Elan Uptown

[Nathan]

The Greenway Coalition only cares if you are building on the South Side (the side with the most mixed use potential *shakes fists*)

[min-chi-cbus]

Where would a tower EVER be acceptable in their eyes? North of the Greenway would seriously block sunlight for a lot of SFH's, South of the Greenway would block some light on the Greenway, West of Hennepin would be too close to the lake (which is what I would want to see if I lived in a high-rise, personally), and East of Lyndale isn't desirable enough (yet) to demand a high-rise.

There is no "winning" for developers seeking to build up. I'm not sure I'd be so disappointed if there weren't 30-story high-rises all over Uptown, but 10-15 floors isn't "ridiculous" in my opinion, and 30+ shouldn't be out of the question near the ONLY lake with high-rises anywhere near it (Calhoun)!

[MNdible]

I'm honestly not convinced that most of Uptown is really appropriate for heights much above 6 stories. Probably not a popular opinion on this board. There are likely a few spots where it would fit, and a couple of those are on the north end of Calhoun. Aside from that, perhaps a couple of spots in the very heart of Uptown, but that's about it...

You can still get plenty of density at 6 stories, as this very development is setting out to prove.

Anyway, the reason that nobody's building above six stories right now has everything to do with economics and nothing to do with what neighbors, the city, or I think is appropriate.

[John]

The Mozaic is probably about as tall as it will get in Uptown. Economics, zoning , and neighborhood opposition all play a part in this. The Elan is a very urban building in character, and the projects along the Greenway corridor between Lyndale and Hennepin are going to give the Greenway a wonderful feeling of an urban promenade. It will have a very distinct urban flavor that says "Uptown". I don't think height is a much a factor of what feels "urban" in this neighborhood as compared to downtown.

[min-chi-cbus]

Right. Anyone who's been to Paris or London (outside of their CBDs or Business Districts) knows that density has little to do with height to a certain degree. Most buildings in those cities (or DC, or NYC, or Chicago, etc.) are not much taller than 6 floors either, and all of those cities are EXTREMELY dense in many of those parts. Most of those areas are frankly more attractive and walkable than high-rise centers anyways, with very few exceptions, IMO.

[NickP]

I agree. I was just in Toronto and even though they were building towers left and right, I didn't think the pedestrian experience was that different from what I experience in the Twin Cities. Toronto was a cool place to visit though and I suggest it as a vacation spot for everyone.

[lorwest]

Foundation work as of 28 July 2012:

ElanofUptown.jpg

[Jacobean]

Roughly 390 units of market-rate apartments and town homes,

In July of 2011, the Planning Commission approved land use applications for the first
phase of a Planned Unit Development (PUD). The first phase included a total of 203 dwelling units and
is located on the south half of the block bounded by Colfax Avenue South, Dupont Avenue South, the
Midtown Greenway and West 28th Street. The applicant is now proposing to construct 219 dwelling
units with 275 parking spaces on the block between Dupont Avenue South and Emerson Avenue South
and 168 dwelling units and 189 parking spaces on the block between Emerson Avenue South and
Fremont Avenue South.

The development located between Dupont Avenue South and Emerson Avenue South will be made up
of one building.The building will be arranged in the shape of a “U”. The portion of the building nearest
the Midtown Greenway will be six stories in height and will step down to four stories in height towards
the north end of the site. Located towards the interior of the building will be an outdoor courtyard and a
swimming pool. A public promenade will be constructed just north of the Midtown Greenway
connecting Dupont Avenue South to Emerson Avenue South. This development site is 84,671 square
feet in size and is zoned R5.

The development located between Emerson Avenue South and Fremont Avenue South will be made up of four buildings. The building nearest the Midtown Greenway will be six stories in height and the
buildings nearest West 28th Street will be three stories in height. Located towards the southeast corner of
the site will be an outdoor courtyard and a swimming pool. A public promenade will be constructed just
north of the Midtown Greenway connecting Emerson Avenue South to Fremont Avenue South. This
development site is 83,732 square feet in size and is zoned both R5 (60,555 square feet) and R3 (23,177
square feet).

[Nick]

Love the Greenway enhancements.

[minntransplant]

Ooh, pretty. I like this project very much.

[Andrew_F]

Sexy renderings, but I'm seeing a ton of cement board, including some off-color spandrels....

Like Elf said, the fountain and stairway stuff on the Greenway in the center block looks great!

[mplser]

I know I'm probably dreaming but how awesome would it be if that tan stuff in the render was that sexy limestone on target field? But probably it's concrete board.

[John]

Sexy renderings, but I'm seeing a ton of cement board, including some off-color spandrels....

Like Elf said, the fountain and stairway stuff on the Greenway in the center block looks great!

Yes , If only they would stop using cement board, or at least use the highest quality stuff on the market! Would make a huge difference in the appearance of these projects. I wish the city planning commission would comment more on the overuse of cement board and encourage better materials for the facade of these developments. We certainly have enough bad examples of these cardboard looking apartment projects for the planning commission to take note of . Otherwise, this could be a fine project with a nice presence on the Greenway if done right.

[Andrew_F]

I know I'm probably dreaming but how awesome would it be if that tan stuff in the render was that sexy limestone on target field? But probably it's concrete board.

I really don't think it is. If you look at it closely you'll notice the silver channel-shaped spandrels... compare that to the facade on the interior of the U on the Lak & Knox project. It's exactly the same thing.

What would really look nice, and you can see it if you squint just a bit, is replacing the brown panels with brick, even if it were just the 1/4" fake brick. That's what made the Greenleaf stand out from the rest of the summer 2011 projects.

[John]

When you look at the beige cladding on the building up very close, it appears that it might be a "pseudo" Kasota stone material made out of a concrete mix. Perhaps similar to color and material of the first floor of the Lunds downtown. Not ideal, but it definitely looks more solid and higher quality than cement board. Also, there seems to be some masonry articulation around the windows which gives them more depth, so they are not lying flat against the main exterior wall. That little detail in itself will have a huge positive impact on the aesthetics of the building giving it a more solid appearance.

[Tyler]

Looks like what the did on the Eitel. Which I think looks nice.

[MNdible]

When you look at the beige cladding on the building up very close, it appears that it might be a "pseudo" Kasota stone material made out of a concrete mix. Perhaps similar to color and material of the first floor of the Lunds downtown. Not ideal, but it definitely looks more solid and higher quality than cement board. Also, there seems to be some masonry articulation around the windows which gives them more depth, so they are not lying flat against the main exterior wall. That little detail in itself will have a huge positive impact on the aesthetics of the building giving it a more solid appearance.

I agree -- this appears to be architectural cast stone, which is a much higher quality product than cement board.

[John]

When you look at the beige cladding on the building up very close, it appears that it might be a "pseudo" Kasota stone material made out of a concrete mix. Perhaps similar to color and material of the first floor of the Lunds downtown. Not ideal, but it definitely looks more solid and higher quality than cement board. Also, there seems to be some masonry articulation around the windows which gives them more depth, so they are not lying flat against the main exterior wall. That little detail in itself will have a huge positive impact on the aesthetics of the building giving it a more solid appearance.

I agree -- this appears to be architectural cast stone, which is a much higher quality product than cement board.

Yes , gives a similar effect of very expensive stone, but less costly (and perhaps more durable in some respects). A thoughtful solution to making a building appear higher quality on a budget.

[min-chi-cbus]

Did anyone catch when the developer planned to break ground on these two phases? Is it very soon or after they fill in their first project?

I had a prediction that after the market absorbed everything that was thrown its way last quarter (and then some!) that developers would feel less reluctant about "timing the market" and potentially over-supplying the market. The official apartment vacancy rate in Minneapolis is 1.8% city-wide and is something like 2.7% for the entire metro (good for 3rd lowest in the nation, behind Omaha), with St. Paul and some suburbs having "higher" rates closer to 5% (a normal break-even rate).

[Nathan]

I really like that the Units on the Promenade have their own entrances. that town house feel is so great!Hopefully people using them will help encourage people to use the promenade, and not feel like it's private property. Which is how I feel going past flux and the one east of Bennet...