Here is the Central library's 2nd floor plan:
I only see a few options for a skyway connection to the library (assuming no major renovations). One is on the south side of the building to the left of the Pohlad auditorium, and it would connect across 4th St, I'd guess parallel to the alley between the parking ramp and the existing Xcel HQ. The barrier to that construction is presumably the layout of the Xcel building.
Another is on the north side of the building next to the Friends of the Library room. I hope that doesn't happen because I favor the Nicollet Hotel block for a downtown park, but I could see it being designed with some sort of transit facility that a skyway could connect to.
The third possibility that I see is on the east side of the building next to the Doty boardroom. It could connect to a future structure on the block to the east (the Ritz block I believe) but it would be an insult to aesthetics (not that that has stopped anyone from building a skyway in the past).
Thanks for the information, I think a skyway from the south would be the best option myself as the North will eventually be a park so I doubt there will be a need for a connection there. Also a skyway from the east would damage the aesthetics to much in my opinion also I though that space was going to be mostly park anyways. Also with that option from the south the traffic goes right past the restrooms and the escalators to the 1st floor! Which may make a 1st floor libary only entrance work too. You wouldn't happen to have a layout of the Excel building too would you
Also Mullen I'm sorry you dislike skyways so much, however in the summer heat, winter cold, rain, and blizzards having a skyway makes downtown work. Also many other cities have tunnel or skyway networks that make walking more friendly than street level. I think they are the wave of the future!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyway#Lis ... le_systems
Did you know that Dallas has a entire walkway system!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dalla ... etwork.jpg
I would like to get your opinion on that system as well do you think that having such a network hurts there city as well? Also if it works for them because they are a larger metro area does that mean that Minneapolis should "suffer" until it develops before it can create the benefits of a sheltered walkway? Also if no sheltered walkway is to exist until a metro area can increase it's population then why would people select that location?
For me personally I would never have picked Minneapolis to live if it wasn't for the skyway network. Instead I would have picked a suburb where I could have drove from place to place in my comfortable climate controlled car dispite the gas prices places like Apple Valley where everything is bunched up in a tight retail district it still could be rather affordable as long as you work close to where you live which could have been an option for me. If you were to shut down the skyway network the city would have a huge decrease in population and residency.
not to get off topic we don't need a good street level sidwalk system! we just need a few good walkways for example Nicollet mall, Hennepin ave and maybe Washington ave could be a great walkway area going east and west! Also maybe even a few other major nice street walkways the rest can remain a walkway desert The skyways have so much more added value and they are so FUN to walk! If it was up to me I would REQUIRE every building downtown over 4 floors to have a 2nd floor layout that could accommodation a future skyway network!