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Cityscape

This coverage is made possible by grants from the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative and The McKnight Foundation.

Cityscape

Cityscape focuses on urban life in our metro area. Topics range from urban design and architecture to transportation, highways, traffic, transit, walking and biking. Cityscape also examines important urban issues — such as real estate development, education, crime, poverty and family life — as well as the arts, sports and entertainment in our community. Marlys Harris, Steven Dornfeld and Steve Berg have contributed to this department.

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Minneapolis' Downtown East redevelopment

Minneapolis' Downtown East redevelopment: Where's Wells Fargo?

By Marlys Harris | 05/15/13

Mayor R.T. Rybak outlines ambitious plans for “The Yard,” but apparently Wells Fargo’s participation is not yet nailed down.

Vikings stadium design is impressive
Cityscape

Practical considerations aside, Vikings stadium design is impressive

By Marlys Harris | 05/14/13

Wondrously, the design architects came up with took a mashing of ideas and became a meshing.

Bottineau LRT: Tiny step closer — but nowhere near a done deal
Cityscape

Bottineau LRT: Tiny step closer — but nowhere near a done deal

By Marlys Harris | 05/13/13

The nearer the destination, the more it's slip sliding away.

What makes people attached to a city?
Cityscape

What makes people attached to a city?

By Marlys Harris | 05/08/13

Katherine Loflin, a placemaking expert, explained the latest research at a gathering in Minneapolis.

Despite predictions of doom, strip malls live on
Cityscape

Despite predictions of doom, strip malls live on

By Marlys Harris | 05/03/13

Strip malls are good places to provide personal-service businesses that neighborhoods need.

lrt station
Cityscape

Central Corridor tracking report: Progress on goals — plus a momentum shift

By Marlys Harris | 05/01/13

The update measures desirable outcomes in such things as affordable housing, business development and "vibrant, transit-oriented spaces."

Pluses and lots of minuses of a new convention hotel in Minneapolis
Cityscape

Pluses and lots of minuses of a new convention hotel in Minneapolis

By Marlys Harris | 04/26/13

A new study by the city's convention and visitors bureau fails to give the hotel a full-throated endorsement.

Go figure: 25% of Twin Cities home buyers paid in cash
Cityscape

Go figure: 25% of Twin Cities home buyers paid in cash

By Marlys Harris | 04/23/13

That’s up from 5 percent in 2006. Individual investors are probably trying to become real-estate moguls.

intermedia arts mural
Cityscape

Counting on the arts as economic drivers is a dicey proposition

By Marlys Harris | 04/18/13

We shouldn't delude ourselves into believing that if we merely concentrate on being hip and art-driven, we will attract a wealthy and educated creative class.

After six years, she finally got Section 8 housing — and then lost it
Cityscape

After six years, she finally got Section 8 housing — and then lost it

By Marlys Harris | 04/15/13

Corinne Lewis is back on a waiting list because of federal budget cuts imposed by Congress.

nyc photo
Cityscape

I love New York, but ...

By Marlys Harris | 04/10/13

A lot of what you can get and do in New York, you can pretty much get and do here.

religious ceremony photo
Cityscape

Isaiah, a coalition of congregations, reminds us foreclosure crisis is not over

By Marlys Harris | 03/29/13

The group hopes to prod the Legislature into passing a bill of rights for people whose houses are in foreclosure.

vikings stadium sketch
Cityscape

Vikings stadium buyer’s remorse? I’ve got it bad — do you?

By Marlys Harris | 03/26/13

Even with its shaky financing projections, a lot of legislators don't want to reopen the stadium issue, but maybe they should think about it.

light rail train
Cityscape

How mass transit influences (in a good way) Twin Cities real-estate values

By Marlys Harris | 03/22/13

When it comes to real estate, there's a new mantra in town: transit, transit, transit.

For now, new Vikings stadium will be surrounded by...parking lots
Cityscape

For now, new Vikings stadium will be surrounded by ... parking lots

By Marlys Harris | 03/20/13

There's hope the grander stadium will jazz up development, but that may be up to the owners of nearby parking lots.

park rendering
Cityscape

From brownfields to greenfields: No easy transition

By Marlys Harris | 03/15/13

I can see this is a problem in Newark, N.J. But as I learned, Minnesota is not so spanking clean either.

Minneapolis apartment development booms, but not in the burbs
Cityscape

Minneapolis apartment development booms, but not in the burbs

By Marlys Harris | 03/12/13

People say they want to live in the suburbs. So why aren’t developers building there?

The great senior sell-off: Our next housing crisis?
Cityscape

The great senior sell-off: Our next housing crisis?

By Marlys Harris | 03/07/13

Will there be enough buyers when aging Baby Boomers want to sell their big houses?

Twin Cities traffic congestion? Eat your heart out, Portland
Cityscape

Twin Cities traffic congestion? Eat your heart out, Portland

By Marlys Harris | 03/06/13

An annual assessment of traffic congestion around the country shows traffic is much worse in Portland than here.

Bike with lights
Cityscape

For safety’s sake, light up those bikes

By Marlys Harris | 03/04/13

It's time for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to step up and make bicycles safer.

How to make sure housing doesn’t bring down the economy again
Cityscape

How to make sure housing doesn’t bring down the economy again

By Marlys Harris | 02/26/13

If you want to know what might be done, this is the document to study.