MPRB Commissioners Speak Out on Crown Hydro - Video

Video excerpts from MPRB Commissioners Anita Tabb, Scott Vreeland, John Erwin and Liz Wielinski at the recent Crown Hydro public meeting:

Tomorrow - Gold Medal Park Hearing at City Hall

Community Development Committee Agenda

Standing Committee of the City Council, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Regular Meeting

December 10, 2013

1:30 p.m. - Room 317 City Hall

Public Hearings 1:30 p.m.

Department of Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED)

1. Gold Medal Park (1000 2nd St S, 1010 2nd St S, 1028 2nd St S):

a) Authorize a lease amendment with the Park Development Foundation for the City-owned portion of Gold Medal Park;

b) Approve the use as park space of a portion of Parcel A-2 that the Guthrie Theater Foundation proposes to sell to the Park Development Foundation, and waive the City’s one-time option to reacquire that portion of the property; 

c) Authorize execution of documents and agreements as are reasonably necessary to implement the lease amendment and waiver (Also in W&M/Budget).

Download Staff Report:  Gold Medal Pk RCA; Gold Medal Pk MAP1; Gold Medal Pk MAP2

Vikings Stadium Construction - Week 3

They started digging up the east parking lot last week.

We're attempting to publish a photo with this same view each week from the start of construction through the first game played at the new Minnesota Vikings Stadium in Downtown Minneapolis.

Fun Holiday Gift Ideas from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board

Our friends at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) would like to remind everyone that they offer unique gifts that will delight loved ones and help support the parks.

Their gift cards can be applied toward outdoor fun at the Wirth Winter Recreation Area, health and fitness activities, environmental programs, cross-country skiing passes, snowboarding, golf, and dog parks. How about an annual parking permit for easy access to parks, gardens and trails?

Click to view the MPRB Holiday Gift Guide.

Capella Tower on a Frigid Morning in Downtown Minneapolis

It was -5 degrees when I took this a few minutes ago.  The Capella Tower does not usually create an upward beam as seen below.  I speculate ice crystals from nearby powerplants caused this cool effect.

DID Requests Participation in the Annual Downtown Minneapolis Perception Survey

The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) is hosting the Annual Downtown Minneapolis Perception Survey.  They request we participate in this survey and forward the below link to residents, fellow employees/colleagues, students, etc., to help the Minneapolis DID collect much needed feedback from the Downtown Minneapolis community.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PerceptionSurvey2013

Central Mississipp​i Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan Charrette Meetings

Via a December 4 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

Central Mississipp​i Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan Charrette Meetings

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board will host a two-day charrette to gather public input for the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan. This is the third charrette of five for the Master Plan and will focus on Nicollet Island and its connections.  A charrette is an intensive creative session intended to generate alternative approaches to a design problem. It is a way to immerse a project team with key stakeholders and the community in a real-time, iterative learning and creative process. Please join us!

Charrette Public Meeting Day 1:

Date - 12/10/13 - Tuesday

Time - 8:00am to 10:00am

Location – Nicollet Island Pavilion – 40 Power Street, Minneapolis

Teams - Central Riverfront Master Plan Team

Meeting Info: Comment and feedback to define key site program issues, possibilities, and limitations for Nicollet Island.

Charrette Public Meeting Day 2:

Date - 12/11/13 - Wednesday

Time - 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Location - Nicollet Island Pavilion – 40 Power Street, Minneapolis

Teams - Central Riverfront Master Plan Team

Meeting Info: Review preliminary design framework plan and concepts for Nicollet Island completed during the charrette.

The Park Board encourages the public to stop by the Nicollet Island Pavilion to share ideas, concerns and priorities with the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park design team.  Later in December, ideas from this two-day charrette will be presented to the project advisory committees for discussion.

For more information, please go to the MPRB project page.

Contact:        Tyler Pederson, Landscape Architect
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
612-230-6418
tpederson@minneapolisparks.org

New Hennepin County Website Scheduled to Debut Today

A newly revamped Hennepin.us site is scheduled to launch today, December 4. The new site will be accessible on any device – desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile - with information written in plain language and organized with the user in mind.

For the short term, some of the links users are accustomed to will change. Moving forward, the goal is to continue to ensure important information is easily accessible to residents and partner organizations. The new search engine should help you find the information you need, but if not, send an email to webteam@hennepin.us.

View the new design at http://www.hennepin.us/.

Ugly Holiday Sweater Bus Pub Crawl

Looking for a fun Holiday party idea?  How about a private Ugly Holiday Sweater Bus Pub Crawl with Taste Twin Cities?

This year Taste Twin Cities is offering this Pub Crawl on private-party basis only, so you can pick a date that works best for you.

Description:

Don your ugliest holiday sweater, hop on the heated coach bus and take a festive tour of some of Northeast Minneapolis' most storied bars. On this two and half hour pub tour you'll enjoy a drink at Psycho Suzo's that was featured on Diner, Drive In's and Dives; Gasthof's where you can enjoy beer in a boot or a snuff board; and Tony Jaros where you will enjoy their signature Greenie or Pinky drink. This tour also includes an Ugliest Holiday Sweater contest, prizes and a Polaroid picture to remember a bunch of people in sweaters just as ugly as yours.

More Info.

New Video - Crown Hydro Public Meeting

Crown Hydro held their public meeting last week, 2 days before Thanksgiving, in the middle of the work day.  Many question were asked, but few straightforward answers given.  Still, it was a very interesting meeting.

Vikings Stadium Construction - Week 2

Construction equipment arrived last week.

We're attempting to publish a photo with this same view each week from the start of construction through the first game played at the new Minnesota Vikings Stadium in Downtown Minneapolis.

Pics From the 2013 Turkey Day 5K

Gets more popular every year!  :)

'The Girls in the Band' Showing now thru December 5

The popular 2012 MSP International Film Festival documentary, The Girls in the Band, is playing now thru December 5. Find showtimes on The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul website.

“Everything a worthwhile documentary should be, and then some: engaging, informative, thorough and brimming with delightful characters.” - The New York Times

 
Synopsis
They wiggled, they jiggled, they wore low cut gowns and short shorts, they kowtowed to the club owners and smiled at the customers…and they did it all, just to play the music they loved.
 
The Girls in the Band tells the poignant, untold stories of female jazz and big band instrumentalists and their fascinating, groundbreaking journeys from the late 30′s to the present day.
 
These incredibly talented women endured sexism, racism and diminished opportunities for decades, yet continued to persevere, inspire and elevate their talents in a field that seldom welcomed them. Today, there is a new breed of gifted young women taking their rightful place in the world of jazz, which can no longer deny their talents.

Look for These Upcoming Color Changes on the 35W Bridge; News on the Flashing Lights

MNDot changes the lighting colors on the 35W bridge for special events and holidays.  For the next month, they have the following planned so far:

December 1: Yellow Ribbon City – Yellow
December 5: Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness - Blue & Orange
December 25: Christmas – Red & Green
January 1: Red, White & Blue

Here are some of our favorite shots of the bridge.  Whether close up or from a distance, regardless of the season, and no matter the color - it's a knockout.

I recently posted a question on MNDot's website inquiring about the unusual flashing lights and odd spots of color that have been showing up for the last few months.  I received a prompt response from a Traffic Engineer stating they are aware of the problems with some of the sections and are working to address them. 

He mentioned there are some problems with how the lighting system was originally installed, and unfortunately the company that manufactured the units has gone out of business.  Although the aesthetic lighting is a lower priority for use, they are in the process of doing an assessment of the possible problems and hope to have the assessment completed this fall/winter, with plans to have them fixed by spring.  His reply went on to say that this fall they fixed some of the splices, bringing a few sections inline.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We usually bring bread and buns to the Thanksgiving feast, but this year was a little more inspired.  Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Parkway Closures on November 28 and 30

The following parkways will be temporarily closed November 28 and 30:
 
November 28:  Turkey Day 5K – 6:00a.m. – 11:00a.m. – West River Parkway from 11th Avenue South to 4th Avenue North.
 
November 30:  Moustache Run & Half Marathon – West River Road/Parkway from Plymouth Avenue North to Godfrey Parkway at Minnehaha Park.
 
Note - there may be additional street closures - the above roads are just MPRB-related.

Please note that the duration of the closures is subject to change based on the event's start and finish times. A complete list of current and upcoming parkway closures is available online.

Look no Further Than Our Riverfront Neighborhoods to Fill Your Holiday Gift List

Our riverfront neighborhoods are overflowing with fun and unique Holiday gift ideas. Here are a few examples to help get you started:

Who wouldn't enjoy a restaurant gift card? We have an award-winning selection to choose from! Some are offering the popular Holiday deal of purchasing x amount in cards to receive a free gift card for yourself. Check out the Directory section of Mill City Times for a quick reference of restaurant options. Did you know you can order a special Holiday ice cream cake or pie from Izzy's?

How about tickets to a show at the Guthrie, St. Anthony Main Theatre, Southern Theater or The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul?

Sorella Wine & Spirits has a massive selection from which to choose a hostess gift. Or, for the hard-to-buy for person, a gift card will allow them to pick out something special - wine, spirits, beer.

The Mill City Museum Store is a treasure - from books, to baking-related items, unique toys, clothing, jewelry and more.  You'll also find unique gifts at The Shop at MCBA, the Guthrie Store at the Guthrie and Bibelot.

The best pedi in town is with Mishon at Level Salon - you'll score some major brownie points by treating someone to this special foot pampering. Want to rack up triple brownie points? Include a massage from The Doorway for Massage Therapy, Bodywork & Better Health or Benessere Body in Balance.

Consider a gift card from City Gardens' Flower Mill, or have Dan prepare a smart Holiday bouquet for a hostess gift, to add cheer to a co-workers office, etc.

Local D'Lish offers a fun variety of Cooking Classes.

Treat an out-of-town guest to a night at Aloft, Depot Renaissance or the Residence Inn by Marriott or the newly rennovated Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown.

Give the gift of health - check out the classes, services and products offered at 501F1T, Magna, CorePower Yoga, and Mill City Running. How about a few hours of skating at The Depot?

Anyone who owns a car would be overjoyed to receive a gas card, oil change or car wash package from Bobby and Steve's.

Pet owners on your list? There's Bone Adventure, the Minneapolis Veterinary Hospital and Ollu Dog Salon.

Find a perfect gift for baby at Pacifier.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg to get your creative gift-giving juices flowing.  We hope you'll join us in supporting our neighborhood businesses this Holiday Season!

Tuesday Nov. 26 - Crown Hydro Public Meeting at Central Library

This may be the only opportunity for public input on a project that has the potential to dry up St. Anthony Falls for a significant portion of each year.  Article 404 from the Crown Hydro FERC license:

"FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION (FERC): The licensee shall operate the Crown Mill Hydroelectric project so that some water always flows over St. Anthony Falls except as follows:  "...(B) between September 15 and March 15 the project will operate with whatever flows are available even if it dries up the falls; and (C) during low flows in July and August, the project will operate with up to 500 cfs during daylight hours even if it dries up the falls...""

Source: FERC License issues to Crown Hydro, Article 404 - Download:

https://app.box.com/shared/static/y2qp7s63pq6998k4z9ac.pdf

Please attend and get your questions answered:

Date: Tuesday, November 26

Time: 3:30 pm

Location: Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Pohlad Hall

Crown Hydro Public Meeting

Crown Hydro, LLC holds a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license to construct and operate the Upper Saint Anthony Falls Hydroelectric Project, Project No. 11175, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the west bank of the Mississippi River at Upper St. Anthony Falls.

An application is being prepared to amend its existing license to, in part, shift the location of the project’s powerhouse and discharge tunnel. The proposed new powerhouse location would be approximately 150 feet north, in the headrace canal adjacent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s lock facility.

A consultation meeting has been scheduled to solicit comments on its proposed license amendment. The meeting will provide an opportunity for individuals to learn more about the proposed changes to the planned Upper Saint Anthony Falls Hydroelectric Project, and to provide comments on the Proposed Project.

A recent letter to the editor from Green Party candidate Kristina Gronquist...

Vikings Stadium Construction - Week 1

Taken on Sunday, November 24, the day before construction equipment starts arriving.  We're attempting to publish a photo with this same view each week from the start of construction through the first game played at the new Minnesota Vikings Stadium in Downtown Minneapolis.

Click to view full screen...

Packed House for the Pre-Thanksgiving Mill City Farmers Market

The November 23 indoor Mill City Farmers Market was fantastic - a testament to the vibrancy it adds to our neighborhood.

The winter Markets are a great opportunity to check out the Mill City Museum Store!