Best downtowns in Minnesota (Duluth, St. Cloud: theater, construction, university)

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by Minnehahapolitan

Not my bad memories, but we always called it Stearns County Syndrome.

Oh jah, the German inbreeding legends...out west around the woods by SJU through Albany and Melrose.

[Minnehahapolitan]

lol.

[What!]

What's with all the St. Cloud hate? I'm actually fond of the place. What did it do to you to hate it so much?

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by What!

What's with all the St. Cloud hate? I'm actually fond of the place. What did it do to you to hate it so much?

I think it's just for fun. I live here and we all joke about things like that...

[roneb]

Of MN towns I've seen, I like Duluth, Bemidji, and Stillwater

[Slig]

Originally Posted by What!

What's with all the St. Cloud hate? I'm actually fond of the place. What did it do to you to hate it so much?

Try building a 50,000+ size city off of one road, the disaster that results is St. Cloud.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by Slig

Try building a 50,000+ size city off of one road, the disaster that results is St. Cloud.

Division is terrible...I hate driving in St Cloud! But the downtown is very nice. One of the better ones in the state.

[knke0402]

Originally Posted by Slig

Try building a 50,000+ size city off of one road, the disaster that results is St. Cloud.

A) It once was a CITY, not a town, of roughly 30,000 when the 80's boom of retail was scattered along division. Thats what you get when you have a rapidly growing area and no state funding for new roads, like much of the 80's. Just a crappy situation with bad timing. As someone who went to school at SCSU, and has worked closely with the City of St. Cloud, trust me, they are working VERY hard at making the transition from at semi-important hub of 40,000, to an independent metropolitan area (now is about 200,000). Mayor Dave Kleis and City Planner Matt Glaesman understand the importance of ressurecting st. cloud and its downtown, and now have hired a full time Downtown Cooridinator who is responsible for StreetScape, Parking, Building rennovation, and other aspects of Downtown.

B) Most people are stupid and cannot understand maps or roads. That is why St. Cloud seems bad in terms of traffic, but everyone who uses 23 (Divison) are plain idiots. 4 Blocks to the North of Division is a large cooridor of 3rd street, that is parallel with Division and no one can seem to use it. ITs 10x faster to get across town using that. Also 2nd street south, which also runs parallel to division is quite jam packed most the time, but its an alternative to Division.

C) Although I am an advocate for St. Clouds success, its downtown isnt that great. I have had some of my best nights ever Downtown St. Cloud though, It is in a time of change however. The Civic Center is currently in war with getting some funding for expansion, which would be HUGE for the downtown...It would allow to draw a wider range of regional events, like concerts, events, conferences, shows and other things like that. The 23 bridge is being torn down as we speak, and will be replace simultaneously with the 13 blocks west of the Mississippi to 13th avenue. The change of 23 will be remarkable. Downtown is also home to the new Library, which when completed will be breathtaking, and an amazing addition to downtown St. Cloud. ING Inc. just built a 4 story building down there with a parking ramp. Lake George, which sits adjacent to downtown, is going under million dollar rennovations with fishing piers, and gazebos, and walking trails, which will be amazing. The downtown is going to be a great place by 2015, so watch out.

Originally Posted by ozzie679

Division is terrible...I hate driving in St Cloud! But the downtown is very nice. One of the better ones in the state.

NO ONE SAID ANYTHNG ABOUT HUTCHINSONs DOWNTOWN? That is a very very very nice one

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by knke0402

A)
NO ONE SAID ANYTHNG ABOUT HUTCHINSONs DOWNTOWN? That is a very very very nice one

I forgot about Hutch. They have a great downtown.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by knke0402

A)
C) Although I am an advocate for St. Clouds success, its downtown isnt that great. I have had some of my best nights ever Downtown St. Cloud though, It is in a time of change however. The Civic Center is currently in war with getting some funding for expansion, which would be HUGE for the downtown...It would allow to draw a wider range of regional events, like concerts, events, conferences, shows and other things like that. The 23 bridge is being torn down as we speak, and will be replace simultaneously with the 13 blocks west of the Mississippi to 13th avenue. The change of 23 will be remarkable. Downtown is also home to the new Library, which when completed will be breathtaking, and an amazing addition to downtown St. Cloud. ING Inc. just built a 4 story building down there with a parking ramp. Lake George, which sits adjacent to downtown, is going under million dollar rennovations with fishing piers, and gazebos, and walking trails, which will be amazing. The downtown is going to be a great place by 2015, so watch out.

I look at the classic architecture and cleanliness when I judge a downtown. The new stuff is great too. The library is amazing! Maybe you are looking more so at new development. But it's hard to beat downtown St Cloud when it comes to classic buildings.

I hope the 5th ave project gets approved. Or is it already a go? How is that coming? I heard it is going to run from the convention center to the hockey center. I haven't heard much about the division st project from the river to 13th. Retail and lofts? Interesting...