Just reposting what I said on the previous page, since y'all immediately veered off-topic:
The City really ought to trade Greco something (idk what) to force them to connect the grid through this site. These plans are obviously pretty preliminary but the park kinda looks like an afterthought...why is the ramp on that side of the parcel? Put it closer to the building and connect Washington to 3rd Street. We've passed up multiple opportunities around here (and in Dinkytown) to reconnect the grid, which I'm pretty sure is supposed to be an official-ish policy of the City. That whole stretch of Washington is a speedway.
I think a pedestrian/bike passage is sufficient for this block. It's only ~80' longer (or 12%) than a typical 660' city block (outside of downtown), so it isn't
really among the worst of North Loop's superblocks. If we want more through streets put in (allowing motorized traffic), we should focus our energy on 8th Avenue N. I still have yet to get off my ass and email Jacob Frey about that one, which is actually mentioned in the North Loop Small Area Plan (but is nowhere on Public Works' radar). 8th Ave N absolutely must be connected between 5th Street and 3rd Street. This is super critical as the Salvation Army property changes hands in the coming year or two, as the City will have to acquire a chunk of that property to put the street through. The other superblock that ought to be broken up is the one between 1st St and 2nd St (Riverstation Condo complex), but I'm quite sure that will never happen. For sure there should be a public easement for pedestrian movement along "6th Avenue" between Washington and 1st St - right now that's all private space.
Map:
North Loop Connect by
twincitizen, on Flickr