tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post6905521320872585953..comments2024-03-28T06:21:34.602-06:00Comments on twin city sidewalks: What Could Be More Historic Than Street Life?Bill Lindekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373780012930618768noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post-36682297958664043712013-01-31T14:16:23.841-06:002013-01-31T14:16:23.841-06:00As a resident of Lowertown, I saw the city council...As a resident of Lowertown, I saw the city council saying no to 6th St. sidewalk expansion as the the city saying no to even more construction and I was pleased! My wife and I are moving out of Lowertown soon, so now I'm all for it! :)<br /><br />Seriously though, Lowertown residents have had to deal with a TON of construction over the last few years, I don't think it would be such a bad idea to scale it back just for awhile. The new ballpark is going to be built in front of our building (and windows), right where we currently park. This is the main reason we are moving out of Lowertown. We can't take more of the endless construction and aren't looking forward to the traffic (foot and car) the new ballpark would bring us.<br /><br />We chose Downtown Stp over downtown Mpls, because we wanted and quieter, more peaceful down town experience. Aside from the constant construction we got that. It seems though that the entire time we've been here our neighbors (people and businesses) have been excited about Lowertown, hopefully becoming more like downtown Mpls. I don't get that, because if that's what you want, Mpls is minutes away. Clearly loving our quiet downtown puts us in the minority though. :)<br /><br />Here's a question: What happened to make downtown Stp such a quiet place? When I was a kid (in the 80s and 90s), we went to the Galtier movie theater all the time, my Dad took us to Trick or Treat in the downtown Stp mall every year, my mom's main Dayton's was the one downtown. Schinder's was my favorite store in the world! We ate at the Rudolph's that used to be down here often. It was a pretty happening place my family utilized. Then it seems in the late 90s they just closed everything. Turned the mall into offices, etc. How can a city get rid of so much of what made it vibrant and still expect to be vibrant? It seems as though DT Stp was turned into a deserted place on purpose. Was it? Why?<br /><br />Now the Subway and Chipotle down here close at like 5/6pm. That gives off the impression that Stp wants people to come here and work, then get out. Tee and Amynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post-31067490754912525812013-01-31T12:05:38.047-06:002013-01-31T12:05:38.047-06:00Well said Bill. I'd add that the definition of...Well said Bill. I'd add that the definition of Setback in the St Paul zoning code is as follows: "The distance required to obtain front, side or rear yard open space provisions of this code, measured from the lot line to the above-grade faces of the building." This is of course the standard planning definition, and it is completely irrelevant to spaces within the public right-of-way. If "setbacks" were the official rationale for this decision, then it was without factual merit and should be disregarded by the city council.alexhttp://gettingaroundmpls.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com