urbanMSP

Regarding Duval, in case you're not familiar with his former employer, they've done some seriously badass stuff.

From the BizJournal, Duval's statement on their proposal.

Regarding Duval, in case you're not familiar with his former employer, they've done some seriously badass stuff.

I think he means serious business! He's very sophisticated and exactly the type of developer needed for this block. The city would be absolutely insane not to choose him!

At a minimum, they've got funding for a thesaurus

https://twitter.com/mspbjhammer/status/ ... 0993116161

If they pick Duval, that will definitely put Opus behind the 8 ball. How will they ever be considered a good developer if they do Nic 2 and 3 with all of their lack of imagination on the Ritz block.

Sounds like if this gentleman has the attention of well healed investors. Glad to see a new level of competition coming to MPLS.

And their office is in Marquette Place. Right above the parking ramp lol.

I'm ok with that as long as he puts a quality product up with great ideas.

REALLY curious that Mortensen is the only developer that hasn't leaked the design.

Did anyone else notice that united proposed a charter school for their podium? IMO that's a big need for the growth of downtown and a brilliant location for it. Minneapolis public schools will probably object though.

At a minimum, they've got funding for a thesaurus

https://twitter.com/mspbjhammer/status/ ... 0993116161

You have a point. For all my excitement about his proposal, he'll need at least 200 million for his project. The other proposals look approximately the cost of LPM or Nic on Fifth (perhaps a little higher). There seems to be a threshold cap of 100 million that lenders are willing to give developers in this city given its size and market. The question is does Mr Duval either have or know people with deep pockets to finance it? He just might. He certainly has hired some big buck architects.

Did anyone else notice that united proposed a charter school for their podium? IMO that's a big need for the growth of downtown and a brilliant location for it. Minneapolis public schools will probably object though.

FAIR?

Here's my preliminary model:
Duval - Nicollet Hotel Block

Estimated at 910 ft.



Additional locations/images:
From Target Field

From Vikings Stadium:

From 394:

From 94:

From Alatus - St Anthony Tower:

(not very visable) From 35W northbound:

Are there any broadcasters looking to move downtown? A TV/radio studio seems like a strange thing to build on spec, but the Duval proposal is the second proposal to include one in just a few months.

Based only on the rough idea given by the statement from the BizJournal above, the atrium in the Duval proposal sounds pretty awesome. Like the Crystal Court, but focused primarily on the ground level instead of splitting focus with the skyway. I'm curious about what it means by allowing transportation functions... A set of airlocks so the streetcar can go right through it?

You want to see this -> Full Size: http://ow.ly/i/7VqIG/original

From: https://twitter.com/VogeMN/status/543545973738590208

A set of airlocks so the streetcar can go right through it?

"Yeah, all of those other cities have streetcars too, but ours is the world's first indoor streetcar!"

There was that time, in the 90s?, when the city came close the enclosing a portion of Nicollet mall...

Oh, and very enjoyable renders of the preliminary models. Fits very well in certain angle and sticks out in others. Imma gonna like it if it gets the grade. I can see filling in Marquette and 2nd's open spaces with one or two more (slightly shorter) sisters of this in time.

From Brian Finstad:

I like Duval as well. I know John Cummingham of the Cunningham Group. John is a descendent of T.P. Healy, Minneapolis's Victorian era master builder. John is a great guy.

I'm just going to leave it at that.

How do any of the proposals showcase how to get from the Mall to the river?

The Duval proposal would be iconic and a welcome addition to the skyline. A 900 footer would be both iconic and add some nice symmetry and balance to the skyline. That side of downtown has the potential to fill in nicely and a building like this would do it.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... page=2&c=y

They can't stay away. I am geeked about a building going up above the IDS. Minneapolis is pretty lucky to have the IDS, Wells and Cappella towers and this addition would keep the class up there.

Duval has assembled a large team of architects, engineers and lawyers. Most notable is Thornton Tomasetti, the structural engineer of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Duval declined to provide the name of his investors and hotel operator.