Even the horses want to get out of Eagan

From today's Pioneer Press:

Despite a year-long outcry from dozens of local residents, new houses and town homes will supplant the stables and pastures at the former Diamond T horse ranch in Eagan.

The City Council unanimously gave its preliminary approval to the controversial housing development late Tuesday night, in a decision that left some local homeowners in tears and others vowing to appeal the decision over environmental concerns.

Of course, the full story can be found at twincities.com.

A grand new building for University and Snelling

The Pioneer Press is reporting that a long-delayed CVS drugstore may soon rise at the corner of University and Snelling. Unlike the plain suburban box first proposed by CVS, the new plan includes "a small tower, windows and other architectural features." No news, however, on where (or if) they're going to try to hide the parking lot.

Religious Storage Space Available

The Community of Hope Lutheran Church's new building in Rosemount takes pains to graciously fit in with its neighborhood.

In other words, it looks like a warehouse:

"Community of Hope is building in an area zoned for industrial use, and its design, resembling an office-warehouse-showroom, ensures that it fits the neighborhood.

"The Rev. Per Nilsen, the church's pastor, said the nontraditional approach was taken because it was less expensive and because it wanted to be certain that, if the congregation were to move, it could sell the property easily -- to the benefit of both its members and the city."

The church has photos of the building progress on its website.

1924 St. Paul Power Plant Being Converted to Condos

From today's StarTribune: Old St. Paul power plant will join housing circuit - "With no city money going into the project, Hammerstrom doesn't need to make any of the housing affordable. Condos will range from $260,000 on the low end to $1.4 million for one of the five, two-story penthouse units with spectacular rooftop views of the river valley, the Cathedral of St. Paul, downtown and the state Capitol."

A couple of related websites:

• Island Station official website
• SpringPointe Development Inc.

Pioneer Press Editorial: Two cities smart to twin on transit

When light rail construction got underway back in 2001, who would've predicted the Pioneer Press would eventually be saying this?

This line to connect the University of Minnesota and the vibrant corridor between Minneapolis and St. Paul is essential for the traffic-choked Twin Cities. The lessons being learned from the Hiawatha line are that passengers are embracing an efficient and low-hassle way to get where they are going without use of the road-clogging, environment-polluting automobile.

The Central Corridor is the logical and necessary light-rail sequel for east metro, just as the heavy rail Northstar line is for the traffic to and from the north to downtown Minneapolis.

New Megamall, er, Megawaterpark in Bloomington

Construction has begun on Wirth Companies' "Waterpark of America" at the site of the former Decathalon Athletic Club in Bloomington.

At this rate, by 2010 the intersection of 494 and 77 should be known as "Interchange of America."

More Mississippi Condos

Not that this should be surprising at this point, but there are more condos planned for Stone Arch area. Of course, that location would put them in the high-end category.

The Foshay Tower: "Hey, I can see my condo from here!"

The Skyway News is reporting that McGough Construction is looking into the potential for converting Minneapolis' venerable Foshay Tower into condos. Yes, you read that correctly.

No word yet on what that would mean for the tower's observation deck.

Grocery, yay! Condos, yay! Glass, boo!

The Skyway News is reporting that a bunch of residents around Central and University are more than a bit displeased with the modern design for the new Eastgate shopping and residential complex:

Critics say the architecture would stick out like a sore thumb amid older, quaint buildings in the historic Old St. Anthony area. The new Eastgate would go up near the pale yellow Ard Godrey House, 28 University Ave. SE, in Chute Square Park -- the oldest wood frame house remaining in the city.

Granted, if you walk 30 feet from the Ard Godrey House you can see the downtown skyline just across the river, but for some reason that doesn't seem to bother people.

Light Rail: Four new miles, 45,000 new riders

From today's Pioneer Press:

Passengers boarded Hiawatha trains 135,100 times during the first week of paid service along the full Minneapolis-to-Bloomington light-rail route, Metro Transit announced Monday.

Boardings averaged 90,600 per week in November, when only eight miles of the line was open for business, Metro Transit said. That stretch of track opened in June.

More Condos Proposed Near Nicollet Mall

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal is reporting that a small building across from the Minneapolis Hilton may fall for a high-end condominium project. If built, the project could end up sharing the block with a 48-story complex proposed for the Let It Be corner of Nicollet Mall.

Light Rail? Done.

Metro Transit: Four more miles, five added stations

StarTribune: A ticket to ride is a ticket to buy

StarTribune: Streetcars: An idea that's coming back

With today's visit to the Twin Cities by a noted streetcar proponent, the StarTribune looked at the potential for streetcars to once again roam about the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul:

It has been 50 years since the last streetcars ran in the Twin Cities, but many people see value in bringing back an updated version of the vintage vehicles.

In St. Paul, routes might connect downtown with the Grand Avenue shopping district, Selby Avenue or Payne Avenue on the East Side.

Minneapolis planners envision a streetcar line along the Midtown Greenway, between Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Calhoun, or from downtown up to the northern Warehouse District.

Full story at startribune.com.

Condos Won't Let Nicollet Mall Be

Nicollet Mall may be on the verge of losing one of the last few blocks that make it special and unique. As of now, though, no one seems to be complaining about the potential loss of the human-sized buildings at 10th and Nicollet.

Pioneer Press: Condos 1st step in downtown revival

The Pioneer Press has a lengthy article on what's apparently the largest demolition project ever undertaken in downtown Stillwater:

A row of old buildings that once housed small businesses on Stillwater's North Main Street is being demolished this week to make way for the city's latest downtown condominium project: Stillwater Mills on Main.

The $46 million condominium and commercial building will encompass the entire block between Main Street and Second Street and will extend from the corner of Mulberry Street to the Isaac Staple Mill building complex.

Read the full story at twincities.com.

(And, dang it, it looks like I missed my chance to photograph this.)

Skyway News: North Loop's 720 lofts to break ground

Crews will break ground in October on 720 Lofts -- a seven-story condo project in the North Loop at North 4th Street & 7th Avenue.

The 99-unit development by Northeast-based Schafer Richardson will go up next to the developer's 710 Lofts, a four-story industrial-style loft building expected to open in April 2005.

Read the full story at skywaynews.net.

Pioneer Press: River relic comes to life

Recent government action is giving a big boost to developers' plans to offer diners a nice meal with a great riverfront view from inside a recycled building where farmers and grain merchants made St. Paul history.

The federal government's decision to add the remnants of the 75-year-old St. Paul Municipal Grain Terminal to the National Register of Historic Places is bolstering efforts to save and reuse the two remaining buildings.

Full story at twincities.com.

Pioneer Press: Another chapter added to story of birthplace

Larry Millett tells the story of F. Scott Fitzgerald's birthplace in St. Paul:

It was, instead, an unremarkable apartment in one of two identical buildings built side by side in an upscale but not quite posh neighborhood a few blocks away from the gold coast of Summit Avenue.

Yet like all historic buildings, the apartment has its own story to tell. It's a tale of modest beginnings, years of decline and decay, near demolition and finally, in the 1970s, rejuvenation.

See the full story at twincities.com.

StarTribune: Chambers Hotel gets upgrade to a double

The StarTribune is reporting today that boutique hotel plans for the Fairmont Hotel (on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis) have been expanded to include the neighboring parking lot and ProColor Building. "The expansion of the hotel to 53 rooms, about 25 of them suites, from the original plan for just 24 suites... [will] delay the opening date for what will be called the Minneapolis Chambers Hotel about a year, to early 2006."

It'll be interesting to see what this means for the ProColor Building. It looks like a solid building, but regrettably has one of the more abused facades in downtown Minneapolis. The official Chambers Minneapolis site doesn't have any information about the new plans yet, but the inclusion of the ProColor Building may mean the death of one of the ugliest surface parking lots in the Twin Cities.

For more background information, Google has a cache of the April StarTribune article announcing plans for the hotel.

Ikea != Hyperport

The StarTribune has a very thorough article on the underwhelming progress towards Phase II of the Mall of America. An excerpt:

Measured by the crowds that have greeted its opening over the past three weeks, the new Ikea store in Bloomington has been an unqualified success. But measured against the ambitious plans to develop a one-of-a-kind parcel across from the Mall of America, Ikea stands as the only result of a vision that was much more far-reaching. At 53 acres, the property was targeted to house nothing less than the second phase of the mall. An eye-popping plan called for hotels, office buildings, a performing-arts center and a futuristic high-technology complex that would be known as the "Hyperport."

Read the full story at startribune.com.