urbanMSP

The MPLS Parks Foundation has released the updated plan of the Water Works site. It looks like 2018 construction if they can get funding.

http://mplsparksfoundation.org/2014/02/ ... sentation/

The MPLS Parks Foundation has released the updated plan of the Water Works site. It looks like 2018 construction if they can get funding.

http://mplsparksfoundation.org/2014/02/ ... sentation/

Really nice, thanks for sharing the link!

Yep, there's a ton of promise in those plans. Here's hoping they can really do it right -- this is a special place that really deserves to be celebrated.

Yep, there's a ton of promise in those plans. Here's hoping they can really do it right -- this is a special place that really deserves to be celebrated.

QFT.

But seriously, that. Those plans are amazing and would really highlight the entire reason MPLS is here.

Wow, that would be outstanding. There's just too much history and potential being buried (literally) there right now.

Takes a while to get through that but wow is it worth doing. It's obvious a lot of hard work and knowledge went into it, and the ideas are terrific.

Cool!

What I'd like to see someday is the Mississippi River itself get reworked, where the falls and all of the hydroelectric and cargo functions currently are. I'd like to see that part of the river downtown get "beautified" without taking away the functionality of the river (keep the hydro power and keep the locks if they are still needed.....although I thought I heard they were doing away with the downtown lock). As it sits currently it's way too industrialized and it could be oh-so beautiful if done well. That would sync nicely with the Water Works project and the larger vision of making the Mississippi River through Minneapolis and St. Paul a focal point of programming entertainment.

Oh man this is making me all giddy. Hopefully something like this can be done by next year.

This is awesome. I do worry, however, that funding something this transformative will be challenging given Park plans for DTE and the Gateway district. That said, this easily blows the other two out of the water.

EDIT: Can't forget the North Loop's efforts to develop a park as well.

This is a pretty amazing Idea for the use of old elevators...

http://www.dezeen.com/2014/02/27/heathe ... aterfront/

Looks like this is happening:
http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/259448541.html

I'm hoping they can easily decomission it and turn it into a public space. Completely removing the lock will cost quite a bit. It would be nice if they turned it into a museum and made it a destination. They could easily put up a permanent seal on one of the lock doors and remove the channel lanes above and below the falls.

One other positive aspect of this is that the industrial businesses on the river north of the lock will probably want to find another spot further down river if they want to keep using barges for transportation of their cargo. It'll take a decade or two, but the west side of the Minneapolis riverfront will definitely see a development revival due to this decision.

This must be hard for the businesses that do still use barges. Has anyone looked at the economic impact on those businesses? The one that immediately comes to my mind is Marshall Concrete at Lowry and Marshall...I know they get their sand hauled in on barges. And when you look across the river, you can see goods at the river's edge to be hauled away (they look like bundles of shingles). I know it is probably just a few businesses, but there are so few industrial/manufacturing businesses left in Minneapolis that it could be harmful when they leave.

Also, wasn't there a plan to put a marina on the river off of Broadway? I always thought that would be so cool...but if you can only go upstream, it would lose some of its luster!

With closing of the Upper St. Anthony locks, why keep the Lower locks open or the Ford locks? Is there anything above the Ford locks that needs barge access?

With closing of the Upper St. Anthony locks, why keep the Lower locks open or the Ford locks? Is there anything above the Ford locks that needs barge access?

My guess is for the cruises that operate from Bohemian Flats.


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This passed. The locks will be required to close within a year.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/sta ... 10401.html

Can the locks be reopened once it's realized that this measure failed to stop the carp migration?

Congress can tell the Army Corps of Engineers to do whatever it wants, but this piece of legislation does not contain a provision about re-opening the lock.

Can the locks be reopened once it's realized that this measure failed to stop the carp migration?

What makes you think that the carp will be able to jump over St. Anthony Falls? Also, what makes you think that the costs to operate and maintain the locks for the benefit of a handful of commercial users will be more justifiable in the future than they are right now?

What makes you think that the carp will be able to jump over St. Anthony Falls? Also, what makes you think that the costs to operate and maintain the locks for the benefit of a handful of commercial users will be more justifiable in the future than they are right now?

That's the truth. The locks in Minneapolis aren't supporting a whole lot of economic activity. It's difficult to think of a scenario in the future when there would be a good reason to re-open them.

However, there are scenarios where Asian carp could end up above the falls despite the lock closure (they could already be north of the locks, accidentally sold as bait, large flooding event, etc).