urbanMSP

Amusing posts here. 1st Ave is a successful entertainment/nightlife district. Let's cry about it.

I'd also propose that the north loop itself is a better location to build up amenities for north loop residents.

The Graves is a nice hotel that seems to be doing well amongst the 1st Ave tomfoolery.

Is this the building with Envy on the first floor, or across the street?

Either way, I feel like a lot of the concerns about the area are overblown.

The Graves is a nice hotel that seems to be doing well amongst the 1st Ave tomfoolery.

Very true, but if you've ever stood out in front of both the Graves late at night, and on this corner late at night, while close, you'd know they have totally different vibes.

Either way, 1st Ave is in a total overhaul right now. Just off the top of my head five different places have closed their doors in the last few months, so clearly the dynamic there isn't drawing a lot of people (or people with money). Hopefully this place gets done and sets a different tone.

I thought the reason a few places closed was because the city shut them down?

I thought the reason a few places closed was because the city shut them down?

A few of the nightclubs have been closed down by too many police calls, the inability of them to keep partons under control, and a few their inablility to get taxes paid to the city in a timely fashion.

Been some of both. I think Howl at the Moon and Wellman's both closed because of slow business.

Nightclubs typically have high turnover. They are often hobby businesses or opened by neophytes with other people's money so they go out of business all the time. It doesn't reflect on the general health of a nightclub district.

Howl at the Moon is a national piano bar chain, and I think they bet on Shout House getting kicked out of Block E. I'm not a piano bar regular, but I went over there once for a friend's birthday and they had promotions too good to pass up. The musicians were horrible, so I'm wondering if the top tier musicians avoided the place due to loyalty to Shout House. Or some other reason. Anyways seeing that Shout House is still around, I am not surprised HATM closed shop.

Two updates re Downtown Hotels:

Hyatt Hotels Corp. has acquired the Comfort Suites hotel in downtown Minneapolis and will rebrand it as a Hyatt Place following a $20 million renovation.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... ation.html


@jvomhofjr
And another downtown #Mpls hotel sale: East Coast trust buying The Hotel Minneapolis for $46 million.

Ugliest building downtown IMO.

^Yes, and it's the only one with its main entrance in an alley.

Since we're talking hotels, I think this monstrosity is uglier (but nicely hidden, thank god).

http://www.emporis.com/building/highlan ... lis-mn-usa

Since we're talking hotels, I think this monstrosity is uglier (but nicely hidden, thank god).

http://www.emporis.com/building/highlan ... lis-mn-usa

*shudders* thanks for the nightmares tonight guys...

And for some reason these both remind me of...
The 155

i gotta agree i've always thought this was the ugliest building downtown. and that's saying something with city center just a few blocks west.

http://m.startribune.com/business/?id=176523091&c=y

The rooftop penthouse and garden they were building before foreclosure will make a cool hotel amenity.

Since we're talking hotels, I think this monstrosity is uglier (but nicely hidden, thank god).

http://www.emporis.com/building/highlan ... lis-mn-usa

I remember when there was not a hotel above the parking garage.

http://m.startribune.com/business/?id=176523091&c=y

The rooftop penthouse and garden they were building before foreclosure will make a cool hotel amenity.

Haha, mentioning the former Radison on the West bank. I assume they mean East Bank. Speaking of which, I walked buy today and noticed it's now the Commons Hotel, not University Hotel.

Hmmm...i don't think there is anything (tall, anyway) that is even in the same ballpark of ugly as the Comfort Suites. Hope they are able to do a lot more than just "rebrand" it...

http://m.startribune.com/business/?id=176523091&c=y

The rooftop penthouse and garden they were building before foreclosure will make a cool hotel amenity.

Haha, mentioning the former Radison on the West bank. I assume they mean East Bank. Speaking of which, I walked buy today and noticed it's now the Commons Hotel, not University Hotel.

The Holiday Inn on Washington and 35W used to be a Radisson also. I think that is technically still the west bank, correct?