This deal is worse than what the article alluded to. First of all we are
selling this land for $8 a square foot. I've had plenty of developers tell
me they would have bought it had they known that was the going rate. But as
usual, do we put it out for an RFP, so anyone can bid on it. No, we give it
to Ryan.
Secondly this goes against our surface parking lot ordinance. Since 50 per
cent of downtown is surface lots we are trying to encourage greater density
on our shrinking land base downtown and prevent suburban style development.
The ordinance allows up to 20 accessory spaces. I'm convinced if we give
Ryan/Padilla Spear 286 spaces we might as well throw the ordinance out,
since everyone will want the same exemption. This is another case where
development comes before planning and the result is a development that isn't
urban in nature. I have come to believe that at the agency it is about
"doing the deal" and planning and zoning aren't important.
Next we are building 1000 public parking spaces right next door for the
Guthrie and future housing. The Ryan/Padilla Spear spaces will be totally
free. Duh! Does it make sense for us to do this. We should insist these
folks use the space we're providing so we get a return for our
infrastructure investment.
Basically this building sits in a sea of parking. It doesn't even front the
street, a basic urban requirement, and one required in the Mill District
Plan. This site currently allows a density or FAR of 4. This building is
only an FAR of .59. Our own version of sprawl.
It's hard for me to believe that the Guthrie, who is spending $3 million for
an architect, is going to want their building next to the Ryan/Padilla Spear
building, which I will tell you looks suburban. The MCDA can't argue that
this is about keeping jobs since they weren't too concerned about PDI
leaving.
I got a real kick out of the comment in the article that City doesn't
landbank. What do you call the Milwaukee Depot, the Grain Belt, and the 800
some vacant lots they City owns.
This is the last space available on the middle river and we are making a ton
of investment in this area (the Mill Ruins park, the Brighton housing and
office development, new streets, parking ramps and future affordable
housing). Because of this we should wait until we have a better development
for this parcel and we can sell it for more money.
I would encourage folks to let the Mayor know what you think of this
proposal.
Lisa McDonald
Tenth Ward Council Member
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Russell Wayne Peterson [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 8:51 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [Mpls] Standoff At The Riverfront Corral
>
> I see the council is divided on selling the last parcel of riverfront land
> for development by Ryan...
>
> If it were me selling that piece of land, I wouldn't do it just to
> "complete
> the city grid" or just to "add to the tax base", I'd want something with a
> much bigger bang - something that would accomplish multiple goals. I
> would
> also want to live by our moratorium by not increasing the number of
> surface
> parking lots in this city, especially downtown. (Ever seen a photo from
> the
> air of downtown - it isn't pretty.) Those surface parking lots are some
> of
> the last, best land we have to provide the kind of housing Minneapolis
> needs. Adding more just doesn't make sense.
>
> Perhaps this last parcel of land on the downtown riverfront should be a
> mix
> of business AND housing - ala the connection of little towns many have
> been
> talking about on this list in the past few days. In this time of great
> wealth accumulation, it is in our best interest to challenge the
> businesses
> and citizens of this city to do better - and to do better without public
> subsidies - I'd call that a new corporate awakening. Let's be a head of
> the
> pack on this one.
>
>
> Russell W. Peterson
> Ward 9
> Standish
>
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