These issues were being discussed and written about in the Strib back when those projects were in the planning stage. The city made a conscious decision to remove the storefronts and replace them with towers, knowing full well what it would mean for the mall. On the other hand this was in the immediate wake of the Murderapolis era, a lot of people still thought the city was on its way to becoming another Detroit/Cleveland style basketcase. They wanted the tax base those buildings would bring. Nobody knew that a huge boom in urbanism was right around the corner.What really gets me is that the City (planners, Planning Commissioners, City Council) probably already knew all of these lessons in the late 90s when these buildings were being designed. I'm pretty sure people knew about good urbanism and storefronts before the 2010s, but these 3 buildings still got it so wrong. It's really frustrating.
Nicollet Mall
Re: Nicollet Mall
Re: Nicollet Mall
Yeah, LaSalle north of Grant is pretty sad. Being wedged between Nicollet and Hennepin, pretty much every building treats it as its backside to be ignored. The only thing even resembling an active use I can think of is the entrance to the DoubleTree Hotel. I live on LaSalle south of downtown, but I almost never walk on it north of Grant. Having to walk under the Loring Greenway doesn’t help.And even LaSalle! It's only a block west from Nicollet, but LaSalle always looks dead.
My flickr photos.
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Re: Nicollet Mall
Agreed, they should elevate the Lasalle sidewalks into ramps (so it's wheelchair accessible instead of stairs at least on one side} to go Up to the greenway on both sides, and then make the tunnel for cars only. Which would make more room for a protected bike lane in the tunnel southbound only of course.Yeah, LaSalle north of Grant is pretty sad. Being wedged between Nicollet and Hennepin, pretty much every building treats it as its backside to be ignored. The only thing even resembling an active use I can think of is the entrance to the DoubleTree Hotel. I live on LaSalle south of downtown, but I almost never walk on it north of Grant. Having to walk under the Loring Greenway doesn’t help.And even LaSalle! It's only a block west from Nicollet, but LaSalle always looks dead.
Somthing kinda like...
Re: Nicollet Mall
^^ That’s a really cool idea! Thanks for sharing it. The only issue I can see is the need for access to the one apartment/condo building on Lasalle that has an entrance right before the Loring greenway tunnel.
Re: Nicollet Mall
Providing access from LaSalle up to the Greenway is a good idea. Forcing all pedestrians to ramp up to the Greenway is not a good idea.
Re: Nicollet Mall
Yeah, even if they're lightly used, there's definitely some people that take the sidewalk through the tunnel. So, ramp up and down on the west side of LaSalle, and leave the east side as is, which then maintains access to the condo building and hotel garage entrances.
As far as the protected bike lane goes, there's room for it as is - SB already has a lane with a 2' buffer, and NB has... a parking lane, which could be disappeared pretty easily.
As far as the protected bike lane goes, there's room for it as is - SB already has a lane with a 2' buffer, and NB has... a parking lane, which could be disappeared pretty easily.
Joey Senkyr
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Re: Nicollet Mall
One might even argue it's downtown's worst street: https://streets.mn/2015/01/08/the-worst ... nneapolis/Yeah, LaSalle north of Grant is pretty sad.
It's been rebuilt since then, and the bike lane is an improvement, but all the rest is still pretty much the same.
Re: Nicollet Mall
Also, people always always always underestimate how much space an ADA compliant ramp takes up. If the surface of the Greenway is 15' above the La Salle elevation, you need 300' of ramp to get up to it. That's basically a full downtown block.
Re: Nicollet Mall
Star Tribune's Streetscapes column proposes the return of a public artwork to Nicollet Mall:
http://www.startribune.com/a-famed-cald ... 498035371/
http://www.startribune.com/a-famed-cald ... 498035371/
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Re: Nicollet Mall
Wouldn't it be kinda cool if the sculpture garden donated a piece each year to a metro project? That way they could get in a new piece from a brand new artist. Would keep sculpture garden fresh and exciting. I mean Valley Fair does that a new ride every year or so. Plus the State Fair new food every year..Star Tribune's Streetscapes column proposes the return of a public artwork to Nicollet Mall:
http://www.startribune.com/a-famed-cald ... 498035371/
I know the artwork on the inside behind paywall is the main focus but still.. just a thought, I'm sure everybody would hate it.
Re: Nicollet Mall
Didn't the sculpture garden leave some stuff at Gold Medal Park? I'm pretty sure they're still there. The sculptures really added to the park.
Re: Nicollet Mall
They are still there, and, I agree, they do!
Oreos, I really like that idea.
Oreos, I really like that idea.
Re: Nicollet Mall
There's a sign in the amphitheater saying that they're finally going to get around to installing Nimbus this week.
Joey Senkyr
[email protected]
[email protected]
Re: Nicollet Mall
Is there an art installation happening across from the library? There is a massive something being built on scaffolding with lifts.
Answering my own question. It’s the installation of Nimbus.
https://nicolletmallart.org/blog-page/
In November, Nimbus, a sculpture by artist and architect Tristan Al-Haddad and the last public artwork for the new Nicollet will be installed in the forecourt of Central Library.
Constructed of weathering steel, the open elliptical form cantilevers over the Theater in the Round seating area. At night, Nimbus will cast a halo of light through perforations in its steel skin.
Answering my own question. It’s the installation of Nimbus.
https://nicolletmallart.org/blog-page/
In November, Nimbus, a sculpture by artist and architect Tristan Al-Haddad and the last public artwork for the new Nicollet will be installed in the forecourt of Central Library.
Constructed of weathering steel, the open elliptical form cantilevers over the Theater in the Round seating area. At night, Nimbus will cast a halo of light through perforations in its steel skin.
Last edited by mamundsen on November 20th, 2018, 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Nicollet Mall
It's called nimbus, the previous post has a link to some info about it, looks pretty coolIs there an art installation happening across from the library? There is a massive something being built on scaffolding with lifts.
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Re: Nicollet Mall
That looks totally cool.
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Re: Nicollet Mall
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.
Re: Nicollet Mall
I live on Nicollet Mall and IMO the lighting is the most successful aspect of the renovation , particularly the high mast light poles. The beacons on the poles are programmable and change/alternate colors to reflect seasonal holidays . Its very fun to look at, and adds liveliness to what is otherwise a greyish, if not somewhat drab coloration for the majority of the Mall's design.
Re: Nicollet Mall
It looks like the planters started being delivered last week. As far as I can tell, it looks like there are two sizes roughly the same size as the bollards outside the hotels at the south end of Nicollet. Not sure what kind of plants will be in them, but if I had to make a guess, I would expect something gray.
Re: Nicollet Mall
Hopefully they're kept up. The ones near the Convention Center on 3rd have become wild.
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