The Venue at Dinkytown - (14th Avenue SE & 5th Street SE)

[lordmoke]

Hey, look! Another one of these articles!
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2013/ ... nkytown-de

The complaining now seems to have shifted completely from the Podium/ Book House argument to a loss-of-parking-will-kill-us argument. I have a REALLY hard time believing that a high percentage of these businesses' customers drive here. Funny thing is, after construction is done, the number of parking spaces will actually have increased. Not to mention the several hundred new customers they'll have living next door. Sigh.

[minntransplant]

Hey, look! Another one of these articles!
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2013/ ... nkytown-de

The complaining now seems to have shifted completely from the Podium/ Book House argument to a loss-of-parking-will-kill-us argument. I have a REALLY hard time believing that a high percentage of these businesses' customers drive here. Funny thing is, after construction is done, the number of parking spaces will actually have increased. Not to mention the several hundred new customers they'll have living next door. Sigh.

When considering parking in Dinkytown, are people not counting the parking garages within a couple blocks? The Fourth Street Parking ramp is fairly large and a really short walk to 4th and 14th. I guess some people are just really lazy.

[Snelbian]

What an utterly ridiculous article. They've managed to disparage students as a mere nuisance prone to violence, ignore actual parking statistics while simultaneously presenting them, and pretend that the Purple Onion and Dinkydome weren't redeveloped only a few years ago into tall mixed-use student apartments without Loring Pasta Bar or Annie's going out of business. It's almost as though the media, blogs, and Dinkytown business owners are in a competition to see who can get their head furthest up their small intestine in the name of fighting density.

[go4guy]

I lived in Marcy-Holmes for 3 years at the beginning of college. For the most part, I would grocery shop at Rainbow and eat the vast majority of my meals at home. When I moved to 1301 University (Purple Onion complex) I ate very often at all the places in Dinkytown that I rarely visited prior. And I shopped at the little shops that I didnt even know existed. All 4 of us living in our unit did the same. Would that have happened if it was still a crappy Pizza Hut on that lot? Highly doubt it. These business owners just seem clueless.

[TheUrbanGopher]

Did anyone happen to go to (or even hear about) this meeting? "

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2013/ ... -dinkytown

It scares me to think of what may have been said. "The public forum, sponsored by the Dinkytown Business Association and Third Ward Council Member Diane Hofstede, will include exhibits on Dinkytown history, music development groups, and a “Save Dinkytown” student group.“

With the combination of Opus twisting their back to try to accomodate the demand of the outcry, and the grassrooted resistance movements, I fear this project may be SOL.

[robotlollipop]

Why would Opus even pay attention to these BANANAs? If their business is successful now, they will do just fine with a new group of people living right next to it.

[Suburban Outcast]

Oh my god, they are building student housing in the middle of a business district geared towards the University crowd. Oh the horror! A 6-story building is way too tall for Dinkytown, I mean it's not like there is a 18-story residential tower nearby at all, right?.....and my precious parking!

With all the fuss associated with this project, that's all I can imagine how people are overreacting.

[RailBaronYarr]

It just boggles my mind. People are so worried we're on a slippery slope for DInkytown. If this, then what will happen to Al's!? Small places can't possibly survive or change, and if they change, they'll lose their character - what makes them awesome. I'm not going to dispute losing architecturally significant buildings is a shame, but NOTHING on this site qualifies for that. The argument also ignores how Purple Onion, Campus Pizza, and many other places have successfully relocated within their respective areas to larger places and done very well. What are these people trying to save Dinkytown FROM?? More potential customers? A slight drop in cars on their streets? More choices for food/shopping?

[mplser]

I think they're just bored and want to feel important

[Snelbian]

The argument also ignores how Purple Onion, Campus Pizza, and many other places have successfully relocated within their respective areas to larger places and done very well.

Shhh, don't confuse the debate with real-world examples of redevelopment outcomes. We need to preserve character and parking and historical shops and parking.

[Nick]

Let's all try to keep the hysterics to a minimum in here...

[exiled_antipodean]

It's somewhat painful listening to nostalgia and incoherence dressed up as argument, but it's worth showing up to these meetings, and to your local Como or Marcy Holmes or Prospect Park (or wherever) neighborhood association meetings. My experience at Prospect Park is that NIMBYs start the conversation, but if you get up and say something in support of development it can bring others out of the woodwork. If your city council member is in attendance it's all the more important -- they need to see there are people who support good proposals for development.

[twincitizen]

If your city council member is in attendance it's all the more important -- they need to see there are people who support good proposals for development.

This is part of the reason Minneapolis Urbanists for Political Action was started. The short-term goal may be to get involved in the 2013 municipal election, but part of the long-term vision is to create a network of support for better urban design and good development at the neighborhood level. We need to show up at neighborhood meetings, join neighborhood boards, and generally work to elevate Minneapolis to the next level.

[Vanostran]

I bet Bob Dylan doesn't even care about Dinkytown.

[gobezlij]

This stings a bit...the Podium is hanging up its cleats after a 54 year run.

http://www.thepodium.com/

[mattaudio]

Why aren't they choosing to move to another space? I have a feeling this is more legitimate, but it sort of feels like the businesses closing on University and blaming it on the Green Line.

[Silophant]

It does feel like that. For example, the Book House found somewhere to relocate to, despite their earlier claims that it would be totally impossible to do so.

[Snelbian]

Strangely, back in February The Podium was sounding confident they'd just move elsewhere while The Book House was talking like it was the end. But, yeah, given the number of places The Podium could have relocated to in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, this seems like it's probably just a good excuse for someone to retire.

On a tangentially related note, signage went up two days ago at the old Cosmic's Coffee at Selby and Snelling in Saint Paul - it'll be a guitar shop. They've already put up some lovely black metal grating in the windows as a sign of confidence in the neighborhood (those Patina/Starbuck's shoppers are shifty types...).

[gpete]

New article about this project in the Minnesota Daily: http://www.mndaily.com/city/business/20 ... evelopment

Save Dinkytown’s petition says the large scale of the Opus project would “diminish the apparent significance and character of the historic business district,” while destroying the “Dinky” in Dinkytown.

[stock345]

Last sentence for the win.