urbanMSP

"First Look at Capella Tower's Interior Renovations"

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... tions.html

Looking at the renderings, it seems to me like they're going to be removing plenty of really nice polished stonework. Is that necessary?

Wow that music.

It looks much brighter. It's dreadfully grey in there even on the brightest days. Also, this:

The 1.4-million-square-foot office tower at 225 South Sixth St. is Minnesota's second-tallest building after IDS Center.

What about LaSalle Plaza though?

Mattaudio: I think what you're referring to isn't stone, it's Venetian plaster painted to appear as stone.

The Capella Tower Lobby's grand opening is today. I have to say, it's stunning! If you get a chance to walk through I really recommend it!

Did they take out a set of escalators??

No, they moved the ecalators coming off the main entrance (6th St & 2nd Ave) over about 30' to the middle of the lobby. All in all the circulation should be better and the renovations look pretty nice.

The Capella Tower Lobby's grand opening is today. I have to say, it's stunning! If you get a chance to walk through I really recommend it!

cool thanks for the heads up. I'll have to get over there. any star trib related signage in the lobby yet? like a news ticker?

The Capella Tower Lobby's grand opening is today. I have to say, it's stunning! If you get a chance to walk through I really recommend it!

cool thanks for the heads up. I'll have to get over there. any star trib related signage in the lobby yet? like a news ticker?

Nothing yet, I would guess that won't go up until they actually move into the building sometime next year, or whenver it is.

Star Tribune employees learned today that a tentative "early April" date has been set for the move from 425 Portland to 650 Third Avenue, the new Star Tribune Tower.

Since this thread seems to be about Capella Tower, can we remove LaSalle Plaza from the title?

The first floor has been open for a day or two. Walked through today and they are putting the final touches and moving furniture around. Talked to a security guard who was helping oversee some of the work and he said that they were hosting the official unveiling party tonight.

I'm not sure how many people will like working out in the new gym on the first floor while people are sitting on the outside walking by watching them. Other than that, the space is pretty awesome. There is a lot of public seating with couches and tables and a lot of high-end furniture. There's circular fire place in the "tech lounge" with couches surrounding it and an open bar area that will be managed by a local coffee shop during business hours but will also be converted into a catering area for events.

This is actually one of the first buildings in downtown to redesign their public space as a destination for the public rather than just a transit way to get to someplace else. I hope more buildings take this approach in the future.

I'm not sure how many people will like working out in the new gym on the first floor while people are sitting on the outside walking by watching them.

I've never worked out in such a gym (and I don't think I'd like it), but it seems reasonably common, so I guess most people, or enough people, are fine with it?

I wouldn't expect it to be as much of a problem over there as it is at my gym in the Warehouse District. If I had a nickel for every douche-bro who's strolled past on a Friday night and made ridiculous pantomime flexing movements, I could stop working out and just BUY a better body.

Capella tenants have been informed that Ryan has retained the Musicant Group 'to ensure that our newly redesigned common area spaces are alive, exciting, collaborative, and productive'.

Events for tenants include musical performances, lunch and learns, and creative drawing classses.

It seems like a fine line between private commons and public space. No word on whether Chris Lollie would be permitted to warm up by the fancy new fireplace while he waits to pick up his kids from day care.

So, I work in the tower, and it sounds to me like the spaces were created in an effort to encourage tower tenants to leave their typical day to day work space and collaborate in a different environment. Now, just because that's what it's meant for, doesn't mean the public can't access it. First off, I don't see how they would know who was who as I see MANY people in the tower dressed down and not business casual. Secondly, it's clearly a public space and I THINK the coffee bar is supposed to have for sale coffee, I would assume that they would want to encourage the public to come in for that? Just my two cents, haven't heard anything official though.

So, I work in the tower, and it sounds to me like the spaces were created in an effort to encourage tower tenants to leave their typical day to day work space and collaborate in a different environment. Now, just because that's what it's meant for, doesn't mean the public can't access it. First off, I don't see how they would know who was who as I see MANY people in the tower dressed down and not business casual.

I completely agree. At least from the perspective as a suit-wearing white guy, I've not seeing building management take a heavy hand with non-tenants lingering or using the chairs in the lobby, or waiting for the bus inside. Of course, after 7pm, you need a badge or security to beep you in from the street level, although from the skyway you can walk right through until 10pm.

Secondly, it's clearly a public space and I THINK the coffee bar is supposed to have for sale coffee, I would assume that they would want to encourage the public to come in for that? Just my two cents, haven't heard anything official though.

I think the lobby of an office building is private space, right? Although, a public-facing business like a coffee shop definitely welcomes the public, within its hours as long as a private event isn't going on. But of course a coffee shop is private property and allowed to exclude non-customers from sitting in it's chairs, unlike a truly public place like a park.

Can anybody shed light on this?

Technically, anything inside a building is private space. I think we're using the term "public space" here because there is no barrier to entry besides walking into the building. There are no restrictions or signs that say "restricted access." One example of such a space is the top floor of gaviidae which has a few couches and tables, but there's a sign at the top of the escalator saying the space is restricted to building tenants and their guests.