Page 4 of 13
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 20th, 2014, 1:17 pm
by mister.shoes
But what have we preserved? And for what? Very little in DT MPLS depends on water power any more, and that which does could easily (er, hypothetically?) use pipes/tunnels from farther upstream to maintain the vertical drop necessary for the power.
Apparently that wasn't a cost-effective option in late 19th-century Minneapolis. Without the apron Minneapolis would be a neighborhood of St. Paul today.
Ah, yes. My bad. In a historical context we are extremely lucky. Going forward, allowing the falls to turn into rapids wouldn't be a huge deal—and might even be a positive. But 100 years ago, MPLS would have been f'ed.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 20th, 2014, 1:43 pm
by woofner
You're talking about Sharon Sayles Belton's project of building West River Road, right?
Based on my incomplete knowledge of this area, most of the work on this stretch of West River Road was completed by the late 1980's, before SSB's time.
Gah! You're right, I was thinking of Mill Ruins Park.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 20th, 2014, 1:50 pm
by mullen
the parkway connection of central riverfront to the bohemian flats area was completed in the 90's.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 1:18 pm
by mister.shoes
How Fuji-Ya went down:
The Park Board took a portion of their parking lot, through eminent domain, to allow for the construction of West River Road. Fuji-Ya claimed that they couldn't operate without the parking lot, and so demanded that the Park Board purchase all of their land, not just the parking lot. This went to court, and Fuji-Ya "won" -- the Park Board was forced to purchase all of their land.
In retrospect, one can imagine that Fuji-Ya (or any restaurant) at that location would be a license to print money right now, with or without a parking lot, but the area was very very very different thirty years ago, and there would have been a lot of lean years for them.
From the greater-public-good perspective, building West River Road seems to be an obvious win.
So, lordmoke sent me down the rabbit hole of RR pictures with the link over in the
Downtown History thread. In the process, I came across this one by accident. Incredible picture of Fuji-Ya. What a location!
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1211248
Also helps to see how West River Parkway was implemented.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=44.981631,- ... g=180&z=19
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 1:21 pm
by Minneboy
I didn't realize Basset Creek ran to that side of Hennepin.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 2:03 pm
by mister.shoes
I didn't realize Basset Creek ran to that side of Hennepin.
It doesn't. That's the intake for the water tunnels that powered the flour mills.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 3:28 pm
by Wedgeguy
I didn't realize Basset Creek ran to that side of Hennepin.
It doesn't. That's the intake for the water tunnels that powered the flour mills.
Basset Creek is west of Hennepin and basically under what is now 8th Avenue N for part of it's journey. It also goes under the street in front of the Star Trib Printing Building and squeezes past part of the Itasca Building before it exit into the river about 3-4 blocks north of the Northstar's rail bridge over the river.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 7:18 pm
by Minneboy
Well that's what I thought but that second picture has it going under the Ceresota Mill.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 8:46 pm
by mister.shoes
Well that's what I thought but that second picture has it going under the Ceresota Mill.
That's the intake for the water tunnels that powered the flour mills.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 29th, 2014, 8:52 pm
by David Greene
Well that's what I thought but that second picture has it going under the Ceresota Mill.
That's the intake for the water tunnels that powered the flour mills.
I think he's referring to the (mis-)label "Bassett Creek (New Tunnel)" west of the tailraces.
EDIT: Not a mis-label. The Creek was diverted to St. Anthony Falls:
http://www.mninter.net/~stack/bassett/descript.htm
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: August 30th, 2014, 4:12 am
by Minneboy
Correct.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 26th, 2014, 6:15 pm
by hoffm83n
new video for water works/ west side of stone arch bridge, looks pretty cool
http://vimeo.com/109756763
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 26th, 2014, 7:22 pm
by mamundsen
Nice video. Something new to me, the new Kayak launch. To me it is VERY close to the falls. How do they think that is safe? I did notice some separation... But I don't know. Seems scary.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 7:40 am
by TommyT
This is pretty amazing! Is this a for sure project or just a proposal at this point? Any sort of timeline for when this would get started? finished?
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 7:50 am
by grant1simons2
I've heard as soon as next year
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 7:59 am
by nickmgray
Looks like a skateboarding paradise! I'm really excited for this. You can click through the full 67 page presentation which has a tone of old images of the area which show the inspiration for the new park design.
http://www.slideshare.net/MplsParksFoun ... -waterfall
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 10:14 am
by Didier
Nice video. Something new to me, the new Kayak launch. To me it is VERY close to the falls. How do they think that is safe? I did notice some separation... But I don't know. Seems scary.
It looks like the launch would be into the upper part of the lock, which is separated from the current.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 11:31 am
by mister.shoes
One of the absolute best features of this park idea is the rehab of the historic Milwaukee Road ROW. When the Mill City Quarter apartments are done and the woonerf between them is finished, there will be a great natural flow along the old ROW down to the river. It won't *literally* suck people to the waterfront, but it'll be a great green inviting gateway.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 1:27 pm
by mamundsen
Nice video. Something new to me, the new Kayak launch. To me it is VERY close to the falls. How do they think that is safe? I did notice some separation... But I don't know. Seems scary.
It looks like the launch would be into the upper part of the lock, which is separated from the current.
Then if the kayaker paddles up stream they'll join the current and end up over the falls. Right? The lock is not a big space to paddle around.
Re: Minneapolis Riverfront
Posted: October 27th, 2014, 3:14 pm
by nBode
There's a wall. Just look on Google Maps.