RBC Gateway & Four Seasons - 37 stories - 519'

[min-chi-cbus]

I suspect the timeline is constrained by the streetcar plans moving forward. Moreover, if there are really national firms who would be interested in building some enormous building on this site, I don't think a short timeframe is going to stop them from proposing something.

I completely disagree about the timeline. What makes you say that? A national firm is just going to whip up a proposal super fast because.......why?

[EOst]

I suspect the timeline is constrained by the streetcar plans moving forward. Moreover, if there are really national firms who would be interested in building some enormous building on this site, I don't think a short timeframe is going to stop them from proposing something.

I completely disagree about the timeline. What makes you say that? A national firm is just going to whip up a proposal super fast because.......why?

National firms have more resources and better credit lines than the local developers do. Why do you expect the local firms would have some massive advantage with a short deadline? Both can put something together from a previous unbuilt proposal if they need to.

[aeisenberg]

This is getting off topic, but can someone explain to me a) The preoccupation with building a supertall/ new tallest building? We have so many parking lots to fill. And b) the canonization of Lisa Bender and Jacob Frey?

Can someone explain to me why there is a taboo against building taller than a 40 year old building and the Wedgidents worship Meg Tuthill?

Because the market is not asking for buildings taller than the IDS. Because we've already got an awesome, compact, 3-building crown on our skyline. Because the demand for a "new tallest" from architecture fanboys seems to have mostly to do with ego. And Bender and Frey-- an exciting team for Futurama fans who also love density (me!)-- don't have a magic wand. Developers don't build things because 2 out of 13 members of the city council tell them to.

And yeah, I can explain Meg Tuthill's appeal for you at the next forum meet-up.

[John]

we're gonna fall behind OKC

No , we are actually looking more and more like OKC every day. Just a a few more projects by Jim Stanton, Opus, and Mortenson and no one we able to tell the difference

[min-chi-cbus]

National firms have more resources and better credit lines than the local developers do. Why do you expect the local firms would have some massive advantage with a short deadline? Both can put something together from a previous unbuilt proposal if they need to.

I never said any such thing. I said I don't get the reasoning for the short time frame, and if anything I think they already know who's going to build on this site. That's my whole point, now full circle. Granted, it's a conspiracy theory, but I can't make sense of it for any other reasoning.

[Nick]

we're gonna fall behind OKC

No , we are actually looking more and more like OKC every day. Just a a few more projects by Jim Stanton, Opus, and Mortenson and no one we able to tell the difference

that settles it

[Anondson]

Who built the IDS and where are they now?

[mullen]

this meeting with the city drew big names, albeit local. i was hoping to see some out-of-town interest. i'm thankful for ryan and mortenson and all they do. maybe there are outside partners involved. i'd like to see someone like cesar pelli given one last crack at another iconic building for minneapolis.

i kinda like how oklahoma city's skyline is coming together. and i've always liked cincy's. cincy has a number of huge corporate names who are really civic minded and choose to headquarter downtown. so really similar to us. that recent insurance tower came together during the height of the recession, to.

lisa bender and jacob frey have shown, in their short time on at city hall, to be enthusiastic advocates for quality urban design/development. so yea, count me a fan of them both.

looking online i only found ids was developed by the company itself. phillip johnson architect/john burgee. i know the daytons company had a big role in that project coming together. they might have owned that block.

[lordmoke]

Who built the IDS and where are they now?

It was a combined headquarters tower for Dayton's (now Target) and Investors Diversified Services (now Ameriprise.) They both have their own buildings downtown now.

[Anondson]

They paid for it, right? But who built it for them? Outsiders? Locals?

[FISHMANPET]

What do you mean built. As in "developed" or literally "laid the steel?" According to the IDS website, that has a timeline of history, it sounds like a local firm was the developer for the IDS.

But also, it sounds like of our three tallest buildings, none of them were spec built, and all were built with an anchor tenant on board.

The IDS was a 12 story building when first proposed as well. I have to wonder how we'd react to the development of the IDS tower in real time.

[Wedgeguy]

They paid for it, right? But who built it for them? Outsiders? Locals?

The fact that Phillip Johnson designed it made the big difference. We in the 80's had building designed by national architects that had class. We no longer have that happening here in Minneapolis.

[Avian]

Johnson/Burgee were the architects along with Edward Baker Associates as the local architects of record (Baker was later liquidated). The contractor was Turner Construction, one of today's biggest contractors. They also worked on the Burj Khalifa.

http://www.turnerconstruction.com/

[mattaudio]

At least three local groups will pitch big plans for Nicollet Hotel block
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... plans.html

[Nathan]

Doran could be really interesting. The quality at Mill and Main seems to be pretty high. Hopefully these local groups can finance something cool.

[m b p]

Here's my submission... who do I email this to?

Nicollet Hotel Block - Google Earth/Sketchup Model

Mixed use. First 4 floors of both buildings are commercial (shopping). The rest is residential/hotel.
Tower 1: 606 ft. 50 floors. 70,000 sq ft + 360,000 sq ft (gross).
Tower 2: 401 ft. 34 floors. 70,000 sq ft + 260,000 sq ft (gross).

[Aville_37]

Hopeful we get something great here, but also skeptical having followed some recent grand designs for other projects that have been been dwindled down due to cost constraints or harsh feedback/opposition from the community.

[acs]

Will we get to see renderings after Thursday's meeting? I've not been following development for long enough to see a project like this start from scratch.

[FISHMANPET]

I can't imagine opposition to height or such here. If nothing else, MRRDC has officially declared downtown as already lost and not worth saving.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[MNdible]

I can't imagine opposition to height or such here. If nothing else, MRRDC has officially declared downtown as already lost and not worth saving.

FMP, I feel like you're compelled to bring up MRRDC up in every single thread. They're not nearly as important as you seem to think they are. Just let them fester on their little Facebook page and move on.