What will it take to develop DTE?

[min-chi-cbus]

How about the city park with a man-made lake in it, like what the visions were for the redevelopment of the Dome site if they didn't rebuild there?

[mulad]

Hrm... That reminds me too much of Government Plaza a few blocks to the west -- that big water feature in the middle (which gets shut off for half the year) is basically a permanent crowd-suppression device, preventing a critical mass of people from getting together. If someone wants a pond or something, I'd say it should be offset from the middle a bit.

[PhilmerPhil]

Once the freeways are obsolete, we'll put one in the 94/35W/55 spaghetti junction!

[MNdible]

That'll be great! We can all fly there in our new gyrocopters!

[min-chi-cbus]

You could ice skate on a frozen pond in the winter....

[nasa35]

This would be spendy, but why not a covered plaza/bar/nightclub block with gas heating and venting. This would piggy back the later part of the football season and make a super bowl bid probably an automatic yes.

[min-chi-cbus]

This would be spendy, but why not a covered plaza/bar/nightclub block with gas heating and venting. This would piggy back the later part of the football season and make a super bowl bid probably an automatic yes.

I like this idea too! It's very similar to my idea to provide heated sidewalks and heat lamps on 1st, Hennepin and Nicollet Aves downtown.

[PhilmerPhil]

This would be spendy, but why not a covered plaza/bar/nightclub block with gas heating and venting. This would piggy back the later part of the football season and make a super bowl bid probably an automatic yes.

Seems too much like Block E. Would be geared too much to suburbanites* coming in on game days, and not do a good job serving the surrounding community or spark any development.

*Not bashing suburbanites, just saying that we need to think of what is best for the long term future of DTE as an urban residential neighborhood.

[nasa35]

This would be spendy, but why not a covered plaza/bar/nightclub block with gas heating and venting. This would piggy back the later part of the football season and make a super bowl bid probably an automatic yes.

Seems too much like Block E. Would be geared too much to suburbanites* coming in on game days, and not do a good job serving the surrounding community or spark any development.

*Not bashing suburbanites, just saying that we need to think of what is best for the long term future of DTE as an urban residential neighborhood.

You know, quite a few "suburbanites" used to live in the city, and to be blunt, the warehouse entertainment district would be almost empty if it weren't for "suburbanites". And how would an outdoor plaza be like Block E? A vibrant DWTN must be supported by visitors. Should NYC make DWTN unbearable to anyone but vistors? I honestly don't get this "suburbanite" bias. Maybe we should start a thread.

[mattaudio]

nasa, I think the point is that suburbanites come into the city for amenities and entertainment they can't find in the suburbs, so there's no point in the city building suburban-style projects to attract suburbanites when the suburbs do a better job of that.

[nasa35]

nasa, I think the point is that suburbanites come into the city for amenities and entertainment they can't find in the suburbs, so there's no point in the city building suburban-style projects to attract suburbanites when the suburbs do a better job of that.

They come there to work as well...and they're also moving DFWTN. Again, what is this issue with suburbanites? So what, they come to town and spend money. We don't want that? Color me confused.

[mplsjaromir]

This would be spendy, but why not a covered plaza/bar/nightclub block with gas heating and venting. This would piggy back the later part of the football season and make a super bowl bid probably an automatic yes.

I like this idea. If done correctly meaning it could be scaleable, serving thousands during events and still viable during less times. I think it could end the chicken and egg thing about this side of downtown.

[PhilmerPhil]

I get what you're saying nasa, but I don't think that DTE should try to be a regional destination. The city wants to greatly increase its downtown population by 2025 (I forget the number) and this is the place to do so. Simply by adding residents and low rise density, this area will organically become a draw, not unlike Uptown. Artificially dropping a destination in will not do much for the area IMO.

[Didier]

Why do you guys think there is some sort of pent up demand for more restaurants and bars downtown? You can't just create an entertainment district out of nothing.

[mplsjaromir]

Why do you guys think there is some sort of pent up demand for more restaurants and bars downtown? You can't just create an entertainment district out of nothing.

Eastside of Downtown.

[ECtransplant]

Should NYC make DWTN unbearable to anyone but vistors?

There's a reason people who actually live in New York avoid midtown like the plague.

[mplser]

nasa, I think the point is that suburbanites come into the city for amenities and entertainment they can't find in the suburbs, so there's no point in the city building suburban-style projects to attract suburbanites when the suburbs do a better job of that.

They come there to work as well...and they're also moving DFWTN. Again, what is this issue with suburbanites? So what, they come to town and spend money. We don't want that? Color me confused.

I really think you are taking this out of context and blowing it out of proportion. All they were saying is that this neighborhood will work better as a residential neighborhood if the amenities and such actually cater to the people who live there. Suburbanites are welcome to come if they want to, but I don't think the city has some sort of an obligation to design everything with other people in mind, ignoring it's own citizens. The city of Minneapolis should be first and foremost concerned about the people of Minneapolis. They can try to attract suburbanites too, but that should not always be their main concern.

[Didier]

Exactly. Building random destinations isn't what makes a city. A vibrant city develops its own destinations naturally.

[min-chi-cbus]

Exactly. Building random destinations isn't what makes a city. A v*****t city develops its own destinations naturally.

There you go cursing again!

[Konante]

nasa, I think the point is that suburbanites come into the city for amenities and entertainment they can't find in the suburbs, so there's no point in the city building suburban-style projects to attract suburbanites when the suburbs do a better job of that.

They come there to work as well...and they're also moving DFWTN. Again, what is this issue with suburbanites? So what, they come to town and spend money. We don't want that? Color me confused.

I really think you are taking this out of context and blowing it out of proportion. All they were saying is that this neighborhood will work better as a residential neighborhood if the amenities and such actually cater to the people who live there. Suburbanites are welcome to come if they want to, but I don't think the city has some sort of an obligation to design everything with other people in mind, ignoring it's own citizens. The city of Minneapolis should be first and foremost concerned about the people of Minneapolis. They can try to attract suburbanites too, but that should not always be their main concern.

Wonderfully said, mplser. IMO Mpls set itself back decades by first and foremost catering to the suburban lifestyle (e.g. knocking down buildings to create parking lots). Drawing suburbanites in is and will remain a key for the city's vitality, but that needs to be a natural outgrowth of development that is first and foremost designed to cater to people who actually spend the most time there (i.e. residents). If expanding the residential population is the goal, as it should be, then that needs to remain the focus. Avoiding any sort of self-contained entertainment venue a la block e is crucial.