Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
Silophant
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby Silophant » March 2nd, 2020, 9:37 pm

Update: it's not as bad as I thought. The proposal is for a 6,000 sq ft "urban market", which is described as being "more than a convenience store, but less than a grocery store" on the corner, with the 4,000 sq ft in the middle of the block going to Xcel Energy to create an "Innovation Lab".
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CalMcKenney
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby CalMcKenney » March 3rd, 2020, 9:28 am

Wow yeah I wouldn't mind that. Urban market, whatever that means, could be useful for people living around Nicollet.

alexschief
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby alexschief » March 3rd, 2020, 9:47 am

Obviously the "Urban Market" concept sounds really promising. Obviously in places like New York, people do a huge portion of their food shopping at bodegas and small markets, so whatever the terminology they want to use, there's really nothing new about the concept, it's just a great and proven amenity.

If the "Innovation Lab" is a kind of exhibit that people can walk into and learn about Xcel's renewable energy tech (or whatever), I think that would be completely suitable for the other space on the ground level. It doesn't need to all be retail, it only needs to all be active.

SurlyLHT
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby SurlyLHT » March 3rd, 2020, 12:54 pm

I'm just glad it's going to be active. Having this vacant with the LRT station and Nicollet right there looks bad. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the nearby smaller convivence stores hurt a bit. Personally it might be neat to put artwork on the cement medians for the LRT.

Silophant
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby Silophant » March 18th, 2020, 2:37 pm

Everything's on hold for the duration of the coronavirus emergency, but here's the ZBA packet for the variance request. It has some details about the "Innovation Hub". Looks like it would be a ~20' deep lobbyish space along Nicollet, with a large conference room behind. I don't know, I don't hate it. If there's as much activity there as they say, it'll be better than, say, 801 Chophouse.
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Silophant
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby Silophant » November 11th, 2020, 4:46 pm

Bizjournals announces the urban market brand. It'll be a DGX, a new(ish), urban version of a Dollar General. I'm sure there's going to be some "ugh, a Dollar General? pushback from the "refuses to believe that the days of Nicollet being lined with upscale department stores are never coming back" set, but this is going to be fantastically useful for the thousands of new residents on the north end of Nicollet, as long as they deign to be open into the evenings and on weekends.
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QuietBlue
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby QuietBlue » November 11th, 2020, 6:19 pm

Downtown needs more practical shopping like this, so I think it will do well.

seanrichardryan
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby seanrichardryan » November 11th, 2020, 6:36 pm

A good retail district has all levels of service- high and low.
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

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jtoemke
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby jtoemke » November 12th, 2020, 7:27 am

Downtown Columbus just got one about 9 months ago and its been fantastic so far. Open til 10pm as well.

SurlyLHT
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby SurlyLHT » November 12th, 2020, 9:05 am

Their logo is show in the image the Business Journal has and it doesn't appear hideous. It's also nice to see Xcel continuing to invest in Downtown with COVID.

alexschief
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby alexschief » November 12th, 2020, 9:36 am

We have a DGX in Philadelphia, in a fairly yuppie neighborhood. We also have a bunch of Dollar Generals, so we know the difference.

The company can be a bad actor. They don't invest much in the appearance or safety of their stores. They don't treat workers well. But the DGX concept is different, it's aimed more upmarket, and will be a useful addition to what is now a residential neighborhood for thousands of people. You shouldn't have to go to Whole Foods for a quart of milk. Also important: Minneapolis' minimum wage and worker protection ordinances will help curb some of the exploitative practices that the company has been criticized for.

I think it's a win all-around. With Uptown and Nicollet Mall, there has to be a bit of a shift in mindset, it's not all going to be upscale brand name retailers. Hopefully some of those will still stick around, but that's not the only type of businesses that can succeed. I think about Walnut and Chestnut Streets here in Philly, which is Center City's premier shopping area, and it has Apple, Urban Outfitters, North Face, and Brooks Brothers. There's also an AT&T, Dunkin' Donuts, Five Below, and a Modell's.

That's healthy.

grant1simons2
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby grant1simons2 » November 12th, 2020, 1:28 pm

A good retail district has all levels of service- high and low.
I don't want Nicollet to be Michigan Ave, but State St would be nice.

uptownbro
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby uptownbro » November 17th, 2020, 1:28 pm

State street would be great. Have a mix of stores. One thing I think people forget is not every store in a major downtown is high end. There are tons of 7-11's all over downtown chicago for example and given the fact that many skyway stores close early this will be an asset to all of the new residents on this side of downtown.

Silophant
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby Silophant » January 10th, 2021, 6:43 pm

They had a semi parked on the Nicollet Mall sidewalk today and were busily stocking the store. Must be opening soon. Didn't see hours posted yet, alas, but the other DGXs that I've googled seem to be universally open till 10pm, which would be big for the neighborhood.

On a similar note, at some point the Five Guys across the street moved their closing time back to 8pm, though there's also a "temporary hours" sign showing that they currently close at 7 again. Almost like people live in this neighborhood. Wild.
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SurlyLHT
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby SurlyLHT » January 10th, 2021, 9:21 pm

I should go support that Five Guys...haha.

HKM
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby HKM » January 11th, 2021, 12:01 pm

I should go support that Five Guys...haha.
The Nicollet Five Guys absolutely needs to be supported just for being one of the few places downtown (especially among non-bars or brunch spots) open in the evening and weekends, particularly on Sundays when the Chipotle across from WCCO is closed. I rarely endorse chain restaurants, but Five Guys' effort downtown should be acknowledged for putting in more effort than most.

Oreos&Milk
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby Oreos&Milk » January 11th, 2021, 12:06 pm

Downtown Columbus just got one about 9 months ago and its been fantastic so far. Open til 10pm as well.
I think it’s no longer acceptable to just require windows as the bare minimum. We should require them to have at least 1 to 2 feet displays cases built into them that they can choose or choose not to use with a window display or at least a window sign display (like Office Depot did downtown) and have a barrier for natural light as to not effect the shopping experience. (oddly recall being in a CVS downtown and having the sun blind me) putting stickers to block light and view directly onto the window is a direct attack on zoning requirements that shouldn’t be tolerated like this prime example!


Windows shouldn’t scream I’m only doing this because you made me do it!....

seanrichardryan
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby seanrichardryan » January 11th, 2021, 9:16 pm

The now demolished Walgreen's on east lake st was a good example of chain store actually embracing storefront windows. There were no shelves against them and you could actually see products and customers inside.
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

Brenns
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby Brenns » January 12th, 2021, 9:08 am

Downtown Columbus just got one about 9 months ago and its been fantastic so far. Open til 10pm as well.
I think it’s no longer acceptable to just require windows as the bare minimum. We should require them to have at least 1 to 2 feet displays cases built into them that they can choose or choose not to use with a window display or at least a window sign display (like Office Depot did downtown) and have a barrier for natural light as to not effect the shopping experience. (oddly recall being in a CVS downtown and having the sun blind me) putting stickers to block light and view directly onto the window is a direct attack on zoning requirements that shouldn’t be tolerated like this prime example!


Windows shouldn’t scream I’m only doing this because you made me do it!....
The Love Your Melon storefront is a textbook offender. Makes me a little ragey every time I walk by.

uptownbro
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Re: Renaissance Square / The Andrus

Postby uptownbro » January 12th, 2021, 9:56 am

I have to agree. Whats the point of having even the windows if they make shopping in said store a pain. It comes off as trying to make a point.
Either way to have more regular business open past 6pm will really help this area and hopefully add more pedestrians to the street outside of work hours. Hopefully it will show others that yes hundreds of people do live in this area now


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