urbanMSP

Ugh. Third times the charm? 3 story apartment building now.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 147330.pdf


Mod note: See the two previous failed attempts to develop this property here: https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3142

[Shrugs]

This one may actually have a chance of getting built.

The razor wire around the first floor is a nice touch. Very industrial.

Rats.

Looks like a wimpy proposal and designed to be as boring as possible. However, it doesn't block any of the Bookmen condo views so the developer probably will get a thumbs up from its neighbors.

I've seen more attractive pole barns. Was there a deal going on with brown corrugated sheet and they figured they should build something with it?

I was okay with the original design because it was different and unique...in a good way. This just.....sucks.

Solhelm needs to stop. Soltva, Solhavn and now this?

And what they did to 602 Apartments. It's all just really not good. I don't want to be mean and say awful, but it's pushing it.

Talk about underutilizing urban land...

The condo association (which owns the property) has a height limit in place. Also, I recall it being previously reported that there were some pretty severe soil issues

Okay. How in the world can a condo association have enough power to put in place a height restriction on land? Totally understandable soil issues. It happens everywhere, but man. A condo association putting in place height restrictions.

owning the property helps

But doesn't it go against city zoning code? If city zoning code doesn't have a height restriction you shouldn't be able to dictate how that land is used. Especially when it's put up for sale.

You can do some crazy stuff with deed restrictions and/or sale contracts.

Sent from my phone

I'll explain how this works. Back when the neighborhood was a pile of shit, the developer buys the land and creates an association so that the people buying the condos don't have to worry about a 50 story skyscraper coming in the future and turning their property value into pulp. The guy who bought this land knew full well the restrictions, but what he didn't think about in his utopian dream of a cargo box office space was that architects cost money and he'd have to go super deep to put in necessary structural supports. 4 years later and lots of wasted money and broken promises he's brought us a little piece of Eastern bloc architecture in an attempt to recoup any piece of his poorly managed investment.

Here is how it really worked. The entire site was purchased by a developer who hired an Architect to masterplan the entire site (James Dayton). The result was a slender midrise pushed to one side of the site allowing some green space and a future low rise building pushed to the other side of the site. This lowrise was to be a restaurant. In 2007 plans were drawn up for a high-end freestanding restaurant with a great outdoor patio. This was before the neighborhood was a hotbed for good eats that it is today. The developer (the same developer that did the stacks) got cold feet and decided not to build. Therefore, the site has been empty looking for the right fit.

Now, they could have built a 5 story building that filled the entire block in the beginning like we so often get from developers but they decided to go higher and narrower to allow for a more dynamic interesting site. The people that bought condos were made aware of this plan and it is part of the reason the stacks is designed with all glass wall facing downtown (views). This isn't about people being unreasonable with their views; it is a masterplanned site that was given much thought. Decisions were made in the beginning that are not as obvious now that so much time has passed but still valid nonetheless.

Transplant, you pretty much nailed it.

And... this housing proposal is DOA.

And... this housing proposal is DOA.

So... are you saying this has already been cancelled? Just curious if I've missed something.