How safe is Downtown? How FUN is Downtown? (Minneapolis, St. Paul: condo, crime rate)

[gweilo845]

Originally Posted by Ursicinus

And at the end of the day, I'm way more concerned about the retail exodus than I am being bothered by the occasional panhandler.

Nuisance crimes like aggressive panhandling go hand in hand with the decline of retail downtown. No one wants to go to stores where you have to go through several bums to get in the front door, like at Target, whose "solution" has been classic Minnesota passive-aggressiveness in putting out signs instead of having them removed from the property. Also, perception is huge. Most people will not associate areas with multiple panhandlers and people obviously intoxicated (especially during the day) as being safe.

[Thedosius]

A lot of retail is moving to the North Loop rather than the traditional core retail area of downtown.

North Loop becoming the place to be for retail - StarTribune.com

Pretty much all the major retailers closing or recently closed in downtown (Macy's, Sports Authority, Barnes & Noble) are closing due to company-wide issues and not specifically due to downtown Minneapolis issues.

Both retail absorption and vacancy rates have been healthy in downtown Minneapolis.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincitie...in-cities.html

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

Nuisance crimes like aggressive panhandling go hand in hand with the decline of retail downtown. No one wants to go to stores where you have to go through several bums to get in the front door, like at Target, whose "solution" has been classic Minnesota passive-aggressiveness in putting out signs instead of having them removed from the property. Also, perception is huge. Most people will not associate areas with multiple panhandlers and people obviously intoxicated (especially during the day) as being safe.

the sidewalks downtown are not private property

[gweilo845]

They often sit on the building or in the little atrium or café inside or will try and stop you at the entrance. As for the sidewalk, panhandling within 10 feet of a business is not allowed by Minneapolis city code. Other businesses in the area have taken steps to deter the behavior, but Target has not, which is why they congregate there. There are some that are mellow, basically they just have a sign out, which is fine, but many cross the line.


To put this in perspective, I'm 6'3" 265 lbs, worked downtown for 10 years, lived in Loring Park for 6 years, and also lived in some pretty bad neighborhoods in Minneapolis over the years. So this is not some chicken little over panicking from a sheltered suburbanite - so you can imagine what the average soccer mom from Maple Grove or a tourist from Iowa might think. I've been to major cities like Chicago, Boston, NYC, etc, and while you will see more panhandlers, I've never encountered the level of rudeness and aggressiveness that I have in downtown.

[daboywonder2002]

Originally Posted by Flavia84

Thanks for replies everyone.

So would you say it's a good idea not to walk around downtown on my own after dark then?

In Chicago/NYC/Boston is would not be a problem, how about Minneapolis?

Comparing Chicago and New york's downtown to Minneapolis is like comparing apples and oranges. Downtown minneapolis is most active friday and saturday nights. Other than that, It's a ghost town. In chicago or New york, it's jumping 24- 7/365. Action all the time. I moved here from PHiladelphia. Went downtown on a weekday and it was so dead. If you're thinking let me move to downtown minneapolis to be near all the action, I promise you will be disappointed.

[TheGrandViking]

Originally Posted by daboywonder2002

Comparing Chicago and New york's downtown to Minneapolis is like comparing apples and oranges. Downtown minneapolis is most active friday and saturday nights. Other than that, It's a ghost town. In chicago or New york, it's jumping 24- 7/365. Action all the time. I moved here from PHiladelphia. Went downtown on a weekday and it was so dead. If you're thinking let me move to downtown minneapolis to be near all the action, I promise you will be disappointed.

Actually, I would add Thursdays to that when college is in session.

[Ursicinus]

I agree that the panhandling is annoying, but completely disagree with that being the reason retail is having a hard time. Theodosius is right that the big chains that have closed (or will be closing) recently are mostly to do with the companies themselves contracting. And sadly, until there's enough of a "scene" in downtown Minneapolis, there's not much reason to come down here to shop or eat. Why come downtown to Target if you don't already live here? Why go to the Macy's if there's already one in a mall that's easier for you to drive to? The big hope is that with more "young professionals" moving to Minneapolis recently, businesses will pop up to give them something to do/buy, but right now, it seems like most of them go to Uptown or Northeast for that.

[gweilo845]

The panhandling certainly isn't the sole cause, but it is a big component. It's hard to encourage tourists or people from the suburbs to come downtown when they will have to deal with it and the people in the million dollar condos would rather drive out to other areas than deal with the nuisances.

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

The panhandling certainly isn't the sole cause, but it is a big component. It's hard to encourage tourists or people from the suburbs to come downtown when they will have to deal with it and the people in the million dollar condos would rather drive out to other areas than deal with the nuisances.

They would rather drive up the North Shore probably... and stay at a lodge or resort, or cabin.

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

The panhandling certainly isn't the sole cause, but it is a big component. It's hard to encourage tourists or people from the suburbs to come downtown when they will have to deal with it and the people in the million dollar condos would rather drive out to other areas than deal with the nuisances.

There's a somewhat newer, large dominating development of condos and townhouses right where the freeway(65) ends going into downtown from the south on Grant St and 10th and 65. Condos start around $400k, and the townhomes in the $700k+ range. The townhomes on corner get to look at bums all day panhandling. Imagine paying $800k for townhome and $600 hoa fee monthly to look at bums all day and night!