Rochester

[mattaudio]

They can use all the support we can provide. I'll post details on how to write in with support later. There's been a significant amount of pushback on this from distance commuters who still think of Broadway as Idyllic U.S. Highway No. 63.

[grant1simons2]

http://finance-commerce.com/2015/11/6-s ... rochester/

6 story, 92 unit mixed use project slated for downtown Rochester

[bubzki2]

I like the look better than the previous rendition. Now we need about 20 more of these near downtown...

[Mikey]

Looks like Broadway ave. in Rochester is slated to get Bike lanes, expanded sidewalks, and transit amenities.

Locked: http://finance-commerce.com/2015/11/roc ... -makeover/

Thank God. The stretch from 6th St S to Golden Hill is in desperate need of an overhaul and redevelopment - has long as Mr Pizza stays. North of the river, it's a generic suburban stroad

[matthew5080]

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... b3602.html

The development would seek to replace some existing structures north of Sixth Street Southwest and between Third Avenue and Fourth avenues southwest to construct a mixed-use commercial and residential building.

This 6 floor development would replace already existing structures and add 150 market rate apartments with an emphasis on the urban core and walkability. It seems that Rochester has several big apartment complexes coming up, as the Buckeye is in talks too.


http://www.kttc.com/story/30728953/snea ... t-complete

Crews have been working hard on the $75 million Mayo Civic Center expansion. You may have seen the steel beams that went up not long ago, but what we can't see from the street is even more impressive. With every pour of concrete, the vision is starting to come together.

Just drove by this earlier today while visiting Rochester for the weekend. The Civic Center expansion is absolutely massive and looks like it'll be rather impressive.

[acs]

For the top project, why would they tear down a fully developed block of buildings when there are several nearly complete blocks of surface parking just to the north?

[Wedgeguy]

^^^Who owns and is holding out on those empty lots? Some one has their own plans for development or looking to cash out in a few years to the highest offer once the progress is shown that they can get the most bang for their buck. You are now just starting to see international interest of buyers from out side the country.

This is like a card game, you see signs of intent, but until some big cards start to fall, or big projects actually break ground, you don't want to waste your own good cards/money until you know that you will have a decent payoff of your own. Just look at how many proposals Rochester has had over the last 5 years. Not too many have made that big splash yet. Now that Mayo has committed to spending that promised money, development will start to increased interest in building permits and not just proposals. No one is going to invest 80 to 100 M on a pipe dream. Mayo is set and permits are being pulled so now there is a real payday in the future. Not just a maybe if they do it, we'll make money.

[seanrichardryan]

That first project looks. terrrrrible.

[gcm]

For the top project, why would they tear down a fully developed block of buildings when there are several nearly complete blocks of surface parking just to the north?

The block to the north is owned by Mayo Clinic as is the block to the northeast (has the old Vine Funeral home). Mayo also owns at least a portion of the block east of the proposed development.

[bubzki2]

Mayo owns nearly all that land. To them, parking is worth more than just about any other use of land. It's depressing, but true.

[mattaudio]

Yep. Mayo is Downtown Rochester's worst enemy in many ways.

[MNdible]

Not to defend surface parking lots, but...

If you're a large institution that expects to grow, and you're not building out in a cornfield but instead in an already developed urban area, you're going to want to control property.

[mattaudio]

Then the least you can do is be a good neighbor and allow for interim land uses for people rather than parking. Also guilty on this: University of Minnesota.

[acs]

What I find interesting throughout this whole DMC saga is how Mayo has been promising to create some absurd number of jobs (I think I heard 30k last) and yet, in 2015 and 2014 the Rochester metro area was one of the few which lost total jobs. Where exactly is this huge growth coming from besides the mouth of local boosters?

[fehler]

But the minute that parking lot becomes a temporary park, it will be seen as a permanent park. When Mayo is ready to add an office block or research facility onto it, the locals will scream (and the people who bought a house next to it thinking it was always a park will sue).

[MNdible]

Or alternately, if there's a house or a commercial building on it, who's going to want to invest and maintain that property (or grow a business in that property) if there's an expectation that Mayo will reclaim it in the near future?

[mattaudio]

I'm not suggesting it should be a park. I'm suggesting that Mayo should not be allowed to tear down buildings and replace them with surface parking. There should be a moratorium on tearing down structures for surface parking, everywhere.

[Wedgeguy]

fehler and MNdible have some very valid points. That is a big part of limbo land, where something will get built some day so no investing on upkeep and no other uses for fear they will be expected to stay that way if they do something temporary. We've seen that song and dance before where something that is KNOW to be temporary then is expected to not change by people who either move in without knowing the status or those who want to use that as anti development. They would rather just have the parking income to pay the taxes on the land and have fewer headaches down the road.

[acs]

Rochester may be getting a streetcar sooner than we think. Out of nowhere a website popped up for the Zumbro Transit Company advertising a future streetcar along 2nd st (formerly Zubro st). Here's their website: http://www.zumbrotransit.com/story/

Here's the story in the local paper:

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/ ... 4d62b.html

Local officials haven't heard anything about it until now. This appears to be a private non-profit with some corporate backing that wants to run a CNG trolley along 2nd to test the waters before moving to modern fixed rail. At least, I think this is non-profit since the base fare is just a dollar and I have no idea about the fare structures of the other Rochester transit services. They really are touting an app system to integrate payment and location finding. Future expansion would branch out to the mayo park-n-rides and a North South spine.

[grant1simons2]

Another private transit company eh?

No suspicions here...