I think Padilla Spear would make an excellent addition to the downtown
riverfront. However, the site being discussed, situated on the river next
to the Guthrie is deserving of even more! Why not 30-40 residential units,
some green space and fountain, a couple of restaurants and commercial store
fronts
with attached parking ramp, in addition to a plush Padilla Spear
headquarters? A mixed-use, residential, commercial and entertainment
district unto itself! Daytime and nighttime activity. Add some diversity
and density, grow the tax base, and make the property much more than just
another corporate office in a nice location with a parking lot next door.
Instead of MCDA dumping the property for a dime to make payroll, spec the
desired development goal and solicit proposals from developers nationwide
via a formal RFP process. Make the property a significant piece of the
overall Guthrie riverfront development project; developers/architects across
the country will show interest. Hell, they're talking of adding a sublet
coffee shop to the new library-- can't we do better right on the riverfront?
And, such choice development rights should require little TIF subsidy,
something long overdue in this town.
Michael Hohmann
13th Ward
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> McDonald, Lisa M
> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 11:41 AM
> To: 'Russell Wayne Peterson'; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: [Mpls] Standoff At The Riverfront Corral
>
>
> 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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