Re: City of Minneapolis Offices Consolidation
Posted: September 8th, 2016, 8:00 am
factualbulk
Architecture, Development, and Infrastructure of the Twin Cities
https://urbanmsp.com/
factualbulk
Let me make this a bit more concrete: Tuesday I drove to work because it was raining. I parked in the new ramp by the stadium at about 8:45 (just in time to still be "early bird"). I parked on the skyway level, meaning it wasn't very full. Yesterday it was raining too. I had to park one level up from the skyway, and I could see that the levels higher up were completely empty.Yes, but my estimated do not include the need from the two new Ryan office buildings. And in any case, the addition is not enough to replace 1,300 lost spaces.
I think saying less than 1/3 of workers will drive is a pretty aggressive figure, even if it might be nice. My company offers the MetroPass and many of us use it, but it’s not a stretch to say half of people drive on a regular basis...plenty of suburbanites, moms that shuttle kids around, and people who live in the greater Uptown area that don't like the bus. In fact, the news of the ramp being knocked down for city office consolidation has caused quite a bit of consternation in my workplace since many people use it. We’ve got several higher-ups that are planning to work with our building’s management to lobby against the city getting rid of the ramp (and more than a few grumbles from folks about Minneapolis making it harder for people to drive and park downtown).Also, if WF subsidizes Metropasses, I would guess a 1/3rd driving modeshare is high. Among my coworkers, maybe 1 in 5 drives to work on a regular basis. If they don't subsidize Metropasses... maybe they should?
The group grumbling tends to be the 40s/50s-age people. They’re also pretty disappointed that the new bike lanes have made Third Avenue more difficult drive on (or so they say). It’s more how they feel than any concrete facts.Basic economics suggests that if the current price of car storage in that sub-market is indeed the market clearing price, private parties will step up to increase their supply of car storage. One supplier of car storage (the City) reducing their supply or getting out of that line of business does not constitute "making it harder for people to park downtown" any more than one bar closing in uptown constitutes that owner "making it harder for people to get a drink in Uptown."
It's easy to say how much you love the free market when you don't realize how socialized your life is.I always get a kick out of otherwise staunch free-market uber alles types who get furious that the city isn't doing more to interfere with the free-market process of parking getting converted to higher and better uses.
How could that possibly be, as not one square inch that was devoted to driving space was removed. Although the removal of the medians, addition of the drop off lane by US Bank Plaza and construction of the new planters by HCGC has caused some congestion, but that should be largely done by now.They’re also pretty disappointed that the new bike lanes have made Third Avenue more difficult drive on (or so they say).
Unless you get the legislature to mandate a parking structure for your fancy new stadium or, apparently, you're the Westminster church.Nope. Nor is tearing down any building for parking space.
Neither of these things are a permanent single use stand alone parking ramp or permanent surface lot.Unless you get the legislature to mandate a parking structure for your fancy new stadium or, apparently, you're the Westminster church.Nope. Nor is tearing down any building for parking space.
While they didn’t get rid of through lanes, they did eliminate turn lanes, so traffic flow has been occasionally worse. But this is mostly just driver griping about the fact that bikers now have a safe way to get into downtown. I have to pretty frequently remind my colleagues that I’m an occasional biker that likes to not get run over, so I appreciate the lanes.How could that possibly be, as not one square inch that was devoted to driving space was removed. Although the removal of the medians, addition of the drop off lane by US Bank Plaza and construction of the new planters by HCGC has caused some congestion, but that should be largely done by now.They’re also pretty disappointed that the new bike lanes have made Third Avenue more difficult drive on (or so they say).
Only because you put the word "permanent" in there. For right now, the MSFA parking ramp is single use and stand alone. Hopefully it won't stay that way, but there is no mandate that something further must happen. There was a mandate that parking be built.Neither of these things are a permanent single use stand alone parking ramp or permanent surface lot.
I also spoke too soon about construction being mostly over, southbound next to HCGC is one lane right now for more more on the planters. The construction has definitely created traffic problems at times and I'd guess driver gripes subside some once it's over.While they didn’t get rid of through lanes, they did eliminate turn lanes, so traffic flow has been occasionally worse. But this is mostly just driver griping about the fact that bikers now have a safe way to get into downtown. I have to pretty frequently remind my colleagues that I’m an occasional biker that likes to not get run over, so I appreciate the lanes.
Stray away. I'm gonna move this whole digression over to "Downtown Parking" when I get to a real computer.Anyway, straying off topic so I'll leave it there.