The Yard, part five: Unanswered questions loom

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Some huge questions about The Yard remain unanswered (the latest stadium legal challenge notwithstanding). The Park Committee met on January 9 to begin fleshing out a vision for The Yard. The committee has made a good start by identifying prioritization of year-round activities (note, activities year round is different than year-round activities – a skating rink, for example is seasonal), the idea that active uses attract passive, and balancing daily uses with major events. This is all well and good, but I can’t help but think that now more than ever is the time to engage more professional assistance in thinking about this vision – I’m looking at you, PPS! (Actually, I’m looking at you, Park Committee, to commit some funds to pay for this.) Project for Public Spaces (PPS) has done this numerous times across the country. They could be of tremendous assistance. Continue Reading

Ryan development for five blocks near Vikings stadium wins final City okay, two thousand construction jobs coming with project

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The Minneapolis City Council voted final approval December 13 for a sweeping redevelopment plan proposed by Ryan Companies that would cover five city blocks and link the new Vikings football stadium with the downtown core.The council vote was unanimous in support of the $400 million development, which will include office towers, housing, and a new park.The go-ahead for the Ryan project vindicates stadium supporters — including Governor Mark Dayton, state legislators, and a 7-6 Minneapolis Council majority — who advocated for the new stadium as a job-creating, economic development that would attract further private investment.Ryan estimates the project will bring 2,000 construction jobs.“We’re very excited about the continued resurgence of the construction industry, especially in downtown Minneapolis,” said Dan McConnell, business manager of the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council. “The credit goes to our members who got involved and advocated for the stadium project.”“The stadium project has proven to be a catalyst for development in our city,” McConnell continued.The Ryan project will be a feather in the cap of Mayor R.T. Rybak as he prepares to leave office.Mayor-elect Betsy Hodges, who voted against approving the stadium as a city council member, voted for the Ryan development: “Our community will now house fantastic and connected new spaces to live and work, and the City of Minneapolis will collect tens of millions of dollars in taxes over the coming decades,” she noted, also welcoming the construction jobs. Continue Reading

The Yard part four: A vision for an active urban park

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The Yard must be an active urban space, regardless of design. During the Park Committee meeting last week, co-chairs David Wilson and Tom Fisher went around the room asking people about their favorite park. Examples given included Hyde Park in London, the High Line in New York and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. The most common attribute given, and a common denominator, was because these parks were “active.” That said, as the Park Committee moves at lightning speed to come up with a vision and begin fundraising for The Yard, it seems reasonable that the vision be more rooted in how it is used more than what it looks like. Continue Reading

Corcoran Park and other highlights of the neighborhood

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Even before I became the Youth Reporter this past summer, I enjoyed discovering things about Minneapolis and my neighborhood. It’s good to know things about the places where you live. That way when you meet somebody new and they ask, “Where do you live?” you can tell them interesting things about the area. Like most people, I have relatives that live in different cities and states. Some of my friends also have family members who live in different countries. Continue Reading

Minneapolis Citizens Advisory Committee drafts Northeast Park plan

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For an example of consensus at work, attend a meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for a new master plan for Northeast Park. Actually, those meetings are done; about 600 individuals attended one or more, or filled out an online survey, according to Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Commissioner Liz Wielinski.Northeast park is a collection of parcels roughly between 14th and 16th Avenues NE, Johnson to Fillmore and west of Fillmore Street NE, one parcel south of 14th between Pierce and Fillmore. Community recommendations for a new master plan for the park will be presented to the MPRB planning committee at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 18, according to a MPRB news release. The presentation includes a public hearing, and the public is encouraged to attend and comment. Continue Reading

Time to raise expectations for The Yard – A world class park in Downtown Minneapolis

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The Yard is the name of the 3.4-acre open space proposed as part of the redevelopment of five blocks of Star Tribune land adjacent to the new Minnesota Vikings stadium in downtown Minneapolis. With all the attention being given to the stadium and secondarily to attracting Wells Fargo as a major office tenant in the project, it is easy to forget the park itself, by far the most important piece of this project. Let’s not lull ourselves in to thinking that a place called “The Yard” can be just a casual place to gather with grass and trees. It has to be much more than that. It is profoundly important that elected officials and business leaders in the city have the vision and use the right tools to make The Yard the gathering place for downtown Minneapolis every day of the year. Continue Reading