17 North Washington - CA - 27 stories - ~300'(?)

[Mdcastle]

Its interesting that that city seems quite confident that this building:
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9779489 ... 384!8i8192
doesn't meet any historic preservation standards and should be sold to the highest bidder for redevelopment, but the Dolphin Staffing building, might be historic and eligible for preservation.

Cities are always more eager to tell people what to do or not do with their property than to follow their own rules. Somehow I'm not able to install a new high pressure sodium vapor light fixture on my property because it doesn't meet CRI and Kelvin temperature requirements yet Bloomington could use them on every street.

[seanrichardryan]

Expectedly, this has been appealed. https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2021-00182

[uptownbro]

https://www.startribune.com/modernist-m ... 600022323/

Looks like it will be coming down. I am very glad to see this moving forward. Its replacing a building that never should have been built

[Nathan]

https://www.startribune.com/modernist-m ... 600022323/

Looks like it will be coming down. I am very glad to see this moving forward. Its replacing a building that never should have been built

A lot of people during the time period of gateway renewal might have said those old, out of style, inefficient buildings should never have been built either... I personally love the current building. I don't think it looks as good as it could, but I do believe it could be modified to fit a very urban context. Another sensitivity I have is that early modernist buildings around the city are being lost left and right. Though this isn't the most amazing example of modernist architecture. It will certainly be missed in Minneapolis' architectural timeline as the buildings that stood in its place previously are. Two wrongs don't make a right. That being said I think the stature and use of the proposed building carries a lot of value for this area and the residential and retail life of the city. I would err on the side of preservation (considering there is plenty of under used land all over the damn place) but I'm going to hope that the new building can help be a part of a new and thriving gateway turn around.

[uptownbro]

I can respect that view point and I do think we need to save some of the modernist buildings in the city and if this was the Northwestern National Life Building I would be up in arms if they wanted to tear it down. I just dont see this one as significant.
I also rather like the new proposal

[Nathan]

I can respect that view point and I do think we need to save some of the modernist buildings in the city and if this was the Northwestern National Life Building I would be up in arms if they wanted to tear it down. I just dont see this one as significant.
I also rather like the new proposal

A part of my argument is that the buildings that this building replaced weren't "significant" either. Probably run of the mill buildings of their period (I'd have to do some research here) but if they standing today it would be an outrage to tear it down. We have no idea how this building would be viewed in terms of significance in 20, 30, 50 or 100 years. This "insignificant" building is historic and is of a class of buildings that has significantly dwindled. The original Guthrie, the previous library, thrivent... the two city owned office buildings will probably go next (though could be preserved by the city) then what's left? The voya building stands alone the way city hall and the mke railway station do today? when they had a lot of valuable historic company before? You have to intentionally preserve the periods... even when they aren't popular or seen as significant.

Minneapolis is great at creating architectural islands though so why not keep it up.

I also like the new building I just think Minneapolis has a vast and storied history of failing in the preservation department. (And a lot of free space)