Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
Excavation continues, demolition to start soon.
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.
The Metrodome was deflated this weekend (see the video).
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.
The Mill District Neighborhood Association, Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association, Elliot Park Neighborhood, Inc., and the East Downtown Council held a joint neighborhood meeting on Thursday, January 16, at Open Book. Ryan Companies gave downtown residents and businesses an update on their Downtown East Redevelopment Project.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The owners of the Wilde Roast Café along with longtime friend Brian Gilligan will be opening a new concept bar/restaurant next to Wilde Roast Café, in the space formerly occupied by Kikugawa restaurant.
Mattie St. Clair’s House of Spirits on Main Street, or “Mattie’s on Main” for short, will be a modern-day saloon featuring a year-round patio and a stage for live music and entertainment. The bar is named after Mattie St. Clair, a well-known madam and brothel owner in the late 1800s, whose brothel was located near this site.
Renovation of the 5860 square foot space begins in January 2014 with an opening date of spring 2014. Noted restaurant design firm Smart Associates has been contracted to design a space that calls to mind the feel of an updated saloon.
“We want to create a place where it’s easy to enjoy the company of friends, and make new ones”, said co-owner Dean Schlaak. “The year-round patio will have great views of the Mississippi and downtown Minneapolis. Our aim is to serve as a comfortable neighborhood gathering space with quality food and entertainment. We’re excited to be working with Smart Associates to create a space that is warm, welcoming, and with just maybe a hint of naughtiness from the bar’s namesake.”
Mattie’s on Main will feature a full liquor bar, 16 local beers on tap, and signature craft cocktails. In addition, the bar will feature upscale pub food, unique appetizers, adult shakes, and signature desserts from the Wilde Roast Cafe Pastry Chef Jeff Christianson. The performance stage area of the restaurant will provide space for live music acts, local performers, and themed events.
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MINNEAPOLIS, (JANUARY 17, 2014) – Day Block Brewing Company announced this week that doors to their pizza-based brewpub will open to the public on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014. Located in the historic Day Block building on Washington and 11th Avenues, Day Block Brewing Co. will feature quality ales and lagers and use locally-sourced ingredients in its beers and handcrafted pizzas.
Day Block Brewing Co. was founded by Jeff Hahn, who renovated the Day Block building in 2005 to house Internet Exposure, a digital agency.
“The opportunity to build a brewery represents another interesting chapter in this 130-year-old building, which has housed a hospital, a furniture maker/undertaker (really!) and Frank’s Plumbing in recent years,” said Hahn.
Hahn and a few of his craft beer enthusiast employees started brewing small batches in their offices two years ago. When retail space became available in the Day Block building, they decided to turn their decade-old tradition of “beer Fridays” into a larger operation.
The team renovated the entire basement and first floor of the Day Block building to fit a 10 barrel brewing operation. The building’s first floor will house the brewpub, complete with a kitchen serving handcrafted pizza from locally-sourced ingredients. Patrons can look forward to unique pizzas like the “Bahn Mizza” with Vietnamese pork, Gochujang mayo, scallion, pickled slaw, cilantro and maple-soy glaze.
Cory Williamson, Managing Partner of Day Block Brewing Co. and Lead Internet Exposure Interactive Producer explains the importance of the brewery’s roots, “Being an active member of the Twin Cities beer scene is very important to us, and the majority of our beers will be Minnesota born. We’ll be sourcing grains and hops from various farms in Minnesota and western Wisconsin and have an enthusiastic staff of craft beer ambassadors.”
Day Block Brewing Co.’s small-scale brew house will allow the brewery to be creative with recipes and beer styles offering a large variety of ales and lagers ranging from typical pub beers to unconventional brews. There will be six beers on tap opening day: an American IPA, American Amber Ale, Porter, American Pale Ale, Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale and Belgian Witbier.
Paul Johnston, formerly of Lucid and Harriet Brewing, will serve as head brewer and Joe Williams, who previously worked at Punch Pizza, will manage the kitchen. Stephanie Smith will run front of house operations and Chris Hahn will manage events in partnership with the brewpub at Day Block Event Center, operating out of the second floor of the Day Block building.
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The National Park Service submitted the following letter to FERC, opposing the Crown Hydro attempt to ammend their existing license. Download the original at the bottom of the article.
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United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
December 30, 2013
Mr. Thomas Griffin
President, Crown Hydro LLC
5885 139th Street West
Apple Valley, MN 55124-6465
Dear Mr. Griffin:
The National Park Service (NPS), Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (NRRA), has reviewed Crown Hydro’s latest proposal to amend its license for the Crown Mill Hydro Electric Project (Project) – FERC Project No. 11175-024. We concur with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that the proposed Project is substantially different from the one for which Crown received a license in 1999, and that you should submit a new license application. (April 15, 2013 letter to Crown from FERC).
The Project is located entirely within the Mississippi NRRA. The NRRA was designated by Congress in 1988 to “preserve, protect and enhance the significant values of the Mississippi River and to provide for orderly public and private development in the Twin Cities metro area.” The authorizing legislation requires that all federal agencies undertaking projects within the NRRA coordinate with us (P.L. 100-696). Also, the Federal Powers Act requires consultation with the NPS for amendments or modifications to an existing license (18 C.F.R. §4.38 et. seq.).
The NRRA, however, was not invited to consult on the currently proposed Project prior to the public meeting on November 26, 2013, either by Crown or the Corps of Engineers. For some reason, the NRRA is no longer listed on the official service list. FERC, in its letter directed to you on April 15, 2013, required consultation with the NRRA. Due to the serious questions we have with the new proposal, we formally request to meet with Crown before the company submits the project’s license application to FERC.
A representative of the NRRA attended the November 26 public meeting. The public and various agency representatives asked many important and pertinent questions that Crown was unable to answer. Without answers to the questions raised, the NRRA cannot adequately assess the viability or impacts of the proposed project. FERC and the Corps of Engineers also requested information and studies that would help the NRRA and public better understand the Project’s potential impacts, but Crown has not addressed those requests or provided the studies.
As currently proposed, the Project has a new boundary and new lands and resources not previously analyzed when FERC first issued the license. The tailrace discharge tunnel is in a new location, which may cause different construction, hydraulic and environmental impacts. The NRRA is concerned that the Project could seriously impact nationally significant cultural, natural and recreational resources, as well as the visual integrity and economic vitality of the St. Anthony Falls area. The St. Anthony Falls Historic District and the individual sites within it are nationally significant and helped convince Congress to establish the NRRA. As proposed, the new project could adversely affect individual sites, the overall historic district, and the scenic and recreational qualities of the area.
We continue to be very concerned about the potential impacts to St. Anthony Falls’ aesthetic character, which is central to the area’s economic revitalization. As pointed out in the November 26 public meeting and in comments from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and others, the St. Anthony Falls area has seen tremendous monetary investments since FERC initially granted Crown its license in 1999. Far more people live and recreate in the area. Visitation has climbed to over one million people annually. The flow of water over the falls is a key aesthetic component of the visitor experience. What might have been acceptable in 1999 is not today. The issue is more complicated than the quantity of water. Previous discussions of this issue have raised the potential of treating the spillway surface to create the appearance of more flow, by making the water jump and splash more than it does now. Overall, this issue needs much more public review and consideration than it has received.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this project. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Paul Labovitz
Superintendent
cc:
Edward A. Abrams, FERC
Nicholas J. Utrup, USFWS
Nick Chevance, NPS
Official Service List – FERC Project No. P-11175
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The dome was deflated this morning, demolition will follow soon to make way for the new Vikings stadium. Video courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings.
A preview of the deflation of the Mettrodome scheduled for January 18, 2014. The picture below is from the December 12, 2010 deflation of the Metrodome caused by a large snowfall.
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.
One last spectactular sunset before the Metrodome is deflated and demolished.
This is a shot at sunrise on a bitterly cold afternoon. I researched this phenomenom and found that I captured a "light pillar". A light pillar is a visual phenomenon created by the reflection of light from ice crystals with near horizontal parallel planar surfaces. The light can come from the Sun (usually at or low to the horizon) in which case the phenomenon is called a sun pillar or solar pillar. It can also come from the Moon or from terrestrial sources such as streetlights.
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.
The hole is getting much deeper. Excavation continues.
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.
Excavation continues.
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.
The 50 year plan to preserve Gold Medal Park passed at the December 10, 2013 public hearing of the Minneapolis City Council Community Development Committee, and was approved 2 days later by the full City Council. Below is the video of the public hearing:
Download the staff report:
More equipment on site, excavation continues.
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.
Video excerpts from MPRB Commissioners Anita Tabb, Scott Vreeland, John Erwin and Liz Wielinski at the recent Crown Hydro public meeting:
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Monday, January 27, 2014 at 4:00AM