Should Neighborhood Activists Be Required to Take Logic 101?

Combing through old neighborhood board minutes, newspaper articles, and other documents, one thing is crystal clear: there are a lot of people in Uptown who are, to put it nicely, not taking the time to think things through.

I'd like to give them some credit. Newspapers, minutes, and other written documents don't always give the full story. Things are edited, taken out of context, and can otherwise distort otherwise logical questions. (Remember that scene in My Cousin Vinnie? The one where "I shot the clerk?!?!" became "I shot the clerk" in the courtroom?)

That said, here's another bit from the annals of recent Uptown history. I can't get over this height stuff. I agree that Uptown isn't downtown, but don't think a few tall buildings - done appropriately and in the right context - are going to send the neighborhood free falling into darkness, either. Apparently that opinion is not shared by many of those holding neighborhood board positions.

So, with no additional fanfare, here's some tidbits taken from the reactions to the 2007 unveiling of the as-then still uncompleted Uptown Small Area Plan:

Howard Verson, CARAG President and therefore someone with neighborhood clout, was wearing his height-colored glasses. "Has there been enough discussion about height and character?" he asked in the Uptown Neighborhood News. Um, yes, Mr. Verson, just the MILLION comments that you and the other "height=character" folks have brought up again and again over the years.

Verson then went on to share his logic with the readers of the Uptown Neighborhood News. Verson, no surprise, "doesn't buy" the "concept of taller buildings on a retail basis": "He [Verson] cited Laurel Village, on Hennepin between downtown and Loring Park, as having a poor retail environment and a dead street zone/life. He also noted that the Village Green apartment/retail projects on Lake Street at Aldrich and at Fremont have had a very limited retail success." (Uptown Neighborhood News, June 2007)

So the logic here, broken down, seems to be as follows:

Laurel Village is (sort of) tall.

Laurel Village is boring and has no street life.

Therefore, tall buildings mean a boring, dead street life.

and

Village Green is (sort of) tall.

Village Green has had limited retail success.

Therefore, tall buildings have limited retail success.

Am I missing something? It's admittedly been awhile since I took a logic class. Apparently it's been a few years for Verson, too. If he was in my class, though, those theorems wouldn't pass muster.

Height is but one factor of many in the larger picture of what makes up a successful neighborhood environment. Height should absolutely be factored into any discussion of a new development and its impact on the street, on the block, and on the neighborhood. But it's illogical to write off tall buildings simply because they are tall, or to place Laurel Village's problems on height alone. By focusing so narrowly on one aspect these neighborhood activists - who do, like all of us, want a nice, livable neighborhood (even if we sometimes have different definitions) - run the risk of missing the bigger picture. Or, as the saying goes, of not seeing the forest through the trees. Or of not seeing the vibrant, attractive, interesting neighborhood through the building height.

Filling in the Gaps: Things I Wish Were in Uptown

I might complain about the people who spend their time trying to make Uptown into something that it's not, never has been, and never should become, but that doesn't mean that I don't have my own wish list of things that would make this neighborhood better place to live. The difference, I think, is that my list builds on what Uptown already has, rather than trying to fundamentally change the area and its nature. I think these additions will only improve the neighborhood and boost its already-considerable assets.

So, in no particular order, here's a wish list for Uptown:

1. A Farmer's Market. What's not to love? A weekly farmer's market gives locals the chance to buy fresh, locally-grown food, all while enjoying wandering around outdoors with your friends and family. The best farmer's markets offer something for everyone: fruits and vegetables, of course, but also local soaps, nuts, crafts, prepared foods, and entertainment. They attract a diverse audience, and would be beneficial to all of Uptown's various constituencies. A farmer's market could truly be a community gathering place. Our farmer's market should accept food stamps, welcome and encourage Uptown vendors, offer a broad selection of food, including "ethnic" options, and be open as much of the year as possible.
2. Good Mexican food. Minneapolis has plenty of good Mexican restaurants and bakeries in other neighborhoods - let's get some more taco and burrito options in Uptown itself. I'd like both more authentic cheap taco stand-type places as well as perhaps a more formal sit-down place.
3. A Post Office. It doesn't have to be a full-service place, just a basic substation will do. Remember when Calhoun Square used to have one tucked away in the back? This is such a neighborhood essential - let's figure out how to get one back.
4. A Light Rail Station. Really, is there any need to explain this? The vast majority of Uptown residents want our neighborhood plugged into the larger Twin Cities transit network, and buses alone aren't the option. Let's all cross our fingers (and send some emails) and hope that Uptown gets its much-needed station.
5. A Community Garden. Check out the Dowling Community Garden for an interesting example of how these can work. Uptown - especially apartment-dense areas such as those found in the Wedge and in parts of CARAG - could really benefit from one of these. It's healthy, provides yet more sense of community-building opportunities, environmentally-friendly, and gives everyone a chance to get outside and enjoy the benefits - health, taste, and economic - of growing produce or even just flowers.

This is just a partial list, of course, but any or all of these things would certainly add to my quality of life. Here's to hoping that they all come true.

The Sky is Falling! (Or is It Just Hidden?)

In the spirit of revisiting longstanding disputes, let's take a moment to consider the issue of height in Uptown. Or, more specifically, to address the idea that somehow Uptown's sky is under constant threat of disappearing behind a wall of skyscrapers if it were not for the ongoing neighborhood vigilance.

You may remember a few years ago when a small but vocal group of angry Uptown residents rose up in anger about the proposed Mozaic development on Lagoon and Girard. The building, originally designed to be 13 stories high, had a twisted shape designed to minimize its shadow or impact on other buildings. The location, too, was tucked behind the Lagoon Theater and the Midtown Greenway; it was not exactly towering over local homes.

The problem? Uptown residents - even those living five or more blocks away - were afraid that they wouldn't be able to "see the sky." The building's design became a flashpoint for that year's City Council race.

"I like to be able to see the sky."

-Lara Norkus-Crampton, ECCO resident and

current Minneapolis Planning Commissioner

The great irony of this controversy seems to be that the building was designed in a way to minimize excess bulk and to best preserve views. While not completely up on all of the details of the way the project evolved, my understanding is that the current, approved version is a shorter, squatter design. And again, this building is in the center of the commercial core of Uptown - it is NOT sitting in a residential block or on the edge of Lake Calhoun. It's negative visual impact would be minimal, and to some it would have even served as a welcome addition to Uptown's built environment.

To Norkus-Crampton and her fellow neighborhood activists, however, this fight was about one thing: height. The trend unfortunately seems to have continued. What they fail to realize, or perhaps just simply disregard, is that height is one aspect of many when it comes to good urban design. Unfortunately these sky-is-falling types have focused all of their attention on one element of Uptown life at the expense of the bigger picture. With luck the Uptown Small Area Plan, hashed out after 18 months of meetings, will provide some relief on the height/development argument front, and will allow this upcoming Ward 10 City Council race to move on to other, pressing concerns.

Norkus-Crampton is far from the only Uptowner worried that tall buildings anywhere in the vicinity will slowly but surely destroy the neighborhood. She is, however, arguably the most successful: she was nominated in 2006 by Major Rybak (and subsequently approved) to serve on the City's Planning Commission (noticeably missing from the new Commission was veteran Judith Martin, former Commission President, University President, and all-around urban planning guru. -Seriously, Norkus-Crampton over Martin?!?). I have nothing against Norkus-Crampton personally; I'm sure she's a friendly and an intelligent person and I know that she loves the neighborhood and the city. But her sky-is-falling comments about Uptown's presumably one-slip-up-from-Manhattan skyline and her ongoing concern about "overdevelopment" in Uptown show that she has a massively different opinion on the subject than do the majority of other, quieter, city-loving residents. Unfortunately she and the other loud anti-development types have an inordinate clout when it comes to presenting the public face of the neighborhood's hopes and desires.

Who ARE These People, and Why Do They Live Here?!?

I've been spending more time combing through the Uptown Small Area Plan - both the main document and its appendices. The USAP is a must-read for anyone interested in Uptown. You, like me, might wish you had had the opportunity to fully participate in the formation of the plan, but that doesn't mean that the future of Uptown is a done deal. It's never too late to get involved, or too late to have your voice heard.

OK, enough with the lecture. Let's move on to some of the most intriguing elements of the USAP: the meeting summaries in the appendix. Specifically, to a November night back in 2006. Yes, that's more than two years ago, but most of the same people are still around, and as I've said before, I bet most of them have the same opinions now as they did then. Before getting into the meat of my complaints (expressions of amazement?) let me first acknowledge that diversity of opinion can be a great thing. I think it's wonderful that so many residents and stakeholders came out to express their vision for the future. That said, there's some scary opinions in there - and I think it's an even scarier thing that these viewpoints are most likely held by a small but vocal (and influential) minority.

On November 8 and 8, 2006, approximately 160 people came together to lay out their vision for Uptown. They gathered in groups of five to eight people and together dreamed about the future. They then shared their visions with the group, and through the finalized Uptown Small Area Plan's appendices, to the rest of us.

The Question: What do you want Uptown to look like and feel like in the future?

The Answers: I agree with most of the answers. I won't go into details here (read it for yourself online), but generally people wanted a mix of business and residential offerings, good transportation, green space, a diversity (in all senses of the word), and a sense of distinct place. Some people, however, had some more extreme views. Some of the highlights:

No LRT station in Uptown.

What? Who in their right mind would prefer there NOT to be a light rail station in Uptown? They would prefer to leave Uptown out of the greater long-term train transit grid that will - one hopes - once again cross the city? This wasn't just one group, either; several groups expressed this hope. I think some of these people have some romantic notion of streetcars connecting Uptown with other transit points. I doubt that these residents actually take public transportation themselves. I can't imagine an actual Minneapolis transit rider based in Uptown actually preferring to decrease their public transportation options. I'll have to post more on this later, but in the meantime let me just say that Uptowners need to unite and make one last push to ensure that the next LRT line comes through Uptown.

Dinner and movie destinations close up at midnight on the weekend and 10 pm on weeknights.

Who are these people? Why do they live here? There are many other nice options in town, many of them also in close proximity to the lakes. I certainly don't want an environment where people drink too much, drive drunk through the streets, drunkenly sing as they stagger their way home, or otherwise cause a public nuisance, but this idea that dinner and movies should close up early is crazy. Bonkers. Bad for the neighborhood. I can't imagine that there are more than a few people in Uptown who feel like this, but unfortunately their participation in this exercise probably gives them a greater statistical importance than they deserve. What's next, a ban on dancing?

Uptown is a place that Linden Hills is envious of. [sic]

Ha, I knew it. Proof that there are people in Uptown who would prefer that their supposedly beloved, "unique" neighborhood turn into another Linden Hills. Linden Hills is a wonderful neighborhood. It offers a great deal to its residents and to visitors. It is, in short, an all-around fabulous place to live. So why don't these Uptown residents choose to live there? I certainly don't follow the "if you don't like it you can just leave" model of neighborhood planning; everyone has a right to his or her opinion about where they live, and can and should work to make their visions a reality. But that still doesn't explain why someone would purchase a home in Uptown - knowing full well that Uptown is a busier, louder, more urban kind of neighborhood - and then complain about it.

Linden Hills is not better or worse than Uptown, and Uptown is not better or worse than Linden Hills. The two neighborhoods offer different amenities and lifestyles. They each have their pluses and minuses. Uptown has no reason to be envious of Linden Hills, and I don't know why Linden Hills would ever be envious of Uptown. These are two complementary neighborhoods that, taken together, offer Minneapolis residents (well, those who can afford it - which I have feeling the Uptown complainers probably can) two distinct lifestyle and housing options.

I agree with those who argue that one of Uptown's problems is that local government - in this case the neighborhood boards - do not fully represent the population as a whole. These boards are dominated by older, white homeowners. Certainly many of them do share the interests and opinions of many of their constituents. But others don't. I believe that the boards would be more than willing to open their ranks to those who don't the standard profile. It's not an instance of intentional freezing out of the masses. That doesn't make it any less of a problem, though. It's therefore up to all of us to speak out, become involved whenever possible, and let it be known that most Uptowners moved here because they like Uptown. They like urban neighborhoods. They like public transportation. They like being able to meet up with friends or family for dinner, a movie, even maybe a cocktail (!).

Join your neighborhood board, or at least attend meetings. Read the local papers. Send letters and emails to local politicians. Talk to your friends. Follow the upcoming city council races and demand answers from the candidates. Invite Lara Norkus-Crampton out for a late night beer to discuss planning issues. Uptown is for everyone, and it's time that the silent majority rises up to make their voices heard.

Home, Home on the Range: Where the Beer and the Pizzas Flow

Urban cowpokes will soon have another place to rest their boots soon enough. Cowboy Slim's, the new cowboy-themed restaurant set to open soon in the former Campiello space (1320 W. Lake), is designed to be a "saloon" kind of place, complete with very manly, cowboy grub like steaks, sloppy joes, and fire-oven pizzas - because no self-respecting urban cowboy would hit the range without his very own pizza oven.

I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow

Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how

And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now*

According to The After Midnight Group, the company behind Cowboy Slim's, the saloon's target demographic is 25 and older and includes families. I have no doubt that the people over at The After Midnight Group know what they're doing - their other venues include Minneapolis establishments such as The Cabooze, Sally's Salon & Eatery, and The Joint Bar. It's just that the concept sounds, well, a little tame. Uptown cowboy saloons should come in two varieties: authentic or campy. A place where the patrons wear real boots or spangled cowboy hats. Or, better yet, both. Instead, I'm envisioning a sanitized, Disney-style "saloon" lacking the edge of the authentic and the entertainment value of the kitsch.

I'm thrilled that there is a company willing to invest in putting in a new business at the Campiello location. The last thing Uptown needs is an empty storefront or building. It does bother me, though, that Cowboy Slim's is nearly identical to its planned sister (brother? pardner?) saloon, Cowboy Jack's, scheduled to open soon in a former T.G.I. Friday's space in Plymouth. True, there are supposedly some differences - suburban cowboys get to eat pizza - but there's something disconcerting about the idea of a themed "saloon" that works equally well in Plymouth as it does in Uptown.

I know all the songs that the cowboys know

'bout the big corral where the dogies go

'cause I learned them on the rad-ee-oh*

I wish Cowboy Slim's good luck. I just hope that their cowboy theme is not yet another mass-produced, suburban-style theme restaurant shoehorned into a neighborhood that values the unique. Time will tell. In the meantime, yippie ki-yay and happy trails and all that. Uptowners, go dust off those hats and go get some onion rings.

(*These lyrics, for you non-cowboy or non-cowboy-wannabe types, are from the song I'm an Old Cowhand From the Rio Grande.)

Does Uptown Have a Sense of Community?

One of the charges sometimes leveled against Uptown is that it lacks a sense of community. Could this possibly be true? And if it true, even if only in part, why is that the case and what can we do about it?

I am not a trained social scientist, but I think a few minutes spent reviewing the Sense of Community Index (SCI), an index used to quantitatively study this exact issue, would be worthwhile. You can read the entire document on the Association for the Study and Development of Community's website, but I'll pick out a few questions or statements from the questionnaire for consideration:

"Community members and I value the same things." I think this is a source of tension in Uptown; as I mentioned in a previous post, I think there is a "clash of cultures" at work in the neighborhood. Still, there should be enough overriding big issues - safe streets being at the very top - that we can overcome our other differences.

"People in this community have similar needs, priorities, and goals." Again, I'm not trained in this stuff. I have some questions on this particular point. I think a vibrant community has people of all age brackets, and realistically this means that there will be many different needs, priorities, and goals. I hope that an overall shared goal of having a safe and supportive environment in which to live can unite everyone regardless of age, family status, or personal interests.

"I can recognize most of the members of this community." Obviously this is never going to happen for Uptown as a whole. We should aim to recognize everyone living on our block, and beyond that to recognize or know at least some of the other people that we encounter at the parks, at the stores, at the coffee shops, or just out and about the neighborhood.

"Being a member of this community is a part of my identity." This is true for many Uptown residents; for others the neighborhood is just a temporary address as they move forward in life. At least Uptown is a distinctive, well-known area; we don't need to be worried about people not realizing that they live in Uptown. How important that address is to their personal identities is a bigger question.

"I expect to be part of this community for a long time." This one gets tough - it's easy for homeowners to say this; they have a house or condo, and if they're lucky they have a stable, fixed rate mortgage and know that they'll be around until they die or move off to Florida. It's not so easy for Uptown's many, many renters. Renters may want to stay around for a long time, but at some point they'll face a decision the decision of whether to rent or to buy. Without a broader range of affordable housing many would-be Uptown homeowners are simply priced out of the market. The result is a two-tier system, with homeowners having an incentive to invest in the community while renters face the conundrum of giving Uptown their all yet still having to give it all up if their rent goes up or if they want to buy. Some renters never intend on staying - Uptown is a fun place to live with friends in that post-college, pre-family stage. Others want to stay and raise their families here but don't have much of a choice. I don't know what the solution is (rent control, perhaps?) but do think that the revolving door of renters does impact the larger shared sense of unified community.

I believe that Uptown does have a strong sense of community, but do think that this renter/owner split does need to be addressed. The neighborhood organizations need to continue to reach out to all residents regardless of age and home status, and to make a concentrated effort to bring renters and young professionals into the fold. The powers-that-be need to continue to address home affordability issues. Renters and owners alike need to reach out to their fellow neighbors. Block leaders need to be recruited, supported, and energized - maybe they can help draw people together to ensure that even those who don't attend formal meetings feel like valued members of the community. Together, block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood, we can prove to ourselves and to the city at large that Uptown is overflowing with community spirit and pride.

Uptown's "Clash of Cultures"

I've been going over the Uptown Small Area Plan, a wonderful and comprehensive document produced after many, many hours of meetings, discussions, interviews, research, and a lot of compromises. While the planning process took place a few years ago, the information is still relevant. What's more, the conflicts and opinions expressed are undoubtedly still bubbling away under the surface. One issue in particular struck me while reading the appendices. During the September 11, 2007 meeting, several unnamed committee members brought up what they called a "clash of cultures" in the neighborhood, pitting those "drawn to Uptown because of its entertainment options" against those who "view it as a traditional neighborhood." Thank goodness several committee members pointed out the common sense view that "Uptown can be both."

This "clash of cultures" remains one of the primary issues facing the neighborhood. I have a feeling that if we pulled together a similar group of people today this issue would still be raised. It is, at the heart of it, two ideologically different views of what Uptown has been, and what it could and should be in the future. I have some strong opinions on the matter myself:

The "clash of cultures" should be redefined. While I agree that there are people who are drawn to Uptown because of its nightlife, I heartily reject the notion that these same people cannot appreciate a "traditional neighborhood." I would redraw the two camps between "people who prefer a quiet, less-traditionally urban neighborhood" and "people who want a city neighborhood with all of the associated amenities."

What the heck does "traditional" mean? Who are these people who think that bars, nightclubs, and other "entertainment" options can't have a place in a traditional neighborhood? "Traditional" is purely subjective. And, in the case of Uptown, it's often misused to suggest a mythical past in which the neighborhood was quiet and went to sleep at 7:00 pm. The reality was much richer and more interesting. Uptown of the past offered plentiful evening entertainment options (for both residents and visitors alike) as well as a wide array of daytime offerings like shops, offices, schools, and basic services and amenities.

Uptown residents should be able to enjoy a night out without getting on the bus or in the car. Well-managed nightlife can benefit residents, too. It brings business to the neighborhood, gives local residents some local nightlife options, and keeps people out on the streets at night. The trick is in getting the balance right: Uptown doesn't want drunks puking in yards, revelers singing in the streets in the early morning, or entertainment-focused businesses to push out other daytime retail and service businesses. If done right, Uptowners can walk to the store and the pharmacy during the daytime, then meet up with friends for a drink later that night.

The Traditionalists are anything but traditional. Their vision of traditional is not a good fit for Uptown. Uptown is - and has been - an urban city neighborhood. Minneapolis has many other wonderful options for quieter neighborhoods with nice neighborhood coffee shops and plentiful parking. Linden Hills and Kenwood both come to mind. Uptown used to be a vibrant, around-the-clock kind of place; why not revitalize it back to its former glory rather than shoehorn it into something that doesn't fit?

I grew up watching Sesame Street, reading Jane Jacobs, and visiting cities around the United States and the world. My ideal urban neighborhood has a full range of business and residential offerings. In other words, I want what I consider to be a "traditional" city neighborhood, one that offers something for everyone and manages to blend it all together to serve residents of all ages and backgrounds. The Traditionalists are the ones who are also most likely to start talking about Uptown's "character" and "uniqueness" - why not truly live up to those standards and not try to turn Uptown into another Linden Hills? Many of us want and deserve a safe and vibrant, and dare I say, traditional, urban neighborhood that - gasp - includes some nightlife. It's time for those of us who support this vision (one that is supported by Uptown's history) to stand up and let our voices be heard.