Downtown future map unveiled
A map including development options for the potential future of the northern portion of downtown Grand Forks was unveiled by city staff at a city Growth Fund meeting on Wednesday night (Sorry, people but that appears to be as big as I can make the map for the Web after working with JLG and our Web and graphics people for more than an hour yesterday). The map was compiled by JLG Architects in consultation with city staff, but they stressed that the map is only a concept of what that part of downtown could become and said it is not an indication that any of the options placed on the map will happen or that landowners' land will be seized by the city (they actually scolded the media in attendance not to refer to the map as a "plan" and worried that residents might misunderstand that this is just a mock up of some options and represents the general idea of what city staff would like to see happen to the area). The general idea was to look at options for creating a new vibrant district with new housing and commercial growth and creating walkable areas. Though city officials said they were not looking for a land grab of any of the sites on the map at this time, it appears the city is starting to look at its future options for eminent domain or acquiring some of the land and what its legal options are.
The best way to read the map is that the brown in the upper left hand corner is a warehouse district with some mixed use residential, the yellowish orange fronting University Avenue is all mixed use medium density residential, the light blue are for infill sites including the Civic Auditorium, the purple is for possible public use facilities surrounding the YMCA and the grey is existing parking lots. Some of the interesting details include the warehouse district, which Jim Galloway of JLG said would be one way to capitalize on what is already there and could conceivably be similar to warehouse districts in larger cities (Minneapolis for example) that have high-end housing (lofts?) with more of an urban feel. Other interesting details are the purple public use options surrounding the YMCA, which could include options like a museum or some type of attraction to draw in attention and help serve as part of the focal point of the district.
The light blue shaded boxes on both sides of First Avenue depict the Civic Auditorium and its parking lot, which the city has yet to decide between two projects to either renovate the Civic and use it for storage for HB Sound & Light or tear it down and build one or two apartment complexes on the building and parking lot. The Civic and its parking lot are viewed by the city as key elements in the future development of this part of downtown. Near the Civic site the map also depicts the possibility of adding a focal point to differentiate that visitors are entering a new zone (signs, landscaping?) accompanied by some green space and maybe a small pocket park.
The map also shows mixed uses of new residential housing (presumably a mix of apartments, condos and possibly townhomes) with some commercial and retail lining the University Avenue corridor. Galloway of JLG said such potential new growth on the north side of University would likely spur other property owners to the north to fix up (and possibly sell or build new projects?) their own properties, effectively extending the district and its new growth to the north.
What do you think of the map and the city's view of what it would like the northern part of downtown to become? If you were in charge (think Sim City), what would you change about this part of downtown? Will any of this happen or is this just wishful thinking on the city's part?
Posted by: Schuster80 on 5/08/2008 at 9:08 AM | Comments (4) | Permalink
City delays decisions on Civic, condos
The city's Growth Fund delayed a decision on the future of Grand Forks' Civic Auditorium at a meeting on Wednesday after hearing updated proposals and financial offers. The Growth Fund plans to consider the proposals in an executive session (no public, no media) in the next two weeks, possibly next week. One of the proposals would renovate the building for use by HB Sound & Light and two others by developers MetroPlains and Dakota Commercial and Development would demolish the Civic and replace it with two apartment complexes on the site of the auditorium and its parking lot. Last month the Growth Fund heard initial proposals from the parties and asked for more information and detailed financial proposals, which was presented at Wednesday's meeting.
The city also decided on Wednesday not to hear a proposal by Dakota Commercial on the University Flats condo project in the 500 block of University Avenue in Grand Forks that had been planned for the city's finance committee on Wednesday. The University Flats proposal has been put on hold until the fall and the city plans to look at its financial details and how it would fit into the concept of what the city would like the north side of downtown to become (read: the city thinks the proposal asks for too much financing help and it would like to make a decision on the Civic first).
HB Sound & Light offered to pay the city $150,000 for the Civic building, which the business would renovate and use for storage while renting out the remaining space, and also asked for the first right of refusal to purchase the parking lot. If HB Sound & Light bought the Civic, it looks like Central High students would be able to continue using the parking lot for some time and it is unclear if HB Sound & Light would even want to buy the parking lot.
MetroPlains is asking the city for free land and the city to pay for tearing the Civic down (estimated at $300,000) and $450,000 in city HOME funds for the project and a five-year property tax abatement. Dakota Commercial proposes to give the city $100,000 to buy the parking lot, but asks for the city to pay for removing the asphalt and also asks for a property tax abatement. The city has assessed the parking lot's value at closer to $250,000. Also, the city says it is currently losing about $60,000 a year mothballing the vacant Civic in addition to getting no taxes from the property. City staff said that the city has already allocated all its 2008 HOME affordable housing funds and what MetroPlains is asking would drain all of the city's 2009 HOME funds, which are typically split up over several projects on a competitive basis.
MetroPlains would build a three-story, 47-unit apartment complex on the current site of the auditorium with some affordable housing options, similar to the Current apartments, another of the company's projects. Plans call for 20 one-bedroom apartments with an average of 725 square feet, half offered $437-$480 per month. It would also include 27 two-bedroom apartments with an average of 975 square feet, with 11 renting for $525-590 per month and 16 renting for $800 per month. Because it would apply for state affordable housing tax credits, construction couldn't start until a year from now at the earliest.
Dakota Commercial plans between 40 and 50 market-rate apartments and some commercial space on the main floor. If approved, construction could begin this fall and be complete by 2009.
What do you think? Are these proposals a good deal for the city or not? Should the city give up more financing help than it would like or buckle in order to help add more housing in downtown's north end now?
Posted by: Schuster80 on 5/07/2008 at 10:48 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink
City looks at downtown condo project
Approval of University Flats, a proposed condo project by Dakota Commercial and Development, will be considered by the city's finance and development standby committee at a meeting today. If approved by the finance committe, the proposal would still need city council approval. The $1.16 million project would build a six-unit condo building with 2- and possible three bedroom units in the 500 block of University Avenue.
The proposal calls for free city land and a $150,000 grant from the city to acquire and demolish a house on the corner of North Sixth Street and University and a $50,000 grant from the city to help in financing the project. The city's director of urban development said the sticking point so far has been the city's unwillingness to provide much financial assistance beyond free land. Kevin Ritterman of Dakota Commercial says he would like the condos to be on the affordable side.
The project started out of a 2005 requests for proposals to develop vacant city land downtown into residential housing. Other projects proposed out of the same request for proposals include the Elite Brownstones condos and the Current apartment building. Also today, the city's Growth Fund will take a look at two updated proposals for the Civic Auditorium (one by HB Sound & Light would renovate the building and the other by Dakota Commercial and MetroPlains Development with help from JLG Architects would demolish the civic and replace it with two apartment buildings and some mixed use components).
What do you think of University Flats? Would you like to see condos on the north side of downtown fronting University Avenue? Could this project be a springboard for future development of this corner of downtown? What would you like to see happen to the Civic Auditorium?
Posted by: Schuster80 on 5/07/2008 at 7:28 AM | Comments (9) | Permalink
SUI: Shopping Under the Influence
A recent Los Angeles Times story chronicles the phenomenon of online shoppers making purchases while intoxicated. While there's no way to accurately predict how many online purchases are made this way, it sure explains some of the things I see people wearing. Unfortunately drunk shopping can't be blamed for the advent of the plastic yellow cheesehead hat, fishnet shirts for guys or Zubaz pants. The story lost me a little when it started going on about women's clothing and shoes. I wonder, is this something that women do more than men? If not, there must be a lot of guys scratching their heads when the 432 Jim Kleinsasser bobbleheads and the Bud Light neon sign they ordered arrive at their house.
What do you think? Have you ever shopped online while drinking? Have you ever ordered something online that you later regretted? What's your most embarassing online purchase? Would you prefer to shop drunk online or in a store?
Posted by: Schuster80 on 5/06/2008 at 8:13 AM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Fargo Hooters to move
The Hooters restaurant in Fargo will move. But before you get all excited about seeing scantily-clad Hooters servers in Grand Forks, the Hooters location will stay in Fargo. According to the Fargo Forum, Hooters has submitted an application to the city to move from its current location on 38th Street South to the former Ponderosa Steakhouse location on Fiechtner Drive. The Forum story said Hooters could reopen in its new location around Labor Day.
Hooters is opening a location in Bismarck soon and has scouted Grand Forks for potential locations. After a deal to build a Hooters in an empty lot in front of Kohl's south of 32nd Avenue South fell through, the owners of Hooters' North Dakota franchise rights said they are still interested in adding a Grand Forks location, but that they were first planning on focusing on finishing up and opening the Bismarck location and have not yet identified a local location for a potential Hooters.
What do you think? Is the former Ponderosa Steakhouse spot a better location? It seems their current location gets pretty good visibility on I-29. Maybe the rent in the new place, which is a bit further off I-29 and not as close to West Acres, will be cheaper.
Posted by: Schuster80 on 5/05/2008 at 10:04 AM | Comments (5) | Permalink
Downtown nightlife returns
Following a period of decline and the devastating flood of 1997, downtown Grand Forks and East Grand Forks has been rebuilt in a new image and the multitude of bars and restaurants in a several block area are hopping on nights and weekends. Check out Sunday's Herald for the full story complete with a look at downtown bar owners' view of the changes, a map of places to eat and drink downtown and watch a video of downtown bar owners on the Herald's website.
This not exactly new to many, but the resurgence of downtown has been striking from the stark scenes of the flood recovery to the new energy that permeates the downtown entertainment district. There are now enough bars and restaurants downtown for patrons to go out to eat at the Blue Moose or Rhombus Guys, catch a movie at the new River Cinema 12 in East Grand Forks then walk back across the bridge and bar hop on the row of bars on Third Street. Downtown appears to be reinventing itself into a bar and restaurant dominated entertainment zone with less niche small businesses. Not everyone is happy about the changes, with some complaining about rowdy drinkers making a mess of downtown.
What do you think of the new direction of downtown? How does it compare to downtown Grand Forks-East Grand Forks before the flood or in the 70s, 80s and early to mid 90s? Is there a way for bars and bar patrons to coexist with other businesses? What would you change about downtown if you had the power? What would you like to see added to downtown?
Posted by: Schuster80 on 5/04/2008 at 12:01 AM | Comments (14) | Permalink
