Shady Oak Station Area - Hopkins/Minnetonka

[Anondson]

Because this crosses over both Minnetonka and Hopkins, covers a generally wide area, I thought thread is deserved.

I've attended a few of the public open houses held for this station area. Hopkins and Minnetonka are coming together to create a joint planning area covering development around the Shady Oak Station. It seems like both cities are expecting to lead significant change around the Shady Oak Station area based on how much they seem to be taking to planning consultant Crandall Arabula's guidance.

I hunted for the documents I saw at the public open houses and I never could find them anywhere easily. In the April 5th council agenda, Hopkins will vote on whether to direct city staff to begin implementing the proposed zoning changes. In the agenda is a 90 page document drafted by Crandall Arabula for the station area. (I hope this link gets you to a page to download the big .pdf. Go to 2016, then 4/5.)

http://www.hopkinsmn.com/weblink8/Brows ... 78&&dbid=0

The entire .pdf with worth downloading to see the proposed transformation. Little of the vision is going to be there on the opening of SWLRT. A 5 to 10 year horizon is expected to build the new grid of streets to create access to station and make redevelopment attractive. Here is a vision for what could be developed in the future.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
This is the envisioned station plaza.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
The biggest area changes are on the the north side of the trail. Here is a zoomed look at a possible future if all development happens like the consultants lay out as possible.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr
That yellowish area nearest the station is proposed housing. The bluish, office/commercial/innovation. I think the proposed office/“innovation” space is highly optimistic, but maybe an LRT station can generate demand for a sort of space that otherwise is different from the seeming glut of suburban offices.

The document has interesting profiles of the proposed street right of way on the primary and secondary streets. Here is the view of the “signature street” 17th Ave.
Select Shady Oak Station Area images by Eric Anondson, on Flickr

Crandall Arabula proposes the vast swath around that station be zoned as a “Transit Supportive Employment District”. Focusing development that happens to push transit, walking, and cycling. In their presentations to the public they highlighted how LRT station areas around the world worked out when they were cycling centric, even in northern climates. Their proposal highlights the zoning area should require bike parking in large numbers. Other parts that otherwise stuck out from Crandall Arabula’s proposals. These development standards:
* *minimum* height requirements or 55’ in parcels by the station.
* *minimum* FAR 1:1 by the station.
* *minimum* residential density, 60 units/acre by station, 40 units/acre a block out.
* Require build-to-line

[Mcgizz]

That parking ramp in the northwest corner of the zone on the corner of Excelsior and Shady Oak is a poor choice. There is probably a better choice for that ramp. It would probably be better for that area to be a green open expanse that allows people to seamlessly move from the periphery of Hopkins to this transit zone.

Additionally, the way that trail is drastically rerouted around the station is just horrible. If they are concerned about at grade crossings between pedestrians and bikers/runners they should find a way to separate the trail in this area, maybe elevate it. That seems like the cheapest way to avoid the haphazard reroute that would inconvenience everyone. This seems poorly thought out.

All those trees seem nice. Hopefully they last long enough to mature.

[Anondson]

Yeah. 90 pages of "everything is awful".

[RailBaronYarr]

If this is how the station area actually develops out, even in the longer 10-20 year window, great. Color me a little skeptical.

I didn't see it, but is the long-term plan to convert one of the surface parking lots into a ramp to allow development on the remaining parcels? I'm also not so concerned about the trail wiggle (which seems pretty minor IMO, not worth the cost of a bridge - I'd rather reserve that for other parts of the trail). I take more issue with the N-S cycle track, which should be one way on each side of the street.

Lol at the notion that "primary" streets (3rd St, 47th St, 19th & 15th Aves) have the exact same right of way and design as "secondary" streets (20th Ave, & 3rd St). 66' right of way, 12' travel lanes with 8' for parking. 13' total for pedestrian realm on each side. 14th and 16th Aves drop one side of parking but leave everything else the same. We can do better than that, even on the primary streets.

Finally, I think the city would do well to have a more solid plan in place for the neighborhood north of Excelsior. Between the bike connection, much of it falling in a 10-minute walkshed, and local transit meeting up with the station, zoning for smaller, parking-lite infill should be an obvious solution.

[Anondson]

What I remember from the public open houses was that the cycle track on the east side was chosen because the intent on extending the track north to Mainstreet. The city basically said there was no chance at any cycle accommodation on the west side north of Excelsior because the west side was where nearly all on street parking was. Bike lane or cycle track there meant removing the parking for residents. I know.

But putting all cycle tracks on the east side means a greater chance the cycle track gets extended north of Excelsior ever.

[Anondson]

Oh. And the park and ride lot. Many years after the area fills in the lot is foreseen as being developed.

[matthew5080]

Those are some grand plans. Hopefully at least part of this can happen.

[Anondson]

Moving closer to a shared agreement on development around station area including minimum heights and NO maximum heights. Truly a transit oriented area.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2016/08/23/hopk ... velopment/

This really needs support. I hope it gets support and happens.

[RailBaronYarr]

I know this is my hobby horse and all, but the article discusses how an "innovation district" (bleh that term) might struggle because of the rents of new construction. I think there are some ways around that in the short-term (co-working space, etc), but has the council or anyone else given serious consideration to the area north of the station area? I mean, they literally talk about startups happening in garages. There are actual single family homes with garages just on the other side of Excelsior. Is there any way to allow for more activity of all kinds in those blocks as a complement (innovation, commercial, housing) to the defined station area?

[Anondson]

Hopkins has a very heavy hand towards "protecting" single family homes, whatever that means. My Hopkins neighborhood is filled with garages used for jobs and work. Car repair business, woodworking, dental work (shaping molars for crowns).

I doubt Hopkins would look lightly on demolition of SFH for anything ever.

[RailBaronYarr]

Even without demolition, are those SFHs allowed to have start-up or general commercial activity in them? Are the things you list above board or are they technically violating code? That's the minimum I'm getting at here. Complement new construction job space with cheap stuff by-right.

[Anondson]

Minnetonka city council approved its share of funding for extending 17th Ave in Hopkins to K-tel Drive in Minnetonka.

http://sailor.mnsun.com/2017/01/16/minn ... greements/

[Anondson]

Shady Oak Crossing will now be mostly market rate, originally to be affordable.


https://finance-commerce.com/2020/01/sh ... he-market/

[editcostarica]

Shady, indeed.