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Exciting news day in Minneapolis...yesterday the bidding closed on the RFP for the Nicollet Hotel block...which has been vacant since 1991. At the north end of Nicollet mall, it is near the historical center of Minneapolis. Four companies returned bids, and we have seen info on 3 of the proposals so far...the biggest coming in at 80 stories and 900 feet! Will be interesting to watch this play out and see who has the wherewithal and who gets the bid! Whomever wins, construction is to begin in early to mid 2016.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincitie...ock-duval.html

Duval Proposal, 80 floors, 900 feet
http://static.ow.ly/photos/normal/7VeNg.jpg

Doran, 30 floors
http://finance-commerce.com/files/20...13-600x330.jpg
http://static.ow.ly/photos/normal/7Vgnz.jpg

United, 36 floors
https://o.twimg.com/2/proxy.jpg?t=HB...-tLkg4DQMmxQFc

We haven't seen the 4th proposal yet.

Developers reach for the sky in Nicollet Hotel block proposals
http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed...lock-proposals

It would be cool to get something huge, and make a really nice city even better. But with public-site procurements in particular, less ambition often translates into better odds of getting built.

WOW! let's hope that 80 story tower is selected. minneapolis deserves a new tallest.

mike, i edited the thread title to conform with the standards of this sub-forum.

Thanks for updating he headline! Apologies if I did it wrong!

sad but true.

let's hope this project can break out of that mold.

no worries, we just like to have all of the thread titles in the P&C subforums to have a consistent look. it keeps things visually cleaner.

when is the winner expected to be announced?

Really everything I have seen so far exceeds my expectations. Something good will go here! There is also a 30 story tower under construction 2 blocks southwest....

http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...ighlight=4marq

and 2 30+ story towers proposed one block southwest (the parking lot visible in the webcam seen in the link above). This area is really starting to grow.

PS, the RFP did specifically request an "iconic" building...we will see if they choose the iconic one.

I hope the "Duvall" proposal get's built! Minny needs a new tallest....or 2 or 3! The other two proposals are ok but would be a better fit for the Ritz block, IMO!

The economy in Minneapolis (and MN as a whole) is good enough that maybe they will go for the ambitious project. The skyline is nice, but I want to see a supertall break the current plateau.

Thanks for creating this thread MNMike.

This block is at the confluence of a lot of trends that carry momentum for a larger project. Here's why I think that:

1) The city of Minneapolis has been capitalizing on the trend of people wanting to move into the city by generally favoring larger mixed-use developments along commercial corridors. This is visible in Uptown, the North Loop and Dinkytown (to name a few). Nicollet Mall, on which this site resides, is arguably the city's most important commercial corridor, so it would make sense to encourage a large development to complement the scale of the area.

2) The City of Minneapolis' Comprehensive Plan remarks that the downtown skyline is a source of civic pride and that buildings that complement the skyline in design and scale will be encouraged. Considering the location of the site, it is close enough within the core of downtown to keep the visually tapered height effect from the core outward. (even at 900+ feet).

3) A substantial amount of investment has been/is being pumped into the redesign of Nicollet Mall. This site is located along Nicollet Mall on a block that has high potential to generate a substantial amount of tax revenue. Regardless of the project, the development will likely work in tandem with the redesign and the larger the project, the more potential money (for the city) in the short and long term.

4) There is no historical structure existing on the site. (or any building for that matter).

5) My optimism. (I really want a new tallest in Minneapolis!)

In short, I believe that the larger project has fertile ground to sprout from. But please shoot holes through what I said above (as there are many factors I didn't address).

Next 3 months.

More Duval from the Star

[IMG]http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/596*425/1tower121314.jpg.jpeg[/IMG]

http://i.imgur.com/n5CwNE3.jpg

Man, that looks so awesome. It would be even cooler if there was an observation deck so you could look down on the IDS tower and its friends.

I hope the city selcts the Duvall proposal. I wonder though can this group financially pull off a building this large and in an important location in the core?

:worship:

Sure hope this thing gets built!

New angle
 

I wonder if the top of the Duval proposal's proposed lighting might be similar to the Target HQ lighting, allowing it too to change and even project images.

TallBob you slay me. You can send an empty reply and I think we all know what you might interject. Build tall. Taller. Not tall enough. However you did surprise me recently when you posted that Duval's proposal was too straight. Keep up the good fight my man.

MN/WI: Well, for such a slender tower, a setback or two, or a slight curve here or there.... This looks like a NY condo building, which is fine, but I've always liked setbacks, even though it's not the 80's & 90's anymore! But because it's tall.... I'm hoping it get's built.... regardless of it's shape!!