urbanMSP

At this point I wish they'd consider leveling the southwest retail building at the corner of Gamble Dr. and Park Place Blvd. and rezone for multiuse and pile up apartments. I dunno, maybe have walk ups on the ground floor.

I've had the same thought ever since the deal for Entertainment 720 fell through.

I suppose it would depend on where the building footings are, how the underground parking is set up there, etc. Maybe you could just put a heavier, more complex building there with minimal changes to the foundation, maybe not (assuming that residents would use existing parking and that a new underground structure would not be created). This change was very unlikely as long as Duke owned the property, since they don't do residential development. I'm not sure what the new owner's prerogative is, but I'm sure they won't make any major changes until the build-out of Central Park West is complete. I'm sure their current hope is that the additional 500+ units in Millennium and CPW's two buildings plus hotel guests and office workers will give the whole area a boost. As others said though, it is quite a jaunt to the southern end of the retail area from any of this new development. It really does seem like it needs a residential/hotel bookend on the southern end.

On a more general/speculative note: I actually kind of want West End to fail (or at least not succeed) as a "boutique retail" destination. I DO hope it succeeds as a theater/restaurant/bar entertainment area. The office/hotel/residential areas are obviously already successful and will continue to be going forward - I don't think that's really in question. Personally, I'd rather see shopping be successful elsewhere, namely in other parts of SLP and Downtown, obviously. Long term, it would be better if the "Shops at West End" primarily served the daily needs of SLP residents and workers, not as a sort of mini-mall shopping destination.

I've also been thinking about what could be done to create more of a pedestrian feel to the whole area. IF such a mixed-use bookend existed at that south end, it sure would be nice to pop across the street and grab a coffee from Caribou but it would be a miserable/dangerous pedestrian experience.

Exactly. I've never understood what people see in this development that's any better than Maple Grove's faux Mainstreet.

any better than Maple Grove's faux Mainstreet

Exactly. I've never understood what people see in this development that's any better than Maple Grove's faux Mainstreet. There's a parking ramp instead of a ginrmous lot, which is an improvement, but beyond that the concept is almost exactly the same.

I most likely missed this in the thread. But, what are they building at the SW corner of the 394/100 junction?

AC Marriott proposal will be up for vote at the St. Louis Park city council tonight.

http://www.startribune.com/hot-property ... 372477401/