MINNEAPOLIS | Projects & Construction

[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.

[MplsTodd]

The F&M Bank building has an incredible lobby (actually banking hall), which should allow Westin to have a great lobby area. I'm curious to see what the room layouts will be like. The building is nudged tight against the Dain Rauscher Plaza Building and the 510 Marquette Building, providing limited views on those sides of the building. Perhaps the rooms will be single-loaded?

I'm also hoping that 6th Street will get remade into a restaurant row, from D'Amico to Bellenote, Glueks, Lyons, Murrays, M&S Grille, Mortons and now some sort of restaurant at the Westin. Our city needs a nice east-west oriented street to help tie our (north-south) avenues together!

[Navin]

Yep the lobby is gorgeous. It's great to see this beauty being put back into use.



Building on the immediate left in this image...

[MNMike]

Finally, a Westin. Not that large, but a good hotel.

[JMedwick]

If the twins and Vikes get their new stadiums, what is suposed to become of the dome?

[Stephenapolis]

If the Metrodome goes. Then the site will be turned into a residentail development with a possible park. There have been preliminary ideas and renderings, but nothing that is really all that special.

[JMedwick]

Good to hear. The dome really deadens that area of MPLS because of the acres of aprking, when so much else in the area is virbant. Maybe MPLS should just let the stadium go to St. Paul. THe metro area might be better off for it.

[Ecker]

UrbanWorks Architecture now has its site up and running.

www.urban-works.com

I found a few more renderings of Fusion Phase I (City of Lakes site). No tower renderings (obviously, since that was nixed by the HPC). I really like they way the new buildings fit in with the other buildings surrounding Stevens Square. And I think the glass end-cap on the Abbott looks good too.

[Stephenapolis]

That project will blend right in with the surrounding area. It is nice, but that is my problem with too many of these projects. They are meant to blend in more than they are to stick out. It is like adding vanilla to vanilla. Nothing special at all. But it does seem to be a good use to an otherwise underused site.

[Dream'n]

So what you're really saying Steve is it will "bland" right in.

[Stephenapolis]

Exactly.
What else do you expect for our city anymore.

[Ecker]

Eventhough I said I liked the buildings, I agree about the blandness. I'd much rather have well-designed, forward-looking buildings (glassy and modern perhaps?) that respect the others surrounding the park, but after seeing the ridiculousness of some of the neighbors you understand why thoses sorts of buildings aren't proposed.

[Ecker]

I know this was already mentioned, but here's the Strib's version.

STAR TRIBUNE

Westin Hotel planned for F&M Bank building
The landmark building in downtown Minneapolis will be renovated into a 214-room hotel, with the historic interior intact.

Thomas Buckingham, Star Tribune

January 25, 2006

The landmark Farmers & Mechanics Bank building in downtown Minneapolis, vacant since 2002, will become a Westin Hotel.

Connecticut-based hotel company HEI Hospitality announced the renovation, which will be done by Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies. Once completed, HEI will own and operate the hotel under the Westin brand.

Ryan officials could not be reached for comment.

According to HEI, the bank's historic decor -- including a marble staircase, chandeliers and nickel-plated vault doors -- will be incorporated into the 214-room hotel.

Renovation work is scheduled to begin next month. No completion date was set, and the estimated cost of the project was not released.

The 190,000-square-foot building at 6th Street and Marquette Avenue S. was most recently a U.S. Bank office. Built in 1941 as the home office of the Farmers & Mechanics Savings Bank, the building still stands out for its stylized depictions of its namesakes on the facade, and interior details that included carved wood medallions representing Minnesota's economic assets and the lobby's six lotus-blossom chandeliers.

The hotel will be the first Westin in the Twin Cities. Westin owner Starwood Hotels & Resorts has been steadily expanding in Minneapolis, and last year opened a Sheraton hotel as part of the Midtown Exchange.

[Ecker]

THE MPLS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL

Riverfront project developer appeals heritage commission's ruling

Sam Black
Staff Writer

The developer of a massive 11-building project on the banks of the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis will appeal a decision by a city commission to deny part of the project.

Minneapolis-based Schafer Richardson said it will appeal the Jan. 11 decision by the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission to reject part of the project. The appeal will be heard by the Minneapolis City Council's Zoning and Planning Commission, probably at its Feb. 16 meeting.

The overall project, which includes the renovation of the historic Pillsbury A Mill, will now be in the hands of the Minneapolis City Council. Schafer Richardson had said that it wouldn't do the historic rehabilitation of the vacant mill building unless it could get its newer buildings approved. The four largest buildings proposed in the project, ranging from 15 to 27 stories, were rejected by the commission. The designs of another seven buildings were approved.

Schafer Richardson had 10 calendar days to formally appeal the commissions decision. They filed the appeal last Friday, the last possible day. Schafer Richardson bought the 7.9 acre site in 2003.

David Frank, a member of the development team, said Schafer Richardson decided to appeal the ruling after discussing the issue with members of the City Council.

He said the council will likely give a mixed approval for the project - supporting the height of the towers in the project but still deferring to the commission on the design of the buildings.

The commission objected to some of the proposed materials because they were too modern for the area, Frank said. Schafer Richardson's architects are already working on alterations to the design that would have more neutral colors and less glass, he said.