streets.mn

• Climate
• History
• Land Use
• Planning
• Urban Design

Preserve The Future, Not Just The Past

Because I have a lot of important things to fill my time, I recently tuned in to a meeting of the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission. There was just one item on the agenda: the proposed demolition of a low-slung downtown office building at 17 N Washington Avenue, which would then be replaced by a 27 […]

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• Housing
• Land Use
• Neighborhoods
• Suburbia

Some Alternative Options in Detached Housing, Part Two

Many people want to live in a new-construction, detached home, but the traditional way to achieve that – owning your own house and lot – may not be achievable or desirable for all. Part one of this series covered two options: owning the interior only of a detached structure, either a traditional detached townhome, or […]

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• Climate
• Housing
• Justice
• Transportation

What is the End Game? An Airing of Grievances

It’s that time of year again, and what a year it’s been! I usually like writing posts that have some aspect of positivity or future collective goal, but this post is not like that. This is my 2020 airing of grievances. As COVID-19 continued to spread through our community and we neared the peak of […]

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What Can Walkers Learn From Winter Cyclists?

I live in a privileged St. Paul neighborhood with professional cyclists — men and women of varying ages who commute by bicycle all year round, including during the recent polar vortex. Their financial investment, beyond the cost of the bicycles themselves, includes heavy gloves, facemasks, hard-bottomed boots, helmets and goggles, lights and reflectors, and reflective […]

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Winter Bikeway Priorities in St. Paul

When you live in Minnesota you come to expect that there will be snow during winter. We’ve crafted numerous adaptations to provide comfortable winter living, including the declaration of a “snow emergency” when streets are difficult to pass with a personal car. Is it also an emergency when you cannot travel by bicycle (or walk)? […]

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Then & Now: Ayd Mill Road

A podcast conversation a few weeks ago made me start wondering what the Ayd Mill valley looked like in the early 20th century. Thanks to the Minnesota Historical Aerial Map Archive (and their amazing new interface), we can find out! Here are some shots of the South terminus of (what today is) Ayd Mill Road […]

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