Minneapolis Citywide WiFi Not Getting Rave Reviews

Over on the Minneapolis Issues Forum, there is a long thread (for that forum, anyway) about the Minneapolis Citywide WiFi network being built out by USI Wireless, a subsidiary of US Internet. The long and short of it seems to be that the node density needs to be at least twice what USIW has built it out to, people are frustrated with their lousy connectivity and the requirement to purchase or rent a Ruckus router/adapter, the promised Minneapolis Civic Garden is a nonstarter and folks are canceling their service.

I've been considering signing up and relieving myself of my Comcast bill, but this information doesn't encourage me to do that at this time. YMMV.

Blast from the Past: Urban Guerrillas

On the Minneapolis Issues Forum, Dean Carlson posted about a local band that he used to listen to in the mid-1980s -- Urban Guerrillas. I also witnessed some of that band's complete debauchery, with its lead singer, Larry Sahagian, regularly outdrinking most of his audience and preferring to sing table-top rather than on stage. Other stories about UGs included that they were the musical act at Highland Park High School's winter dance circa 1982 and were asked to leave mid-show due to some bad behavior.

Apparently Dean and his friend, Timmy the Freak, are trying to collect remembrances of UGs as well as any mp3s that may be out there (which would've had to have been transferred from vinyl). They've started a Myspace page (of course) for fans of UGs. So if anyone has word of what's up with the former members of UGs or any fond remembrances, get in contact via the Myspace page. There's also a post on Dean's (?) blog with some great comments about the band.

Shimmy shimmy coco-pop, y'all.

St. Paddy's Day Parade Downtown Mpls Tonight

It's almost time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Minneapolis. The Parade is Monday March 17th, 6:30pm on the Nicollet Mall, line up to begin at 6pm. More info available at the St. Patrick's Day Association of Minneapolis website, including a list of sponsoring pubs.

Off-Topic: Mary Ann Caught Smokin' Dope

Well, not actually caught smokin' dope -- but TV's Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island, was nailed by the Teton County, Idaho, sheriff's department with a couple of roaches and "two small cases used to store marijuana." According to the Yahoo article, "[s]he was sentenced Feb. 29 to five days in jail, fined $410.50 and placed on probation after pleading guilty to one count of reckless driving." I don't know why I get such a kick out of a 69-year-old TV star getting busted for doobage, but I will say that I thought Mary Ann was way hotter than Ginger when I was a baked teenager watching those old reruns.

Meet a Farmer on Sunday

Straight from the Strib's Counter Intelligence column:

Farmers who will be offering shares in their crops in the form of community-supported agriculture (CSA) will be part of a fair on Sunday at Let's Cook, 330 E. Hennepin Av., Minneapolis (www.letscook.com), in a collaborative effort with the Mill City Farmers Market and the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market. The free event includes mini-talks about the CSA concept; those talks will be held every hour, on the hour, from noon to 4 p.m. The fair includes representatives of 11 farms.

Go, support local farms and eat healthy in 2008!

Big Plans for the Parkway Theater

Lots of new news on the Parkway Theater (which is now called Pepito's Parkway Theater, according to the website):

Renovations have begun, and just this week they brought in some University of Minnesota students to design murals on the interior walls, which an insider tells me will look fabulous when they are complete.

They've got the finals of the 48th Street Poetry Slam this Saturday, March 8, at 9:30pm.

They're currently playing award-winners Taxi to the Darkside (Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature) and La Vie en Rose (Academy Awards for Best Actress and Best Makeup), along with a Saturday matinee of the original Charlotte's Web (1973, featuring the voices of Debbie Reynolds, Paul Lynde and Danny Bonaduce, among others).

The Parkway will be a Fringe Fest site for 2008, so you can see some of that Fringe-y goodness at 48th and Chicago.

And at some point this spring, it sounds like they will be featuring live comedy, perhaps on a weekly basis. The folks behind the Parkway are committed to making it a multi-use arts space, so they will be hosting films, theater productions, and live performances. And keep in mind that you can take your drinks from next-door Pepito's into the theater.

Meat Raffles!

Tom Horgen writes up meat raffles for the Strib, though oddly he focuses first on a meat raffle in Golden Valley (?!? -- at least it's at the American Legion) and then on the kitschy "Risk Your Meat" event at Grumpy's in downtown. The saving grace of the article is a list of Nordeast (and other) bars that hold meat raffles. While not comprehensive, it is a pretty good list. I've won meat at Jimmy's and the 1029, and I was gratified to see that the Rail Station (nearest bar to me physically) has a meat raffle, which I didn't know.

Just thinking about all that yummy pork, beef, chicken (and, apparently, at Grumpy's meat raffles, lamb, rabbit and other goodies from Clancey's (here's a City Pages article that includes info on Clancey's)) gives me the meat sweats. Mmmmmm, meatily delicious.

Fire Arts? Yes, We Will Have Fire Arts!

Saw a nice post on the Minneapolis Issues Forum about something called
The Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center (CAFAC). I was pretty sure that "Fire" was a typo and that the poster meant "Fine," as in The Chicago Avenue Fine Arts Center, but NO! I was wr-wr-wr-incorrect. Turns out that the building that used to be the Nokomis Theater at 3749 Chicago Avenue South, which now houses Wreck Bros. Auto Body, will be converted into the CAFAC through Neighborhood Revitalization Plan funding and the work of committed community organizers. According to the website, it will be focused "on fine and industrial art forms that are produced by heat, spark or flame, including sculptural welding, blacksmithing, glasswork, jewelry making, electronics and others. The umbrella term for these forms is 'fire arts.'" I did not know that.

Here's where you can get involved and help make it happen:

CAFAC will be holding a fundraiser and informational event at:

Bancroft Elementary School - Old Gymnasium
1315 East 38th Street
Thursday, March 13th from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

So, go! And get your fire arts on!

Oak Street Cinema's Days are Numbered

Strib reports that the Oak Street Cinema will likely be torn down after the MSP International Film Festival ends in early May. The Film Festival's website is still under construction for the 2008 Festival. While I'm sorry to see it go, I can't say that I spent a lot of time there in the last few years. With the Riverview Theater (note the snazzy new website design), the Parkway (now owned by Pepito's owner Joe Senkyr Minjares) and others making a go of it on a shoestring, I'm not sure why Oak Street has been mired in trouble for so long. There were a flurry of articles in early 2006 about Oak Street's troubles, then not much new news. Now, it looks like it could be the end.

Great Site on Mpls Condos/Downtown Living

Ok, remind me to check with this guy before I ever post anything again about condos in Minneapolis and/or living in downtown Minneapolis. Minneapolis Guy is Matt Loskota, an Edina Realty manager in downtown Minneapolis. He knows the downtown market, especially condos. Check out this Condo Count Report for all the deets on any townhouse, loft or condo building in or near downtown.

Some interesting information in the report:

(1) If I'm reading this right, there were about 3,000 units (townhomes, lofts and condos) in 30 buildings downtown before the recent building boom. The building boom added 4,700 units in 50 new buildings, for a total of 7,700 units in 80 buildings. In addition, there are about 500 units in 11 buildings near downtown, for a total of 8,200 units in 91 buildings. That's more than I would've guessed.

(2) There are plans for an additional 3,000-4,000 units (I thought I had heard 4,000 somewhere -- maybe in the forums at Minnescraper? -- but I'm not sure where). None are beyond the planning stage right now, but if they all were built, that would bring the total units to between 11,000 and 12,000 total in and near downtown Minneapolis. Wow.

(3) If 2008 absorption rates follow 2007 rates, there are approximately 11 months of previously owned inventory on the market now. I'm no real estate expert, but given the predictions for the economy, I have to believe that the 2008 absorption rate will be slower than 2007, so I'm guessing there is at least a year of inventory out there. In addition there are 2 years worth of newly built inventory available. That's a lot of units available, so I'm guessing the list of cancelled projects will continue to grow, and there will also be some projects that change from condo to rental or from residential to commercial. Already, that's what's rumored to be happening with a project in my neighborhood, 46th and 46th, where construction stalled last spring. Apparently the former luxury condo development will now be luxury rental development.

(4) There are 3,293 units in the Proposed Projects list, in 13 projects. At this point, it appears that 130 of those units are sold, leaving about 3,150 units in the proposed stage. That's a lot of units waiting for commitments. I'll be surprised if half of those actually get built.

This is a great list, and a terrific resource if, like me, you're interested in the downtown residential real estate market. I'm definitely going to follow the Condo Count Report every month. Nice work, Minneapolis Guy!

Dancing Ganesha: New Indian Restaurant Downtown

According to the Downtown Journal, a new Indian restaurant called Dancing Ganesha will be going into the space formerly occupied by Willy's Wine Bar at 11th and Harmon Place. The small blurb says the owner of the new restaurant also owns a vegan restaurant in Columbia Heights, which I assume means that the owner of Udupi, a well-regarded vegetarian South Indian restaurant at 4920 Central Ave. NE., will be behind Dancing Ganesha.

I was sad to see Willy's go, but every time we were in there it was empty. They had a small but good selection of wines by the glass and a nice menu to accompany the wines, but the location is just a bit too out-of-the-way for that particular crowd. Better luck to Dancing Ganesha!

Another Downtown Condo Project Canceled

Downtown Journal reports that David Bernard Builders, a division of Rottlund, has terminated its development agreement with the City of Minneapolis and given up rights to a parcel of land along the riverfront, near the Guthrie Theatre. Here's the meat:

David Bernard Builders, a division of Rottlund Co., needed to sell 40 percent of the proposed 107 units to secure construction financing. The five-story project netted 16 sales and four reservations, and the sales center closed in the spring of 2007 after a little more than a year on the market.

The developer held on to the land rights for nearly four years before dropping redevelopment plans in January.

Michael Noonan, division president of Rottlund Homes, said one factor in the decision to cancel the project was city officials’ desire to designate about 30 feet along Chicago Avenue for open space that would preserve a view corridor to the Guthrie. He said they parted ways when the city refused to allow Rottlund to extend the development contract at no additional cost.

Crowther said the city does not have any immediate plans for the site other than to keep it clean and maintain the grass the developer has planted. She said city officials might offer the property back to the market in the future, but they have no plans at the moment.

This is the third lot on the riverfront that a condo developer has returned to the city. Brighton Development suspended plans last fall for the Portland, a five-story condo building at South 2nd Street and Portland Avenue, as well as Washington Live-Work at the corner of Portland & Washington, a site initially slated for condos and then commercial space. City staff have said they plan to eventually bring those sites back to the market for redevelopment.

Man, this condo shakeout was easy to predict. I think I read somewhere (but can't find the link now) that more than 4,000 new units were planned to be built between 2005 and 2010 in Minneapolis. No way that kind of condo development could be supported even in boom times -- this is a single-family housing kind of town. But for those of us who would enjoy the urban appeal of a downtown condo, it might be good news a couple years down the road, as it appears the condo market has already reached saturation.

Another Bad Aspect of the Farm Bill

The institutionalized mendacity of the farm bill has been documented many places, but a Minnesota farmer has gotten another swipe in, in the New York Times, no less. Jack Hedin, a small fruit and vegetable farmer in Rushton, MN, has an op ed in Saturday's NYT decrying the influence of the large national fruit and vegetable growers, who have built into the new farm bill significant legal barriers to entry for smaller farmers.

For more on the farm bill, here's a link to a blog by Phil Fraas, a Washington agricultural attorney and veteran of six previous Farm Bills.