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Karmel Complex - Lake Street

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 8:52 am
by Silophant
Basim Sabri is proposing a pretty big expansion of the Karmel mall complex. The two-story Karmel Square building midblock on Pleasant and the Walgreens on Lake would be demolished, to make way for an eight-story building containing a grocery store on the ground floor, office space on floors two and three, and 113 apartments on the five floors above. Additionally, the first and fourth floors of the existing parking ramp would be converted into additional retail space to replace the space lost in the existing Karmel Square building. Unfortunately, the attachment portion of the packet wasn't posted, so there's no floorplans or renderings, but it sounds like the tallest portion of the building would face Lake St and step down towards the Greenway.

Mod Note: the eight-story Karmel Square building is under construction as of summer 2021, and plans for a six-story commercial building called Yusuf Corner were submitted in January 2022.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 9:29 am
by uptownbro
https://www.southwestjournal.com/news/d ... expansion/

Sounds like they upped the size from when this first came out in feb. I think that Walgreens never re opened so there should be little in the way of this breaking ground. Lake st needs all of the positive momentum it can get. I had assume this was dead due to covid. Assuming the design is similar Im glad its not another box but rather has some slight character.
Over all sounds like a great plan for this part of lake street!

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 11:46 am
by mister.shoes

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 1:28 pm
by SurlyLHT
This is quite the proposal and density. Is there a second story playground anywhere else in the city?

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 1:38 pm
by Silophant
There's a couple downtown (FAIR School at 10th/Hennepin, the office tower at Nicollet/6th), but I'm not aware of any in other parts of the city.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 1:39 pm
by GILBball
Good lord, that's huge! Karmel is going to need its own zip code soon.

Likely to be some issues to hash out on this, but overall a big boon to the neighborhood to replace an emptied out Walgreens with shops, offices, and residents. I also like that it's got a little bit of distinctiveness, even if it isn't......great(?) looking.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 1:41 pm
by GILBball
There's a couple downtown (FAIR School at 10th/Hennepin, the office tower at Nicollet/6th), but I'm not aware of any in other parts of the city.
New Horizon on 25th(?) and Hennepin has one too.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 2nd, 2020, 2:10 pm
by HKM
There's a couple downtown (FAIR School at 10th/Hennepin, the office tower at Nicollet/6th), but I'm not aware of any in other parts of the city.
New Horizon on 25th(?) and Hennepin has one too.
YWCA downtown at 12th & Nicollet as well.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 3rd, 2020, 10:46 am
by seanrichardryan
There's a couple downtown (FAIR School at 10th/Hennepin, the office tower at Nicollet/6th), but I'm not aware of any in other parts of the city.
The New Horizon at 24th & fremont/ hennepin has one.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 3rd, 2020, 10:59 am
by seanrichardryan
The enclosure of the ramp is great. How does the code allows 8 (9?) stories in wood?

Image

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 3rd, 2020, 12:39 pm
by scottiem
Usually 5 stories max of wood framing for this type of construction. Based on the exterior elevations and where the building steps back for the playgrounds, it looks like they would construct a 3-level concrete podium, with 5 levels of wood framing above. There's also 3 levels of above ground parking, which fits this construction type. The psuedo 9th level looks to be vaulted ceilings for the 8th level apartments, section 2 on sheet A1.4. I like how the corner turret lightly mirrors the Daymark building further down on Lake.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 3rd, 2020, 2:39 pm
by Nathan
Realistically having an 8/9 story project just a couple blocks from the future redevelopment of Lake and Nicollet is a great president for height and density in the area. With not a lot of other tall structures in the area (aside from the towers just south which i think the neighborhood would try to use to deter new height and density for whatever reason) i think this will help ease the neighborhood into a nice urban density.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 4th, 2020, 1:15 pm
by Blaisdell Greenway
Lyndale neighborhood neighbors are pretty pro-Horn Towers but seem to be against any infill over 25 feet tall. Fortunately (?) in the absurdly parochial neighborhood system of Minneapolis, people south of Lake Street have no official say in this project. I'm glad that this project wraps the existing parking deck, even though at present it looks pretty good tucked away surrounded by shorter buildings.

Using the alley off Lake Street as underground parking access for the new building is a big yikes from me. Getting rid of the Walgreens curb cut will be nice but having that new 8-story building blocking sight lines to/from vehicles on Lake will be a mess. Already way too many midblock things going on with this stretch of Lake Street with all the drive throughs and Grand liquors parking lot. Glad that LSD Parts II and III require vacating alley access off Lake - maybe something similar can be done here with this building or in prep for redeveloping the auto body shop.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 7th, 2020, 11:28 am
by rynet91
Wow this is a huge proposal. This proposal really elevates Karmel's street presence from Lake St, if only they could have taken over the Wester Union and Enterprise too! I'm not sure how I feel about the tower looking topper on the building, especially after Daymark just added one, but I'm glad to see the density and re-purposing of the existing mall.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 7th, 2020, 11:37 pm
by Didier
Has anyone here ever been to Karmel Mall? What’s it like?

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 8th, 2020, 1:39 am
by TroyGBiv
Has anyone here ever been to Karmel Mall? What’s it like?
It’s great! I love about 5 blocks up pillsbury. It has a lot of variety and food etc... check it out!

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 8th, 2020, 8:10 am
by Silophant
This was approved on the consent agenda last night.

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: December 9th, 2020, 12:17 pm
by uptownbro
https://www.startribune.com/somali-mall ... 573343331/

A write up on this. "The city's "B.I.Z." sub planning group will vote on the project Jan 5. The full City Council votes Jan 25."
The more I think about this the more excited I become as this will also set a new standard for the kmart redevelopment

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: February 20th, 2021, 4:59 pm
by pillsdoughboy
There's already some activity at this site-- the former Walgreens is completely gutted and open on one side. Glad to see this project going forward!

Re: Karmel Square 2020

Posted: February 22nd, 2021, 1:38 pm
by MNdible
Fingers crossed that this turns out well. Like all of Basim's projects, the plans seem pretty half-baked and the execution often leaves a lot to be desired.