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Originally Posted by MPLS_Const_Watch
Interesting list. I'm curious about St. Paul's numbers and the combined Minneapolis-St. Paul total.
This is not correct. The skyway system is owned and managed by the individual property owners. The Downtown Improvement District (a nonprofit) works to coordinate hours and wayfinding, etc. but the skyways are all under direct control of the properties they run through. In St. Paul, I'm not sure exactly how they do it legally, whether its part of conditions attached to encroachment permits or easements or what, but the city retains control over hours and certain skyway rules. That's why you'll find later and more uniform hours in the St. Paul skyway.
A lot of people hate on the skyway system here pretty hard. I'm neutral to lukewarmly supportive of it. It is a tremendous boon to the city in the winter, but obviously has a negative impact on street life. It's hard to say for sure, but I would guess that the skyway has probably had a big impact on retaining downtown jobs. It's definitely a significant amenity for office workers.
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interesting. i wondered about that. and i wondered what locals thought of the skyways. as a casual visitor i am 100% all for it. i see the streetlife as plenty busy -- where it should be -- and the skyway as an awesome compliment for msp. and that includes visits in the dead of winter and height of summer. i am glad what there was of it was torn out in cincinnati, it didnt work there, but it works very well up north with you guys. and its a unique signature for the city, just like underground montreal is for them.
