I always enjoyed a good challenge. “A man doesn’t grow a beard. A beard grows a man” – Internet Proverb A beard isn’t something you grow overnight. Neither is a city. Both these seemingly unrelated entities need to mature, fill in and be properly groomed, yet still maintain their distinct ruggedness. But why when it comes […]
There is a $20 million sum of state money that may be dedicated to redesign Nicollet Mall. While $20 million could bring some impressive changes to the pedestrian mall, these funds would represent an unfortunate misapplication of limited resources. We need to reconnect Nicollet Avenue- not redesign Nicollet Mall. Nicollet Mall, the nation’s first pedestrian transit way, […]
What’s happening around the Twin Cities and Minnesota … Here is the Streets.MN Rundown! Bipartisan support for I-94 Expansion between Maple Grove & St. Cloud [Star Tribune] You know what we need? More lanes on I-94 to St. Cloud. “Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, backed by a bipartisan cohort of about three dozen lawmakers, local elected […]
This map sparked a few disparaging tweets, including a small #twitterwar with a City Council member. As it turns out, people get riled up about parking. It is as if they feel they are entitled to parking and the benefits thereafter. These blue spaces represent off-street surface parking lots and parking garages; but do not […]
I’m going to steal a little something out of the Strong Towns Playbook (e.g.: Friday News Digest). Sorry Chuck, I’m stealing your idea! How does the saying go? Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery? Here we go … Sidewalk sales? Yes, please!, on Star Tribune Minneapolis is looking to change an ordinance to […]
“This week (Valentine’s Week), we have challenged ourselves at Streets.MN to be positive, which is really much harder than complaining (you see, already I am complaining about having to not complain). So we have a theme, about which we are not entitled to be snarky, What I love about Minnesota.” – David Levinson, I Love […]
If you were to read the City of St. Paul’s legislative wish list, you’d see a list of big projects such as: $14 million to improve the Children’s Museum $7 million for parking and transportation improvements at Como Park $32 million loan forgiveness tied to the Xcel Energy Center (in an effort to not pay […]
FYI: You can read this on Strong Towns! The word “Stroad” has officially made it into the Urban Dictionary. “Noun. Portmanteau of “street” and “road”: it describes a street, er, road, built for high speed, but with multiple access points. Excessive width is a common feature. A common feature in suburbia, especially along commercial strips. […]
Thanks to everyone who helped make our first year at Streets.MN a success! Thanks to all our writers and our new logo designer. And, it goes without saying, thanks to each and every reader and commenter. 2012 was great, and we’re looking to make 2013 even better. ‘Best of 2012’ series recap: 2012 Best Pedestrian Shopping […]
St. Louis Park’s Excelsior and Grand wins 2012′s best New Urbanist Simulacrum of Main Street. The Twin Cities doesn’t have a Seaside, Kentlands or even a Celebration. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because we have an Uptown, St. Anthony Main, Warehouse District, Cathedral Hill, etc. Our New Urbanist (NU) town centers are few and […]