urbanMSP

I happen to be walking down Chicago Avenue, from Franklin to 24th St., this evening. I found myself looking around the area. I often hear people say, this is a very bad neighborhood. From what I can see, I understand why it is the way it is. If anyone has ever read, The Life and Death of the Great American City, by Jane Jacobs, you would understand what I mean. Here are a few things that I feel might help the area.

1. The lighting along Chicago Avenue is very poor. There are many dark spots.

2. I am naturally a fan of parks, but placing a park on the corner of Chicago and Franklin was a horrible idea. In my opnion the park should be surrounded, on at least two sides, Buy three or four story apartment buildings, with balconies overlooking the park. This would help keep eyes on the park.

3. The house should be brought closer to the sidewalk. Most of the yards had fences around them. The fences discourage public interaction.

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that type of people that you find on Chicago. The problem is with the design of the area. It is not designed as a community.

It's funny, because on the opposite side of the park (Park Ave), there's a different vibe. I love all those brownstone apartments (w/balconies) on Park/Franklin facing the park. The trees are also more mature. That makes a big difference.

I used to live in the apartment building at 24th and Chicago. I would volunteer often at the Aids Resource Center that was at Park and Grant (now moving).

When I biked there, I would go north on Park (bike lane) and back south on Chicago (I'm confident). When I walked, I ALWAYS went north/south on Park. That side of the park is much more inviting.

Well I was walking along Chicago, I noticed that there are several places that look under utilized. Is there any possibility of redevelopment in the future? It would be nice to get a mixed-use, mixed income development near the corner of Chicago and Franklin.

There is one where that store burned down a year or two ago, at like 25th or 26th. I know there are others two, But I think that one is the largest and would make for a nice retail with apartments over mix use. There are a few closer to Franklin that could be redeveloped also.

Well I was walking along Chicago, I noticed that there are several places that look under utilized. Is there any possibility of redevelopment in the future? It would be nice to get a mixed-use, mixed income development near the corner of Chicago and Franklin.

The one I lived in at 24th and Chicago was planned as mixed use. The entire ground floor was meant to be commercial. In the three years I lived there (and for the several years before that) there was only ever one store. It was a "natural pharmacy" or some such.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9591158 ... 312!8i6656

The new owners converted the ground floor to apartments about two years ago. Mixed use use is great, but not when demand for new build commercial space doesn't exist.

Serious crash near here at Franklin and Portland. http://www.startribune.com/adult-baby-c ... 382047891/