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Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: March 18th, 2016, 7:18 pm
by Wedgeguy
I'd be curious what the 210 lot is and why it is not included in the yellow area which I would suspect is the hotels foot print. I'm sure that they could repurpose the station and have the ground floor as restaurant, and the second floor could be meeting spaces. The roof could house the pool area with a terrace that could have a guest amenity snack area off the pool with great views of the Cathedral, Capital, and the whole Downtown. They are just not trying hard enough to incorporate the building into the design. The HPC maybe a way to get this building saved and incorporated into the design if they really wanted to build on this site.

I think it is an odd place for a hotel unless you are serving only the needs of a hospital. Out of the way for the DT and the RiverCenter in my opinion. But probably not any further walk than those hotels east of Wabasha for RiverCenter and Xcel.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: March 18th, 2016, 8:18 pm
by lordmoke
Oh for fuck's sake. That had better not get demo'd. I can't believe that's not protected.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: March 18th, 2016, 8:24 pm
by Wedgeguy
They want to tear down a historic building while the keep the 210 which is a one story nondescript building that should be removed. Hope the HPC puts a stop to this.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: March 22nd, 2016, 4:22 pm
by lordmoke
A Ramsey County judge has issued a restraining order blocking demolition of the firehouse.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/03/21 ... demolition

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: March 30th, 2016, 1:38 pm
by matthew5080
Here's an interesting article released by Pioneer Press.
Today, there are seven market-rate apartment buildings either open or underway downtown, more than 10 new restaurants have opened their doors, and downtown office vacancy rates are the lowest they’ve been since 2001.

And it’s not just downtown that’s seeing this kind of resurgence. Saint Paul’s population as a whole surpassed 300,000 last summer, closing in on our historic high of 315,000. The value of building permits in the city has jumped more than 60 percent in the past three years, and single-family home values are up 75 percent since 2008.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/30/ch ... 1459338314

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 1st, 2016, 11:19 am
by Mikey
Here's an interesting article released by Pioneer Press.
Today, there are seven market-rate apartment buildings either open or underway downtown, more than 10 new restaurants have opened their doors, and downtown office vacancy rates are the lowest they’ve been since 2001.

And it’s not just downtown that’s seeing this kind of resurgence. Saint Paul’s population as a whole surpassed 300,000 last summer, closing in on our historic high of 315,000. The value of building permits in the city has jumped more than 60 percent in the past three years, and single-family home values are up 75 percent since 2008.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/30/ch ... 1459338314
Saint Paul's peak population was only 315,000? i always thought it was closer to 360 - 380k

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 1st, 2016, 12:47 pm
by mattaudio
St. Paul may have dipped less back in the post-war period because they still had much more post-war greenfield development. There are even 1990s suburban-style subdivisions in St. Paul, near 494 and 61.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 2nd, 2016, 10:10 am
by editcostarica
St Paul's population peaked in 1960 when it had 313,411 residents; the low point was 1980, when the number dipped to 270,230.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 2nd, 2016, 11:42 am
by matthew5080
Getting above 300,000 is quite impressive considering where they were at in the 2010 census.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 4th, 2016, 11:10 am
by mattaudio
St Paul's population peaked in 1960 when it had 313,411 residents; the low point was 1980, when the number dipped to 270,230.
I bet much of that dip was smaller household sizes after children grew out of the house.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 4th, 2016, 11:44 am
by matthew5080
Another good article from the Pioneer Press.
And the Metropolitan Council predicts a surge for St. Paul over the next several years, even compared to Minneapolis. While the council’s population estimate grew from the U.S. census’s figure of 6,604 in 2010 to 7,911 in 2014, that number is expected to skyrocket to 14,280 by 2020, an 80 percent jump.

In those same six years, the Met Council expects Minneapolis’ downtown core will grow from 26,300 to 34,350, a 30 percent jump. One caveat: The Met Council’s figures don’t include the bustling North Loop, where there has been immense residential development in recent years.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/04/04/re ... n-st-paul/

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 5th, 2016, 1:18 pm
by editcostarica
St Paul's population peaked in 1960 when it had 313,411 residents; the low point was 1980, when the number dipped to 270,230.
I bet much of that dip was smaller household sizes after children grew out of the house.
I think you're right. Average household size in 1960 was almost 3.5 people; today it's more like 2.5. And the amount of households with just one person has increased from 7% to 35% in that same time frame.

Another factor is the exodus caused by the freeway system. Many families fled the urban core for the greener (whiter) pastures of new suburban neighborhoods.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 6th, 2016, 12:37 pm
by seanrichardryan
The new HealthPartners' Neuroscience Center on Cayuga & Phalen Blvd. is coming along. There's an interesting exterior stair on the northside of the building and the wavy front is a nice touch.

http://www.startribune.com/new-healthpa ... 285541751/

http://www.workzonecam.com/projects/kra ... orkzonecam

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 6th, 2016, 9:18 pm
by matthew5080
Funny, I drove by there the other day on 35E and was wondering what was being built. They look like nice buildings!

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 6th, 2016, 10:23 pm
by Vagueperson
I saw that stair, too, and wondered what it would be for.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 7th, 2016, 2:53 pm
by matthew5080
anyone have $1.1 million to buy the Sinclair Lewis mansion that's for sale on Summit Ave?

http://www.twincities.com/2016/04/06/fo ... 1460060993

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 21st, 2016, 2:37 pm
by maxbaby
Another office building to be converted to apartments.
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... dison.html
*locked*

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 21st, 2016, 2:43 pm
by acs
Whew. Thanks for beating me to that one, I don't like to post my thoughts in the initial announcement and I don't have time to go back later. Anyways:

1) I really don't know if this continuing trend is a good thing in light of Cray leaving due to lack of available space. Something seems out of whack in the CBD
2) 10 units/floor seems like a pretty low number to make this work out.

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 21st, 2016, 2:52 pm
by twincitizen
Yes it is a good thing. What's the Class A vacancy rate downtown? We all know that the overall vacancy rate is high (but falling thanks to these residential conversions)...but Class A vacancy (particularly large blocks of it) is the number that really matters. Furthermore, these conversions are all Class B and C office buildings...completely irrelevant to Cray's needs.

Cray may not be able to find the perfect Class-A space in St. Paul, but I don't think anyone believes that's the first, second, or third reason they're looking to move. They have no actual ties to St. Paul. They just moved there in 2009, partly thanks to a city subsidy to lure them: http://www.startribune.com/cray-to-move ... /51342087/ Previous to that they were in Mendota Heights and Eagan. Lots of senior employees probably still living out that way. The MOA office building might be a perfect fit, at least in their eyes (new space built to suit, highly visible marquee location, signage, naming rights, etc.)

Re: Saint Paul - General Topics

Posted: April 21st, 2016, 3:05 pm
by acs
Ok... then why is this an apartment renovation and not a renovation to class A space? If the class A vacancy rate really is that low and the overall rate is just hiding it, why aren't we seeing either new construction or renovation. We've seen plenty of both across the river.

Or, maybe the class A vacancy rate really is that high? Then that means Cray, the chamber of commerce, and the real estate experts quoted in the press were all lying about space being the primary reason for the move.