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Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 10th, 2014, 7:42 pm
by Aville_37
Now that I am back in the cities I've been spending a lot of time walking around and re-exploring the city. Anyone notice a women's boutique called Charmed opened in the Bridgewater? Kinda a weird mix of retail/services in that development.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 12th, 2014, 8:24 am
by LakeCharles
I wish the Children's Museum was still located downtown.
The Children's Museum still is located downtown, just in a different downtown.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 8:48 am
by twinkess
They're doing a bit of reconfiguring of the TCF tower retail. Dunn Bros moved to Taco John's former space, and Sew What! Is reconfiguring. Their entrance moved 90° to the space vacated by Dunn Bros.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 9:33 am
by Aville_37
I wish the Children's Museum was still located downtown.
The Children's Museum still is located downtown, just in a different downtown.
I mean still wish it was located downtown Mpls. Believe it used to be located in the Warehouse District.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 9:47 am
by Wedgeguy
To the best of my knowledge it move to DT St. Paul from a warehouse near Bandana Square in Energy Park in St. Paul.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 9:50 am
by FISHMANPET
Wikipedia says you're all wrong:
The museum was formed during a luncheon in 1906 when Charles W. Ames, a prominent businessman, met with a group and discussed "the intellectual and scientific growth of St. Paul".[2] The museum, originally named the St. Paul Institute of Science and Letters, was first located at the St. Paul Auditorium on Fourth Street. In 1927 the museum moved to Merriam Mansion on Capitol Hill, the former home of Col. John Merriam. This move provided more storage space for exhibits. As the Science Museum continued to outgrow its facilities, it moved to the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Sciences Center at 30 East Tenth Street.

In the early 1990s, plans for a new and more modern facility, to be located adjacent to the Mississippi River, were formed. With aid from public funding initiatives, the new museum broke ground on May 1, 1997 and opened on December 11, 1999. During the move, 1.75 million artifacts were transported.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Mu ... _Minnesota

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 9:54 am
by Wedgeguy
Wikipedia says you're all wrong:
The museum was formed during a luncheon in 1906 when Charles W. Ames, a prominent businessman, met with a group and discussed "the intellectual and scientific growth of St. Paul".[2] The museum, originally named the St. Paul Institute of Science and Letters, was first located at the St. Paul Auditorium on Fourth Street. In 1927 the museum moved to Merriam Mansion on Capitol Hill, the former home of Col. John Merriam. This move provided more storage space for exhibits. As the Science Museum continued to outgrow its facilities, it moved to the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Sciences Center at 30 East Tenth Street.

In the early 1990s, plans for a new and more modern facility, to be located adjacent to the Mississippi River, were formed. With aid from public funding initiatives, the new museum broke ground on May 1, 1997 and opened on December 11, 1999. During the move, 1.75 million artifacts were transported.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Mu ... _Minnesota
We are talking the Children's Museum not the Science Museum.

He is correct in that it started in 1981 as Minnesota Awareness in DT MPLS. When they ran out of space they move to the Bandana Square location until they out grew that location and moved to DT St. Paul. At present they are looking at an expansion again. But not sure where or how they plan to do that.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 9:57 am
by Nathan
Wikipedia says you're all wrong:
The museum was formed during a luncheon in 1906 when Charles W. Ames, a prominent businessman, met with a group and discussed "the intellectual and scientific growth of St. Paul".[2] The museum, originally named the St. Paul Institute of Science and Letters, was first located at the St. Paul Auditorium on Fourth Street. In 1927 the museum moved to Merriam Mansion on Capitol Hill, the former home of Col. John Merriam. This move provided more storage space for exhibits. As the Science Museum continued to outgrow its facilities, it moved to the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Sciences Center at 30 East Tenth Street.

In the early 1990s, plans for a new and more modern facility, to be located adjacent to the Mississippi River, were formed. With aid from public funding initiatives, the new museum broke ground on May 1, 1997 and opened on December 11, 1999. During the move, 1.75 million artifacts were transported.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Mu ... _Minnesota
what planet are you on? they are discussion the childrens museum not the science museum.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 13th, 2014, 9:57 am
by FISHMANPET
We are talking the Children's Museum not the Science Museum.
WELP NEVERMIND IGNORE ME CARRY ON

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 14th, 2014, 6:59 pm
by Aville_37
I see interior renovations are underway at RBC Plaza (former Gaviidae). Anyone have any insights into what the interior will look like? Also - I hear that Presence (the gift store) is relocating to the first floor. Keeping my fingers crossed more retail starts moving back into downtown. I just found out Room & Board is based in MN. I wish more MN-based companies/retail would open locations downtown (even though I know many are facing hard times) i.e. Best Buy, Room & Board, Red Wing Shoes, Red Wing Pottery, Spam (a funny little quirky store).

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 14th, 2014, 7:47 pm
by uptowncarag
I see interior renovations are underway at RBC Plaza (former Gaviidae). Anyone have any insights into what the interior will look like? Also - I hear that Presence (the gift store) is relocating to the first floor. Keeping my fingers crossed more retail starts moving back into downtown. I just found out Room & Board is based in MN. I wish more MN-based companies/retail would open locations downtown (even though I know many are facing hard times) i.e. Best Buy, Room & Board, Red Wing Shoes, Red Wing Pottery, Spam (a funny little quirky store).
At one time Room and Board had a whole floor located in Gaviidae and they closed several years ago. It was always rumored Best Buy would come downtown but it never happened.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 15th, 2014, 8:04 am
by mattaudio
I saw that yesterday too- they had all the storefronts cleared out except for D'Amico and Caribou on the ground floor. Other than that, it looked like they were starting with the western side of the building.

It gave me an idea, which I'm sure is far too expensive. The current Gaviidae I and II created a sort of two-block indoor mall parallel to Nicollet Mall (not even including the mall extension known as City Center). Suburbanish downtown malls clearly aren't optimal. What if these malls opened up to Nicollet Mall a little more? Some sort of indoor or outdoor atrium midblock that tied an arc of storefronts to the street using a remodeled version of that five story open court in the middle.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 15th, 2014, 8:12 am
by Silophant
The RBC Plaza side of Gaviidae is the part Centerpoint bought for their new HQ, right? Or did they just buy the department store section?

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 15th, 2014, 8:51 am
by John
It gave me an idea, which I'm sure is far too expensive. The current Gaviidae I and II created a sort of two-block indoor mall parallel to Nicollet Mall (not even including the mall extension known as City Center). Suburbanish downtown malls clearly aren't optimal. What if these malls opened up to Nicollet Mall a little more? Some sort of indoor or outdoor atrium midblock that tied an arc of storefronts to the street using a remodeled version of that five story open court in the middle.
The owners of City Center referred to a concept earlier this year (or last fall ?) that proposed each building at the intersection of 7th and Nicollet be opened up to the street creating a grand central focal point for downtown. Even if these malls did a more modest overhaul so storefronts had large windows with their main entrances on Nicollet would be helpful. Also, I think what happens on the remaining vacant blocks at the north end is critical. The pedestrian realm should be a major focus in the design of these projects.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 15th, 2014, 2:26 pm
by spearson
^^ Both ideas would be wonderful.

The lack of a sidewalk presence is really frustrating with these three main "shopping" hubs. City Center is a brute, and Gaviidae I and II while nice, are mostly blank walls. I hope someday they are renovated to spill their guts to the sidewalk. Retail areas should never feel so empty on the sidewalk as these feel and I don't get why they are still they way they are. Uptown has successfully created nice sidewalk retail, suburbia has created a plethora of new stripmalls. People like a sidewalk entrance, and I fail to understand how Downtown Minneapolis does this so poorly.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 15th, 2014, 3:19 pm
by Nathan
It gave me an idea, which I'm sure is far too expensive. The current Gaviidae I and II created a sort of two-block indoor mall parallel to Nicollet Mall (not even including the mall extension known as City Center). Suburbanish downtown malls clearly aren't optimal. What if these malls opened up to Nicollet Mall a little more? Some sort of indoor or outdoor atrium midblock that tied an arc of storefronts to the street using a remodeled version of that five story open court in the middle.
The owners of City Center referred to a concept earlier this year (or last fall ?) that proposed each building at the intersection of 7th and Nicollet be opened up to the street creating a grand central focal point for downtown. Even if these malls did a more modest overhaul so storefronts had large windows with their main entrances on Nicollet would be helpful. Also, I think what happens on the remaining vacant blocks at the north end is critical. The pedestrian realm should be a major focus in the design of these projects.
it was James Corner Field Operations that suggested it, for the Nicollet Mile and the owners of City Center agreed that they would like to open their property up to the corner.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 16th, 2014, 1:51 pm
by Aville_37
Someone really has to get on mgt. for IDS as well - both Banana and The Gap need to do better window dressing facing Nicollet. Seems half of the windows are now opaque obviously being used for storage.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 16th, 2014, 2:44 pm
by writruth
The Gap and Banana Republic both need to open as stand-alone stores along Nicollet. Add an H&M, a Nike Flagship store and an Apple Store and presto-wammo, we'll have a real retail corridor.

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 16th, 2014, 3:20 pm
by Aville_37
The Gap and Banana Republic both need to open as stand-alone stores along Nicollet. Add an H&M, a Nike Flagship store and an Apple Store and presto-wammo, we'll have a real retail corridor.

Me like! Come on - there have to be some retail stores willing to take a chance on moving back downtown!

Re: Downtown Retail News

Posted: May 19th, 2014, 6:54 pm
by Aville_37
Have it on good authority that the loon fountain and fountain on the ground floor in Gaviidae are going to be removed due to rusty piping. Ugh. Also - I noticed that City Center added a nice new sign at the skyway entrance when you're crossing rom Gaviidae.