urbanMSP

Redeveloping the school parking lot doesn't feel like a very high priority given the overall inventory of redevelopment opportunities, including the strip mall just north of the LPM Apartments.

They've added a huge banner to the crane.

They must lease the spots out in the summer or something-- typically about 60% of that lot is used for recess and only about 40% for parking. It would be nice to tear up that lot, but for a soccer or baseball field, not for a tower. There are plenty of other spaces to add density other than this lot.

Yes, the school does rent out the lot during evenings and weekends for valet parking to the LK&B.

So does the school focus on educating kids and not care about using the land for profit, or do they lease it out to make some side cashe?

I have no idea what the lease it for or what they could sell it for, but it seems like they could work out a situation with whoever they sell it to to get parking rights for employees and some shared space for kids and use the influx of capital to do some cool stuff (or.. OR.. funnel some of that capital to other, under-served schools in the district, I dunno.). They obviously won't, but I would think that with all the development going on in the area these type of lots would become pretty lucrative..

So does the school focus on educating kids and not care about using the land for profit, or do they lease it out to make some side cashe?

I believe that is the intent...teach first. But to your point, the school board has sold off several buildings in the last 5 years, but this parking lot is also a playground for the kids. I believe they are require to have an outdoor play area for the students and the park across the street does not count because it is not a fenced in area where they can keep the kids rounded up.
I so much want to go on a tangent about the city schools...

Can somebody update this?

Still under construction.

Still under construction.

Hahaha.

The podium concrete is done, and they're through three floors of the tower, with the core reaching up a further two as of this morning.

Looking at how far the comcrete pumping boom is from the tower crane I'm guessing they will be needing to raise the crane within the next week or so.

Taken today:

Strip mall / SA site redeveloped in 3.... 2....

Just keep Lotus!

Strip mall / SA site redeveloped in 3.... 2....

How would that work, considering that all of the folks at LPM would probably not want their views blocked? Either the SA redevelopment would be limited to the height of the parking ramp at LPM, or they'd have to juxtaposition any potential tower so it's perpendicular to LPM and as far away from the LPM tower portion as possible (tower where SA is).

I didn't mean a tower, but just some sort of nice mixed-use that isn't an armpit.

That would leave one gas station downtown then right? Bobby and Steve's.

That would leave one gas station downtown then right? Bobby and Steve's.

There's also the Holiday by Target Field.

That would leave one gas station downtown then right? Bobby and Steve's.

Pardon my ignorance but I don't see gas pumps there -- what am I missing?

They are off to the left of the photo.

That is probably the smallest gas station I've ever seen. Only two pumps. It is typically in use though. I don't think it would be much of a loss if it was gone.

Here's the other thing about gas stations downtown and the purported need for them (by some folks anyways):

The folks in the neighborhood who need cars in their lives can get gas on the other end of literally every single car trip they make. It just takes an ounce of planning ahead, knowing that there's not a gas station in the immediately vicinity of your house. The convenience store portion could easily be replaced by Walgreens or CVS as part of a mixed-use development. Before anyone attacks the idea of "another CVS/Walgreens", they actually do sell a bunch of useful stuff that people need, especially compared to a (crappy) SA.