urbanMSP

I still regret cheaping out and skipping the epoxy floor when we built ours, especially because the garage is our preferred place to entertain in the warmer months. It'd be a million times easier to get clean for guests and would still accommodate cars just fine.

NYTimes article all about techno optimism trends that could affect the function of the city, from driving changes of future cars, drone and sensor monitoring, 3D printed construction. Etc.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us ... 1&referer=

Wasn't sure where to put this: (comparing urban growth and sprawl rates of large US cities)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ ... n-a-prayer

There's a house in North that was on the home tour two years ago where an attached garaged was transformed into an outdoorish living room. It has walls on two sides and the other two walls are open to the outside. There's a couch and a couple of chairs along with a coffee table and some hanging art. Waterproof cabling for the electronics keeps things running in all kinds of weather.

It was quite cool.

Our alley neighbor has turned her detached garage into a delightful little screened-in "porch." Three sides still look like an old garage, but the fourth (facing her house) is screened with a door and everything. She's hosted our nat'l night out the past two years and it's a great space for hanging out.

BUT WHERE DOES SHE PARK??

Amazing stonework on older buildings is an art seemingly long lost among our tradesmen who build our buildings. It is also what we love about our buildings left to us by past generations.

How close are we to having 3D printers be used to produce blocks that mimic artistic stonemasonry? How close until that becomes affordable that it is used as often as common "luxury" apartment materials?

You mean this doesn't count?
http://www.menards.com/main/building-ma ... 5698263867

Eh. Do those let buyers customize?

Developers building in Denver are planning that their parking ramps will be converted into retail in the future and are designing their ramps for that.

http://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/15/de ... ving-cars/

Building too much sloped parking makes parking ramps less convertible.

That's why we have to suggest it at every single meeting about design. 200 Central and 4marq have the flat design because of it.

A look at online shopping's impact on city streets.

https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/urban- ... ign=buffer

Interesting article.
Semi related... my neighbor had an Amazon package delivered yesterday by a guy wearing jeans and a hoodie, driving a 10 year old Dodge Durango. I saw him open the back and it was filled with Amazon boxes. (I saw all the "smiles") Has anyone else seen something like this? I was so confused and haven't had time to mention it to the neighbors yet.

It was probably a Prime Now delivery. I think they use independent contractors. They offer 1 or 2 hours deliveries.

Amazon is testing their own delivery service now - all independent contractors, as Scottie says. I've had a few things delivered by them. (Not Prime Now, just normal deliveries) It's kinda annoying - firstly, because I suspect they're paying them crappily, because it's Amazon, and secondly, because a UPS/USPS/FedEx package will get delivered to the building office, and dropped off inside my door before I get home from work. The Amazon guys use the visitor entry system, which means, if I'm lucky, I'll get a confusing unexpected call while I'm at work, and the package will sit outside my apartment door until I get home. If I'm unlucky, I'll be in a meeting or whatever, and they leave and try again the next day.

I've had a few Amazon deliveries, particularly on Sundays. Thankfully I've got a porch they can just leave the package on, but kinda annoying that they can't figure out how to use a building's normal package delivery procedures.

Amazon really needs to start rolling out lockers because receiving packages in a multi-unit building is just a pain in the butt.

They actually do have a few lockers around here. They seem to partner with Herberger's and a few Cub Foods. There's one at the Rosedale Herberger's for sure and one at the Midway Cub Foods. I do wish that there was a way to select it after shipping, at least if it's shipped via Amazon's own delivery service. (Ideally, I'd like some sort of system where I could set a preference where if it's shipped USPS, send it to me, but if it's via Amazon send it to their locker.) Humorously, one time I used the locker and the order was shipped to the locker via USPS. Not sure how that works.

Agreed that getting packages in a multi-dwelling unit is a pain. Back in outstate Minnesota they could just come into the building and leave the package at my doorstep, but here in the Twin Cities it depends on the carrier - USPS can always leave it inside, UPS and FedEx never will if we aren't home (FedEx at least has an office just down the street that is open late, but UPS' drop-off points are at least a mile away and aren't the most convenient of hours/locations,) and Amazon will sometimes leave it at our door if they can get in but otherwise won't and just have to wait until the next day. It's made me wish everywhere could just ship through the USPS methods, because at least then it arrives at our door.

I am a huge Wendover Productions fan. He recently made this incredibly thorough video about urban geography. It really helps explain why American cities are they way they are, and provides some hope for the future.

https://youtu.be/aQSxPzafO_k

Enjoy!

What makes a smart city? If you know Casey Neistat, you may know Oscar Boyson. They're both filmmakers in NYC who understand new urbanism. It's pretty damn cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOOWk5yCMMs&t=321s

Restaurants are taking Instagram (or really just social media photo sharing) into account when deciding interior design.

http://www.startribune.com/how-instagra ... 411259585/

Maybe making so many places look less regionally distinctive?