urbanMSP

Excellent way to visualize the extent of our vacant lots downtown. Yes, a long way to go but making some progress. Thanks Lordmoke!.

Good golly, that's a lot of red.

I have made a thing.

That thing is amazing. (not all the parking)

https://streets.mn/2014/03/13/chart-of-t ... king-lots/
And now the CMs have taken notice on Facebook...

Yeah, it appears CM Frey is working on an ordinance to help get rid of it. (Though not at the expense of a building that some people rioted near once.)

Today in Downtown Parking news: Massacre! A full block surface lot in Downtown East and the awful ramp at Nicollet & 4th, for the Ryan development and Xcel HQ respectively. Their asphalt faces are smiling down on us from heaven now.

Whaaat? Which block in downtown east? The one a half block east of thrivent? Or one of the strib ones?

I think Nick's talking about the full block parking lot between 3rd & 4th St and 5th & Portland Aves. On the Viking's stadium webcam (aerial view) you can see it is empty. (yes, a strib one)

I didn't know about the ramp. That's good news!

Is anyone tracking how many parking spaces have been and will be lost downtown (this decade alone)?

To my knowledge, this is the first actual parking structure to fall. Several surface parking lots have been lost to development so far. Also, several hundred spaces in existing parking ramps will be contracted by new residents/guests of Latitude 45, Soo Line Building, Hampton Inn, and other new developments with little or no parking.

I'm only referring to Downtown East & Downtown West proper, not North Loop or Loring Park, as people aren't likely parking in those more remote locations and work in the core CBD (which is what I'm getting at).

I'm interested to see what effect the loss of net parking spaces will have on the price of monthly parking contracts downtown. Obviously the MSFA ramp is adding about 1,600 spaces to Downtown East, but those will be filled up on day one by the apartment tower residents, hotel guests, Wells Fargo employees, and (probably) some displaced Strib lot parkers. I would hesitate to call it an addition to the net parking supply downtown. Though if Wells is just shuffling employees around downtown, some spaces in the core CBD will be freed up at other office locations they're leaving.

Anyways, anyone feel like tracking that? It probably wouldn't be too hard to find out the # of spaces in the Strib lots and the 4th & Nicollet ramp.

What's the net change in parking spaces when considering the addition of the Nic on 5th on that block? I thought they were adding too many when that went in, but my ire dropped a bit when it was announced that the old ramp would be closing.

From the StarTribune

City Hall has banned new surface parking lots downtown. Now it’s pushing to enforce existing requirements for landscaping.

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/253670271.html


Sounds good to me. This will at least hide them a little behind fences and or trees/shrubs and make them a little less fugly. Hopefully long range they will all disappear all together though.

What interests me is the Groupon that MPLS Parking had up for a long time, offering huge discounts for monthly contact spots.

http://www.groupon.com/deals/minneapoli ... -parking-1

Could it be a sign that people are just naturally driving less and are attempting to take the rush hour bus more often? Are more employees living downtown now? Its probably a combination of a bunch of factors, but the fact that the parking coupon was even on the table at all surprises me. (Looks like over 1,000 people bought the Groupon too.)

From the StarTribune

City Hall has banned new surface parking lots downtown. Now it’s pushing to enforce existing requirements for landscaping.

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/253670271.html


Sounds good to me. This will at least hide them a little behind fences and or trees/shrubs and make them a little less fugly. Hopefully long range they will all disappear all together though.

In theory, yes. In application, most often not. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pappy ... 2e2e1b3967

Banning any kind of landscape rock and requiring irrigation would help.

In theory, yes. In application, most often not. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pappy ... 2e2e1b3967

Banning any kind of landscape rock and requiring irrigation would help.

Oh ouch good point there. That example isn't covering much at all.

Anyone know the story of the A ramp and the Hawthorne Ramp? They are two separate ramps, two separate prices (Hawthorne is usually cheaper), similar yet unique designs, and they touch each other. They even have ramps that connect each floor, but they're gated off. These were likely built at a different time. Anyone know why?

Given the discussion of the potential for big development near 10th/Hennepin/Hawthorne, it got me thinking about how much these two ramps along with 394 cut off the street grid, which basically isolates an entire area for development between Loring Park and the North Loop. If the Royalston station area plan is to be successful, this area needs stronger grid ties to downtown rather than just a LRT stop.

I can shed a little light. The A and the Hawthorne were built at different times. The A as part of the 394 parking district. The Hawthorne was built as a transit hub for both local and intercity bus transfers. I thing the Hawthorne was build about 5 years after the completion of the A. This is me trying to use my memory from better than a decade ago, I could very well be off.

I seem to recall Hawthorne being built around 1998-2000 era. The Greyhound terminal used to be kitty corner the the current site.

As for the discrepancies of pricing, perhaps the A Ramp has separate stipulations because it was a part of the 394 project, whereas Hawthorne was separate, but that's just a wild guess.

Anyone notice way more on street parking available Loring Park since LPM opened? Or am I seeing things?

like new areas of parking? or is it just easier because they don't have their barriers up anymore?

There seem to be more open on street spots in other parts of the neighborhood. Just something I've noticed.