High Rises in Bloomington (Minneapolis, St. Paul: apartment complex, condos, hotel)

[knke0204]

Does anyone have the numbers for high-rises in Bloomington?? It seems like there are a handful of high rises over 10 story's.

Bloomington would probably have a pretty solid skyline if all of the high rises were bunched together in a downtown area.

Why doesn't Bloomington have a "downtown"?

[Pisces69]

I think zoning and planning. A few areas adjacent to 494 are zoned to allow for high rises.

I think the south loop area has a plan to become more of a downtown type space:

South Loop District Plan

[golfgal]

They took down several "high rises" in Bloomington 10 years or so ago for airport runway expansion so they can't have any around the MOA and other flight paths.

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Does anyone have the numbers for high-rises in Bloomington?? It seems like there are a handful of high rises over 10 story's.

Bloomington would probably have a pretty solid skyline if all of the high rises were bunched together in a downtown area.

Why doesn't Bloomington have a "downtown"?

According to data from EMPORIS - Building data and construction projects worldwide there are 11 buildings in Bloomington taller than 130 feet (11 stories). I couldn't figure out how to get data for buildings shorter than that, if they collect it.
The tallest four were 8500 Normandale (380 feet), Wells Fargo Bank, 8400 Normandale, Sheraton Hotel.

Bloomington did actually try to develop a downtown. I remember seeing plans back in the early '80s, when I was in college, that they planned to develop a downtown at 98th and Lyndale. Not much came from it, as the market clearly preferred to be near the 494 Strip (as it was called back them).

I agree that Bloomington would have an impressive skyline if the buildings were clustered together better. I think it would have been much more interesting if the buildings had been built along France Avenue, rather than the freeway. that way, people in the office buildings might actually have been able to walk to a restaurant on their lunch hour, rather than all pile into a car and drive somewhere. If anybody's ever been to west LA or Phoenix, just imagine how Wilshire Blvd looks in Westwood or Central Avenue in Phoenix.

[pete6032]

Nothing wrong with Bloomington as it is now, but it would clearly be a more hip place if there was a walkable downtown area. As it is now its just feels kind of sprawled even though its mostly high density.

[Astron1000]

Bloomington isn't particularly dense. The average is 2,480 people per square mile (ppsm), which puts it in the same category as Rockford, Ill. or Des Moines.

Minneapolis has an average density of 7,100 ppsm. St. Paul is 5,600 ppsm. Richfield is 5,200 ppsm.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by Pisces69

I think zoning and planning. A few areas adjacent to 494 are zoned to allow for high rises.

I think the south loop area has a plan to become more of a downtown type space:

South Loop District Plan

Don't get too excited.
Its just going to pretty much a typical suburban office park with a little walkable apartment complex with shops shoved in the corner.

[emcee squared]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

Don't get too excited.
Its just going to pretty much a typical suburban office park with a little walkable apartment complex with shops shoved in the corner.

But it'll be far better than what's there now. It should be much more dense around MOA than it is.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by emcee squared

But it'll be far better than what's there now. It should be much more dense around MOA than it is.

with single family housing to the immediate West, an airport to the North, height limiting restriction to the immediate East and a Nat'l Wildlife Refuge to the SE, that doesn't leave much area left to build in on that end of the strip that isn't already there.

[emcee squared]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

with single family housing to the immediate West, an airport to the North, height limiting restriction to the immediate East and a Nat'l Wildlife Refuge to the SE, that doesn't leave much area left to build in on that end of the strip that isn't already there.

True, but there is no reason for so many parking lots. If they can build the 17 story Reflections Condos south of the airport, then they can build some other things, too.