urbanMSP

Episcopal Homes is proposing a 7-story 170 unit senior housing apartment building on the site of the former Porky's restaurant. The developer is currently seeking a rezoning of the plat to T3 which would allow a building height of 80 feet. The request for rezoning has strong support and should be approved this month.

No renders yet. Construction could begin next year.

Does anyone know if there are any updates on this project? Another seven story building along University will be great.

Does anyone know if there are any updates on this project? Another seven story building along University will be great.

It recently went before the zoning and planning commissions. I believe everything has been approved. There may be a few formalities remaining. But this is a go. I saw some basic massing renders on the various department agenda's. It's slightly "L" shaped. I expect a pretty basic design, exterior-wise. Afterall its a senior housing project.

But it's big and fairly tall (the final height is about 78' (taller than the Lyric (65'), and that's tall for University Ave) for the area. So it will be a nice infill project.

Nice. I love all these projects along University that are already being proposed/approved. Really helps to prove the LRT naysayers wrong.

I'm excited about projects like these, too! The area between the downtowns along University has SO MUCH potential! I can see this area being the 4th or 5th major urban thoroughfare that gets HEAVY redevelopment and reinvestment dollars (along with Uptown/Lake St, North Loop/ Washington Ave, Mills District/Washington Ave, and U of M/Huron/University).

Two blocks west( Prior and Uni) Habitat for Humanity will break ground on its new Twin Cities HQ. 4 stories. Buildings have been vacant for sometime now. Poluted soil and asbestos have to be removed. Info from the current 'Villager'. Area between Prior and Fairview(Iris Park) could see a few more of these low rise bldgs. Healtheast corporate HQ (old Midway Hospital) is currently getting a much needed exteior facelift. Area is slowly changing its worn look.

The first rendering I've seen of the new Episcopal Homes project is now on their new website. A community meeting in July named the projects "Terrace at Iris Park", "Midway Pointe", and "Green Home". The other parts of their campus are all interconnected, so I'm not sure those names represent distinct buildings.

http://www.ehomesmn.org/the-terrace-iris-park

Some renders of this project just showed up on Episcopal's website.
http://www.ehomesmn.org/Arriving%20in%2 ... ght%20Rail
"In spring 2013, construction will begin on the three new residences that will complete our 5-Star Urban Village..."

This looks like it might stymie activity directly in front of the platform.

One of those renderings appeared to show an 8 floor building.

One of those renderings appeared to show an 8 floor building.

You're right. Most articles I've come across quote it as a seven story building. It'll definitely be one of the taller buildings along University Ave.

Ground breaking today

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_ ... ut-st-paul

At last month's Union Park Land Use Committee meeting the CEO of Episcopal Homes ran us through the features and design. In addition to all the amenities within the building which will be closed off to public access (including an "authentic Irish pub", which I find amusing), they intend for the corner of University and Lynnhurst to be an independent coffee shop open to the public with plenty of sidewalk seating, which is what you can sort of see in one of the renders above. As of a few weeks ago they didn't have any deal worked out with a particular cafe, but they seemed pretty set on the idea.

height is good. and better urban feel with this architectural type. too bad the other property wasn't designed for it's context:
http://goo.gl/maps/uTB9C
it looks so suburban.

Excavation is well under way on this project.

Tower crane going up on site today.

IMG_3842 by UrbanMSP, on Flickr


IMG_3843 by UrbanMSP, on Flickr

That existing apartment with the gabled roof looks like it belongs in Woodbury or Apple Valley.

Any chance there would be some simple retail ground floor? Coffee shop or something? The rest of the development is behind a decorative gate, so maybe that wouldn't work.