So if you have been actually reading lately, and having enough patience with my lack of posts, then you know that I went to Minneapolis recently and came back completely amazed with everything about the city. I mean the amount of green space they have their, the bike lanes on every road, the cleanliness of the people AND city, along with the incredibly restored downtown areas and just positive attitude about the city made it amazing. Couple that with the great food and culture that they have and I really don't have a reason to not move there except for the freezing winters.
They have a Sears building there that is really similar to ours in midtown. Except there city and community isn't lackadaisical about redevelopment and something actually got done with it that turned out really great. I've included a bunch of pictures of it on here but if you want some more detail just visit this site HERE and check it out. Here is a small excerpt from their site that gives you a little more insight into how the community has benefited from this development...
The two-year transformation of the former Sears property on Lake Street into the Midtown Exchange is complete. As the result of more than 12 years of efforts by neighborhood groups, local government and private-sector leaders, the vacant mega-site in the heart of south Minneapolis is reborn as a vibrant, mixed-use urban hub.
The Midtown Exchange features contain 88 for-sale historic lofts, 219 rental units and 52 for-sale condos; the headquarters of Allina Hospitals and Clinics; a Hennepin County service center; the Sheraton® Midtown Minneapolis Hotel; and the Midtown Global Market, which will be the city's largest public market. The development also includes a new transit facility.
7 comments:
Minneapolis is a much wealthier city than Memphis. Maybe that's why it's so much better. Memphis is poor and getting poorer relative to all our "peer" cities (our true peer cities would be Shreveport or jackson, MS).
I really don't think our true peer cities would be Jackson, MS or Shreveport, LA. Based on size, median income, cultural activities and awareness, and large corporations here in town it seems that Memphis is a much larger city. Now Memphis may be getting poorer, but I still don't think that's any reason lump it in with such smaller markets.
Oh, no way. Shreveport?? Might as well lump Mars and Saturn in there too :)
Maybe Louisville, KY, Nashville, TN, Indianapolis, IN would be better size examples (along with Minn-StP)
Well, to be honest, I was just slamming Memphis by comparing it to those cities. But Nashville is often put forth as a peer city to Memphis, but the truth is, Nashville blew by Memphis about 15-20 years ago. Birmingham is probably the closest thing to a peer city for Memphis I can think of.
I'd love to make a move to a more progressive, wealthier city and leave this dirty, crime-ridden, corrupt craphole behind, unfortunately it will be some 4 or 5 years before I can make that move. The outlook for Memphis isn't good; people and wealth are fleeing and the city will continue to grow poorer and the spiral of corruption and crime will only accelerate that trend. Get to Minneapolis or elsewhere at your first opportunity is my advice. Take care.
The difference between a city like Memphis and Minneapolis can be boiled down to one word. Education. Our community has an average of a 10th grade education and a deeply ingrained culture that says education and self improvement is for sell-outs. I love Memphis, but that is the truth.
Anonymous-
You say you love Memphis but all you are doing is slamming it. If you feel so strongly, why are you posting anonymously, hmmm? Why don't you take your own advice & flee? Or if you truly love Memphis, do something to positively effect it! Instead of "anonymously" posting, which is obviously much easier than actually doing something.
Ryan-
Great post! Yes it does induce jealousy to see other cities change their landscape for the better. But It gives hope to us here & makes me want to work even harder to make Memphis a better place.
the Crosstown Sears can't be demolished because of asbestos, and its cost prohibitive to redevelop the site because of the asbestos.
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