MINNEAPOLIS | Projects & Construction

[Stephenapolis]

I am sure the Eclipse has been approved too. I know I read it somewhere.

[Stephenapolis]

Another 21 story residentail tpwer is being proposed. It is going to be the second phase of the Sexton redevelopment. It was going to be four stories but has recently been bumped up too 21.

[MNMike]

Just a little update... the planning commission has approved the 39 story loring park condo tower monday. They had many good things to say about it, and there were hardly any objections. Nice to see for a change.

[Stephenapolis]

That was a big surprise that it went through so easily. They did a great job of listening to the community and addressed most of the issues raised. It is also a decent looking tower, which heps its appeal.

[MNMike]

I couldn't believe that even schiff had no objections. The commission actually joked about that. He said its a "handsome project".

[Stephenapolis]

I now believe this one will really be built too. Before I was not very certain about that.

[MNMike]

An update on the Nicollet. Also, rumor has it that the penthouses have both been reserved and are priced around 7 million a piece...

The Nicollet, after delays, now on track for 2Q 2006 start
Ownership situation changes for 50-story Mpls. condo project



Staff Writer REJournals.com




The Nicollet, a planned 50-floor condominium building in downtown Minneapolis, is on track for a second-quarter 2006 groundbreaking after a shift in its ownership positions caused a delay, according to its developers.



One of The Nicollet's original 50 percent owners, project originator Jeffrey McDonell, has sold his equity position to partner HPO Nicollet LLC, an entity comprised of developers Dan Hunt of Hunt Associates and Len Pratt and John Ordway of Pratt Ordway Properties.



McDonell, a landscape architect who designed the proposed building's distinctive curving arc and guided it through the complex city approval process, says he has retained a stake in the project as a paid consultant.



Hunt says McDonell continues as a valuable member of The Nicollet's team.



"In our search for financing we discovered it would require some other partners, and in mid-October or early November we made an offer to buy Jeff out," Hunt says. "That deal closed in late November. Jeff is staying on, though, because it's really his dream and he came up with it. He's also very well versed on the city entitlement process, and he's one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the project."



Pre-sales are going well for The Nicollet, to be located at 10th Street South and the Nicollet Mall, Hunt says, with 115 prospective condo owners paying $5,000 apiece to upgrade their original $1,000 placeholders into reservations. A total of 314 units are planned for the building.



"We plan to go out to the banks to seek project financing in the next 45 days or so, at which time we'll also convert these reservations into purchase agreements," he says. "We hope to break ground in the second quarter of 2006."



That's about six months later than originally planned. But Hunt says the delay hasn't caused many prospective buyers to back out of the $200 million project, which when completed would become the state's tallest residential building.

www.mrej.com
www.thenicollet.com

[MNMike]

A new one:

Bookman developer plans condos, townhouses near east end of riverfront

By Jeremy Stratton
A local developer and architect are bringing the unique look of their North Loop condo and retail “campus” to the other side of the Downtown riverfront. Developer Steve Frenz plans for dual 12-story towers to rise next to townhouses on the 1100 block of South Second Street, just a block east of the new Guthrie Theater.

The 2.25-acre property is actually two parcels that now house McIntosh Printing and Electronics Recovery. Frenz bought the property in 2005 and plans to build 100 to 200 smaller units in side-by-side towers comparable in design to his North Loop Bookman Stacks and Bookman Lofts. New prices have been set for these units.

Local Architect James Dayton, who designed the Bookman condos will design the project. “They won’t be as traditional as what others are doing,” Frenz said. He called Dayton’s work “on the cutting edge, there’s no question. His designs are extremely unique. There’s a bit of a Euro feel to what he does.”

Townhouses would fill out the front, Frenz said — meaning facing the Guthrie on the 11th Avenue side. “You always consider your best view the front, no matter where the street is,” Frenz said. The townhouses are intended to “soften the height” of the midrise towers. A landscaped plaza between the towers and townhouses will create “its own little neighborhood there, with a park-like setting in the middle,” Frenz said. The Bookman “campus” has a similar plaza.

Frenz noted the “incredible views” of the Guthrie, St. Anthony Falls and the Downtown skyline.

The plans are in the early stage; Frenz hopes to get before a city planner, City Councilmember Lisa Goodman’s office and the neighborhood group, Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association, and then into the city approvals process by March.

“It’s right in sync with everything in the neighborhood, and with what the city would like to see happen there,” Frenz said. The Mills District between Washington Avenue South and the riverfront has been transformed by housing and other construction and restorations such as the Mill City Museum, Guthrie Theater and soon-to-come MacPhail School of Music.

Other projects are in store for parcels in the immediate area, including Shamrock Development’s unnamed, seven- to 10-story mixed-use project on the Liquor Depot block and the likely development of the city-owned block between the Guthrie and Frenz’s project. The city is expected to request proposals from developers early this year.

[Ecker]

STAR TRIBUNE

Mill District towers are ground down
Rochelle Olson and Myron P. Medcalf, Star Tribune

Last update: January 11, 2006 – 12:56 AM

The proposed $400 million redevelopment encompassing the storied Pillsbury A Mill on the Mississippi River off downtown Minneapolis ran headlong into the city's Heritage Preservation Commission on Tuesday night, as the developer's requests to build four towers taller than the mill complex's historic structures were denied.

After the marathon seven-hour meeting, Kit Richardson of developer Schafer Richardson said he was unsure of their next move. "I honestly don't know," Richardson said.

And David Frank, project manager for the developer, said they might "go back to the drawing board" or to the City Council to appeal the decision. "We knew that the staff had recommendations for this, but you always hope for the best," Frank said.

Chad Larsen, a member of the Preservation Commission, said it was the longest meeting of which he had been a part. "This [issue] deserves a lot of consideration," he said. "It's one of those things ... just because it's late, you can't skim right over it."

Nearly seven hours into the hearing, the commission rejected the developer's desire to build a 15-story building near the historic mill complex, and in quick succession rejected similar plans for buildings of 27, 24 and 20 stories.

Earlier in the evening, the developers had won the go-ahead to rehabilitate five buildings within the mill complex and turn them into residential units and commercial space, and to build two brick residential buildings, one at 10 stories and the other at 12.

In all, the developer needed 11 different approvals from the commission, which oversees the city's historic properties, but the last four proved more nettlesome because of concerns that the proposed buildings were too tall.

The city planning staff had recommended against approving the height on the grounds that the buildings would alter the character of the locally and nationally designated St. Anthony Falls Historic District.

However, neighborhood groups that had been concerned about heights recently signed a "consensus statement" of support for the project.

The battle has pitted preservationists and neighborhood groups concerned about tall buildings on the city's waterways against developers who envision the city growing a Chicago-style skyline.

What's at stake is the future of the city's visible history. The Pillsbury A Mill, erected at St. Anthony Falls, was the largest flour mill in the country and the flagship of the C.A. Pillsbury and Co., which was founded in the mid-1870s. The mill was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Flour milling stopped for good there in October 2003.

The developer is proposing to renovate the A Mill and other historic buildings for housing, build six towers and add parking, retail and commercial space on 7.9 acres -- without public subsidy.

But in her report, senior planner Amy Lucas noted that the size of the new buildings "drastically alters the historic relationship between the historic buildings by diminishing the scale of the neighboring National Historic Landmark, Pillsbury A Mill Complex."

Frank, the project manager, said earlier that his group was not asking for any public money. "Our contention is that height well done is appropriate in a historic district," Frank said. "The height we're asking for will help us pay for the very historic renovation."

Frank said he was proud of the work his firm has done with the Marcy-Holmes and Nicollet Island-East Bank neighborhood groups that led to this month's consensus statement.

The signees note that they have no enthusiasm for high-rises on the river and that the Marcy-Holmes Master Plan states that no building should be higher than the red tile elevator on the A Mill, "but taller buildings are acceptable if they help achieve the neighborhood goals."

The group's goals -- met by the developer -- included saving the mill, extending the grid so nearby streets and avenues connect to the riverfront and enlivening the sidewalk for pedestrians, and adding retail shops. The group also wanted varied heights, with shorter towers closer to the mill complex, and distinct gaps.

"What we got is towers spaced so we can still see between them," said Arvonne Fraser, a Marcy-Holmes resident and the wife of former Mayor Don Fraser. "We'll have people right on the riverfront instead of empty mills and paved-over empty lots."

Opponents testify

Some of those testifying against the proposal Tuesday said they worried about incompatibility with the historic district and blockage of sunlight.

Scott D. McGinnis, a professional historian since 1986, said the proposed buildings would "completely overpower" the integrity of the complex. "It detracts from those buildings being the centerpiece," he said.

And Michael Norton, an attorney for Bluff Street Development, which owns some nearby buildings that use solar-power water heaters, said the new buildings would "dwarf" his and interrupt their access to the sun. "We believe that this project is the wrong project for this area," Norton said. "It would be a disaster."

What happens after the Preservation Commission's decision is still unclear.

Mayor R.T. Rybak doesn't have a position on the massive proposal.

If the matter is appealed, it would end up in the city's Zoning and Planning Committee chaired by Council Member Gary Schiff. He said he's concerned about the new development going above the "Pillsbury's Best Flour" sign.

He said he'd consider an appeal from the developer, "but we also have guidelines in place for this district that are supposed to apply to everybody that owns property in this district."

He noted that in 1980 the council adopted guidelines for the St. Anthony Falls Historic District that specify that new buildings should be no higher than existing mills. "We adopted it," Schiff said. "It's a pretty clear guideline."

City Council President Barbara Johnson expressed empathy for the developer, although she acknowledged she has yet to study the issue in-depth. "I've been through the A Mill with the developer and it's got its challenges," Johnson said "Reusing historic buildings is hard and expensive."

She noted, however, that the City Council has a broader role of review than the Preservation Commission, which looks solely at the historic issues. "The council has to balance that with tax base and reuse of these historic buildings," she said.

The site is in the ward of Council Member Diane Hofstede, who noted the neighborhood support and said, "I expect that I'm going to support it."

[MNMike]

That doesn't upset me too much, there are other areas I would like to see developed first.

[Stephenapolis]

It is nice to see Dayton get another comission. His designs turn out better than their renderings.
As to the A-Mill project. Was there ever any real doubt it would turn out this way? It think this area deserves at least one tower in the 20 story range.

[Stephenapolis]

Thre has been much complaining in the media the last few days about the Heritage Comissions nixing of the A-Mill proposal. Hopefully the City Counciil will disagree with the comission, and approve the project. Everybody agrees that the height issue has little relevance to the project. Taller thinner towers would compliment the area better than the throwback designs that would be short and squat that could diminish and distract the historical significance of the area.

[Dream'n]

Here's something in today's strib I want to save for when www.twincityscape.com comes back up on line.

Editorial: Council should rescue Pillsbury project
Broader perspective is needed on riverfront condos.
Last update: January 13, 2006 – 7:10 PM

Editorial: Council should rescue Pillsbury project




Historic preservation is a good thing. But sometimes local heritage boards get carried away, as when they prevent the planting of trees in historic districts (a favorite in Minneapolis) or when they prohibit larger windows and balconies on vacant buildings that developers want to bring back to life. Sometimes you get the impression that preservationists would rather admire a ruin from afar than see it reborn as a vibrant part of the community.
We hope that's not the case with the historic Pillsbury A Mill on the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis. The City Council should try to correct this week's unfortunate ruling by the Heritage Preservation Commission which denied plans for a $400 million redevelopment of the mill because several new residential towers would be thinner and taller than the adjoining historic structure. Forcing shorter buildings takes revenue from the development company, Schafer Richardson, and makes redevelopment of the A Mill itself less likely. A wider view is needed.

Neighborhood associations (Marcy-Holmes and Nicollet Island/East Bank) have the right perspective. Improvements at ground level are far more important than building height. Taller, thinner buildings allow for better neighborhood view corridors to the river, more green space, better storm-water mitigation, better street alignment, more "eyes on the street" for safety, greater opportunities for neighborhood business and a far greater chance for a quality renovation of the mill itself.

As for design, we don't think that taller, thinner, contemporary buildings diminish one iota the historic significance of the mill. Indeed, the mill is enhanced by the contrast. Substituting shorter, squatter, faux-historic buildings would make the A Mill "disappear," would block neighborhood views to the river and would reduce green space that's so vital along the riverfront.

[Steely Dan]

^ that's a great editorial. hopefully it makes it's rounds to all of the city councilors.

[Ecker]

STAR TRIBUNE

Editorial: One-stop shop is less than meets the eye
Minneapolis must streamline its regulatory process.

January 22, 2006

Let's say you want to open a small cafe. Local legend has it that St. Paul's bureaucracy would greet you with a smile, a checklist and a personal helper who'd tell you how many permits you'd need, how long the process would take and how much you'd have to spend. In Minneapolis, you'd be met with a shrug and an obstacle course of uncertainties, leaving you guessing about permits, time and money.

"It's daunting," said Aaron Day, one of several small contractors with horror stories. "I worry that this is hurting the development of the city."

We worry about that, too. How many neighborhood businesses have not been built because of red tape? How many immigrant entrepreneurs are so intimidated by the complexity of the system that they give up? How many small contractors have decided to take their business to the suburbs where predictability seems more possible?

Day told of various inspectors offering contradictory or vague opinions about how to proceed on projects. Several inspectors, he said, declined to tell him precisely what was wrong with architectural plans for a renovation he's now doing. "They want you to guess what they want and to keep coming back until you get it right," he said.

Other contractors offer tales of lost time and money, and of 11th-hour obstacles that no one saw coming. "It's an attitude of, we'll keep you from doing what you want unless you jump through these hoops, and, by the way, we're not going to tell you what the hoops are or when they'll appear," said Iric Nathanson, financial coordinator for the Minneapolis Consortium of Community Developers, an organization offering the city advice on how to streamline its policies.

It's a delicate balance. The city needs a user-friendly regulatory system but also one that protects health, safety and livability. To further complicate matters, there's a confusing city structure that prevents direct accountability and may even invite the kind of corruption that has resulted in indictments of three council members in the last five years.

Mayor R.T. Rybak recognized the problem in his first term and opened what was supposed to be a "one-stop shop" to clarify and streamline the system. But he acknowledges that progress has been too slow.

Steven Bosacker, the new city coordinator, and Rocco Forte, the regulatory services chief, say that the system now provides a better entry point, but doesn't yet deliver the predictability that customers need. The City Council should hold hearings on a list of suggestions proposed by small developers. Minneapolis leaders say they want to redevelop commercial-residential corridors throughout the city. If so, they need a more predictable, more transparent system that protects the public but truly welcomes small business.

[Stephenapolis]

^
Yep. That has been a big problem for a very long time. But somehow the city keeps growing despite that. Many have cleared the hurdles. But first timers still have difficulty with it. There is no excuse for that IMO.

[MNMike]

‘Pacific Flats’ could rise next to North Loop’s Monte Carlo

By Jeremy Stratton
Fate of full-block housing and hotel project depends on land deal

An out-of-town developer has proposed a massive mixed-use redevelopment project in the North Loop. The plan encompasses a full city block and includes at least 375 apartments and condo units, along with retail space and a hotel.

The site — in the Warehouse Historic District — is home to the century-old Monte Carlo restaurant and the former Pacific Hotel building, among the oldest properties in the city. That building recently was renovated and now houses Edina Realty, Sam’s Wine Shop and the Brian Graham Salon. The block is bound by 3rd and 2nd avenues North, Washington Avenue and North 2nd Street.

New York developer Fred Deutsch presented his plan, which would preserve existing buildings, to neighborhood leaders last week. But a detailed design isn’t expected until March, said Jack Boarman, principal with North Loop-based Boarman Kroos Vogel (BKV) Group, the project’s architects. Given its size and the historic nature of the area, the project will require an Environmental Assessment Worksheet and Heritage Preservation Commission approval, in addition to Planning Commission review.

The development team hopes to submit plans to the city in March and begin construction early next year. They are aiming to have early phases of the project completed by 2008.

Downtown restaurateur John Rimarcik owns most of the block and runs the 100-year-old Monte Carlo restaurant. A preliminary purchase agreement exists, he said, but “there’s a lot of process to go through.”

His recent rehabilitation of the block’s Pacific Flats building received a Heritage Preservation Award from the city in 2005.

The North Loop Neighborhood Association task force will meet regularly with the architects to discuss design issues.

The development proposal comes at a time when there are about 50 condo projects in the pipeline for Downtown. Real estate observers expect 2006 to be a make-or-break year for many projects.

[Stephenapolis]

I need to see a rendering of this proposal when it comes out. I think the North Loop area has been overdone lately. There are other areas that could use such a development more. But if it works out, then that is still good. I really would not want to turn away many projects.

[sfhoya]

HEI Hospitality to Acquire Westin Minneapolis Upon Completion of Conversion of Landmark F&M Bank Building in 2007

Pre-Eminent Developer Ryan Companies US, Inc. to Oversee Project

NORWALK, Conn., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- HEI Hospitality, a rapidly growing
hospitality investment and operating company, today announced that it has
reached a definitive agreement to acquire in Spring 2007 the under-development
Westin Minneapolis, from Ryan Companies US, Inc., developer of the project.
The hotel is being created through the conversion of the historic, former F&M
Bank building into a 214-room Westin hotel. Merritt Hospitality, a wholly
owned HEI subsidiary, will operate the hotel.
Located at the corner of 6th Street and Marquette Ave. in the center of
downtown, the building is a part of Minneapolis' innovative skyway system,
which connects more than 50 downtown blocks with more than five miles of
glass-enclosed bridges. Conversion of the 11-story, 150,000 square-foot
building is expected to begin next month. It will be the city's first Westin
hotel.
The focal point of the hotel will be the 7,200-square-foot lobby with 35-
foot-high clear span ceilings, which will incorporate the former bank's
classic Art Deco architecture, including a three-story grand marble staircase,
chandeliers, wood paneling and brass and nickel-plated vault doors. The lobby
will feature a 100-seat upscale restaurant, including a display kitchen. Six
private dinning rooms will be created from existing bankers' offices. The
high-energy lounge also will be situated in the former bank lobby. Both
outlets are expected to be major social gathering places for people visiting
the city, as well as a magnet for local residents who seek a fine dining
experience in a highly charged environment. In addition, the building will
have approximately 8,000 square feet of meeting space and 7,000 square feet of
retail space on the Skyway level.
"Take-out, or turn-key, acquisitions like the Minneapolis Westin, where we
purchase the hotel upon completion from a quality developer like Ryan
Companies, is another attractive growth vehicle for HEI," said Steve Mendell,
HEI's executive vice president -- acquisitions and development. "We continue
to aggressively seek other full-service, 200- to 500-room hotels in the top 50
MSAs and are rapidly ramping up our development activities for both full-
service and premium-branded select-service brands."
"The hotel is destined to become a modern classic in the Midwest's second
largest city," said Roger Clark, senior vice president -- acquisitions &
development. "Minneapolis is a vibrant city that is home to 17 Fortune 500
headquarters, with a strong manufacturing and banking concentration, and is
rapidly growing in the services, medical and technological industries. More
than 70 percent of the downtown area's 22 million square feet of office space
is concentrated within eight blocks of the property."

HEI Hospitality, headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., is an
ownership/investment firm that owns and/or operates 26 first-class and full-
service hotels throughout the United States under such well-known brand names
as Marriott, Sheraton, Westin and Hilton. Merritt Hospitality is an
independent hotel management company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of HEI
Hospitality.

Contact: Gary Mendell, HEI Hospitality Jerry Daly (Media)
(203)849-6065 (703)435-6293

[Stephenapolis]

I am glad that they are using this building. For awile it looked like it might go condo. I am quite sure a hotel will work great there. There is so much retail and restaurants nearby, that it should become a very popular hotel.