Satori Minneapolis (Broadway from Aldrich-Emerson)

[alleycat]

Well, I never thought I'd see luxury apartments proposed for West Broadway. This Aldrich-Emerson proposal is set to be built in 3 phases over 3+ years. Developer is calling the project Satori. He previously developed the condos on West River Road three blocks north of Broadway Pizza and owns the McDonald's franchises across the street from the proposal and in Robbinsdale. He was a development manager for McDonald's corporate prior to that.

The project would include market rate luxury apartments, office space and street fronting retail. Phase 1 would have retail fronting Broadway and the Cub parking lot. That's the prayer center/furniture store/Boost Mobile/bricks falling off building on 800 block. That phase would be the one that I have the fewest problems with.

The project would see the demo of all structures except the Upper Midwest American Indian Center at Emerson and Broadway. Renovation of American Indian Center would be part of phase 3.

There will be an advisory committee to get community input on all three phases. I think I'll be on it. Phase 1 looks somewhat imminent with a potential office tenant already in talks.

I like the basic premise, just not where we have almost four blocks of pre-WWII storefronts. Hoping phases 2 and 3 can look at other lots, rehab and/or integrate some of the current structures into the development.

[ord2msp]

Does anyone know the funding behind this development? Were there any public subsidies?

[alleycat]

This was just announced at today's West Broadway meeting. He mentioned TIF in his pitch, but also called it market rate. The mayor's office has seen the proposal from what the developer told us. We will see. I would also point out that he called the design preliminary.

[seanrichardryan]

There goes the heart of Broadway for Excelsior & Grand.

[twincitizen]

Looks like a nice proposal, but on the wrong side of Broadway.

[Tcmetro]

I wonder if this is proposed simply as speculation in anticipation of a streetcar line, or even if the neighborhood can actually support such a development. This is one of the poorest parts of the city, and it's actually a bit surprising to see a development plan here. I suppose time will tell.

Seems like a shame to lose these existing commercial buildings (as opposed to the strip mall), but I suppose the buildings have low rents and are probably in poor condition. From the developer's perspective there is more money in redevelopment rather than renovation. And since it's on Broadway both the City and the County will be supportive of any development plans.

[Anondson]

Eeew, buildings step out over the sidewalks. Blech.

[alleycat]

Eeew, buildings step out over the sidewalks. Blech.

I should put a big disclaimer that these designs sounded tentative. They did call for a set back and expansion of the sidewalks, which is needed here. The design reminded me of Mill and Main.

My guess is that phase 1 might look somewhat like the renders. It will be extremely difficult to get demo permits for phases 2 and 3 and that's why I think the developer proposed an advisory committee. He needs total buy in from a lot of parties and this development will change.

[Nathan]

so yeah, let's not Rondo west Broadway when it's finally getting some life... that's basically all of historic north that's left.

[RailBaronYarr]

Don't get me wrong, this is a prime opportunity for preservation IMO given the amount of surface parking. But I do get a little uneasy comparing private development on half of 3 blocks to widespread government demolition and urban renewal projects.

The design looks great, and I think any neighborhood would be lucky to have an anchor of housing, retail, and office like this, especially once enhanced transit comes through. It would just be a major shame to lose the buildings. Hopefully alleycat & co can convince the developer for some Phase II/III modifications/re-use.

[Nathan]

Public or Private this is an area that has be created by that neighborhoods tenacity and tenure and could be wiped out and sterilized in one fell swoop. that can really hurt a community's pride and sense of self.

[alleycat]

Public or Private this is an area that has be created by that neighborhoods tenacity and tenure and could be wiped out and sterilized in one fell swoop. that can really hurt a community's pride and sense of self.

Well the developer is putting together a community advisory committee. How often does that happen on any private development around town? He also seemed enthused about bringing current tenants into the new retail and the idea of global market for north as part of one phase.

I'm not sure how all of the competing needs of this proposal will work together. The reaction yesterday was all over the place. I made it clear that I wanted development on vacant/underutilized parcels and didn't want to tear out the heart of Broadway. A lot of people want Hawthorn Crossing gone. Dean Rose (co-developer of Brodway Flats and owner of Broadway Liquor) was cautiously optimistic, but warned that developers have over-promised in the past. Keith Reitman (speculator extraordinaire) wanted the entire street rebuilt like this. Others worried that rent would rule out small business development. There is a lot going on here, I can't support a lot of it, but I'm glad that something transformative has been proposed.

[woofner]

Sorry if I missed it in the plans, but Phase I is the 800 block?

It's sort of a shock to think about such a drastic change here (channeling Trilby Busch), but one good thing is that the city owns at least a couple of these parcels, so there's a lot of leverage to get something that is acceptable to the neighborhood (this may be one explanation for the advisory group).

I could see a decent compromise including the preservation of some of the key existing structures with new buildings built between and behind them. Despite the extremely skimpy sidewalks Hennepin County has provided here, I don't think the solution is to widen the effective right-of-way on the south side.

[alleycat]

Sorry if I missed it in the plans, but Phase I is the 800 block?

800 block would be phase one.

[mplser]

yeah this is pretty bad. it belongs on the north side of broadway where that crappy strip mall is now. But how much do you guys wanna bet that the "save dinkytown" crowd don't give 2 shits about the northside's historic buildings?

[alleycat]

yeah this is pretty bad. it belongs on the north side of broadway where that crappy strip mall is now. But how much do you guys wanna bet that the "save dinkytown" crowd don't give 2 shits about the northside's historic buildings?

It'll be an interesting test case for the whole "One Minneapolis" type of thinking. Minneapolis is very much made of cliques (Uptown/SW/NE/North/South) and they all don't seem to give a shit about one another. I'm surprised and happy that all you UrbanMSP folks want to see this strip be preserved. I was worrying you guys hated old buildings and good old-fashioned urbanism.

[min-chi-cbus]

Yeah right! Most of us just don't like the knee-jerk reaction of some out there who will preserve anything older than they are. We tend to lean on the pro-development side because we have a pro-urban point of view, but that doesn't always necessarily mean that we prefer great historical fabric be torn down for anything new and/or big.

[Nick]

I'm surprised and happy that all you UrbanMSP folks want to see this strip be preserved. I was worrying you guys hated old buildings and good old-fashioned urbanism.

Really?

[Anondson]

I just used Flyover through this part of Broadway to bet a better idea of the presence of the current situation. Everyone is right, this needs to be on the north side of the block. This has no hope the way it currently is proposed. Awful.


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[alleycat]

Really?

There oftentimes seems to be a consensus that density trumps everything on the forum. The reality is often times more nuanced. Here are few examples of how I read the forums mood.

Star Tribune: Majority in favor of demo (though a split on this one). No one was going to fight to save it.

Colfax: Way in favor of demo. Preservationists = crazy.

The Venue: Everybody in favor of demos. Save Dinkytown = crazy. Personally, I'm not sure how the House of Hanson, a parking lot and two rundown Victorians were historic to anyone. I lived in one of the Victorian homes during college. It had no charm left inside.

There seemed to be a bit of a shift in attitude on Doran's hotel project and a lot of people seem pissed that Marshall High was taken down. I guess it wouldn't make much sense for urbanists to hate old buildings.