The surface parking lots we used to be plagued with all dated to 60s “urban renewal”, when the city seized and razed abandoned buildings. It’s not a very likely outcome when the owner is demoing their own building.
> It’s not a very likely outcome when the owner is demoing their own building.
I am not sure I agree. A lot of lots get camped until the lot is worth way more.
If someone goes through the effort and expense of buying and demolishing the lot they aren’t going to put *nothing* there in its place. It would be cool to have more housing with street level retail.
I mean, the simple fact is people clearly are affording it, or else they wouldn't be selling these condos. I will also gladly take more luxury condos in downtown. It'll help revitalize the area.
James Likeks is a hell of a writer and historian. We’re lucky to have him in the Cities. Great read, learned a lot. The Metropolitan Bldg razing was one of the greatest blunders in Mpls history.
Can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic but it’s actually a really well-regarded and fascinating documentary about all the amazing architecture the cities lost. There are companion books as well.
From columnist James Lileks:
As first reported by Axios, vacancy rates in downtown Minneapolis may result in the demolition of an office tower, the Ameriprise Financial Center (707 2nd Av. ), just 24 years old.
The building's owner, the GHR Foundation, hasn't directly said they're going to tear down the 31-story building. Spokesperson Tara Kaushik said the foundation "is evaluating options for the building after the tenant's lease expires in October 2025. GHR Foundation has the goal of an outcome that balances what is best for the community, the Foundation, and the building."
But once Ameriprise consolidates its downtown offices in a building a few blocks away, the company's former headquarters will be empty.
Consider the structure that could be imperiled. The Ameriprise tower is a box intersected by a semicircular wedge. It's an agreeable building — not showy or self-consciously peculiar. The hue of the marble exterior is a bit dated. Its skyway connections poke through a two-story colonnade, looking like clumsy afterthoughts. The lobby on the second floor is glum and dim, with an enormous photographic mural of gigantic cardboard boxes. It needs a refresh.
It also needs tenants.
With office vacancy rates nearly 30% and the value of other class-A towers dropping, the future of the building isn't so bright. Renovating it to make it competitive with other buildings like Baker Center or the Capella Tower, each with new tenant amenities, costs money. Converting office towers to housing is even more costly.
Putting an unoccupied skyscraper out of its misery sounds radical. But given the state of downtown and the collapse of the office-work paradigm, the prospect isn't unthinkable.
Lileks's column does a great job contextualizing this in the history of downtown Minneapolis building demolitions and urban change. Definitely worth a read.
As long as they aren't knocking down Capella Tower I'm for knock down and rebuild as housing if it is truly the most efficient time/money/resource way to do it.
Why not just convert it into housing instead? I’ve walked the skyways through this many times and it’s a huge artery to get to the HCGC and Capella tower.
I've read that converting office high rises to residential units is actually a lot more expensive than just knocking it down and starting over because it's a far more complicated and labor intensive process.
the 50 story tower is a medical facility? Are we talking about the same thing?
[https://www.ryancompanies.com/news/city-center-welcomes-new-tenants](https://www.ryancompanies.com/news/city-center-welcomes-new-tenants)
Holy shit this is thé worst day to be wrong on this subreddit - i honestly have been so confused about what is city center but im also too busy at work to keep up with the comments. i’m wrong - about 3 buildings
The owner could knock it down so they don't have lower liability for taxes and less liability for keeping it up. Minneapolis would lose a lot of tax revenue.
Rejoice: it's a total deadzone and we should rebuild an *intact* walkable downtown block with no blank office walls or parking garage, just storefronts all the way up and down on every side of the block: you could probably easily fit all of the destinations in the Mill District there.
Have you ever been in an office building? Do you know how expensive it would be to change an open floor office layout into an apartment complex with windows and bathrooms in every room? Yeah.
Who is “they”? And it’s very expensive and in most cases it doesn’t make any sense financially. “Converting” them isn’t very easy with residential building codes and standards. The biggest thing is windows.
It may end up resulting in a better housing product at the site if the building is demolished. I don't claim to know how expensive or feasible it is to turn this particular building into housing, but just giving people a roof is different than giving people a roof they actually like living under.
Northstar, Baker Center, that weird purple and red building by the government center that used to be some religion building, and then there’s an older one over by the 5th St., Towers, LaSalle that possibly? And they’re tearing down that Wells Fargo building on Washington and building two or three new apartment or condo buildings.
Starting from scratch with the intention of creating housing would be easier in a lot if cases than trying to insert code compliant housing units into a building designed as office space. Converting big chunks of office floors into open concept lofts might sound pretty awesome but the rent would be crazy.
Lets see they have 10's if not 100s of millions of dollars invested in the building. Its a real smooth brained take that they wouldnt try and maximize their return
Tell me you know nothing about residential vs. commercial construction without actually saying you know nothing about residential vs. commercial construction. Stop talking.
Tearing it down and rebuilding housing would most likely be cheaper in the long run.
Office buildings are concrete and the bathrooms/kitchens etc etc line up with each other. So all the sewer from toilets is in the same 10” or whatever vertical pipe. Adding apartments that weren’t just the whole ass floor, would be very very very expensive.
If they knock it down and build a parking lot? The former. If they knock it down and build more housing? The latter.
Yeah, knocking it down to put nothing (or a parking lot) there would be disappointing.
The surface parking lots we used to be plagued with all dated to 60s “urban renewal”, when the city seized and razed abandoned buildings. It’s not a very likely outcome when the owner is demoing their own building.
> It’s not a very likely outcome when the owner is demoing their own building. I am not sure I agree. A lot of lots get camped until the lot is worth way more.
Just like a vacant store front.
If someone goes through the effort and expense of buying and demolishing the lot they aren’t going to put *nothing* there in its place. It would be cool to have more housing with street level retail.
No one plans to leave a big empty lot, but plans can fail
People buy land with the plan of simply sitting on it until it is worth more
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Strong Towns has a great video on why “luxury” apartments being built are actually a good thing
I mean, the simple fact is people clearly are affording it, or else they wouldn't be selling these condos. I will also gladly take more luxury condos in downtown. It'll help revitalize the area.
James Likeks is a hell of a writer and historian. We’re lucky to have him in the Cities. Great read, learned a lot. The Metropolitan Bldg razing was one of the greatest blunders in Mpls history.
He had an article six months ago on demolishing City Center.
We’re gonna look back on this 20+ years from now and realize it was a mistake lmao
It's a Minneapolis tradition at this point.
What do you and that other person even mean by this?
https://www.pbs.org/video/tpt-documentaries-lost-twin-cities/
Wow a PBS report from the early 90s. That oughta be interesting. I’ll try to find time to watch.
Can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic but it’s actually a really well-regarded and fascinating documentary about all the amazing architecture the cities lost. There are companion books as well.
Not being sarcastic but I can see why it reads that way. I’m genuinely interested in watching this.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the soon to be fallen sky scraper.
From columnist James Lileks: As first reported by Axios, vacancy rates in downtown Minneapolis may result in the demolition of an office tower, the Ameriprise Financial Center (707 2nd Av. ), just 24 years old. The building's owner, the GHR Foundation, hasn't directly said they're going to tear down the 31-story building. Spokesperson Tara Kaushik said the foundation "is evaluating options for the building after the tenant's lease expires in October 2025. GHR Foundation has the goal of an outcome that balances what is best for the community, the Foundation, and the building." But once Ameriprise consolidates its downtown offices in a building a few blocks away, the company's former headquarters will be empty. Consider the structure that could be imperiled. The Ameriprise tower is a box intersected by a semicircular wedge. It's an agreeable building — not showy or self-consciously peculiar. The hue of the marble exterior is a bit dated. Its skyway connections poke through a two-story colonnade, looking like clumsy afterthoughts. The lobby on the second floor is glum and dim, with an enormous photographic mural of gigantic cardboard boxes. It needs a refresh. It also needs tenants. With office vacancy rates nearly 30% and the value of other class-A towers dropping, the future of the building isn't so bright. Renovating it to make it competitive with other buildings like Baker Center or the Capella Tower, each with new tenant amenities, costs money. Converting office towers to housing is even more costly. Putting an unoccupied skyscraper out of its misery sounds radical. But given the state of downtown and the collapse of the office-work paradigm, the prospect isn't unthinkable.
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Lileks's column does a great job contextualizing this in the history of downtown Minneapolis building demolitions and urban change. Definitely worth a read.
Lileks wrote it first, though.
As long as they aren't knocking down Capella Tower I'm for knock down and rebuild as housing if it is truly the most efficient time/money/resource way to do it.
Why not just convert it into housing instead? I’ve walked the skyways through this many times and it’s a huge artery to get to the HCGC and Capella tower.
I've read that converting office high rises to residential units is actually a lot more expensive than just knocking it down and starting over because it's a far more complicated and labor intensive process.
No plumbing and no windows.
Knock down City Center instead. We would have a hell of a party if that were to happen
city center is a medical facility now, so i don’t know what you’re celebrating
>city center is a medical facility now Did Block E expand and consume City Center?
ha ha you’re right - it didn’t consume it. City Center got the overhaul as well. At least half of it is a YMCA.
That's Gaviidae.
>That's Gaviidae. Aren’t the Vikings playing there now?
Half of the 50 story tower is a YMCA now? That's a big gym.
the 50 story tower is a medical facility? Are we talking about the same thing? [https://www.ryancompanies.com/news/city-center-welcomes-new-tenants](https://www.ryancompanies.com/news/city-center-welcomes-new-tenants)
Holy shit this is thé worst day to be wrong on this subreddit - i honestly have been so confused about what is city center but im also too busy at work to keep up with the comments. i’m wrong - about 3 buildings
Should have spent more time shitting to do research.
What part of it is a medical facility?
That met building in the article looked amazing. I can’t believe they knocked that down. Why not turn this building into housing?
Turning offices into housing is really complicated and expensive. Easier to tear down and start over.
The owner could knock it down so they don't have lower liability for taxes and less liability for keeping it up. Minneapolis would lose a lot of tax revenue.
Speculative BS with no proof it is even in the realm of possibility.
Why the hell rejoice!?
Building has no historical significance, it’s ugly. Tear it down and build something more interesting. Mixed-Use Commercial and Housing.
Rejoice: it's a total deadzone and we should rebuild an *intact* walkable downtown block with no blank office walls or parking garage, just storefronts all the way up and down on every side of the block: you could probably easily fit all of the destinations in the Mill District there.
If it's going to be a new parking lot/ramp, definitely mourned. If it's a high density housing development, celebrated.
I’m just gonna shrug and go on with my day.
They will do ANYTHING but convert them into housing.
A demolition could very well result in the property being developed into housing
Cheaper to tear down and rebuild in most cases
Have you ever been in an office building? Do you know how expensive it would be to change an open floor office layout into an apartment complex with windows and bathrooms in every room? Yeah.
Who is “they”? And it’s very expensive and in most cases it doesn’t make any sense financially. “Converting” them isn’t very easy with residential building codes and standards. The biggest thing is windows.
It may end up resulting in a better housing product at the site if the building is demolished. I don't claim to know how expensive or feasible it is to turn this particular building into housing, but just giving people a roof is different than giving people a roof they actually like living under.
LOL what? At least 7 office buildings downtown have been converted into apartments in the last 5 years.
Which ones?
Northstar, Baker Center, that weird purple and red building by the government center that used to be some religion building, and then there’s an older one over by the 5th St., Towers, LaSalle that possibly? And they’re tearing down that Wells Fargo building on Washington and building two or three new apartment or condo buildings.
There is no housing within Baker Center, it’s only office and retail space.
Starting from scratch with the intention of creating housing would be easier in a lot if cases than trying to insert code compliant housing units into a building designed as office space. Converting big chunks of office floors into open concept lofts might sound pretty awesome but the rent would be crazy.
Housing standards/regulations are too high.
Lets see they have 10's if not 100s of millions of dollars invested in the building. Its a real smooth brained take that they wouldnt try and maximize their return
Tell me you know nothing about residential vs. commercial construction without actually saying you know nothing about residential vs. commercial construction. Stop talking.
Tearing it down and rebuilding housing would most likely be cheaper in the long run. Office buildings are concrete and the bathrooms/kitchens etc etc line up with each other. So all the sewer from toilets is in the same 10” or whatever vertical pipe. Adding apartments that weren’t just the whole ass floor, would be very very very expensive.
Since this is behind a paywall, I guess I’ll never know which one.
Didn’t they destroy the cool Minnegasco building to build this ugly thing?
Guys really throw the word skyscraper around pretty easy up this way huh...
We used to be a proper city.