Root District - Farmers Market / Royalston Station

[kiliff75]

It would be great if this area connected downtown with the rest of the city...there's certainly areas where downtown feels like it's on a island (Downtown East, anyone?) and some comprehensive development here could eliminate some of the "downtown island" effect here. There's still going to be 94 through here to split things up, but maybe the soccer stadium/farmer's market development could help....

[Anondson]

A nice dream for reconnecting would be to freeway cap 394 between Hawthorn and Glenwood and cap the rail when logical north of Glenwood.

[talindsay]

How about a soccer stadium built *ON* a freeway cap?

Of course, I might as well suggest how about a world without freeways for how likely that is...

[twincitizen]

Have we defined the boundaries of the "West Loop" yet?
Is the northeastern boundary 7th St N? Or the 4th St viaduct?

Personally, I'd go with 394/94/Olson/7th for the purposes of this thread. Though as others have said, there's not going to be a whole lot left to talk about besides the stadium itself (which has its own thread). I'm going to add "Royalston Station" to the title.

[mattaudio]

I like the idea of a cap, but yeah probably not likely. Some ideas: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... jyYCFJAV2Q

Any chance this momentum could cross the BNSF and convince Xcel and Mpls Public Works to redevelop their large land holdings between 394/BNSF?

[HiawathaGuy]

Any chance this momentum could cross the BNSF and convince Xcel and Mpls Public Works to redevelop their large land holdings between 394/BNSF?

Not if the Basilica has anything to say about it!

[xandrex]

Personally, I'd go with 394/94/Olson/7th for the purposes of this thread. Though as others have said, there's not going to be a whole lot left to talk about besides the stadium itself (which has its own thread). I'm going to add "Royalston Station" to the title.

This is how I've been viewing the station. But, of course, that leaves just about nothing left to develop after the stadium and some other stuff.

[Silophant]

Any chance this momentum could cross the BNSF and convince Xcel and Mpls Public Works to redevelop their large land holdings between 394/BNSF?

Well, never say never, but the only Xcel property I could see Xcel easily getting rid of would be the auxiliary parking lot between Linden and 394. The actual service center, I really doubt would go.

[Gman12]

I like the idea of a cap, but yeah probably not likely. Some ideas: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... jyYCFJAV2Q

Any chance this momentum could cross the BNSF and convince Xcel and Mpls Public Works to redevelop their large land holdings between 394/BNSF?

I doubt any time soon. From what I was told they are grandfathered in on some difficult to acquire hazardous waste permits for the land that would be very hard/impossible/cost $$$$ to get if they were to relocate.

[Silophant]

That's accurate.

[downfall]

Remember that the July 2014 memorandum of understanding between the Met Council and Minneapolis included the following for the Royalston Station:

a. Upgrade to embedded track along Royalston Avenue both north and south of the station.
b. Upgrade to painted tubular overhead catenary poles in Royalston Station area and at station.
c. Build enhanced pedestrian connections to the Farmer’s Market, from both the north and south, via the frontage road and Holden and Border Avenues

Memo: http://www.metrocouncil.org/News-Events ... esign.aspx

Exhibit: http://www.metrocouncil.org/Transportat ... ation.aspx

The pedestrian improvements look to be new sidewalks with full roadway reconstruction. How much of this design is compatible with the new stadium anchored vision for the area? Is this a vehicle to pay for some of the infrastructure improvements needed for the stadium? Can/should transit funds be used in this way?

[David Greene]

They're used for everything else, why not?

:-/

[mister.shoes]

You know, if 94 dropped into a deep bore tunnel around MN55, it would be much easier to connect the West Loop with Near North.

[Minneapolitan]

West Loop rising. Soccer site & Farmers market!
startribune

[Nick]

These are pictures of newspaper articles.

[seanrichardryan]

Photographed on a gingham tablecloth

[Anondson]

Are there any concept images of the 94/4th freeway ramp-to-boulevard conversion mentioned in the article?

[xandrex]

Are there any concept images of the 94/4th freeway ramp-to-boulevard conversion mentioned in the article?

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 15531.html

Looks like the third slide is a concept of the conversion.

[mister.shoes]

If the viaduct is ever going to go away, I'm obviously partial to my crazy idea of simply reconnecting a full grid (click for full-size):

.

But now that I think about it, having a pair of one-ways would make it far too tempting to build 3-lane racetracks going each direction. The MWB concept from UrbanWorks would allow 3rd to be a neighborhood street while making the freeway access a [relatively] pleasant place to be.

[mattaudio]

Sharing and Caring Hands coming down to make way for new facility
http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/300971761.html

"The new site is set to open in mid-July, adding family size apartments to the facility’s upper two levels and new children and teen centers on its main floor. Copeland said the remodeling project won’t displace any homeless residents, and staff made space available in its community rooms for children activities until its opening."