urbanMSP

I was driving into town the other day on I-35W from the north, and I was shocked by how huge of a profile the skeleton of this thing already has! You can see this monster prominently soaring over Downtown East from miles away. It's going to be absolutely gargantuan.

Love the design or hate it, this thing is going to cast a very big shadow.

You aren't kidding! That's going to be the hardest thing for Minnesotans to get used to: I'm sure more than a few people have thought "well, it's an NFL stadium to replace the old NFL stadium. Should be about the same size" when in reality, it's HUGE. Way way way huger than the Dome was. The WF towers are going to look tiny. The parking ramp air rights project *needs* to be taller than the stadium by a good amount just to give a little visual balance to the area.

The parking ramp air rights project *needs* to be taller than the stadium by a good amount just to give a little visual balance to the area.

Totally agree. The Stadium angularity and tallest point is very dramatic, and almost needs a neighboring building to subdue it just a bit. Interesting how much impact this complex has on the skyline now that the skeletal structure is taking shape in real time, as Jennifat pointed out. I don't think I quite imagined that from the renderings!

I'm willing to bet that the Wilfs have plenty of influence on the stadium being the tallest point in the area. They can't have their shiny, new, expensive toy dwarfed by something else bigger and shinier.

I'm willing to bet that the Wilfs have plenty of influence on the stadium being the tallest point in the area. They can't have their shiny, new, expensive toy dwarfed by something else bigger and shinier.

the wells fargo towers are 301 ft.

the stadium is 272 ft.

I'm willing to bet that the Wilfs have plenty of influence on the stadium being the tallest point in the area. They can't have their shiny, new, expensive toy dwarfed by something else bigger and shinier.

the wells fargo towers are 301 ft.

the stadium is 272 ft.

Really? I thought I read that the stadium point would be taller than Wells Fargo.

Nevermind me, then...

video, pics from yesterday's media day at the site.
http://www.startribune.com/local/279859862.html

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

A cool time lapse of the progress so far from Business Journal.

They've got a portable toilet on the main beam at about 4°. Must be quite an adventure to use that.

Walked SE Main Street tonight , first time since July. Holy crappola. The main beam is looming over the skyline well over the Guthrie and mill district. Talk about a game changer for the skyline.

It is truly massive. I noticed the same effect getting off the train at the Cedar-Riverside station. The station is still somewhat far away from the stadium, but it does loom there. I am kind of bummed that it will kill the nice skyline view from my apartment I've had since the Dome went down.

i was on main st today and noticed this also. and this is just the support steel.

A different angle, from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ottergoose/15411824450/

Hennepin County really needs to move the medical examiner elsewhere...

They really need to move about half the stuff in Downtown East now.

Thought: We should come up with a real neighborhood name besides Downtown East

All the focus seems to be on the huge steel on the west, but the east side is getting pretty tall as well.

All the focus seems to be on the huge steel on the west, but the east side is getting pretty tall as well.

12916_G by Jamie D Hutt, on Flickr

Yep.

Driving in off the 5th street ramp from 94 or via the Washington quasi-freeway, that east side wall is quite impressive.

Thought: We should come up with a real neighborhood name besides Downtown East

Everything south of 6th Street is actually in Elliot Park. In "Downtown East" proper, everything north of Washington is already called the "Mill District", and they've even set up a separate neighborhood organization (though technically inside DTE). That essentially leaves the stadium, the armory, the Wells Fargo development, and the future park. I'm not sure there's enough there to establish another distinct identity that won't be overshadowed by the name of the stadium and/or the future park. Plus, most people will just call this area "Downtown", or "by the stadium/park" if they need to get more specific. This area is represented by the "Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association" or DMNA, joining forces with Downtown West to form a single neighborhood organization. If anything, the "Downtown East" moniker can basically disappear into history, as it is rarely used to talk about anything besides stadium-adjacent development. Once the area is built out, I doubt we'll hear much of it anymore.

I also think that if we're not going to call Target Field Station: "Downtown West/Target Field Station", then we shouldn't call this one "Downtown East/US Bank Stadium Station" or whatever it'll be named. Personally I think if the stations are going to be next to a stadium, it makes more sense for that to be the only name - as it's the most recognizable place name.

if anyone didn't see this, kinda amusing with the reporter jumping on the roof material like it's a trampoline. this kstp at its trolliest.
http://kstp.com/article/12303/?vid=5426644&v=1

I thought that was actually a fairly informative story. And given the public money going into the stadium and the relatively new technology being used, this seems like a story that definitely was warranted.