urbanMSP

Plan on working at this site tomorrow.

Things are progressing slowly. The structure is up, but framing is not quite finished. The parapets are still missing. The framing factory that punches those out had to shut down because of the Covid. They have been down a week and a half. They plan on firing back up Monday to do those.
Windows are getting stockpiled, and exterior brickwork on the Azine side should start in two weeks.
The central corridor/alley thru the building is really neat, I hope they are able to fill the first floor business spaces. It will be neat to visit once it opens up.

Replacing the sidewalk on the 1st side this week.
They are hoping to open to partial occupancy soon.

March 1st is the target date to start housing renters.

Target date was moved to April 1st, but they aren’t fooling me.

Lol. Walked by a week or so ago, and was just thinking that it's probably a month or so out still.

Incorrect deck hanger brackets on the indented center section above the alleyway, leading to total siding removal, will do that.

I REALLY like the way this one turned out

Always going to be mad about the amount of parking this has, but it does look fantastic.

You really can't tell at all!

Always going to be mad about the amount of parking this has, but it does look fantastic.

Life's too short to always be so angry. And the parking numbers for this site are far more complex than what most realize.

Always going to be mad about the amount of parking this has, but it does look fantastic.

Life's too short to always be so angry. And the parking numbers for this site are far more complex than what most realize.

@dajazz can you expand on that?

Parking is not strictly for residents.

I’m proud to have been part of that project, I hope they fill up quickly.

Grant, did you happen to see if the Fed has finished up their fence project?

That looks to be done, or very close. I bike by on the Cedar Lake Trail daily and as of the middle of this week, they had erected the last section of fence that they had been leaving open to be able to access the outside without going all the way around through the entrance.

I drove by yesterday. Visitors were parking on 1st, lots of Ped traffic, the only sign of finishing work from the exterior is a dumpster and Porto-pots out back by the Fed delivery entrance. Great to see.

I have friends moving in here June 1st!

This is such a site sensitive building. It looks fresh, but it also looks like it belongs with it's older neighbors. Too bad the passageway under the mid section of the building ends in a blank fortress wall of the Federal Reserve. A little pocket park could make that passage downright magical. It will be interesting to see how active the passageway becomes once this is occupied.

If the Fed were to allow a mural to be painted on that wall (make it Federal Reserve related, why not?) that might really create a nice bit of visual interest and spatial drama as someone moves through the passage. Unfortunately the Fed has seemed to be very uninterested in being a constructive neighbor to a thriving urban neighborhood.

One fun mini-trend has been the creation of these little passageways and pocket spaces at both Second and Second, The Archive, and The Nordic. North Loop Green would also create a space like that, if it ever gets off the ground. Great neighborhoods often have great alleyways and unexpected pedestrian passages. I'd hope that any developer or architect in the neighborhood would take note and look for opportunities to activate or create new alleyway spaces.

For example, there appears to be an easement that bisects the block bounded by Washington, 2nd St, 2nd Ave, and 3rd Ave (the Monte Carlo block). A developer working on either of the parking lots at the north or south corners of the block could create something special if they designed to address that mid-block passage in some way.

I have friends moving in here June 1st!

Have you gone over for a visit yet?

I have friends moving in here June 1st!

Have you gone over for a visit yet?

I don't live in mpls anymore but they really love it. Great rooftop, they actually have a great view of the city. The fans from the federal reserve can be a bit obnoxious I guess. But they're really enjoying it.