East End / Thresher Square / Trader Joes - 713 Washington Ave S

[mnmike]

If their apartments average 1,000 square feet per unit, that will be mighty impressive! lol. Wow. Anyway, I will still go with 8 floors max. We will see what comes out whenever there is more info. What does the winning guess get?

[min-chi-cbus]

If their apartments average 1,000 square feet per unit, that will be mighty impressive! lol. Wow. Anyway, I will still go with 8 floors max. We will see what comes out whenever there is more info. What does the winning guess get?

a million dollars! IDK, respect?

P.S. I'd rather be wrong about 8 floors than 12.....8 floors is a shoe-in, 12 is a bit riskier.

[widin007]

http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/sh ... velopments

"Preliminary plans call for 9,000 square feet of retail, a 7,000-square-foot restaurant space and a five-story apartment building with 160 apartments, Kuechle said. They are also exploring the possibility of adding a hotel to the development."
Looks like the hotel is only a possibility, so another 6 story comin up!

[John]

Sounds a little underwhelming, but if it fills up a vacant lot I'm always happy!

[nasa35]

it fits the 6 floor North Korean model, that's for sure!

[kregger22]

By the time this has real legs the Vikings Stadium will be in full swing and hopefully the mania of that production will open Sherman's eyes to a larger/taller concept.

[trkaiser]

I'm thinking something along these lines:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel

[nasa35]

I'm thinking something along these lines:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel

there's our convention hotel!

[Viktor Vaughn]

Previously, I was content to ignore the North Korean comments, but they just keep coming. Is North Korea really building six story luxury apartment buildings all over town? Or is it just poorly thought out semantics meant to convey your dislike of buildings that don't impact the skyline? If you're going for a general communist housing image, wouldn't that be a brutalist concrete highrise?

In the absence of any evidence North Korea has a single building in this style, can you call it the Minneapolis model? Or call it anything else that has basis in fact?

[nasa35]

Previously, I was content to ignore the North Korean comments, but they just keep coming. Is North Korea really building six story luxury apartment buildings all over town? Or is it just poorly thought out semantics meant to convey your dislike of buildings that don't impact the skyline? If you're going for a general communist housing image, wouldn't that be a brutalist concrete highrise?

In the absence of any evidence North Korea has a single building in this style, can you call it the Minneapolis model? Or call it anything else that has basis in fact?

My question for you is why would that even bother you? I mean really? I use the NORTH KOREAN model because of the drab designs we are seeing and because it conveys my dislike. Why can't the design be better? I understand the need for infil, but i don't understand the terrible street appeal.

[mattaudio]

I think most people are using the NK thing as a joke. Not sure exactly who started it, but comparing wood-frame mixed use to drab concrete highrises does not make sense... the dissonance makes it humorous, hence it continues to be used.

[Viktor Vaughn]

My question for you is why would that even bother you? I mean really? I use the NORTH KOREAN model because of the drab designs we are seeing and because it conveys my dislike. Why can't the design be better? I understand the need for infil, but i don't understand the terrible street appeal.

I don't know. I guess the "North Korean Model" should be modeled on North Korea in some way, or at least somewhat resemble something... oh nevermind, I was just checking to see if your repetitive comment made any sense. I guess it's funny dissonance (it's funny cause it's NOT true!), but either way I'm over it.

Anyway, I like this development. It's great to see Mill District style market rate housing jump Washington, fill in a surface lot, and provide additional retail to add more continuity along Washington. Maybe someday, Washington from the West Bank through the North Loop will be a pleasant walk, with interesting stuff to look at the entire way. This is one small step, one NK-style six story apartment building at a time.

[Archiapolis]

I hope the city/neighborhood pressures them to add plenty of green space. Is there a comprehensive plan for DTE?

In order for Minneapolis to do something special and REALLY show other cities how to do forward-thinking urbanism, families need to be considered and designed for. Super-progressive families are moving into lofts but they are the "early adopters" and are accepting significant sacrifices. Lack of pocket parks is SORELY lacking for downtown to become a truly diverse place. The surface lot north of the library should be the signature park for downtown. DTE needs a similar space and maybe the Vikings plaza is/will become that space...

[mplser]

doubt it. I went to use the bathrooms at the "plaza" that is there now, and they were locked. My guess is it will be a game-day-only sort of thing and be a dead waste of space the rest of the year

[widin007]

Anyway, I like this development. It's great to see Mill District style market rate housing jump Washington, fill in a surface lot, and provide additional retail to add more continuity along Washington. Maybe someday, Washington from the West Bank through the North Loop will be a pleasant walk, with interesting stuff to look at the entire way. This is one small step, one NK-style six story apartment building at a time.

While im not sure about the North Korea nonsense, maybe no one is? But I guess for myself its sort of dissapointing, i mean just look at the first few pages where everyone was so sure about it being 10+ floors and then real news just dashing that. But then again this is getting rid of a parking lot so whatever I guess, but still a bit disapointing.

[mister.shoes]

On the bright side, while the hotel is just a "possibility," the description sure sounds like adding the hotel would push this well over 6 stories.

[John]

Height aside, the hotel component would really make this project more dynamic. DTE needs to be developed with more intensive multi-use projects to create the density and bustle that will make this area a truly urban district.

[martykoessel]

Height, schmeight.

Isn't it all about how it's done, not how high it's done? Sure, some tall buildings are exciting landmarks, but some are dreck.

Skim through this selection of relatively recent downtown apartment buildings and condos, decide which you most like to look at or, better yet, walk past, and then consider how much your decisions were influenced by the building's height. If you're like me, not much at all.


http://www.metropolitangroup.com/condop ... erwest.jpg
http://s3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/ ... 4wMQ/l.jpg
http://twincitiescondoshop.mightyagent. ... AVENUE.jpg
http://www.pawplaces.net/apartment_images/29695.jpg
http://www.marquartmcmahon.com/5th%20av ... 5thext.jpg
http://propimages.apartments.com/2824/1412307_64.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ScqT ... ing+Office
http://blogs.villagegreen.com/minneapol ... artmen.jpg
http://propimages.apartments.com/122535 ... 010164.jpg
http://www.minnesotaloftsandcondos.com/ ... 057086.JPG
http://images02.olx.com/ui/13/03/63/130 ... r-Sale.jpg

[Aville_37]

Any updates? Would love to see a rendering.

[minnyapple]

What he said^