Tom Fisher, Dean of the University of Minnesota College of Design, talks with Steve Berg about change, innovation, and city building – a very provocative piece in light of trying to create a 21st century neighborhood.

http://www.minnpost.com/steveberg/2010/10/25/22660/have_we_designed_our_way_to_disaster_an_interview_with_u_design_dean_tom_fisher?utm_source=MinnPost+e-mail+newsletters&utm_campaign=4967b0adb7-10_25_2010_The_Latest_from_MinnPost_com10_25_2010&utm_medium=email

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

Check out this new train station that is a multi-functional space with a huge park on its roof – its redefining what could be in public transportation infrastructure!

http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/19/new-oslo-central-train-stations-features-massive-rooftop-park/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DesignCorner_feed+%28Design+Corner%29

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

Dutch Incinerator “Cathedral” to Transform Waste Into Energy design of the plant makes the incinerator not just a power station, but also an icon on the horizon.

http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/19/dutch-incinerator-cathedral-to-transform-waste-into-energy/

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

> > With public funding exhausted, Dallas turns to private partners and > TIF to build new rail transit

> > http://www.minnpost.com/steveberg/2010/10/20/22515/with_public_funding_exhausted_dallas_turns_to_private_partners_and_tif_to_build_new_rail_transit?utm_source=MinnPost+e-mail+newsletters&utm_campaign=a5baad4b61-10_20_2010_The_Latest_from_MinnPost_com10_20_2010&utm_medium=email

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

Dear 2020 Partners Members,

There has been a lot of interesting information in the news lately related to city building that could apply to our area.

1. The metro area on Thursday received a $5 million federal grant to plan for development along five transit corridors.

http://www.startribune.com/local/104987654.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

2.Joe Urban has written an interesting piece comparing Portland, Oregon and the North Loop Neighborhood – quoting David Frank – and explains why Portland wins the smack down.

http://joe-urban.com/archive/portland-is-just-a-street-in-minneapolis-the-pearl-district-vs-north-loop-smackdown/

3. The MOMA is sponsoring an exhibition that looks at 11 small scale/ budget projects from around the world which have tremendous positive social implications. The designers understand the place they are building in and the people they are building for – and the arch/urban design proposals, ranging from transit infrastructure to schools, are woven into the city fabric and have great impact on people’s lives.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/arts/design/15change.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=architecture%20&st=cse

Enjoy,

Mary

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

The Minneapolis Riverfront Design Competition has been launched!

RFQ submission deadline: 13 October 2010

Description: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Minneapolis Parks Foundation, along with creative partners The University of Minnesota College of Design and Walker Art Center, are sponsoring a design competition addressing Minneapolis’ Upper Riverfront, the area extending from the Stone Arch Bridge to Minneapolis’ northern city limits, along both sides of the Mississippi River. This project builds on the MPRB award-winning 2000 master plan and is the first demonstration project of The Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s “Next Generation of Parks”—a design-driven vision for a 21st century park system.

The competition will investigate new opportunities for connectivity, sustainability, infrastructure and public space along the upper riverfront and extending into the surrounding neighborhoods.

The competition encourages a comprehensive, integrated approach to evaluating the larger river/park system, creating a vision that: • Establishes parks as the engine for economic development along the river; • Knits both sides of the riverfront together with their surrounding communities, thereby transforming the river from a barrier to a connector; • Re-focuses the city toward one of the three great rivers of the world —the Fourth Coast of the U.S.—an extraordinary environmental amenity that defines Minneapolis’ civic identity, past, present and future.

Awards: Four Teams will be short-listed and awarded $30,000 for design and travel. Winning team will be awarded a commission.

Website: http://MinneapolisRiverfrontDesignCompetition.com

Contact: Mary deLaittre, Project Manager Minneapolis Riverfront Design Competition http://minneapolisriverfrontdesigncompetition.com

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

> > Check out the article on the redesign of Broadway in New York – a > very thoughtful and aggressive transformation of a poorly performing > automobile oriented street into a multi-functional passageway > supporting pedestrian, bike, bus, car and public space! > > http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/nyregion/06broadway.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=broadway%20is%20busy%20with%20pedestrians&st=cse > > > Mary deLaittre > Groundwork > groundworkcitybuilding.com > 612.242.6286 > >

Dear 2020 Partners members,

the next meeting is scheduled for:

Tuesday, 17 August, 2010 5-6:30 Environmental Services Building (ESB)

Also, please see article below. This was a true public/private partnership – the Minneapolis Gateway project (the donut hole) was initiated by 2020 Partners, with the concept developed by VJAA, and the Twins and Minnesota Ballpark Authority did the heavy lifting advocating for the proposal to MNDot. We look forward to seeing the MNDot/Oslund proposed scheme!

> Roadside blight at Target Field: A MnDOT landscaping plan expected > this week > > > MinnPost photo by Steve BergOn Wednesday the public will learn what > MnDOT has in mind for this patch of land. > > By Steve Berg | Monday, Aug. 2, 2010 > > Aside from Carl Pavano’s mustache, the only scruffy patch at Target > Field is the plot of weeds and dirt along Interstate 394 just below > the plaza. The “doughnut hole,” as Twins executives call it, looks > particularly forlorn and neglected sitting next to the architectural > splendor of the new baseball emporium. > > For months the team and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority have > pleaded with The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to > spruce up the eyesore, maybe with trees, flowers and ornamental > grasses. “It’s a priority,” said Twins President Dave St. Peter, > whose attention to detail has made Target Field admired around the > country. ESPN magazine named it the nation’s best sports experience. > > MnDOT, better late than never, will present its landscaping plan on > Wednesday. Expectations are modest, given the agency’s meager > finances, its concrete-only culture and the strict federal rules > that govern highway medians. Trees are next to impossible because, > as any road engineer will tell you, drivers might run into them. > > “We asked MnDOT for something simple, maybe a canvas of ornamental > grasses so that when you look down from the plaza there would be > something that appeared to be intentional and not so kind of > indifferent,” said Tom Oslund of Oslund and Associates, the > landscape design firm that designed Target Plaza and advises the > Twins on the doughnut hole question. > > Tom Sorrel, the state’s transportation commissioner, has been > justifiably proud of MnDOT’s contribution to the design and > construction for the ballpark and its multiple transportation > connections. “I can’t tell you how proud we are of this project,” he > said at the plaza’s dedication last March. He should be prouder once > MnDOT turns its blight into bloom. > > Minneapolis declares two-way traffic conversions a success > When Minneapolis city officials decided last year to return two > major downtown streets to two-way auto traffic you would have > thought the world was coming to an end. Predictions of chaos, > gridlock, lost business and crashes filled the air. > > The city plunged ahead with its plans to convert Hennepin and First > avenues for a good reason: Downtown needs to start feeling and > functioning as a 24-hour community, not just as a funnel for workers > hoping to get in and out as quickly as possible. Especially with the > opening of Target Field, the city wanted to reintroduce itself to > fans as a place to linger, dine and shop, rather than flee to the > suburbs as quickly as possible. So far, so good. > > > MinnPost photo by Steve BergThe new bike lanes and parking > configuration on First Avenue remain controversial, but 96 percent > of vehicles are parking correctly, a new report says. > > A Public Works report issued last week showed positive results for > the project’s first six months. Auto traffic on the two streets is > up is up 2.1 percent (up nearly 7 percent on Hennepin and down 4 > percent on First). Chronically congested intersections have been > reduced from four to two. Bicycle traffic (including new bike > traffic on Nicollet Mall) is up 43 percent. Crashes are down 8 > percent. The new Amsterdam-style bike lanes and parking > configuration on First Avenue remain controversial. But 96 percent > of vehicles are parking correctly. > > There will be modifications in the coming weeks. A number of lost > parking spaces along First will be restored — good news for > complaining merchants. And street markings and better signs will > clarify that Hennepin’s right lanes are to be shared among buses, > bikes and turning cars. > > Still, City Hall has declared victory. “There were a lot of dire > predictions and we took a leap of faith in doing this, hoping it > would be better,” said Council Member Betsy Hodges of the 13th Ward. > “And now the numbers bear that out.” > > The conversion is part of a broader “access plan” emphasizing > transit, biking and walkability as part of the downtown experience. > Now, if the economy improves, it will be up to the private sector to > put housing and jobs on all those unsightly surface parking lots > that still dominate much of downtown. The city is in a holding > pattern, hoping that its work will pay off. > > > Dave St. Peter > President, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club > Target Field > 1 Twins Way > Minneapolis, MN 55403 > Direct: 612-659-3406 > Cell: 612-366-0430 > > > > > IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: Any advice contained in this message > (including any attachments) was not intended or written to be used, > and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of (i) avoiding > penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer or (ii) supporting the > promotion or marketing of the transaction(s) or matter(s) addressed > in this email. Each taxpayer should seek advice based on the > taxpayer’s particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. > > > NOTE: The information in this email is confidential and may be > legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, we > request that you (i) not read, use or disseminate the information, > (ii) advise the sender immediately by reply email and (iii) delete > this message and any attachments without retaining a copy. Although > this email and any attachments are believed to be free of any virus > or other defect that may affect any computer system into which it is > received and opened, it is the responsibility of the recipient to > ensure that it is virus free and no responsibility is accepted by > Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan, P.A. for any loss or damage arising in > any way from its use.

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286

A change in how the Fed’s are doing business – a more comprehensive integrated approach to city building. > > > Monday, June 21, 2010 > DOT No. 122-10 > DOT Contact: Olivia Alair > 202-366-4570 > > HUD No. 10-131 > HUD Contact: Andrea Mead > 202-708-0685 > > > > USDOT and HUD Launch Groundbreaking, Collaborative Effort to Create > Sustainable, Livable Communities > > Joint Effort Combines DOT TIGER II and HUD Sustainable Community > Challenge Grant Investments > > U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Housing and Urban > Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a groundbreaking > collaborative effort designed to help foster planning for more > livable, sustainable communities – places where transportation, > housing and commercial development investments are coordinated to > better serve the people living in those communities. > > Together, the U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing > and Urban Development (HUD), for the first time ever, will join > forces to award up to $75 million in funding – $35 million in TIGER > (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II Planning > Grants and $40 million in Sustainable Community Challenge Grants for > localized planning activities that ultimately lead to projects that > integrate transportation, housing and economic development. > > “This joint effort by DOT and HUD is a giant step toward improved > coordination at the state, federal and local levels and reinforces > the Obama Administration’s commitment to finding better ways to make > government work for people,” said Vice President Joe Biden. > “Together, their investments will strengthen communities by > connecting housing and transportation options, increasing economic > opportunities, promoting environmental sustainability and improving > their overall quality of life.” > > “This is another example of the Obama Administration giving the > American taxpayer a bigger bang for the buck. The winners will be > the people who live in communities and have access to travel options > that better serve them,” said Secretary LaHood. > > “This partnership demonstrates President Obama’s commitment to > changing the way the federal government operates by breaking down > silos and making smarter investments,” said Secretary Donovan. “This > is the first time HUD and DOT have worked together to develop a > joint grant program. For the first time, federal agencies are truly > collaborating with each other to make government work better and > build the kinds of communities where families can prosper.” > > The new program builds on the Partnership for Sustainable > Communities, an innovative new interagency collaboration, launched > by President Obama in June 2009, between the Department of > Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban > Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). > Guided by six Livability Principles, the Partnership is designed to > remove the traditional federal government silos that exist between > departments and strategically target the agencies’ transportation, > land use, environmental, housing and community development resources > to provide communities the resources they need to build more > livable, sustainable communities. > > TIGER II Planning Grants may be used to plan, prepare or design > surface transportation projects that would be eligible for funding > under the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program. These projects > include highways, bridges, transit, railways, ports or bicycle and > pedestrian facilities. > > HUD’s Sustainable Communities funding will target urban and > community planning projects that foster reform and reduce barriers > to achieving affordable, economically vital and sustainable > communities. Such efforts may include amending or replacing local > master plans, zoning codes, and building codes either on a > jurisdiction-wide basis or in a specific neighborhood or sector to > promote mixed-use development, affordable housing and the re-use of > older buildings for new purposes with the goal of promoting > sustainability at the local level. > > These activities, when done in conjunction with transportation > projects, can greatly increase the efficiency and effectiveness > local transportation, and access to it, while encouraging mixed-use > or transit-oriented development. The program will encourage and > reward areas that are planning more innovative projects that > coordinate housing, economic development and transportation > investments. > > There are a variety of projects that may include component parts > that fall under both the DOT TIGER II Planning Grants and the HUD > Sustainable Community Challenge Grants. Rather than have applicants > proceed through two separate grant application procedures that might > be on different timelines and with different requirements, this > joint notice of funding availability (NOFA) is intended to create > one point of entry to federal resources. > > Examples could include the following: > > • Planning activities that support the development of affordable > housing near transportation through the adoption of inclusionary > zoning ordinances and other activities such as acquisition of land > for affordable housing projects. > > • Preparing or amending local codes and ordinances that prevent the > private sector from developing neighborhoods more sustainably and > inclusively, with housing located near transportation and retail. > > • Planning activities related to the development of a particular > transportation corridor or regional transportation system that > promotes mixed-use or transit-oriented development with an > affordable housing component. > > • Planning activities related to the development of a freight > corridor that seeks to reduce conflicts with residential areas and > with passenger and non-motorized traffic. In this type of project, > DOT might fund the transportation planning activities along the > corridor, and HUD might fund changes in the zoning code to support > appropriate siting of freight facilities and route the freight > traffic around town centers, residential areas and schools. > > • Developing expanded public transportation options, including > accessible public transportation and para-transit services for > individuals with disabilities, to allow individuals to live in > diverse, high opportunity communities and to commute to areas with > employment and educational opportunities. > > Under this innovative program, DOT and HUD will make joint awards, > where appropriate, as well as individual TIGER II planning grants > and HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grants. > > The $35 million for TIGER II planning grants announced today comes > from the $600 million in TIGER II grants announced by Secretary > LaHood on May 28. The $40 million in HUD Sustainable Community > Challenge Grant funding is part of $200 million in funding approved > by congress in HUD’s FY2010 budget to launch the first ever Office > of Sustainable Housing and Communities. > > Pre-applications are due 30 days from the publication of the Notice > of Funding Availability in the Federal Register. Full applications > are due on August 23. State and local governments, including U.S. > territories, tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities > and others, are eligible to apply for funding. For more information > on how to apply, please review the notice of funding availability > (NOFA) go to: > > http://www.dot.gov/livability/source/FINAL%20Joint%20Planning%20NOFA%20061810.pdf > > ### > > HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive > communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to > strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect > consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: > utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build > inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and > transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and > its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and > espanol.hud.gov. > > > > > > Briefing Room > > >

Mary deLaittre Groundwork groundworkcitybuilding.com 612.242.6286