So, I can't resist reminding the list of my post back on October 3 > > Star Tribune - Editorial: Land swap might help new library > Pelli's beautiful building deserves a more aesthetic setting. > Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5709346.html
> -----Original Message----- > From: Sheldon Mains [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:37 AM > To: '[email protected]' > Subject: RE: [Mpls] "Opus asks Mpls. to swap land" > > > The site OPUS wants is the old Nicollet Hotel block, just > north of the new Central Library. A block the city has been > unsuccessful at developing as a joint project with a bus > transfer facility. At one time it was planned to be part of > the Central Library but when it was not needed, the city > restarted its efforts for a joint private/public development. > > In an ideal world, the block north of the new Library should > be a park. It would tie the library with the river, it could > be a fitting tribute to the old Historic Bridge Square > (although I believe Bridge Square was one block closer to the > river). The ideal could happen if the city used the $10 > million federal transportation grant it has to build the bus > transfer facility underground with a park on top of it > (although I don't know what the costs are for that option--it > may be more expensive than the $10 million). But the city > wants (needs??) a mixed use development with a private > developer. Also, the proposed OPUS land swap would put the > bus transfer facility next to the light rail station--a good thing. > > So, since the city is only getting 2/3 of the square footage > in the exchange, and is giving up one of the most visible > blocks downtown, it seems to me that the city could put some > controls on the proposed Nicollet Hotel site development--say > keeping a green space on the Hennepin side to provide a > pedestrian friendly entrance to the City and keeping the > Hennepin side of the development very low rise (say 0 to 2 > stories) to maintain a view of the library and planetarium. > Also, getting the developer to pay for a skyway link to the > Library and a skyway link from the library across 4th > Street--the new library is designed for those links). (OK, > I'm probably asking for a lot but might as well start with the ideal) > > sheldon > ............................... > Sheldon Mains > DFL and Labor Endorsed Candidate for Minneapolis Library > Board of Trustees http://www.MainsForLibrary.org > [EMAIL PROTECTED], 612/618-7149 Mains for Library > Committee, 2718 24th St. E., Mpls 55406 > > "It is incredibly important to this country that we have > people who run libraries that actually believe in reading > books instead of burning them." > Howard Dean > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bruce Gaarder > > Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 7:35 AM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [Mpls] "Opus asks Mpls. to swap land" > > > > > > OPUS proposes swapping a 50,000 square foot parcel it owns > > for a 75,000 square foot parcel that the city owns. > > > > > > >From the article: > > > > ... > > > > "It's an innovative concept," said Mike Christenson, > > Minneapolis' planning director. > > > > ... > > > > One complication is that the Powers site, located along South > > Fifth Street between Nicollet Mall and Marquette Avenue, > > doesn't have access to South Fourth > > Street, which would be required for the site to work as a bus depot. > > > > http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2005/10/03/story > 1.html?page=2 > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at > http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in > violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: > http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic > Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: > mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
