Ditto. Walkout units on the busy Marquette transit corridor are stupid. Also the inverse statement - If there were ever a place for small retail stalls, it's here. Small scale retail has been eradicated from Nicollet Mall. This is one of the only Mall-proximate places it still exists (not including skyways of course).Still want them to remove the town homes. They just don't fit here
I now support the project but demand more ground floor retail. Personally I don't mind too much that they're wiping out the physical structure itself, but I really insist that it be replaced by the same use. As you can see in the report, the structure along Marquette is not historic and will not require HPC review. The City originally designated it along with the Handicraft Building but it was overruled in court at some point (assuming the owner challenged that protection). Arguing to save that building won't get us anywhere.
It appears just five (5!!) "maisonette" units are proposed along Marquette. I would consider it a win if we could get the developer to convert just the corner space to retail.
We probably need to get the email machine going on this one, folks. Send your thoughts to the planner ([email protected]), and copy CMs Lisa Bender and Lisa Goodman, along with your CM too.