Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
There are libraries in shopping malls in Seattle, Syracuse, Birmingham and other places.Hennepin County library had a proposal put a branch library in the Mall of America. Perhaps moving Walker library to the moribund Calhoun Square would rejuvenate the whole complex. Walker library is not the first library that MPL has considered incorporating into a housing development. Here's a 2002 proposal to incorporate Roosevelt Library into a mixed-use housing development by Amy Ryan (who will be leaving MPL in January to become the new director of the HCL system) Not sure if this proposal is still active, but it does demonstrate MPL's interest in parterning with developers, and perhaps (niavely) assuming that they could retain some automony and control over the library section of the project. http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/minutes/lba121802b2.pdf Still believe that a visionary like architect Jeff Scherer could transform the original Walker into a library that would work.The new Walker was a bad design to begin with, the plaza with the library letters feels abandoned and neglected, the sunken courtyard lanquishes unused, the entry way is uninviting requiring a descent to charmless, utilitarian rows of bookshelves. It can't be "fixed," no matter how much money is thrown at it. The "curse" comes vividly to mind here...a space more devoid of good karma one can't imagine Pat Scott and a group of supporters have been making valiant efforts to get NRP funding for the Walker library from the neighborhoods that use it: http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2004/05/14/neighbors/neighbor07.txt And here's another excellent (Metzger?) article about the needed repairs and political issues involving Walker library: http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2004/05/28/news/news01.txt Madeline Douglass Kingfield REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Thank you Doug, for your clarification. Yes Doug, you are correct about the Bossen area. I can remember a time when the delivery drivers for a business I ran considered that area to be almost as bad as the area around Lake Street. I can understand the frustration someone would have at not having adequate police protection, no matter what neighborhood you come from. It is part of the frustration that went on around the "Community Oriented Public Safety Initiative Reserve Fund (COPS)" program. It was a dilemma for me because I thought Police protection was the responsibility of the City and it was improper to use NRP funds to replace what was clearly a City obligation. At the same time we were assured that the dollars were going to be spent, and if we did not take our share it would go to other neighborhoods. We, and Jordan, have faced greater drug and crime problems than most other parts of the City. The needs of our people overcame whatever reticence that I may have had about the program's source of funding. When the house is burning down sometimes we forget to look down the street and share the water with someone whose porch is on fire. We forget that perhaps their house may also burn down if they do not get at least some of the water. When there is a City wide issue (such as NRP) and I think of which neighborhoods (and who) can be counted on to be in the front working on that effort, I think first of the folks from NENA. I hope, and am sure, we will continue to be partners in such efforts. Most people and neighborhoods are probably unaware of the effort and hard work that NENA staff put into insuring that they would continue to have NRP. I am truly sorry that NENA may have been shortchanged on any NRP funding program. Our neighborhoods NEED to be supportive of each other to tackle problems we may mutually face, and supportive of each other to tackle problems that are uniquely our own. Just as our two neighborhoods (and a couple of others) certainly have done more than most to save NRP for the entire City. My initial post was to suggest the leveraging of funds was a good way to bring attention to the issue. It was the reason for the example of the Franklin Library. As I posted earlier, I support Dorie on the issue of community libraries. The neighborhoods need to support and teach each other to net fish, not jealously squabble like two gulls fighting over a carp on the beach; even though we are both hungry. The saving of NRP and community libraries are only two of the issues we (and other neighborhoods) can collaborate on. We probably need to squawk a little louder at each other BEFORE the water (or the carp) runs out. So we can make sure we share and mutually find some more. Maybe let you have a little extra carp, if we get a little more water. Jim Graham, Ventura Village Neighborhood, Phillips Community, Third Precinct, and Sixth Ward of Metropolis REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
RE: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Dorie Rae Gallagher writes: ->>We have NRP monies that have helped us ->> out for 17 weeks. There might have been more if our NRP ->> money was not allocated to hire police at time and a half ->> for the Phillips neighborhood. Just how much taxpayer's ->> money was given to Ventura Village? How about all the money ->> that dissappeared! Jim answers: -> Dorie Ray is sadly mistaken about her "our" NRP dollars -> going to pay for time and a half police buy back for the -> Phillips Neighborhood. None of "her" neighborhood's dollars -> were used to my knowledge. But perhaps they should be! -> Until the Phillips Neighborhood enjoys the same degree of -> public safety as she and her neighborhood enjoys. Until that -> happens it is a bit selfish for some one to resent the -> poorer police protection that a neighborhood like Phillips -> gets than a place like Uptown. Doug Writes: Jim, Dorie might be mixing two issues. The first is the "time-and-a-half" comment: That perception might be the byproduct of past police buybacks using $$ from one of NENA's People's Services and Safety strategies. Strictly local, and all in the past. The second, and more recent issue is the $1,000,000 in Community Oriented Public Safety Iniatives Reserve Fund (COPS) that NRP earmarked for increased police hours with the MPD. That money comes off the top of NRP's Phase II funds, which are already reduced from Phase I levels by about 75%. And that does come from all neighborhoods. After all the discussions and reallocating, 3rd Precinct received about 27% of the $1 million reserve, with the vast majority allocated to Phillips' four and the three neighborhoods immediately across Lake St. We ALL understood the reasons for prioritizing the bulk of the funding towards Phillips. I didn't see any resentment from anyone in the initial meetings and discussions. (That, in spite of 4th Precinct neighborhoods requesting the entire million for themselves.) I think the point that Dorie is trying to make is that it's pretty hard to understand why the mere 1% that 3rd Precinct recommended go towards dealing with drug, gang, and assault issues in the Bossen area (in Nokomis East) didn't happen. In fact, it's worse than that: two thirds of the 3rd Precinct--roughly everything below 38th St--received zero dollars. Not a dime. Nadda. Although technically incorrect, it isn't hard to see where residents consider the COPS funds as "missing" around here. Doug Walter Nokomis East REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Dorie said: There might have been more if our NRP money was not allocated to hire police at time and a half for the Phillips neighborhood. Just how much taxpayer's money was given to Ventura Village? How about all the money that dissappeared! That could have kept our library open for about 15 years. Sounds like a solid little group that might be a little self serving! Me: I would like to take this opportunity to clear up some of the misunderstandings Dorie has regarding the use of NRP funds. The Mayoral and City Council initiative that took $1M from NRP to fill a gap in the 2004 police budget pays officers at regular time not time and a half. Of the $1M dollars, $117,150 was allocated for use in Ventura Village, East Phillips, Midtown Phillips and Phillips West. That represents about 11.7% of the total. 54 other neighborhoods were also funded through this initiative. The Nokomis East neighborhoods submitted a proposal but were not funded from this initiative. You can find the information at www.nrp.org. NRP funds spent in Phillips: Here is the real story. To begin with, the "problems" that occurred with the People of Phillips and it's decertification as the official citizen participation group by the MCDA and subsequent loss of NRP Planning and Implementation Activity contracts represents a very small portion of the total NRP funds that are allocated to the Phillips neighborhood. You may obtain a copy of the State Auditors report defining the financial issues with reference to the People of Phillips by requesting a copy of the audit in writing. I have access to other financial information for NRP expenditures in Phillips and Ventura Village. The funds listed below were contracted to a variety of government agencies and private non-profits as directed by the volunteer residents in Phillips and Ventura Village. Copies of spreadsheets and contracts are available by requesting them in writing to my office or e-mailing me directly at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Housing: $5,174,100.42. An additional $1,587,705.18 is allocated but has not been expended. These activities include: razing dilapidated housing, rehabbing existing housing, building new houses, condos and apartment buildings, carriage houses, removing hazardous lead from older houses and a tenant/rental property manager training program. Economic Development: $2,999,323.73. An additional $414,867.01 is allocated but has not been expended. The activities in this category include: The Green Institute, the Mercado Central, the Re-Use Center, a credit union, Franklin Av. Streetscape, job training programs, youth employment and other programs, Business incubators and child care centers. Arts,Culture and Ethnicity: $1,311,548.21. About $7,000 remains unexpended. Activities in this category include: $750K for Franklin Artworks rehab, the media center in the Franklin Library, The Heart of the Beast Development project, the Phillips Gateway at Peavey Park and some cultural programs. Crime and Safety $334,004. $81,643.16 remains unexpended. The activities include: Mobile safety center, the Franklin Safety Center, block club organizing, security equipment for businesses and home-owners, off-duty police services and additional street lights along Bloomington Av. Lifespan: $1,007,437.40. $112,478.92 remains allocated but unexpended. Activities include: The neighborhood early learning center, programs for youth and elders, funding to Anderson Family Resource Center, a service directory and other programs. Environment/Parks/Transportation: $1,409,630.00. $68,332.80 remains allocated but unexpended. Activities include: renovating the play area at Stewart Park, closing Snyder's Liquor Store at Franklin/Chicago, planting trees and a variety of other environmental and park programs. American Indian NRP Plan: $4,569,418,77. $53,003.63 remains allocated but unexpended. The American Indian community received a separate allocation in the Phillips NRP Plan. Activities in the Amer. Indian Plan include: Housing, Economic Development, Job Training, Youth activities and a variety of other initiatives. Plan Administration: $973,192.75. $58,206.92 remains allocated but unexpended. Activities include: staffing expense, office rent, copying, postage, printing, etc. This amount represents a little under 6% of the total plan dollars spent on administrative expenses over a 9 year period of time in Phillips and Ventura Village. Nokomis East Neighborhood recieved $4,171,641.44 in NRP funds and has $611,802.10 allocated but unexpended. At present, NENA has just allocated 21,607 to expand summer hours for the Nokomis Library. Barb Lickness Whittier NRP Staff to Ventura Village, Phillips and Nokomis East = "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continu
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Dorie Rae Gallagher writes, "Of course there are other funding possibilities for a library. Bake Sales! We have NRP monies that have helped us out for 17 weeks. There might have been more if our NRP money was not allocated to hire police at time and a half for the Phillips neighborhood. Just how much taxpayer's money was given to Ventura Village? How about all the money that dissappeared! That could have kept our library open for about 15 years. Sounds like a solid little group that might be a little self serving!" I'm sorry that Dorie Rae Gallagher seemed to become angry at my suggestion of other sources of funding and my giving as an example the gallant efforts of many residents of our area to keep the Franklin Library open during reconstruction. Faith, but I was only attempting to be helpful and encouraging. There was a great deal more effort put forward by the Franklin area residents than just a bake sale. For such a poor area to raise $250,000.00 is much like the wealthier Hennepin Lake-Lake of the Isles area raising 2.5 million. My point was to encourage people to look for alternative funding to leverage other recourses. Dorie Ray is sadly mistaken about her "our" NRP dollars going to pay for time and a half police buy back for the Phillips Neighborhood. None of "her" neighborhood's dollars were used to my knowledge. But perhaps they should be! Until the Phillips Neighborhood enjoys the same degree of public safety as she and her neighborhood enjoys. Until that happens it is a bit selfish for some one to resent the poorer police protection that a neighborhood like Phillips gets than a place like Uptown. I am sure places like Jordan and Phillips would trade Uptown some of "their" NRP dollars for the same level of public safety as the Uptown area residents enjoy. Some folks from these "Better" neighborhoods might ask themselves exactly what they would pay to not have their children offered drugs as they wait for the school bus, or for their children not to get their sex education from watching hookers turn tricks in the driveways behind their houses. While there was indeed wholesale plundering of the Phillips NRP several years ago, and a lot of money in fact did seem to disappear from the old POP organization, this was before the inception of Ventura Village. In fact it was a part of the reason for the formation of the Ventura Village Neighborhood. Approximately 90% to 95% of all the dollars allocated to Ventura Village have gone into housing. Also, just for Dorie, and some other's information, NO dollars have disappeared from Ventura Village. Mary Watson does an excellent job of bean counting for Ventura Village and the books have been audited at least twice that I know of in Ventura Village's short life. Those audits show that Ventura Village's funds are ALL well accounted for. (Thanks to you Mary Watson) Sure some of Ventura Village's funds have been allocated for public safety. Mainly because the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County has not lived up to their obligation to provide a safe, relatively crime free environment for our residents. We in Ventura Village are not ashamed that we do care about the safety of our residents, even though some elected officials are not that concerned enough to do their sworn duty. Remember, this was the area that requested "National Disaster" designation because of crime and related blight in as short a time ago as 1997. Though the Neighborhood did not receive FEMA status it did bring national and international attention to the failings of Minneapolis. That fight empowered the residents to learn a valuable lesson. The residents could not count on public officials to address their problems; they had to give themselves "Disaster Relief". It was clear that without that effort their neighborhood was going to remain what the news media labeled the "Crime ridden Phillips", or the "Troubled Phillips Neighborhood". Dorie Rae and others should perhaps take a look at what Ventura Village has accomplished with its NRP dollars. Compare what Ventura Village started with compared with your neighborhoods and compare where it has gone with that of your own neighborhood. Approximately $70,000 of NRP economic development dollars went into a Master Land Use Plan that has already stimulated approximately $130 million dollars of committed development along Franklin Avenue. I dare say Ventura Village could teach most neighborhoods and even Cities something about leveraging funds and development. The Ventura Village portion of NRP dollars has leveraged over a hundred to one in return (and is still going and leveraging). It has changed the face of one of the most troubled commercial corridors and troubled neighborhoods in Minneapolis. It is a model of what "Empowerment" of its residents can do for a community. Dorie says, "Sounds like a solid little group that might be a little self serving!", and I say well thank you for your observation and com
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Council Niziolek makes my point in his post. The city has put the library in the position of having to choose which essential part of their library do they choose to give away to the city, after the city has already taken away $2 million of their already inadequate budget. All the la-de-dah and hoopla about mixed use be damned. This is outright theft from the library system. Lake and Lagoon has been and remains an excellent spot for a library and, if anything, maybe should be bigger than it is. Yes, it's prime real estate; yes, it has pedestrian traffic up the wazoo; yes, the transit station is right there. All those points are reasons to keep the Walker in situ. We are shooting ourselves in the foot (both feet and one arm) by even entertaining the notion of a library/housing building. It creates more problems than it could possibly solve. And, in the bargain, we thumb our noses at THE most important, and most democratic institution we have and allowing the city to continue robbing the library for every cent they can squeeze out of it. It's beneath contempt. WizardMarks, Central Niziolek wrote: In response to David's questions: 1) The study conducted by the Library board (with support of CPED.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A 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. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Of course there are other funding possibilities for a library. Bake Sales! We have NRP monies that have helped us out for 17 weeks. There might have been more if our NRP money was not allocated to hire police at time and a half for the Phillips neighborhood. Just how much taxpayer's money was given to Ventura Village? How about all the money that dissappeared! That could have kept our library open for about 15 years. Sounds like a solid little group that might be a little self serving! Dorie Rae Gallagher - Original Message - From: "gemgram" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Niziolek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2004 9:58 AM Subject: Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case > Great post Dan. > > There are of course other funding possibilities for a library. The example > of the funds raised for the "temporary" library during the time the Franklin > Library is closed for reconstruction is an example of such. If a community > truly wants that resource to continue the community can become very > resourceful. > > And Dan, your "mixed-use - make the case" was right on. Your example of eyes > on the street, and from the street on the happenings in buildings, are > certainly true. That human interaction is what makes enjoyable, safe, urban > life possible. And desirable! Hennepin and Lake and the Uptown are about > the only place where Minneapolis presently approaches a vibrant, safe, > street life. > > The downtown area of Minneapolis would certainly benefit from such. Our > downtown largely becomes a graveyard of nothing but dead stone monuments > (Buildings) after 7:00 PM. The reason is that we have NOT encouraged those > building developers to ring the first floor street level of every building > with small shops and restaurants. The very things that create a desire to > be there, and to create such interaction as you speak of. Such space (if > used for such purpose) is incredibly valuable per square foot. It also > makes the whole structure more valuable as it makes it a more enjoyable and > fun place to be. Also, think of the number of jobs that could and should be > in Downtown, if we only used our Downtown for a "higher use". We need > Downtown to have at least two shifts, one for "Office Workers" and one for > "Pleasure Seekers" (and those that serve them). > > If we look at a place like Vancouver, B.C. we can see how vibrant and fun a > downtown can be. Twice the people in half the area and four times the fun > and pleasure. Some may say well our Minnesota winters don't allow that, but > look at what happens in the heart of the winter in downtown. It is called > Christmas and Holly-dazzle and it is the only time Downtown Minneapolis is > truly walkable fun. (Dodging drunks and crime in the warehouse district can > be titillating to me on a Friday night, but not to most casual strollers) > > If we are going to be subsidizing these monuments with the people's tax > dollars let's at least demand that they are "friendly" to the people. A > "higher use" certainly would be the small shops and restaurants, rather than > the dead after 6:00 office space that could just as easily be on the second > floor. We waste the best part of almost every one of our downtown > buildings. We have already spent (some would say wasted) hundreds of > millions of dollars, perhaps we should hedge our bet and spend a few more to > encourage developers to finally give us what we paid for. The people of > Minneapolis have paid for a great downtown lets start demanding that we get > one. > > So Dan, Lisa, and Gary, you folks are the ones who seem to like urban > downtown life, as well as sitting on the Minneapolis Zoning and Planning > Committee, how do we start "Planning the Zoning" so we can get that great > downtown life? Lets start planning a happy future now, for if we wait our > children will not have one when we get to that future. > > Jim Graham, > Ventura Village, Phillips Community Planning District, Sixth Ward of what > should be the Vancouver of Middle-America > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: htt
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Great post Dan. There are of course other funding possibilities for a library. The example of the funds raised for the "temporary" library during the time the Franklin Library is closed for reconstruction is an example of such. If a community truly wants that resource to continue the community can become very resourceful. And Dan, your "mixed-use - make the case" was right on. Your example of eyes on the street, and from the street on the happenings in buildings, are certainly true. That human interaction is what makes enjoyable, safe, urban life possible. And desirable! Hennepin and Lake and the Uptown are about the only place where Minneapolis presently approaches a vibrant, safe, street life. The downtown area of Minneapolis would certainly benefit from such. Our downtown largely becomes a graveyard of nothing but dead stone monuments (Buildings) after 7:00 PM. The reason is that we have NOT encouraged those building developers to ring the first floor street level of every building with small shops and restaurants. The very things that create a desire to be there, and to create such interaction as you speak of. Such space (if used for such purpose) is incredibly valuable per square foot. It also makes the whole structure more valuable as it makes it a more enjoyable and fun place to be. Also, think of the number of jobs that could and should be in Downtown, if we only used our Downtown for a "higher use". We need Downtown to have at least two shifts, one for "Office Workers" and one for "Pleasure Seekers" (and those that serve them). If we look at a place like Vancouver, B.C. we can see how vibrant and fun a downtown can be. Twice the people in half the area and four times the fun and pleasure. Some may say well our Minnesota winters don't allow that, but look at what happens in the heart of the winter in downtown. It is called Christmas and Holly-dazzle and it is the only time Downtown Minneapolis is truly walkable fun. (Dodging drunks and crime in the warehouse district can be titillating to me on a Friday night, but not to most casual strollers) If we are going to be subsidizing these monuments with the people's tax dollars let's at least demand that they are "friendly" to the people. A "higher use" certainly would be the small shops and restaurants, rather than the dead after 6:00 office space that could just as easily be on the second floor. We waste the best part of almost every one of our downtown buildings. We have already spent (some would say wasted) hundreds of millions of dollars, perhaps we should hedge our bet and spend a few more to encourage developers to finally give us what we paid for. The people of Minneapolis have paid for a great downtown lets start demanding that we get one. So Dan, Lisa, and Gary, you folks are the ones who seem to like urban downtown life, as well as sitting on the Minneapolis Zoning and Planning Committee, how do we start "Planning the Zoning" so we can get that great downtown life? Lets start planning a happy future now, for if we wait our children will not have one when we get to that future. Jim Graham, Ventura Village, Phillips Community Planning District, Sixth Ward of what should be the Vancouver of Middle-America REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
RE: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
>From Dan Niziolek In response to David's questions: 1) The study conducted by the Library board (with support of CPED.) - Jim Nelson studied the idea of constructing a 4 story building with 24 units of condos (occupying the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the building), a library on the first level, and 60 parking spaces underground. David here: As a fellow July 4th shut-in, I want to thank Dan for the substantive, holiday response. I have some follow-up questions, but I'll defer those for now. I'd rather here from people who have looked at this issue (more than I have) and reached a different conclusion than Dan. Thanks again for keeping the spirit of discussion! Happy Fourth! David Brauer Kingfield Will be grilling, swatting mosquitoes, and watching fireworks far away from the computer later today! REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
In response to David's questions: 1) The study conducted by the Library board (with support of CPED.) - Jim Nelson studied the idea of constructing a 4 story building with 24 units of condos (occupying the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the building), a library on the first level, and 60 parking spaces underground. I do not have the study here at home (but wanted to respond before Monday) but I am 95% sure the report did not indicate that the library would only be half the size of the current library. A building covering most of the site (which I believe is what Jim was referencing) would be more than a 20,000 square foot footprint. There would need to be space dedicated to elevator shafts, stairways, etc., so I do not know the exact square footage he attributed to the library. - The report indicated that there may be a gap of approximately $3.8 million. The report never looked at how the gap might be covered. As with any public building, there is always a gap between existing facility resources and new facility resource needs. Consequently, the challenge is always finding the dollars to make the project happen. The report did not look for other sources of funds. - The report never evaluated or compared the operational or maintenance costs associated with the existing building versus a new mixed use building. 2) Potential funding sources. - A quick look at the project reveals the following potential resources: - $1.5 million on the land sale (this is what Jim indicted in his study.) - $1.1 million already earmarked for the deck repairs and other conditions in the current building. - $1.5 million in tax abatement (tax abatement is different from TIF.) TIF requires blight and cannot be used for libraries. Tax abatement does not require blight and can be used for libraries. (The city will need to modify the current tax abatement policy to allow for the use of tax abatement funds for libraries. Current city policy only allows for historical preservation and an underground parking lot/ transit station.) - This totals $4.1 million. A more thorough look may reveal other available resources. 3) The question of more high-intensity development at Lagoon and Hennepin - Uptown will greatly benefit from appropriate high intensity development in its core. The corner of Lagoon and Hennepin is right next to a major transit station. The corner of Lagoon and Hennepin is a great location for a mixed use development which will contribute to making Uptown a more vibrant, walkable, and sustainable area. Could other areas also gain from higher intensity developments, sure. But Uptown needs these types of developments too. 4) What can be gained from a task force? - At a minimum - answer questions not addressed by the consultant's report, including: - Evaluate and compare the operational and maintenance costs associated with the existing building versus a new mixed use building. (This is crucial given the library's challenging operational financial situation.) - Address specific design issues, including the size of the library, size of the building (for the record it was CM Schiff who mentioned an 8 or 12 story building), potential mixed uses (housing, office, retail, etc.), etc. - Determine available resources for closing a development gap. In closing, I have never and will never propose and/or support the closing of the Walker Library in Uptown. I want to ensure a grand library serving the Uptown community. I look forward to walking with my 2 1/2 year old twins to a great library in Uptown. That is why I approached the Library board 2 years ago when I learned that the Met Council was selling the old Walker Library building (they had purchased it to build the transit station.) Now that is a great building for a public library!! I was told by the library board that the numbers did not work. Given the Met council's need to sell the building in short timeframe, I was unable to put together a proposal before the sale was completed. My conversations with the Met Council indicated that they were willing to be a partner in moving the library back into the old Walker Library building. The building sold for $800,000. That was truly an opportunity lost. The same resources noted above could have been brought to the table. In addition, we may have been able to pursue historical preservation dollars or other resources. I believe the corner of Lagoon and Hennpin could be a much more grand urban corner. Urban areas are made by the interaction that occurs between people on the sidewalk and people inside the buildings adjacent to the sidewalks. Think of great urban spaces. They have buildings that are connected to the street life. Buildings underground cannot achieve this. There is no chance for interaction. From a public safety perspective, people inside underground buildings are unable to contr
Re: [Mpls] Walker Library mixed-use - make the case
Let me preface this by saying that I know just about nothing about the current Walker Library situation. I would greatly appreciate it if some people could (off-list) direct me as to where I could read up on it. I'd like to comment on the funding and size issues, but it'd be pretty ignorant of me to do so at the moment. I think that housing the library in a mixed-use building would be great. It would be in keeping with the character of Uptown, provide a place for new housing (possibly condos . . . I've heard they're big right now :-), and improve the streetscape of that corner of Lagoon & Hennepin. I'll admit that I love the huge letters that stand above the library, but the above ground space is being wasted - it is neither a building nor particularly useful open space. Why not add taxes from that parcel, which must be worth a tidy sum, to our coffers? David Brauer wrote: > In the SW Journal, Councilmember Niziolek floated the idea the city could > close that the $1.5 million gap by diverting 15 years worth of property > taxes from the new housing to the project (in other words, tax-increment > financing). > > Leaving aside the notion that Lagoon & Hennepin is blighted (a TIF > requirement), such a diversion means no gain to the city general fund for 15 > years, and a half-sized library. How can that be justified? It can't. Absolutely agreed. > And I'm not convinced that corner of Lagoon & Hennepin is the best place for > more high-intensity development. It's definitely a place for high-intensity development. The whole attraction of Uptown is its high-density, mixed-use style. Development on the corner of Lagoon and Hennepin would enhance that, as well as adding a decent sum to the city's tax base. > It's pretty intense there now, including traffic. I don't see this affecting traffic. We're talking about one building, located in a place which would enable people to get to and from home without owning a car. > There is land elsewhere in Southwest, including the Greenway & > Nicollet Ave., which can accommodate corridor-housing growth As it should . . . in addition to Lagoon / Hennepin, not instead of it. Again, I'd very much like to read up on this further . . . so please send me whatever you've got! --Jeff Rosenberg Cedar-Riverside Where we don't have ANY library . . . nuts. REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email 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 City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
