St. Louis Park - General Topics

[woofner]

I refuse to go to a happy hour at an Applebee's in St Louis Park. A happy hour at Lindee's, on the other hand, I'd consider.

[twincitizen]

Seconded. I'd gladly head out to the burbs...but not to Applebee's or some other lame chain.

If actual Spring weather ever comes around, it would be fun to bike out here on the SWLRT trail and do a Blake Road Station site visit. The TOD geeks among us can speculate our little heads off about what the redeveloped area could look like.

[Chauncey87]

Lindee's is a fine place. They have buy one get one free on every drink. However I forgot the times/days they have that. It even has a jukebox that lets you play gangnam style lol

[bapster2006]

Yes, we all are fully aware that Applebee's is not the latest trendy microbrew rehab of a former grain elevator in the hip side of town. The point was for a few neighborhood people to get together at Knollwood because that's what the thread is about and they have specials. But I am up for Lindees too, and my buddy spins the wheel there, so sounds good to me!

By the way, Pizza Luce (also an evil chain place, ha ha) is right on the trail so I agree that is a good place to go when the weather is nicer and some of us can ride the trail over.

[mnmike]

Jeez, I know the whole thing was kind of a joke...but stop being snobs about Applebees. lol. It is not the devil. "OMG, it is a chain!!! Must avoid at all costs!!" I just kinda felt bad for Bapster for what followed his post. It was all sarcasm for all I know.

I actually used to go to Applebees happy hour kinda often when they had one near my place by lake calhoun. It was decent food for real cheap. I can't do those late night happy hours anymore, because apparently after you turn 30, you eat lke that and you gain 10 lbs immediately Sigh.

Anyway...whomever owns knollwood sure is letting it fester. They just need a good redevelopment plan for the north half of the mall. Weather that be a theater, medical buildings, senior housing, whatever.

[mnmike]

This is my old grade school! So news of it's demise is a little sad to me. The building is nothing special, built in the 40s or 50s...looks more like a 1920s building. The church and school have been closed for a while, it was most recently Quest Academy, a charter school.

Anyway, a townhouse proposal is being floated for this site...it was presented at the Browndale neighborhood meeting last week. For those unfamiliar, the site is just south of Excelsior Boulevard on Wooddale Ave. Not a lot of details yet...it was a very preliminary presentation.

36 units in 8 of townhouse/rowhouse style buildings, with the main entrance off of Toledo. The school/church and 2 houses that go with it would all be torn down. Just thought I would give a heads up. Like I say, a bit sad to see my old school go...but honestly the building isn't really worth saving, and is laid out awkwardly with its church/school combo.

This is what the building looks like. The site also contains a large parking lot, large playground area and 2 houses.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo_explorer ... er=3526430

[mnmike]

Site note...something unique about this building...the first floor, which is pretty much the basement the way this site is laid out, was built quite a few years before the rest of the building. The church operated out of that one level space that was the foundation of the building until they raised the money to build the rest.

[min-chi-cbus]

I like that school, at least from the outside. It looks like an "old school" urban school with a concrete playground, reminding me very much of my old grade school (Jefferson Elementary in Mpls.). Too bad it's going down.....I'd like to see what was worth replacing it though...

[mnmike]

It really does look older than it is, doesn't it? Many people would easily think it was from the 20s.

[woofner]

I have no idea of the internal layout but I'd think this would be ideal for an apartment conversion. Nice big windows, same form as walkup, etc. They could still build some townhomes in that enormous parking lot next door.

[mnmike]

No, it isn't a very good layout for conversion. On the inside, half of the building is a sanctuary with a 3 story high ceiling, and the other half is 3 floors of classrooms.

[Ubermoose]

There's a little story in the West Metro section about plans that have been presented to the city for tearing down a portion of the mall and relocation some business to the corner of the property near Aquila and Hwy. 7. Sounds like there would be some major drainage issues that need to be addressed before any work could be done. http://www.startribune.com/local/west/215710111.html

[MNdible]

I'd like to see some of the properties in this area take better advantage of their frontage along Minnehaha Creek. I'd think that some of the restaurants could make a very nice patio stepping down towards the creek.

[sad panda]

There was a written report for SLP's June 10, 2013 study session. It has some maps of what is proposed and more details on the stormwater management issues.
http://www.stlouispark.org/webfiles/fil ... 6_10cs.pdf

[Anondson]

Interesting info about the redevelopment. Having lived in SLP for at least 35 years on and off, this is wise. But anything that is done that fails to take into account better pedestrian crossing across TH7, even such as a grade separated crossing like was done with Wooddale and is going to be put back at Louisiana, will be a lost opportunity. Knollwood will never be a destination for LRT travelers getting off at the Blake LRT station to the south, but the apartments in Hopkins across TH7 to the south bring many many pedestrian crossings through this nasty intersection it would be a shame to lose this opportunity.

[sad panda]

I completely agree Anondson; it's pretty much exactly the message I sent to my council member.

[Ubermoose]

I don't know how likely this is to happen, but it appears they are going to look into it further.
It would be added to the south end of the Rec Center and a 3 story parking ramp would be added as well.
http://stlouispark.patch.com/groups/pol ... cks-1-post

[PhilmerPhil]

Woah there! Removing the (in need of an update) skatepark for a parking lot? Get outta here!

[mamundsen]

I wondered if there was a thread for this... I saw more details as I was looking at the plans for the proposed apartments near the West End.

Here is the link to the agenda that included both projects: www.stlouispark.org/webfiles/file/agenda/13_07_22cs.pdf

[Anondson]

Seems the costs of storm water compliance is a "tall order" for the mall owner. The city is not amused with the request to not bring the entire mall up to snuff.

http://stlouispark.patch.com/groups/bus ... iance-cost