Minneapolis signs a $79 million deal to build a transportation hub with the sports stadium in a combined effort.
Hey COJ & JTA, amazing what a little cooperation can do? Are you listening?
Per Trains Newswire:
Deal signed for new Minneapolis transit, rail hub
Published: September 13, 2013
MINNEAPOLIS – Hennepin County and the Minnesota Twins have signed a deal for a $79.3 million rail hub to be built near the Twins' stadium. The plan will add a park, jumbo display screen, retail stores and a public plaza.
The new hub, to be called Target Field Station, will be Minnesota's version of New York City's Grand Central Terminal when it opens next year, Twins President Dave St. Peter tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "All things rail lead to this station," he says, even though Amtrak will not serve it.
The station will eventually be the hub for five rail lines. Two lines use the small station there now: Northstar Rail commuter trains and the Hiawatha Light Rail Line, now called the Blue Line. Another line, the Central Corridor line, to be called the Green Line, will open next summer. Eventually two more light rail lines lines, the Southwest Corridor running to the suburbs now in development as the next line, and the Bottineau Line heading northward, is in public planning discussions.
The expnded station arose from a need for a bigger transit hub both for riders coming to Twins games and the looming convergence of the transit and commuter lines. Rather than a bare-bones, transit-only hub, the county pumped up the project to include retail, parking, a public gathering spot and green space, the Metropolitan Transit police headquarters and potentially privately developed offices above the police headquarters.
In the deal, which has been the subject of closed-door negotiations for more than a year, the Twins and United Properties will pay $3.7 million to the county: $1.75 million in cash, $240,000 to defray the cost of building 250 parking spaces for future office space, $750,000 for a jumbo display screen overlooking the 65,000-square-foot public plaza, and $1 million in unspecified enhancements and features. The team and Metropolitan Transit also will divide operating costs for the plaza, which will include maintenance, security and programming.
Minneapolis is a perfect example of a city that does not operate in "silos." They have invested a lot of money in their new light rail system and along the way worked all kinds of deals with many agencies to make things happen. The City of Minneapolis works well with surrounding suburbs, counties, and St. Paul. The Minneapolis Pedestrian Skyway system is another example of companies and developers working with the city to accomplish one goal.