urbanMSP

You kinda would think that the Save Dinkytown folks would have gotten much more riled up over this, or at least gotten riled up for it before the Opus project across the street. I wish they'd gotten them to reopen 13th Avenue through the site, at least.

All of this. Especially considering that the grocery store coming along with this project is what caused House of Hanson to sell, causing that whole... situation.

Wow I'm surprised how fast this went from hole in ground to this. Also, do we have any hard details on how that pedestrian walkway connecting 13th to 13th will work? It seems quasi-public but the gates on each end could be what makes it unusable after certain hours...

Based on the site plans that we've seen, I'm pretty sure it simply won't work. Nobody except for residents will understand that there is a connection through the site. I view this to be a major fail on the part of planning staff.

^Not disagreeing with you on that one. I mean, obviously the path is there, but the fact that it curves (blocking sightlines) and has a gate might signal to many that it is just a pathway to a private area. That being said, students have less regard for private spaces if it's convenient for them and also explore quite a bit on foot.

It would be nice if the city could just make them widen it a few feet to be a real walkway and remove the gates. I definitely dislike losing a legitimate pedestrian/bike through-path.

This is happening quickly. I was by there today and part of it already has one cement floor and to stick floors above.

Longtime reader, figured I could contribute and provide some pictures of the progress. It's happening pretty fast.



They've got two cranes in the hole


Starting on the north side faster than the south side

Thanks for the pics. Nice work!

It's insane how much more this will change the character of Dinkytown than the House of Hanson redevelopment.

Great first post. Thanks for the pics!

It's insane how much more this will change the character of Dinkytown than the House of Hanson redevelopment.

It's a full 30 feet outside the "Dinkytown Core" though, so we can't waste time caring about it. We gotta spend all our energy keeping that underused core parking nice and underused. Just like when Dylan was here.

Those of us at the Planning Commission meeting last week spoke to an objector after the meeting, an older man. He said he was totally fine with the development, he just wanted it across the street. So you say that in jest Silophant, but that's what some people really want.

Also didn't Dylan hate Dinkytown?

Yeah, I was thinking of that man when I wrote that. I just don't understand the mentality that these four blocks need to be preserved for small businesses and entrepereneurs, but everything else can go. Especially since, as I understood it, the UTech Center was actually intended to be an incubator for small businesses and entrepereneurs.

I have heard that about Dylan hating Dinkytown, which adds a layer of irony (maybe? I don't remember exactly what irony is) to the people who are nostalgiaing for his tenure here.

Maybe UTech failed as a small business incubator because it was outside the bounds of the four block dinkytown core? Or maybe it was because it lacked free surface parking?

Dylan hates Minnesota in general, he left as soon as he could and only comes back once a year for an over priced show at xcel and we still love him with a blind passion for some reason, see Dinkytown folks and the Duluth/Hibbing fight for his museum or whatever. Plus I can only imagine his reaction to the dinkytown of today which is essentially a vomit hole for college bros, but I digress.

The problem with Dylan isn't what he loves or hates. It's that anyone thinks that it's relevant. Every time an article about Dinkytown gets published, he has to be mentioned at least once. Why are we basing major urban planning decisions on one old man?!

Not that it has any bearing on this project, but I don't think there's any evidence that Dylan "hates" Minnesota. Yes, when he was a young kid, he couldn't wait to get the hell out of Dodge. In that respect, he's like every kid ever.

Here's a story from 2007 that shows how much he hates Minnesota.

The problem with Dylan isn't what he loves or hates. It's that anyone thinks that it's relevant. Every time an article about Dinkytown gets published, he has to be mentioned at least once. Why are we basing major urban planning decisions on one old man?!

I agree, but obviously others don't, so in that regards it is important. If we view Dylan's Dinkytown as something that was important to him that helped shape him as an artist, then maybe there's some cultural history worth saving. If it was just a place he couldn't wait to get out of, then there's probably not much there.

But the room he rented above the drug store is long gone, and I'm guessing and places in Dinkytown he would have hung out and played in are also gone, so even if he loved Dinkytown I'm not sure what you would save, because the Dinkytown now looks nothing like Dylan's Dinkytown.

He played at the 10 o'clock scholar, which is now the parking lot for Pizza Hut. You can't get enough parking, ya know?

Dylan was a big fan of the chicken gyro at Mesa Pizza.

Dylan was a big fan of the chicken gyro at Mesa Pizza.

Thanks, I wasn't sure where I was going to go for lunch today.

Also noticed they have a Save Dinkytown sticker thing on their counter, but I thought Mesa had come out in support?

Dylan was a big fan of the chicken gyro at Mesa Pizza.

Thanks, I wasn't sure where I was going to go for lunch today.

Also noticed they have a Save Dinkytown sticker thing on their counter, but I thought Mesa had come out in support?

That doesn't mean some employee isn't in the group, putting stickers wherever they want lol