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Foundry Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 9:25 am
by schmitzm03
The following is noted in the Community Development Committee's meeting packet for City recommendations on brownfield funding:
"Foundry, The (115/117/119/121/123/125 1st St. N., 128 1st Ave. N., 128 2nd St. N.)
Projected DEED Request: $489,775
Projected Metropolitan Council TBRA Request: $397,075
Projected Hennepin County ERF Request: $117,455

The developer, Foundry Development, plans to demolish three existing buildings, renovate two
buildings (including the historic foundry building), and construct a two-story retail and
recreation building and a six-story 150-unit mixed-use residential building, with street-level
parking areas and two levels of underground parking. The total projected development cost is
$49,285,533. Grant funds, if awarded, will be used for soil remediation, the abatement of
asbestos and/or lead based paint in the existing historic buildings, and the installation of a subslab
vapor mitigation system."

http://minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/pub ... 187801.pdf

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 9:58 am
by lordmoke
So they're planning to demo the three buildings south of the Foundry? Two of those are contributing properties to the historic district, no? That'll go over well.

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 10:04 am
by Sacrelicio
So they're planning to demo the three buildings south of the Foundry? Two of those are contributing properties to the historic district, no? That'll go over well.
Waaiiittt...which ones? And why?

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 10:24 am
by EOst
We've been talking about this project a bit in the West Elm thread, though this doc makes it sound like the rumored West Elm hotel will be a different site.

The easy builidngs to demo are 123 and 119 1st St N, which are non-contributing cement block garages from the 50s. The mention of a third, however, is extremely concerning. I see two candidates:

1) Either they're hoping to demolish 121 (two stories, painted white) which is protected but makes developing that lot pretty hard, since it breaks it in two. Hard to believe they'd even try to get this one demolished (as opposed to moving it next to the Foundry or the one to the south) but who knows?

2) Or they mean the 1919 addition to the Foundry to the SW, which is abandoned and doesn't have a roof. Also protected, though maybe it's far enough gone that they could convince the city to condemn it.

The mention of "street-level parking" is pretty worrisome too.

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 11:10 am
by LakeCharles
Well they say they are going to renovate two buildings, one of them being the Foundry building, and build a two-story building. You'd have to assume the other one they want to renovate is 121 1st St N, right? The foundry addition seems very difficult to renovate, and is only one-story anyway, which might be harder to tie into the new construction than 121.

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 11:36 am
by Silophant
I think the other building they want to renovate is 115 1st St N. (Three stories, adjacent to the Alliance Francaise.)

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 11:42 am
by grant1simons2
These 3 just so it's clear to everyone

Image

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 12:20 pm
by amiller92
2) Or they mean the 1919 addition to the Foundry to the SW, which is abandoned and doesn't have a roof. Also protected, though maybe it's far enough gone that they could convince the city to condemn it.
The Foundry isn't entirely abandoned (although this and its links are getting old now): http://ghostsignsmpls.blogspot.com/2011 ... ering.html

There's been a store in there for the last few years: http://www.springfinnandco.com/pages/contact-sf-co
Google says there's an art gallery too: http://www.veroniquewantz.com/

Anyway, I certainly hope they're not thinking of taking down the three story building on the corner of 1st and 2nd, although maybe I'd be okay with taking down the one-story part behind it, which is what's roofless.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 12:59 pm
by twincitizen
The white "Arrow" building will probably be a fight to tear down, but ultimately (IMO) should be approved. The integrity on this block is strong and I don't think removing that building weakens it. In fact, putting a taller building in the middle of this block (bookended/anchored by the remaining historic structures on each corner) will actually strengthen the integrity of the remaining buildings and surrounding area. That and it's a fairly undersized and unremarkable structure. I don't feel that its presence contributes much to the overall character/integrity of that block today.
The mention of "street-level parking" is pretty worrisome too.
I read that as street-level parking within the 6-story building (in addition to the 2 underground levels), not as uncovered surface parking somewhere on the block. Though it is a pretty big site, so it certainly is possible there would be an area left undeveloped.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 1:17 pm
by EOst
@amiller92: Not the Foundry building itself, the long one-story smelter building behind it on 2nd Ave. This thing.

@twincitizen: The Arrow building (121) definitely has enough integrity to contribute to the district. Setting aside whether they should be allowed to demolish it or not (and I'm pretty strongly on the "not" side here), the building has local landmark status *and* is on the NRHP; there's no way they'd be able to demolish it without a legal fight that they would very plausibly lose.

(The value of the Arrow building would probably be more obvious if they stripped the white paint.)

Re: North Loop Neighborhood

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 1:18 pm
by dajazz
These 3 just so it's clear to everyone

Image
As I'm reading it a 2 story retail building would be placed here, seems like a 3 story would fit in better and help make the argument to tear down the Arrow building.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 1:22 pm
by seanrichardryan
The alley should still bisect the site. It's used frequently by both Jetset & Aria. I imagine parking access could easily be there.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 1:29 pm
by MNdible
I think we should protest the demolition of the "R" in foundry.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 1:33 pm
by mnmike
I guess I would be okay with those going. Surprised the one with the caved in roof and listing chimney can be saved.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 1:49 pm
by Silophant
I wonder where the two-story retail/recreation building is going. If it's along 1st, why can't the Arrow building be integrated into it?

Also, I was going to fix the typo in the title, but that would ruin MNdible's joke, so I'll leave it alone.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 2:39 pm
by seanrichardryan
Wait, this includes the Jetset building. So theoretically we're only saving that and Commutator.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 7th, 2016, 4:15 pm
by grant1simons2
No. They probably just don't need to renovate them.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 9th, 2016, 8:17 pm
by contrast
I always thought the smelter without the roof would make for an amazing outdoor dining patio. A few years back a buddy and I were out walking and it was open so we walked in to check it out. Very interesting space. Nothing too wildly exceptional, but I would be all for saving it (with the roof just stabilized roughly as-is) and seeing a kind of Mill City Museum courtyard feel, but it is much more intimate and perfect for a dining space as it is separated from the street with the brick wall, but still has huge window openings for visual connections. It was really neat.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 10th, 2016, 9:39 am
by amiller92
I too have peaked in there, but at this point it's just a single-story brick courtyard.

Re: Foundy Mixed-Use Development - 115-125 1st St N, 128 2nd St N, 128 1st Av N

Posted: October 10th, 2016, 10:06 am
by seanrichardryan
That's the casting yard, the key component to the foundry. From a 'historic' standpoint it's the key element to preserve.