urbanMSP

The potential new developer is from Florida, is working on another residential project in SLP at the West End.

they are envisioning 400-600 Units with retail on the street.

Site remediation has gotten more drastic, and the current owner is looking for help now, or it can't make the sale happen.

The Nicollet Island East Bank Neighborhood Association website has some additional information:

http://niebna.com/

They say that ESG Architects has been selected to design the new development.

To the surprise of no one, the contamination here is worse than previously known. Dolce Living is still negotiating with the current owner, but may walk away without significant guarantees about the cleanup. This site is likely to require several million in public funds to clean up.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 68081.html

Like everyone else here, I drool at the thought of putting several hundred housing units here (we've heard up to 500-600), but aren't we building a streetcar line that would end right about here? Have we at all thought about just using the site as a streetcar barn again? It wouldn't be cheap to bring it up to modern standards, but you couldn't really ask for a better site. Where else along that starter segment (from Lake St to 5th St NE) could we even put a storage/maintenance facility? I mean, if we're going to be putting public dollars towards cleanup anyways...wouldn't it be better if it were for a public purpose?

Streetcar barn for the first two floors with retail wrapping around the front and apartments on top. The ultimate urban mixed-use project

As has been noted in the streetcar thread, I think that they're proposing to extend the line slightly farther up Central to get to more industrial land where a streetcar barn would be a more compatible use.

Have we at all thought about just using the site as a streetcar barn again? It wouldn't be cheap to bring it up to modern standards, but you couldn't really ask for a better site.

Wow, this is one dumb idea that just won't die. No, it would be a terrible site. This is no longer an industrial area, and even though the site is polluted, it's still a prime location. When Superior plating was in operation, the semi trucks pulling in and out caused terrible back ups on first avenue. I can't imagine what streetcars would do. If we're going to be putting public dollars towards a cleanup, wouldn't it be better if the end result generated some property taxes and actually improved and contributed to the vitality of the neighborhood.

Streetcar barn for the first two floors with retail wrapping around the front and apartments on top. The ultimate urban mixed-use project

Yeah, cause people would love to live on top of a streetcar garage.

Yeah, cause people would love to live on top of a streetcar garage.

I wouldn't so quickly dismiss it. Not far from the same logic people dismissed living at the International Market Square, "who wants to live right on top of 10 lanes of interstate highway or industrial loading docks?"

Streetcar barn for the first two floors with retail wrapping around the front and apartments on top. The ultimate urban mixed-use project

Yeah, cause people would love to live on top of a streetcar garage.

There was a giant in my post for a reason. It's not just bling. Sometimes it's "no, I'm not exactly serious about this."

Placing apartments above a streetcar maintenance facility and garage is an awful idea. There are loads of chemicals and whatnot used in maintenance. Would you live above an auto body shop or a car repair shop? It's a dangerous idea and probably wouldn't even meet the fire code.

The correct placement of a streetcar maintenance facility is in an industrial area, where the activities are not going to affect residential quality of life.

Just like the one in Lowertown amirite?

Placing apartments above a streetcar maintenance facility and garage is an awful idea. There are loads of chemicals and whatnot used in maintenance. Would you live above an auto body shop or a car repair shop? It's a dangerous idea and probably wouldn't even meet the fire code.

The correct placement of a streetcar maintenance facility is in an industrial area, where the activities are not going to affect residential quality of life.

Didn't people use to live above auto garages all the time? What sorts of chemicals would make their way up into apartments? The idea is obviously pipe dream, but it sure would be nice for facilities like this to mix uses somewhat. I pointed out a while ago how terrible the bus barn is at 31st/Nicollet. It would be too bad if they moved a streetcar space further north with poor design, then development followed..

Well obviously fumes rise as they are lighter than air. So you would need a good ventilation system to prevent any of that from rising into the apartments. I'm sure a streetcar shop will use lubricants for parts, conduct paint and window repairs, etc.

The Broadway/Central area is already home to a large rail junction. Few people are going to want to build over there. It's solidly industrial and perfect for a streetcar facility.

Superior Plating is better left as retail/residential. It's a burgeoning district in the city that is better left with fewer industrial uses.

http://finance-commerce.com/2014/03/on- ... -purchase/

Its on. ...

I like that it's a Florida developer! Maybe they'll have a Miami type of mindset when planning this site. Will be fun to watch!!

I like that it's a Florida developer! Maybe they'll have a Miami type of mindset when planning this site. Will be fun to watch!!

Meaning that their primary market sector is Latin American drug dealers and the Russian mob?

looks like their specialty is sprawling suburban-style complexes. hm... hope they can do it right.

Their first local project is a 6-story luxury apartment complex replacing the Chili's in St. Louis Park's West End area.
https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1433

That project has been approved and demolition/excavation is underway, so we'll at least have an idea pretty soon of what they can do in a sorta urban environment.

It would be a shame if this site got a 6-story box rather than something taller or more interesting, but I wouldn't bet any money on it.

I don't think there's any way possible that they'd waste this prime location on some suburbanesque apartment campus, but I've been wrong before.

does the zoning In the area allow for that even? zoning nerds?

With all the under-utilized land in NE, I'd almost rather a 6 story with commercial here to allow more to fill out the area before demand dries up (not sure if it will, but vacancy rates are indeed ticking upward in Mpls..)