Minneapolis has a golden opportunity to improve its built environment, battle climate change through its zoning code, and create economic value and beauty in its streets and buildings. It is unclear whether the current mayor of Minneapolis, R.T. Rybak will run for a fourth term, but it seems unlikely. Therefore, this golden opportunity can wait for a new mayor November 2013, but whoever that is must place a high priority on establishing a strong urban vision and implementing the tools to achieve it. For the time being, the city appears to be in treading water with regard to hiring a…

Most people associate the term “beer goggles” with an inebriated state of affairs in which a member of the opposite (in some cases same) sex appears more attractive. As an urban nerd, I think “beer goggles” can apply to urban places, as entire cities can look more attractive after a drink, particularly when you are strolling down a sidewalk on a pleasant evening after a nice meal with friends. In the case of the Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub, however, I hadn’t even raised the first pint of Smokehouse Porter to my lips when I gazed out the large windows toward the…

Earlier this year I attended “The Contested City,” a two-day seminar organized by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The event brought together urban journalists and writers from across the country to hear presentations and discuss, among other things, the impact of the Tea Party on urban planning and development, as well as the overall impact of technology on our industry. The speakers and discussion was much more varied, and while I will write in more detail about certain ideas, the following are little nuggets to chew on. Enjoy! “You have to show up” Meaningful business and personal relationships are…

What is going on with East Lake Street in Minneapolis? That’s the question the Longfellow Community Council (LCC) asked me last year when I was tasked with a market study to determine reasons and solutions for a stubbornly high commercial vacancy rate. The answer goes far beyond waiting for retail demand to return and space to absorb. East Lake Street (between Hiawatha Avenue and the Mississippi River) suffers from a variety of systemic maladies, just like any number of aging commercial corridors around the country. The good news is there is a lot of potential, with a corridor vision, attention…