59 Comments:
I think all Strib stories should read like this.
I don't think I'm joking.
»» Submitted by »»» rex at 4:28 PM on June 2
that prattle is the most pointless shit i've ever read.
everyone involved should have to send me money for ruining the internets.
"i don't like teal"
"yeah me neither"
"great point"
"burp"
»» Submitted by 8675309 at 4:29 PM on June 2
I really enjoyed the article. Don't ever quit trying.
»» Submitted by Andy Rooney's ghost at 4:45 PM on June 2
The "tepid pansies" remark in the podcast about sums it up.
»» Submitted by eeewww at 4:48 PM on June 2
Honestly, I'd like to see the Nicollet Mall go completely pedestrian. Restaurants could expand their seating and the city/entrepeneurs could make a killing on street vendor permits.
»» Submitted by »»» MLH at 4:58 PM on June 2
I'm with Rex. Every good newspaper should have a place to play it, uh, straight, and a place to tart things up. Come on, wouldn't everyone love to have a forum for trading bon mots and deserved tweaks?
»» Submitted by kristin at 4:57 PM on June 2
Kristin, nobody says the Strib shouldn't try to be witty and pithy. It would just be a lot better if it occasionally succeeded. This little gay bitch session is, at best, a cliche. If this is the best you have to offer over there, maybe I should start reading Kersten with a little more open mind.
»» Submitted by eeewww at 5:06 PM on June 2
touche, kristin.
»» Submitted by »»» mcp at 5:11 PM on June 2
Rex, you are joking, right?
I kind of enjoy it too. It's silly, but that's cool.
I believe the Mall was built using federal funds for transportation... so it's unlikely they'd be able to get rid of buses.
I'm joking that I'm joking that I'm not joking.
»» Submitted by »»» rex at 5:23 PM on June 2
From what I remember from college logic, then you're not joking that you're not joking. You're joking, right?
It's simple algebra, TBartel. You're correct.
»» Submitted by Foster at 5:36 PM on June 2
So, to sum up, I think Rex thinks the Strib's a joke...as it currently reads, that is.
Having spent much of the memorial day weekend in downtown Chicago I say this: downtown Minneapolis sucks.
»» Submitted by »»» kwatt at 6:09 PM on June 2
how can you honestly even try and compare downtown Minneapolis to Chicago?
how about a more fair comparison, downtown Minneapolis to Milwaukee, Indianapolis, etc., which if you've been to any of those cities, Mpls's downtown totally blows them all away.
for the size of the Twin Cities, Mpls downtown is very vibrant and full of tons of arts & energy. i'd take it over many downtown metros (not Chigago mind you).
»» Submitted by kj at 7:43 PM on June 2
Until downtown Minneapolis becomes like downtown Paris, you're going to get articles like this from a THIRD RATE daily newspaper like the Strib.
The Strib is the Nicollet Avenue of Newspapers. Clean, sanitized, soulless. Maybe they see too much of themselves in Nicollet Avenue.
»» Submitted by The Rat at 10:56 PM on June 2
Pardon me, the Strib is the Nicollet Mall of Newspapers. Actually, there's some diversity further south.
»» Submitted by The Rat at 11:04 PM on June 2
i think i just puked in my mouth. that article makes me want to gouge my eyes out.
»» Submitted by grote at 11:19 PM on June 2
This whole "whithering glance" embarrassment is an obvious attempt to to benefit from the alleged success of queer eye for the straight guy. But the only people who admitted to liking that cultural twilight zone episode were amused women. And they don't drive the strib's numbers, so it's already a failure.
»» Submitted by »»» dtester at 8:13 AM on June 3
Oh, that's right, dtester, I forgot that women don't count when it comes to selling newspapers.
How amusing of you to point that out.
»» Submitted by Amber at 11:31 AM on June 3
I don't know. I kinda liked the audio part, at least, though I thought the printed version was overwritten. I don't think it's about the gayness as much as it's about listening to a couple of informed and relatively clever people talk about an interesting topic, and, somewhat refreshingly, be very critical. You don't get a lot of harsh local criticism from the mainstream media. (I usually come here for that.)
»» Submitted by Sancho at 11:56 AM on June 3
Nicollet Mall should definitely ban the bus and go pedestrian. Some of the most interesting observations of and bonding experiences with cities come from walking through their pedestrian-only areas. Seattle, Dublin, Munich, Zurich, London--car-free zones are one reason why they are all memorable cities.
The Withering Glance is purely cringe-worthy.
»» Submitted by Pib at 12:10 PM on June 3
That piece of reckless dribble reeks of pointless, outdated cliche that seriously makes my stomach turn and my eyes water. What is the point of filling people's heads with downtown hate over the color teal and lampposts? We need people down on Nicollet Mall, eating, listening to music, and, um, walking (?) using public transportation (?). Nicollet Mall offers us so much, it's a privilege to have it. Yes, it could use some work, and so could the creative ducts of these two dweebs.
»» Submitted by Molly at 12:22 PM on June 3
Why do they ban bikes at certain times (during the business day, if I recall correctly)?
»» Submitted by Elizabeth at 1:21 PM on June 3
I think "dweeb" would be a promotion for these marys.
»» Submitted by »»» dtester at 2:32 PM on June 3
I guess I didn't see the content of their rants to be much different than the kind of bitching that goes on in practically every thread on MnSpeak. It's entertaining when I read it here, but maybe people aren't interested in that kind of thing from the "real" media.
»» Submitted by Sancho at 3:14 PM on June 3
Dtester -- you don't know much about the audiences newspapers want to attract.
»» Submitted by a reader at 5:19 PM on June 3
Nicollet Mall should definitely go all pedestrian. The Twin Cities don't really have a street like that. I have lived in European cities that feature such streets, and they are absolutely fabulous. Great for people watching, having coffee, etc.
I remember reading that last summer, the busses were stopped for a week or two, and all of the restaurants requested that they be stopped permenantly. However, it seems that the business there think that the busses bring in customers.
Now enough talk, let's do something about this. Would an email to RT Rybak do any good? Who is the best official to contact about this?
Anyone have ideas?
»» Submitted by »»» vlado4 at 5:22 PM on June 3
I'm work on Nicollet and don't see the point of criticizing its street lamps. In fact, I consider myself a visually-oriented person and I've never been bothered by them, or the colors of the "design pastiches." What does bother me and prevent me from eating my lunch outdoors is a combination of exhaust fumes and smokers. If I want "fresh" air, I have to begrudgingly walk the skyways instead of the streets.
Say what you will about Nicollet Mall (and I'll agree that Gaviidae is a bit outdated), but I don't think there is any other part of the city that incorporates varied street performers, street vendors, and a weekly Farmers Market. Plus, we have the newly opened library, the IDS crystal court, a bevy of restaurants, and Neiman Marcus! What more can you want?
Strippers.
»» Submitted by joshy55013 at 6:39 PM on June 3
Dtester -- you don't know much about the audiences newspapers want to attract.
Well since they're all losing money and/or readership, maybe they don't either.
»» Submitted by »»» dtester at 9:04 PM on June 3
"What does bother me and prevent me from eating my lunch outdoors is a combination of exhaust fumes and smokers."
Is it really that bad for you?
Maybe I have some kind of olefactory blind spot or something, but I don't notice it.
»» Submitted by The Rat at 11:57 PM on June 3
Vlado4 - I agree. Pedestrian all the way. I work at a restaurant on the Mall and, no, the buses don't bring in customers. They bring in workers in the morning and take them away at night. A bus-less evening on Nicollet Mall is a wonderful thing. And, by the way, if people (lepetite) has such a problem with the smokers outside, perhaps they'd like to go inside, since the air in there is now smoke-free, just like they like it! Why doesn't everyone just quit their bitching and get down there are enjoy themselves!
»» Submitted by Molly at 12:18 AM on June 3
Well since they're all losing money and/or readership, maybe they don't either.
Once again, Dtester, you've proven you don't know what you are talking about. The vast majority of newspapers still make very healthy profits, and while circulation is down across the board (and still dropping), overall readership is at record heights.
»» Submitted by a reader at 1:48 PM on June 4
Molly, I'm all about supporting local businesses downtown, and on Nicollet in particular. I just find it ironic that I'm not able to get fresh air where I should be getting it - outside. I can't find a place to sit anywhere along Nicollet that's not at most four feet from a smoker. And smoke with food is not an appealing combination.
Lepetite, where should smokers go? Last I checked, smoking cigarettes is still perfectly legal (and government subsidized, for that matter). Yet smokers have been chased out of every building in the metro area. Which is fine. But once people like you start complaining about smokers smoking OUTSIDE, I can't help but wonder where the hell we are supposed to go to smoke?
»» Submitted by a smoker at 1:30 AM on June 5
One thing is for sure. . . it is fun to bike past the car/taxi drunkies and tourists on the weekend straight thru the heart of the city
»» Submitted by »»» sharkleb at 3:20 AM on June 5
Did I question the legality of smoking? This is veering a bit off topic. My point was and is that the combination of bus exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke make eating outside on Nicollet Mall an overall unpleasant experience. I don't see any reason for you to take offense to this. Though I can't help but add that even smokers tend not to enjoy breathing in others' exhaled cigarette smoke, particularly when eating.
If there's no buses on Nicollet, they have to go somewhere. That means they're on other streets. Making life "unpleasant" for someone else.
And for what? How far does the city/government have to go so people can insulate themselves from the quotidian annoyances of having live among other people?
»» Submitted by The Rat at 7:34 AM on June 5
I think the best solution would be to do something like what they have done in downtown Denver. On their equivalent of Nicollet Mall, they have electric trams or buses (can't remember which) which have no fumes, and you can ride them for free. There are transit stations at either end of the free section where you can transfer to regular buses.
»» Submitted by ldfs at 12:00 PM on June 5
Florence, Italy has electric buses in the city center. You hardly notice them as they roll quietly by - fume free.
»» Submitted by Carrie at 12:29 PM on June 5
Nicollet Mall is awful. I mean, other than go to a few restaurants what is there to actual do? The last of the independant record and bookstores are gone. There are no "real" galleries, there is no retail other than national chains that you can find out in any of the 'burbs. What, Field's? Ha, that's going away. Target? Oh boy, fun. My main problem with downtown Minneapolis is there is really almost nothing to do other than spend money. OK, I'll give you the new library, but really, what else is there to do to while away an afternoon? Nicollet Mall seems to exist soley as a place for the cattle-tag wearing cubicle dwellers to go and eat their sad lunches while being pestered by pan-handlers.
No offense to cattle-tag wearing cubicle dwellers.
Sorry for the venting. I really hate downtown. Maybe I should read that article.
»» Submitted by Saloth Sar at 12:48 PM on June 5
"cattle-tag wearing cubicle dwellers."
You must be doing something soooo important that it gives you the ability to look down on people like this. Aren't you fortunate.
»» Submitted by The Rat at 1:36 PM on June 5
Well peavey plaza has lunch time music a couple days a week for the "ctwcd" crowd and it's free. If you don't like downtown you won't come here if Elvis and Frank Sr come back from the dead and sing Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness note for for note on the corner of 7th and Nicollet.
»» Submitted by Mpls Simpleton at 1:43 PM on June 5
Actually I wear my cattle-tag with pride!
But, onto the mall:
Either:
1) turn it into a pedestrian mall and make a northbound bus-only lane on hennepin ave to take up the slack
2) a trolley (not LRT) line down nicollet that could serve as a downtown circulator (possibly turning around via the convention centre and maybe going across the river to st. anthony/main? (after all, it IS in the downtown zone)). This would allow the buses to just pass by the mall and not slow every bus down in the incredibly-slow bus traffic on nicollet during rush hour, but also keep a frequent circulation service for the north-south downtown axis to either transfer between buses or take you to your final downtown destination if your bus doesn't stop close by it downtown
3) bus tunnel? I know seattle is turning theirs into an LRT tunnel now, but that way you still get the exclusive busway, only you can have a lovely pedestrian mall on top of it. Of course I sincerely doubt they'd ever want to pay for such a thing, even if it were only like half a mile of tunnel downtown with a few entrances/exits.
I agree with ldfs -- Denver's model is the one that we should look to.
Having buses on Nicollet is important. Not all of the routes that currently operate on Nicollet need to stay there, but we shouldn't get rid of them entirely, either. Free electric downtown circulator. That should be our future.
As for there being nothing to do... lighten up, please. I was down there this weekend, and I found strolling on the mall, with other citizens, to be a perfectly enjoyable way to spend a summer evening (buses, smokers, chain retailers and all).
»» Submitted by MunsingW at 3:36 PM on June 5
I spent a GLORIOUS night last Friday night on Nicollet Mall. The weather was perfect, and while Brit's gets its share of frat boy, it was a spectacular late afternoon on the rooftop. Then I went downstairs to see a little Alive After Five (with my bro's band...in full disclosure), then back to Brit's for a nightcap. Really. Truly. With good weather, Nicollet Mall was a memorable night. (I do miss the real Nicollet with the Times and Jitters...)
How would a person get around in this pedestrian paradise? Would bikes be allowed? Better not. Bike riders are some of the most reckless drivers.
I guess it would be like Copenhagen or some European city. There, they "bustle." Nicollet Mall would be bustling.
»» Submitted by The Rat at 6:35 PM on June 5
I love the way these twenty-somethings, three years removed from Bumfuck Iowa, or worse, Omaha, Nebraska are urban experts telling us how we should remodel our city to resemble the cities they saw on their ur-pee-an vacation that daddy bought for them with his hard-earned republican-farmer money.
»» Submitted by »»» dtester at 8:25 PM on June 5
They were probably really stoned and, thus, fascinated by Amsterdam, because those trolleys are clunky and slow. And all they warn you with is a little bicycle bell. I bet they kill a lot of strung-out Dutch junkies and drunk, sleazy Germans.
»» Submitted by The Rat at 8:33 PM on June 5
I admit to loving Nicollet Mall. I work there, I enjoy walking around and seeing all the people there, I like Brits, I like The Local. Dakota has awesome food and great jazz. Rossi's is a gem, right off the mall. I like Crate and Barrel, I like the cool jewlery store on the second floor of the Gaviidae, I like the downtown Marshall Fields. The live music all summer is amazing.
I visited Denver recently, I liked the electric buses, but I found their downtown to be far more boring than ours. Massively abandoned retail, few crowds, tons of homeless people. So it ain't all that.
A bus circulator would be fantastic... but as I said earlier, federal transportation money paid for the mall, so I don't think it's possible to make it pedestrian-exclusive. Personally, I'd like to see most of the bus activity moved to Marquette, just a block off the mall.
Hey dennis, you fucking twat, I'm not even from this cold desolate part of the country and I actually spent a good deal of time in school studying urban planning. I traveled to as many cities around the country as I could on my shoestring budget and paid very close attention to what works and what doesn't, so shut the fuck up and get back in your SUV and enjoy your Perkins, you fat retard.
I love the hot sewage odor that Nicollet Mall has to offer. It's especially nice when taking out-of-town visitors downtown. "Uhh..yeah, I know it stinks. Sorry."
»» Submitted by »»» angela at 11:57 PM on June 6
I am a former resident of Minneapolis and the city still tugs at my heart, but that Nicollet Mall needs a serious makeover. The north end of it is especially horrendous to look at. Haven't been back in almost three years, so I can only imagine what improvements the library has made, but if all of those parking lots and garages are still there, it means there's work to be done. The street needs some serious plant life. The climate of Minnesota can be unforgiving, but plants return when the weather warms, so maybe native plants should rule the bland streetscape that is Nicollet Mall. Minneapolis is a creative and vibrant city and the very core of the city should reflect that. Otherwise, it will remain a suburban office worker's 8 hour a day pathway.
»» Submitted by Norman at 1:05 AM on June 9
Hey wayne, you fucking twit, you haven't been on this planet long enough to know what works and doesn't work you limp-wristed mama's boy. I've got more scars than frankenstein and more eagle feathers than you've got toes so YOU shut the fuck up and just be flattered that I even bothered to reply to your sophmoric scribblings. Now go play with your electric choo choos since you can't afford a car now nor anytime in the near future what with that receptionist's job you have downtown. lol
»» Submitted by »»» dtester at 7:05 AM on June 9
dtester should lay off the crack so early in the morning.
Or is it hour 27 of the meth binge? I can never tell, the ranting seems to be malt liquor influenced thou!
»» Submitted by Mpls Simpleton at 8:51 AM on June 9
They don't call her the simpleton for nuthin.
»» Submitted by »»» dtester at 9:22 AM on June 9
That shit be ugly!
»» Submitted by Sean at 4:37 AM on June 11
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