Secrets of the City

swear to the great almighty, i was about to send up a flare for sarah. especially with this food holiday coming up.

my personal opinion is that crime is much less a factor than economics. the reporters can say what they want, but i remember city center in the 80s/early 90s. crime is down. e block now versus the old block e? crime is way down.

being in the restaurant business is difficult, especially downtown. if places like fridays and olive garden leave it won’t hurt as much as some of the local favorites pulling up their tent stakes and leaving.

if hooters comes in, a place like fridays is done. they’re probably just cutting their losses before it’s too late. anyone remember scotty’s??? first restaurant along 7th at city center. they didn’t make it either. and the corner where solera is. boy has that changed over the years. many will come and go. enjoy what you like while you can…

Bud is curious as to why the poor 40-ish white father of two who got his head bashed in at 12th and Washington a couple weeks ago is not ‘bigger news’.

He was downtown with co-workers and went for a cab home, next thing he turns up dead!

Oh it’s all hush hush, wouldn’t want the suburbanites to know what really goes on downtown…

bud, i’m glad you brought this one up. 12th ave *north* is not downtown dowtown, especially not in proximity to these restaurants. 12th ave no. is in two little pieces. the strib never said where exactly the crime happened, and 12 ave no and washington don’t actually meet. they run near each other at broadway north which is a different neighborhood from downtown.

there won’t be many eateries going in that area that would be lauded in the strib. but that’s another discussion.

Chris is curious why Bud refers to himself in the third person?

I read that article, and laughed out loud. Thought about posting some commentary on it, but decided that it would be time that I would never get back. What a joke!

I mean really& T.G.I. Fridays? Olive Garden? There is no location out in the burbs that does not have an Olive Garden within 3 miles I bet. This stuff is not rocket science. Everyone but our moronic city planners is completely aware of the fact that people going downtown are usually going to one of the Theatres or Orchestra Hall or something. They get to choose between Solera and Cosmos. Tiburon is right near by. Just north, the 112 Eatery and Sapor dish out some of the best food in the region. So, anyone that is paying attention is going to ignore these sad locations.

Sure, many suburban locales have no time for this kind of fine dining. For example, in tony Saint Louis Park, Mojito was closed, and will probably be replaced with a Copelands or similar. It is also true that many surbabanites (and Minneapolis residents) are afraid of the crime downtown. So, that being established, why would they risk their families to eat the banal offerings of Olive Garden?

Aah, good times. Hard Rock Cafe? I hope that you go down next, and take “Block E” with you.

they actually do meet. (according to google anyway)

Honestly, Bud, is cold-blooded murder really an issue next to downtown’s T.G.I. Friday’s location going out of business?
Is 12th and Washington in the warehouse district, or in the West Bank neighborhood? Either way, it’s definitly not downtown.

they do; i stand corrected. that little stretch of road there is a pretty rough neighborhood anyway, which was i was trying to point out.

crime on the north side does not equal downtown restauraunts leaving. never has, never will. i believe it’s a matter of economics not crime.

Downtown sucks. I don’t even bother going there.

patrick. 12th ave no. is north minneapolis. near the tracks and the west bank of the river. but not westbank. not westbank at all. north side. and the other little piece is closer to broadway. true north side. one part is nestled between the freeway and the river, and the other is just on the other side of 94 exit.

this reminds me of course of the original king of wings location. all hail…

It is so obvious to anyone that City Center is a pit. It’s design is so 80s, it doesn’t relate to the street level at all, encourages no pedestrian traffic around it, kids and moron adults that emulate the latest gang-banger rap star hang around it, smells like pot at the entrances, it provides no character to downtown, there are no street level windows. It should be leveled or significantly remodeled. DUH, I wonder why no businesses can make it there.

I think the article was done that way because it’s the perception of crime that’s the issue. There could be tumbleweeds rolling down the streets, but if people think it’s High Noon, they aren’t going to come. Especially if the restaurants are the ones they can find in their burb like the chains that went out of business.

yes. city center is all that. yet i remember parking in that ramp during the 80s. you could pull into a spot facing block e across the street and be right in line with someone’s apartment window. on hot days you could see em tie off and shoot up before you even got out of the car.

this was not a place to go for dinner before a night at the orpheum.

i believe we’ve improved, and i believe that those who appreciate the downtown experience will continue to come down. regardless of what the strib says.

btw, i thought solera was a franchise. am i wrong there?

level city center and make a nice park with underground parking.

waiting for buses after work at 5th and hennepin is often…interesting, and smells herby. and sometimes the space behind the bench by the shubert makes a nice bathroom for some people. seriously, why there aren’t cops walking up and down hennepin between 5th and 9th at all times is beyond me.

Ray, you’re right.

“City Center used to be the center of our scene/ Now City Center’s over/no one really goes there.”

yes… leveling the city center (and, hell, that skyine ruining travesty the Multifoods Building) would probably go a long way to helping the situation out. Then, maybe we can get a REAL restaurant, like cheesecake factory!!!

I hardly think the area in question (Washington Ave) is a rough stretch prone to crime. It’s been filled with restaurants, schools (IPR), coffee shops, and now a bazillion “loft-style” condos. Crime may now find a breeding ground since there are so many fancy cars to break into, and drunk 20-somethings walking home after a night at Brothers.

I recently left the area having lived there for a number of years and agree that Downtown pretty much sucks, outside of a few indie-owned gems. The neighborhoods of Minneapolis are where it’s at – Northeast, South/SE, Uptown, Seward.

i advocate for tearing the thing down or remodeling but I certainly would want to see all the latest chains store opening up in something put up in its place. i can’t see why a somewaht smaller scale type development could not go in. perhaps a bucnh of smaller sq footage storefronts that normal people could afford to rent and sell goods and services. it would encourage a variety of shops, perahps a few small diners. Boston has tons of these and so does Philadelphia. above it could be an office tower or condos. seems like here we have to build white bread big box stores or a massive single purpose office complex. variety would bring pedestrians and keep out the anti-social element. i was in a small city in brasil once and saw cops walking around the city center/plaza area, they were part of the neighborhood. here our cops stay in their cars and we have to spend extra to get them out. what ever happened to “walking a beat”. a few more street performers, hell, even a vagrant or two around isn’t bad. it’s the anti-social element that needs to go.

The reporting is pretty solid, I feel. The line “Some blame Hennepin Avenue’s notorious crime problems” is merely a tease to keep you reading deeper into the article. There you will find decent crime statistics.

I live in Savannah, Ga., where crime is a huge issue – and the perception of crime is an even bigger issue. At one point our murder rate rivaled NYC. I feel safe, but people who are gentrifying the city don’t.

Here’s my question that the Strib reporter stepped around: Is the perception of crime in that area of Hennepin (especially around the bus stop) based on race?

The Hold Steady song has already made me wonder, though … so, City Center actually was relevant once? And when, and why? I know these questions might be beneath a lot of you natives, but as a transplant (class of 1999) I probably speak for a few other readers who have no idea as to the history of the building. I’d be interested to hear what vital old-school City Center Craig speaks of.

By the way, while the outside of City Center is still way dated, those of you who say the same thing about the interior probably just haven’t been there in a while (can’t blame you).

i meant I would NOT want to see the latest chains opening

in the 80s city center was the first big fix that happened down in that area. block e sat unattended for a long time. the nw corner of 7th was shinders. also northern lights was on the southwest corner. there were artists and dancers headed for rifle sport and hennepin ctr for the arts, creepy walgreens at street level on the ne corner of 6th & hennepin. they were local shops. city center was a mall, and a hangout. it attracted a lot of different characters and youth. no one really went there for the restaurants that was young. scottys on 7th was sort of an art deco restaurant on the first floor, not for young people though. it was a downtown hangout mall. particularly in the evening. and you could hang out on the streets after being thrown out. because there wasn’t much going on along hennepin ave between 5th and 9th in terms of policing. it was street hustle until the late 80s early 90s.

btw, that crime element never left the 12th ave no. area–they just stick out more now due to gentrification.

Dear Arguably:

Bingo!

Is the perception of crime in that area of Hennepin (especially around the bus stop) based on race?

I think most of the fears in the downtown area are based on race.

I’m guessing from the majority of the posts that most have not been back into City Center in the last few months. The inside is nice now and there are some businesses opening up again. There is a decent Greek lunch spot, Au Bon Pain, a UPS store, dry cleaners and a nails place.

I remember going to city center in the roaring 80’s. It was one of the only places with a Sbaro before Arby’s rolled them out everywhere. They had THE food court of downtown before the once at Gaviide opened.

It still has alot of open spaces inside. I’m still all for the Nankin to reopen.

What I fear most is all those Target employees. They’re scary!

You’re telling me, Rex.

Dear Obviously:

Can you enlighten us further?

I think we are getting somewhere.

Maybe that dude was killed by a Geek Squad employee?

I hate those guys.

Oh no you dih-ent! My husband is a double agent for the Geek Squad and it is about the hottest thing ever.

it the hip-hop gang banger people. some are white, black, brown, yellow….

they don’t go to the restaurants, they aren’t in the stores, they don’t go anywhere except hang out and act tough to keep up some sort of twisted image that they is worth something. they just walk around with nothing to do except deal drugs or act like they deal drugs. noone wants to be around them.

people that act that way have been sold the biggest bag of #$@& by MTV hollywood etc..

Geek Squad was cool until they sold out to… er…. got bought out by Best Buy.

no bud and obviously are right. i just didnt wanna be the one to say it. i wish it weren’t so.

what Mpls Simpleton said… city center has been undergoing a massive renovation for well over a year now. maybe 18 months. the ‘mall’ area was was basically gutted down to the frame of the building. the inside is all nice and high class and stuff now. much less retail space, much more business/office space. it’s funny more people didn’t know that. everyone must be at southdale hoping nobody recognizes them.

Did anyone see the article about the lady who thinks downtown St. Paul is too bright? I lauged when I thought about the two together. St. Paul too bright. Parts of Hennepin, too dark, so people are afraid to go there.

These are our cities.

jeanfid: No, no, Solera is definitely not a franchise. It’s a Thoma & McKee incarnation. And a fabulous one.

Yeah I saw the St. Pauls too bright thing. Geez lady, get some damn shades then! Bare (huge) windows, of course light gets in.
She has a great view in the daytime I bet. Lots of sunlight. I would love to live there. I thought to myself, what a bitch. Complaining about something so fucking dumb and she gets a front page. WTF?

City Center? Fun place to skip school in the early 90’s There was that hidden stair well which put you out on Nicolett ave.

Block E? Theres a great photoshop challenge. Redesign the ground floor.
$**@! Yes! Thats how all our city development should be done. Collective photoshop speculation!

Why do these people think they can just whine and get whatever they want? The people who lived in the Rosmore before (Artists) never got a front page for complaining.

Today the Strib reveals the “Downtown 33″, a list of fine citizens
who cause lots of ‘nuisance’ crimes downtown.

Too bad they didn’t list their names and, ahem, ‘places of origin’.

(Hint: unlikely that they are from ‘around here’ if you know what I mean).

Solution: Like errant raccoons, live trap ‘em and transport ‘em out of town to be released.

We taxpayers have served up over $700 grand to come this far….

they listed one. cook. read again? thought of you bud when i read that article.

Thanks for thinking of me.

Yes, they listed one ‘token’ miscreant.

Where is the whole list?

How about some photos?

That way we can ’steer clear’ if we recognize a potential nude fountain bather….

Re: The too bright St. Paul signs.

Yes, people are probably over-reacting and they should have known what they were buying into.

But.

Why does St. Paul allow signage on their downtown buildings? It makes the city look cheap, frankly. Minneapolis has been pretty dilligent about not allowing this type of signage (although I’ve noticed that the Lutheran Brotherhood — err — Thrivent for Lutherans now has a large illuminated sign on the ass of their building).

I’m all for the historical neon signage (i.e. Gold Medal Flour, Pillsbury, and Grain Belt), but we ought not allow new signs to proliferate.

hey munsingW luv the double standard
historical OK
New business not OK
gimme a break!