urbanMSP

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office is requesting funding in the upcoming bonding bill to build a new facility. The new facility would no longer be downtown.

Apparently the crime lab would be interested in expanding into the old Medical Examiner's Office, but given the value of the land (across the street from US Bank Stadium), one would hope that the county would sell to a private developer. Hopefully the funds are included in the bonding bill this spring and then the speculation can begin.

Should the county put consideration of sites within walking distance of future LRT stations on the options?

They are looking for space on the 494 corridor, likely in Bloomington.

This seems like great news. Get 'em out of there.

Just came here to post this news, and you all beat me to it.

Just yesterday I was walking by there thinking, it would be really nice to make better use of that land.

Guys, don't get your hopes up. Remember, the parking lot on this parcel is going to be leased to the Vikings on gamedays for tailgating as part of the deal to keep them off the commons. If the county puts the land up for sale, my guess is the likely buyer would be the Vikings and the building would become more parking.

The city would not be allowing that. Or at least a lot of us here would be angry.

Guys, don't get your hopes up. Remember, the parking lot on this parcel is going to be leased to the Vikings on gamedays for tailgating as part of the deal to keep them off the commons. If the county puts the land up for sale, my guess is the likely buyer would be the Vikings and the building would become more parking.

I'd hope the Wilf would see developing it as far more profitable.

Guys, don't get your hopes up. Remember, the parking lot on this parcel is going to be leased to the Vikings on gamedays for tailgating as part of the deal to keep them off the commons. If the county puts the land up for sale, my guess is the likely buyer would be the Vikings and the building would become more parking.

I'd hope the Wilf would see developing it as far more profitable.

I'd sure hope so too. Yet Ziggy also owns two lots immediately north of the stadium as well, and so far the only indication of his plans are more skyway connected parking ramps.

I'd sure hope so too. Yet Ziggy also owns two lots immediately north of the stadium as well, and so far the only indication of his plans are more skyway connected parking ramps.

That's not true at all. They've mentioned having it be mixed-use spaces. I don't have time to dig back through the various threads, but I remember posting an article about that. If the Wilf's do buy the space, I doubt it would be for parking. Zigi & his brother have not made millions by building parking ramps or parking lots.

Wouldn't that lot be the next best place for them to try to pull off the development they proposed for the parking ramp block? Bring in some residential, office/sports entertainment news broadcast area, and some ground floor retail? Real close, better views than their lots on the north side of the stadium.

I can't imagine the city would not demand something more special than just parking here. The location is just too good on the newly built park. The site could utilize underground and wrapped parking to take care of the parking burden. I would hope to see something mixed use and 10+ stories. It also needs to active the street level on the park side - walk up units or retail/dining. (If they can find the demand for it, but that might be a stretch.)

Does anyone know if that block will keep it's rounded form with how the final street reconfiguration will be? Because a curve faced building there would be really awesome.

I'd sure hope so too. Yet Ziggy also owns two lots immediately north of the stadium as well, and so far the only indication of his plans are more skyway connected parking ramps.

That's not true at all. They've mentioned having it be mixed-use spaces. I don't have time to dig back through the various threads, but I remember posting an article about that. If the Wilf's do buy the space, I doubt it would be for parking. Zigi & his brother have not made millions by building parking ramps or parking lots.

Don't know how recent the rendering is, but this article is from this past week. Look at the second image attached to the article, that sure looks like a parking ramp to me.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... ds.html#i2

Don't know how recent the rendering is, but this article is from this past week. Look at the second image attached to the article, that sure looks like a parking ramp to me.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... ds.html#i2

That rendering also shows Portland closed and green space on the plaza. Neither of which are happening.
There's no doubt Zigy has talked about adding parking there. But more recently, they've mentioned building mixed-use buildings there. If parking is included in that mix, I can't fault them - it's their property.

The city would not be allowing that. Or at least a lot of us here would be angry.

We can be NIMBYs!!!

I know some here could lose consciousness as they read this, but I would actually support a height restriction on some of the blocks to the south/southwest of the park, in order to maximize natural sunlight on the park. A bright park is a happy park. I'm not suggesting something abominable like 4 floors, but whatever height maximizes the most direct sunlight (maybe 12-15 floors). Like Central Park, NYC.

You have the Armory to the south on one block, and the other block is Hennepin county and the Health Building and the Juvi-detention center that pretty muck keep the sunlight coming in. Not sure how tall a building would have to be before it would cast a shadow that would be longer than a block in the winter at high noon to encroach on the parks sunlight. But at this point there is easily a one block sunshine safety zone already built in. Doubt we will be seeing any supertall being built in Elliot Park and that would basically be the area where any building to the south would happen.

A bright park is a happy park.

While this is true if there is extremely monolithic development overshadowing, we have plenty of urban parks with tall buildings surrounding them and partial shade during daytime hours. Rice, Mears, Government Center Plaza, etc.