Block E (archive)

[mulad]

Wasn't KMSP in the commercial/industrial area off Elm St SE in Minneapolis' Como neighborhood? I think WFTC had been at Broadway St NE and New Brighton Boulevard (CR-88)

[mattaudio]

Interesting.... 2000 Elm SE still shows a bunch of wires running across the roof to the SE corner of the property where there's a microwave antenna pointing northeast... maybe there's still a radio studio in there? The building NW of New Brighton Blvd and Broadway has an antenna tower as well, although I do not see obvious microwave antennas in the Google satellite view. I had no idea either of those buildings were once TV studios, but it makes sense.

Now back to the Block E show, already in progress?

[Le Sueur]

I think it would be cool if KARE-11 or KSTP moved their headquarters to Block E. They could do it like WCCO does on Nicollet Mall, with windows looking into the newscasts. I also envision some sort of moving light display that would scroll top news stories along either Hennepin or First Avenue...

If Channel 5 did it, they could copy Channel 11's weather backyard and send their weather people onto the green roof at Target Center!

I think KSTP is too tied to St. Paul to be moving into downtown Mlps. I'd love to see KARE make a big move. There budget doesn't seem to have money for updated equipment let alone building a glamorous new studio anytime soon unless Gannett pours in some big unexpected $$$.

[offtopic]Did anyone else to KARE election coverage? Decent discussion, but it looked like they were sitting in dark storeroom IMO.[/offtopic]

[mattaudio]

Yes, they had well-known former pols and commentators stuffed around a table so tight, they barely had space for all of their laptops. It was awkward.

[mamundsen]

Exact same thoughts! I liked the national NBC coverage... hated the local coverage.

[min-chi-cbus]

I think it would be cool if KARE-11 or KSTP moved their headquarters to Block E. They could do it like WCCO does on Nicollet Mall, with windows looking into the newscasts. I also envision some sort of moving light display that would scroll top news stories along either Hennepin or First Avenue...

If Channel 5 did it, they could copy Channel 11's weather backyard and send their weather people onto the green roof at Target Center!

Then people on TV would be witnessing all of the drug dealing going on in the background and the dealers would get even MORE business! Everybody wins!!

[mullen]

channel's 9 and 11 were both once downtown. i think up until the early 70's. then 9 moved to a building across the street from southdale. their new building in eden prairie is pretty recent. you're right about channel 5.. it's kstp ...k-st paul...although its right smack on the city border.

[twinkess]

Interesting: There is a temporary wall up from the old Hooters to about half of the old Pancheros. Wonder if this is just going to be demolition, or if they have a tennant?

[Nathan]

Don't most of those call signs have to do with whether the station is West or East of the river too? I recall MN being a little strange because most states TV stations have all either K(stp) type stations or W(cco) type. That being said, would those stations have to stay on their side of the river because of their call sign?

[mattaudio]

I don't know if it's just MN (and also, I assume, Louisiana) or if it also applies to states that merely border the Mississippi, but I know that MN stations can register for W- or K- callsigns regardless of their transmitter location, etc. There have also been examples of TV and radio stations re-filing between W- and K- such as KITN>WFTC, WCAL>KCMP, etc.

[editcostarica]

Yes, fotoapparatic, call signs east of the Mississippi begin with "W", and those west all start with "K."

[gpete]

In another thread, twincitizen just brought up the issue of the AMC Theater at Block E.

The theater didn't have to pay rent if their revenues failed to reach a certain level. Lux took them to court to force them out.

Here's a quote from a Business Journal article: "Under the current lease, the theater’s rent is based on a percentage of annual gross sales: 15 percent above $3 million, 20 percent above $5 million or 25 percent above $7 million. That means it pays nothing if revenue is less than $3 million."

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/p ... l?page=all

[mullen]

how long is everyone's patience with this developer? block e is a mess we all know but it's even more awful sitting there basically an empty hulk, save for the hotel and kierans on first ave side.

[mulad]

James Lileks says he'd hate to work at Block E (though I think everyone here assumes the structure would be re-cladded and get other updates if the Strib or others moved in).

http://lileks.com/bleats/archive/13/0313/032813.html

[John]

how long is everyone's patience with this developer? block e is a mess we all know but it's even more awful sitting there basically an empty hulk, save for the hotel and kierans on first ave side.

It may take years before anything happens here. Maybe I'm wrong , but we'll see. It will take some guts and vision from both a prospective tenant and the developer to make something work here. Risk taking is not an easy thing to do in a city where everyone's playing it real safe these days.

[spearson]

James Lileks says he'd hate to work at Block E (though I think everyone here assumes the structure would be re-cladded and get other updates if the Strib or others moved in).

http://lileks.com/bleats/archive/13/0313/032813.html

I don't blame him for hating it, but then again, he hates a lot of buildings.

[writruth]

I'm hopeful it won't take the 20 years it took the Powers Store block to redevelop.

[Wedgeguy]

I'm hopeful it won't take the 20 years it took the Powers Store block to redevelop.

I very much agree with you there.

[twincitizen]

I don't have any lofty expectations for Block E, other than the owner make a ****ing peep about what they plan to do. You guys are talking about redevelopment, but I'm not sure what you envision here. Obviously an exterior facelift is in order so it doesn't look like a cartoon building, as Lileks called it. The huge corner spaces will probably have to be subdivided, and some of them will have to be repositioned for something other than bars/restaurants, as the market obviously cannot support that many sports bars on the same block. Heck, I'll be surprised if Kieran's and OD's both survive another bad Twins season.

Now that the stadium funding is officially in shambles, I'm sure Bob Lux is having casino dreams again.

This may sounds strange, but I'm not fully convinced that a bowling alley & movie theater couldn't be successful here. It doesn't have to be a high-concept/brand-name thing like Gameworks/Dave n Busters/Pinz/etc. How about just a normal movie theater, maybe with fewer screens, and keep the bowling alley part of Gameworks on the 2nd floor.

[Viktor Vaughn]

I'd like to see a movie theater that doesn't show the same handful of movies as every other theater in the metro/country. I think a theater that showed art films, foreign movies, documentaries, classics and other limited release films could do well here. Especially if they got a liquor license.