HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-28 Planning Commission Special Work SessionAg enda
Planning Commission Work Session
City of E dina, Minnesota
Com munity R oom, E dina City Hall
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
5:00 PM
I.Ca ll To Ord er
II.Roll Ca ll
III.Zonin g Ord ina n ce Am en d m ent – First Floor Ceilin g Height & Bu ild ing
Tra n spa rency on Fron t Facing Facades
IV.Adjournm en t
The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public
process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing ampli&cation, an
interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861
72 hours in advance of the meeting.
Date: F ebruary 28, 2024 Agenda Item #: I I I.
To:P lanning C ommission Work S es s ion Item Type:
F rom:C ary Teague, C ommunity Development Director
Item Activity:
Subject:Zoning O rdinanc e Amendment – F irst F loor C eiling
Height & Building Trans parenc y on F ront F ac ing
F acades
Disc ussion
C ITY O F E D IN A
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
A C TI O N R EQ U ES TED:
No action requested.
I N TR O D U C TI O N:
T he P lanning Commission is asked to begin discussion to consider a potential Z oning O rdinance amendment
regarding the C ity’s current regulations regarding first floor ceiling height and building transparency on front facing
facades.
AT TAC HME N T S:
Description
Staff Memo
Draft Ordinance Amendment
Southdale Design Experience Guidelines
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
City Hall • Phone 952-927-8861
Fax 952-826-0389 • www.CityofEdina.com
Date: February 28, 2024
To:
Planning Commission
From: Cary Teague, Community Development Director
Re:
Zoning Ordinance Amendment – First Floor Ceiling Height & Building Transparency on
Front Facing Facades
The Planning Commission is asked to begin discussion on a potential Zoning Ordinance
amendment regarding the City’s current regulations on first floor ceiling height and building
transparency on front facing facades. When discussing the Commission’s 2024 Work Plan, this
was an Ordinance Amendment that was suggested. Staff has drafted an Ordinance as a starting
point for the discussion. Issues for consideration include eliminating the requirements altogether
as they can be considered in the Design Experience Guidelines or reducing the standards.
The current zoning regulations were adopted in late 2020 and came from recommendations in
the Southdale Design Experience Guidelines. (See page 16 in the attached Southdale District
Design Experience Guidelines.) However, since the ordinance went into effect most
development proposals have either requested a variance from them, or requested flexibility from
the standards through the PUD, Planned Unit Development Process. Issues raised with the
current regulations by Planning Commission, City Council and developers include the standards
run contrary to the City’s sustainability goals regarding energy efficiency in buildings, causes
buildings to be taller, don’t work for residential projects, adds expense to buildings.
Below are examples from recent projects and how they did or didn’t meet the standards.
Project 20 Foot 1st Floor Ceiling Height 75% Transparency
7300 Metro Dental
Sketch Plan
13 feet 60-75%
Edina Fire Station 11 feet 45%
Eden 100 Apartment 13 feet 75% Commercial
40% Residential
First Natl Bank 13 feet 60%
7200-7250 France 16 feet 75%
Aeon 76th 10 feet 30%
Maison Green 12 feet 50%
Minnesota Made
Hockey
20 feet 75%
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
From the Comprehensive Plan regarding design guidelines:
i. Building Placement and Design. Where appropriate, building facades should form a
consistent street wall that helps to define the street and enhance the pedestrian
environment. On existing auto-oriented development sites, encourage placement of liner
buildings close to the street to encourage pedestrian movement.
ii. Locate prominent buildings to visually define corners and screen parking lots.
iii. Locate building entries and storefronts to face the primary street, in addition to any entries
oriented towards parking areas.
iv. Encourage storefront design of mixed-use buildings at ground floor level, with windows and
doors along at least 50% of the front façade. In some cases, much higher window coverage
may be appropriate.
v. Position buildings to fit with their existing and/or planned context by facing and
complementing adjacent streets, parks and open spaces.
vi. Locate and orient vehicle parking, vehicular access, service areas and utilities to minimize
their visual impact on the property and on adjacent/surrounding properties, without
compromising the safety and attractiveness of adjacent streets, parks, and open spaces.
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
Existing text – XXXX
Stricken text – XXXX
Added text – XXXX
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-__
AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT REGARDING FIRST FLOOR BUILDING HEIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY
THE CITY COUNCIL OF EDINA ORDAINS:
Section 1. Sec. 36-10 – Definitions is amended to add the following:
Floor to floor ceiling height (ground or first floor) shall be measured from the top of the
first-floor slab to the underside of the floor slab above. Open web joists and similar
designs shall not be counted in the floor-to-floor height.
Section 2. Sec. 36-579. (3) – Special Requirements (POD Zoning District) is amended as
follows:
(3) Building design and construction. In addition to other restrictions of this section and
article III of chapter 10, the use, construction, alteration or enlargement of any building
or structure within the Planned Office District shall meet the following standards:
a. All new front building façades in the district that face the public realm (public
streets or public accessible easement areas) must have seventy five percent (75%)
fifty percent (50%) transparency (ability to see inside the building) at the ground
level. Transparency is measured at a height of 5.5 feet above grade along the
front building façade.
b. The primary building material on front building facades on the first vertical 60
feet of a building above grade that face public streets or public accessible
easement areas shall use brick, stone and/or glass. All facades on the first vertical
60 feet of a building (above grade) shall use natural materials (brick, stone) facing
the public realm (streets, parks, sidewalks).
c. No building façade shall be longer than 200 feet without changing direction by a
minimum of 90 degrees.
d. First floors must have a minimum ceiling height of 20 feet.
de. All subsequent additions, exterior alterations and accessory buildings constructed
after the erection of an original building shall be constructed of the same materials
as the original building and shall be designed in a manner conforming to the original
architectural design and general appearance.
Section 3. Subsection 36-618, Special requirements in the PCD Zoning Districts is amended
as follows:
Sec. 36-618. - Special requirements.
(11) Building design and construction. In addition to the other restrictions of this
section and article III of chapter 10, the use, construction, alteration or
Existing text – XXXX
Stricken text – XXXX
Added text – XXXX
2
enlargement of any building or structure within the Planned Commercial District
shall meet the following standards:
a. All new front building façades in the district that face the public realm (public
streets or public accessible easement areas) must have seventy five percent
(75%) fifty percent (50%) transparency (ability to see inside the building) at the
ground level. Transparency is measured at a height of 5.5 feet above grade
along the front building façade.
b. The primary building material on front building facades on the first vertical
60 feet of a building above grade that face public streets or public accessible
easement areas shall use brick, stone and/or glass. All facades on the first
vertical 60 feet of a building (above grade) shall use natural materials (brick,
stone) facing the public realm (streets, parks, sidewalks).
c. No building façade shall be longer than 200 feet without changing direction by
a minimum of 90 degrees.
d. In mixed-use multi-story buildings, the ground level first floor must have a
minimum floor to floor ceiling height of 20 12 feet. Floor to floor ceiling height
is defined in Section 36-10.
e. Exceptions may be made to a-d above for an affordable housing project that
has over 50% of the units considered to be affordable housing as defined in
Section 36-612 (1).
f. All subsequent additions, exterior alterations and accessory buildings
constructed after the erection of an original building shall be constructed of
the same materials as the original building and shall be designed in a manner
conforming to the original architectural design and general appearance.
Section 4. Subsection 36-644, Special requirements in the PID Zoning District is amended as
follows:
Sec. 36-644. - Special requirements.
(4) Building design and construction. In addition to the other restrictions of this
section and article III of chapter 10, the use, construction, alteration or
enlargement of any building or structure within the Planned Industrial District shall
meet the following standards:
a. All new front building façades in the district that face the public realm (public
streets or public accessible easement areas) must have seventy five percent
(75%) fifty percent (50%) transparency (ability to see inside the building) at the
ground level. Transparency is measured at a height of 5.5 feet above grade
along the front building façade.
b. The primary building material on front building facades on the first vertical
60 feet of a building above grade that face public streets or public accessible
easement areas shall use brick, stone and/or glass. All facades on the first
vertical 60 feet of a building (above grade) shall use natural materials (brick,
stone) facing the public realm (streets, parks, sidewalks).
Existing text – XXXX
Stricken text – XXXX
Added text – XXXX
3
c. No building façade shall be longer than 200 feet without changing direction by
a minimum of 90 degrees.
d. First floors must have a minimum ceiling height of 20 feet.
de. All subsequent additions, exterior alterations and accessory buildings
constructed after the erection of an original building shall be constructed of
the same materials as the original building and shall be designed in a manner
conforming to the original architectural design and general appearance.
Section 5. DIVISION 2. - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO ALL DISTRICTS EXCEPT
AS OTHERWISE STATED is amended to add the following:
Sec. 36-1276. – Setbacks in the Greater Southdale District
(c) All new front building façades in the district that face the public realm must have seventy
five percent (75%) fifty percent (50%) transparency (ability to see inside the building) at
the ground level. Transparency is measured at eye level horizontally along the front
building façade.
Section 6. This ordinance is effective immediately upon its passage.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Published:
Attest
Sharon Allison, City Clerk James B. Hovland, Mayor
Greater Southdale District
Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
Table of Contents
A. Preface
What are Design Experience Guidelines?
1. Introduction page 1
Placemaking Through the Lens of Experience
2. The Vision pages 3-5
The Greater Southdale District Experience
3. The Framework pages 7-11
The 200’ x 200’ Grid
Street Rooms and Seams
4. The Guidance pages 13-35
Public Realm Experience
Transitions and Connections
Street Room Typologies
5. Implementing and Measuring Experience page 37
Ten Things to Remember
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page c
APreface
What are Design Experience Guidelines?
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page A1
For nearly four years, a Work Group comprised of Edina residents and
business leaders contemplated the future evolution of the Greater
Southdale District, using the notion of “experience” as the foundational
element from which to shape the district over the next 50 years. The
first phase of the Work Group’s efforts consisted of developing Working
Principles that would guide the group’s efforts into subsequent stages
as well as suggest a dialog for considering new introductions within
the district. Phase Two translated these principles into an urban design
framework plan that proposed enhanced connections across existing major
streets, introduced a new block framework to encourage walkability, and
posed design strategies to create an improved public realm and promote
higher quality, pedestrian-oriented development.
The broader experience the urban design framework strives to achieve
is the creation of a Greater Southdale District that connects seamlessly
between the existing urban and residential fabric, maximizes the
development potential of each site, enhances walkability and livability, and
encourages interaction among current and future residents, businesses, and
institutions. The urban design framework is the foundation to the Greater
Southdale District Plan, a part of the City of Edina 2018 Comprehensive
Plan. The Greater Southdale District Design Experience Guidelines is a
companion to those documents, outlining high-level planning and design
strategies for public realm, site, and building design supporting the desired
experience outcomes.
The Design Experience Guidelines sets baseline guidance for
developers, designers, City of Edina staff, Planning Commissioners
and members of the City Council when proposing, designing or
evaluating proposed introductions within the Greater Southdale
District.
Use of the Design Experience Guidelines
The Design Experience Guidelines apply to proposed development within
the Greater Southdale District and former Pentagon Park, and should be
referred to when embarking on new development or redevelopment.
The Design Experience Guidelines also offer direction for new public
realm features and the reimagining of existing public infrastructure. The
document does not stand alone; it must be considered as part of a larger
set of district goals, urban design framework and patterns, and policy
guidance outlined in the Greater Southdale District Plan and the 2018
City of Edina Comprehensive Plan. Together, these documents set forth
A. Preface
What are Design Experience Guidelines?
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page A2
City expectations for the future form of the Greater Southdale District, and
inform all potential projects within the district.
The Design Experience Guidelines are not a substitute for City of Edina
zoning codes and ordinances, but instead provide substantial background
for developers and design teams and a framework from which to approach
proposed projects within the district. The Design Experience Guidelines
clarify the dimensional characteristics of eight different Street Room
typologies that together form the experience within the district. The
physical qualities of each street room’s height and width, and shaped by
the architecture of the district, informs the design of the public realm on
streets that connect and bind the human experience of the district. These
physical characteristics also shape the experience of transition – transitions
from existing single-family neighborhoods and transitions into and out of
the district, outlining gradual changes in building scale within these critical
transition areas to bridge between one- and two-story residences and the
greater intensity of the Greater Southdale District.
In conjunction with the Urban Design chapter of the Greater Southdale
District Plan, this document provides both a philosophical and practical
framework to facilitate discussion among the City, development teams, and
the community when considering proposals for change within the district.
During the recommended Sketch Plan review process (described on page
70 of the Greater Southdale District Plan), the Design Experience Guidelines
are intended to facilitate dialog about broader district goals, patterns and
connections, building massing, programmatic opportunities and shared
public realm connectivity. Dialog at this point in the review of a proposal
requires imagination, looking beyond the immediate site to imagine the
creation of a consistently positive human experience, requiring a proposal
to recognize the ways in which it influences that experience on adjacent
and nearby sites. Once a proposal progresses beyond the Sketch Plan, the
document is used as a test of outcomes and touchstone to measure how
every proposal meets the desired district experience.
Further specific design details related to landscaping, curb and intersection
design, stormwater management and daylighting, lighting standards, street
furniture, and a host of other factors related to the experience of the district
will be described in future versions of this or a similar document as the
need for direction related to those features becomes better understood.
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page A3
1 Introduction
Placemaking Through the Lens of Experience
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 1
Places link our past to the future. Within every community there exists a
context of memory and identity. That context is made up of the choices/
decisions of the past and is inseparable from the physical identity of place;
how buildings and streets look, and what parks and open space feel like.
These choices are integral to what a place will become.
By describing the evolving Greater Southdale District through experience
criteria shaped by the physical context, a framework emerges for how
streets will be structured, the relationship of open space to buildings,
and how together the designed environment will support the desired
experience outcome.
To expand this basic idea into contemporary design is to be both
democratic and innovative. What it means to be democratic is to encourage
everyone to contribute to the possibilities of a new experience within
the notion that its comes from what is unique about living in Edina. To be
innovative is to reach beyond current conditions to create an extraordinary
place and experience.
Placemaking is not an act of invention... it is the study of how a unique
place in world works, in combination with bringing contemporary design
into alignment with the existing characteristics. The tools created via a
collaborative process of engagement with the Greater Southdale Area Work
Group takes this approach to the planning of the overall district, with the
intent of providing the community, civic leaders, developers and designers
the inspiration to think about the possibilities of this place in new and
enterprising ways.
1. Introduction
Placemaking Through the Lens of Experience
In the making of the Greater Southdale District we must:
• Support the public realm
• Create equity throughout
• Respect the larger context
• Express the collective nature of community
• Attend to all street rooms equally
• Represent the whole in all actions
• Put the collective before individual expression
• Act to support the next 200 years of the Edina community
— Architecture Field Office, 2018
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 2
2 The Vision
Aspirations for the Greater Southdale District
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 3
Background and Context
Collectively, for nearly four years, the Greater Southdale Area Work Group has focused on building upon our
community’s history of innovation, engagement and community commitment to create a vision for the possibilities
of the Greater Southdale District. This work has culminated in the Greater Southdale District Plan (adopted
December 2018) and the Greater Southdale District Design Experience Guidelines.
Change is inevitable within the district. In the past five years alone, over 1,500 new housing units have been
constructed or are underway, along with myriad other commercial projects. This is a tremendous opportunity
in time, and in the broader evolution of our community. We can transform the physical environment of the
Greater Southdale District from a traditional car-oriented suburban commercial district with its sea of surface
parking lots and ‘superblocks,’ into a vibrant place whose character is neither urban nor suburban, but blends
the best characteristics of both to create a place that is uniquely of Edina. This new model will support all modes
of transportation (cars, buses, bikes, scooters, and pedestrians) and serve future generations of Edina residents,
employers, and visitors. It will complement, not compete with, the single family neighborhoods that have historically
defined much of the community’s fabric.
Within the broader 750+ acre Greater Southdale District, and the former Pentagon Park, there exist a remarkable
variety of assets. This plan connects those assets with a new street grid that overlays a human scale and allows
access via a variety of transportation options. The plan sets forth a strategy to bridge between adjacent single family
neighborhoods and the more commercially focused areas of the district. And, it uses public realm infrastructure—
including parks, plazas, green streets, woonerfs, and waterways that manage stormwater—as the connective
tissue that gives the district its unique identity. Together, these attributes will set the stage for a remarkable daily
experience for those who live, work and play within the Greater Southdale District.
Aspirations for the Future Greater Southdale District
The Greater Southdale Work Group summarized the overall districtwide vision and land use strategies as part of
the District Plan. These aspirations, which follow, are at the foundation of design policy parameters and the overall
experience we are striving to shape as the Greater Southdale Area evolves over the next 50 years.
1. Imagine Greater Southdale District evolution organized around human activity, with vibrant
pedestrian-focused streets, beautiful parks and public spaces, and endearing and enduring
buildings where:
• A sense of invention is expected from new introductions, both public and private, that build on the
district’s spirit of innovation.
• Its role as regional and local center for living, shopping, working, learning, entertainment, hospitality, and
medical services is enhanced.
• Other Edina neighborhoods, near and distant, benefit from investment in the district and the evolution of
each parcel.
• Investment in the public realm is reflected by a commensurate investment as private parcels evolve.
• Public and civic services accommodate a growing and diverse district and community population.
• Transitions at the district’s edges recognize compatible use and scale and neighboring uses are
perpetuated on their terms.
2. The Vision
The Greater Southdale District Experience
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 4
2. Make the Greater Southdale District the model of healthy urban living where:
• The district’s form encourages healthy living habits, particularly through walking.
• The design of buildings and spaces, both public and private, attract the widest possible range of the
district’s population.
• Storm water is a valued resource by making it part of the experience of the district.
• Emissions and pollutants are mitigated through the introduction of significant tree canopy and limiting
idling vehicles on streets, creating a more inviting walking experience along the district’s streets.
• Sustainable solutions result in a stock of healthy buildings that compel healthy activity for their occupants.
• Public features mitigate impacts of non-local infrastructure, especially to contain the ill effects of adjacent
highways.
3. Invent sustainable infrastructure matching the district’s sense of innovation where:
• Mutually-supportive and forward-looking infrastructure is the norm, looking beyond baseline utilitarian
functions of a single site to create a broadly supportive district infrastructure.
• Infrastructure aligns with the creation of public space in the district, sharing space and resources that result
in compelling, attractive and high-functioning civic spaces.
• Care for and perpetuation of public infrastructure anticipates daily human activity in all seasons.
4. Create neighborhoods of activity within the broader mixed-use patterns of the district where:
• Logical boundaries based on reasonable walking distances are established, with major streets as seams
binding the activity of each side into an inviting and accessible public space.
• Focal points of public activity are found within each neighborhood.
• Key community services and facilities are present and help define the fabric of the District.
• Core services are delivered within each neighborhood or in an adjacent neighborhood.
• Neighborhoods are linked along street and park corridors highlighted by visible human activity.
5. Offer a spectrum of living opportunities integrated through the district where:
• Housing orients to a variety of income levels and household types.
• Ownership options constitute a significant portion of the living opportunities in the area.
• “Missing Middle” living opportunities (duplexes, triplexes, side-by-side or stacked townhouses, rowhouses
with multiple units, and small buildings with four to six apartments) allow a broader range of Edina
residents, workforce members and others to consider relocating to the District.
• Buildings for living strongly orient to the public spaces of each neighborhood within the District.
6. Expand significantly the number and extent of parks and public spaces where:
• Opportunities for the introduction of another large signature public space complement the programming
and activities available at Centennial Lakes.
• An extension of the Promenade to Strachauer Park links neighbors and activity to the district.
• New promenades on the East and West edges of the District create movement corridors for pedestrians
and bicyclists and serve as vital places for a transition between neighborhoods and the District.
• Parks and publicly accessible spaces are clearly visible and directly accessible from the public realm.
• Spaces for visible human activity and occupation, either public or publicly accessible, occur on every block.
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 5
7. Encourage district evolution based on incremental change and the creation of a great pedestrian
experience where:
• A basic framework of streets and blocks encourages pedestrian activity and well-considered buildings.
• A rich variety of public or publicly accessible spaces are woven into the experience of the district.
• Sites and buildings support a pedestrian experience first, with storage of cars not a focus.
• Development on each site links to adjacent streets and to neighboring sites to create continuous, safe, and
inviting pedestrian experiences.
8. Build (or plan for) a street network encouraging pedestrian movement across and through the district
where:
• Walkable block lengths (200 feet) are the baseline framework for development.
• Enhanced and more frequent street crossings facilitates pedestrian movement.
• Wide landscaped boulevards encourage pedestrian activity and create a distinct district signature.
• Community corridors within and extending well beyond the district enhance bicycle and pedestrian access
while accommodating vehicle traffic on pedestrian terms.
9. Imagine transportation in the district where:
• Cars are not the focus and streets accommodate more than vehicles.
• Major streets balance access and mobility.
• Some streets serve as community corridors, linking to other community destinations with features that allow for
movement in addition to cars.
• Transit is a baseline service, both within the district and to non-Edina locations.
• Transportation recognizes trends, including autonomous vehicles and a time when parking structures aren’t
needed for public parking
10. Expect the delivery of high quality, well-designed buildings and sites where:
• Spaces on sites are considered for people first, including connections between sites; then the ways structures
are placed; and then places to store cars are found.
• Visible human activity is prominent and integrated at every site.
• People are brought to the streets via major building entries oriented to major streets.
• Storm water remains visible as an amenity, allowing it to become a central part of the experience of each site.
11. Frame development guidance for evolution where:
• Development review includes the desired experience, not solely quantitative thresholds.
• Accommodation of adjacent and near parcels are considered in the evolution of a single parcel.
• Early reviews focus on ideas, patterns and relationships, not specific and engineered plans, with that part of the
review process based in dialog, not presentation and reaction.
• Demonstrations of quality and especially quality from a long-term perspective are baseline considerations.
• Collaboration leads to a superior result, with the community’s expectations clearly framed as part of the
deliberation.
• Flexibility is not a right, but rather the natural by-product of a fair exchange for benefits, collaboration, and
quality in development.
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 6
3 The Framework
Building Blocks to Support the Vision
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 7
3. The Framework
Building Blocks to Support the Vision
THE 200’x200’ GRID
There is an expectation of the street grid: it is democratic, it is uniform, it is connective. The uniform grid and the
buildings that line the grid give the city its form. The space between buildings is used for access for pedestrians
and vehicles; for entrance into both public and private buildings; and to provide light, air, and common green or
social spaces.
To break down the scale of the ‘superblocks’ that currently characterize the district’s overall land use framework,
three distinct street grid patterns were considered, to inform what how the Greater Southdale District might
transform into a more uniform and connected community. Small Portland blocks (200’ x 200’) were compared to
the long blocks of New York City (200’x600’) and the larger square blocks of Minneapolis (350’ x350’). The Work
Group focused on Portland as a model because of its walkability, and the scale of its buildings resulting from the
200 foot restriction on the length of building elevations fronting the public realm. Further studies analyzed land
ownership patterns, size of property and generally how connections could made through the superblocks. It was
concluded that the 200’ x200’ foot system was more adaptable to variety of site conditions supporting a more
engaging public realm and opportunities for a better community experience.
Considerations
Width of street
Sunlight in public spaces
View corridors
Building scale – height, length and footprint
Transparency at street level
Landscape, lighting and street furniture
Streets and public realm paving
Courtyards and pocket parks
Cultural context – pride of place, historical framework
Framework Vision: Block Organization
Based on the Portland 200’ x 200’ square block layout
This diagram overlays the general dimensions of the Portland block model on our primary test sites.
Based on existing conditions, variations can occur in the nominal 200 by 200 square grid.
N
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 8
c
180,000
200,000
180,000
200,000
Existing Sites:
The criteria for buildings sites:
Large parking area serving 1 story building
Sites that are critical to the overall success of development in the district
Important connections that would extend the public realm assets such as the Promenade
Under utilized land that can be repurposed to serve the public realm goals of the district
:
Potential Building Sites
This diagram illustrates those parcels within the Greater Southdale Area and adjacent Pentagon Park that are
potential redevelopment opportunities. Criteria to measure the opportunity inherent in these sites include:
• Sites that currently have large, dominating surface parking lots.
• Sites that are critical to the overall success of development in the district.
• Important connections that would extend existing public realm assets such as the Promenade.
• Underutilized land that can be repurposed to serve the public realm goals of the district.
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 9
Potential Building Sites
The diagram at right illustrates how the basic
principle of a 200’ x 200’ grid can be applied
nominally on potential redevelopment sites
throughout the district without consideration
of property line. It is recognized that land
ownership will influence the ultimate form of
the grid.
Other considerations influencing block
pattern:
• Building scale
• Public realm connections
• Connections through blocks
• Pedestrian-oriented street
intersections
The Space Between Buildings
As a result of the 200’ x 200’ block pattern,
the space between buildings becomes an
important asset in shaping the overall sense of landscape and continuity of public realm throughout the district.
Because the superblocks have primary responsibility for serving the vehicular traffic needs of the district, access
to the smaller blocks for drop-off, service and parking can be planned to stay at the perimeter of a block, allowing
for the spaces between the remaining block to be used for a network of green spaces that support the health and
wellbeing of the community.
c
180,000
200,000
180,000
200,000
v
The Space between Buildings:
As a result of the 200x200 foot block pattern is the space between building that becomes an important asset to the overall sense of landscape throughout the district. Because the super blocks have primary responsibility for the larger traffic needs of the district, access to the smaller blocks for drop off, service and parking can be planned to stay at the perimeter allowing the spaces between the remaining block to used for pocket parks, gardens, play areas and many other activities that support the health and well being of the community.
The “space between” Buildings –as places and connections to larger community pathways
ParksPocket parksRecreationPlay areasGardensStorm water managementWet landsWater ways
:
Opportunities for the “Space
Between” buildings to become
places and connections to larger
community pathways:
• Parks
• Pocket Parks
• Recreation
• Play Areas
• Gardens
• Stormwater Management
• Wetlands
• Waterways
c
180,000
200,000
180,000
200,000
v
Block Pattern:
The basic principal of a 200’X200’ grid was applied nominally throughout the district without consideration of property line. It is recognized that land owner ship will influence the ultimate form of the grid.
Considerations:
building scale
public realm connections
through block connections
Pedestrian oriented street intersections (see intersection diagram)
:
N
N
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March 5, 2019
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STREET ROOMS AND SEAMS
With changes in the way people are living in cities and suburban environments, it is important to seek new ways
in which our communities can be experienced without sacrificing the spatial and architectural values of existing
neighborhoods. Defining the way in which transitions are seen and developed, and the way each street can have a
different character, use and form, puts the emphasis on the public qualities of the public realm rather than on the
buildings themselves.
In this way buildings can develop based on highest and best use without compromising characteristics of existing
community life. Respect of context can bring about a degree of commonality where every building is not required
to mirror its context but rather, support a connected and meaningful community experience.
The intention in the design visioning process for the Greater Southdale District was to create a new paradigm for
suburban mixed use districts, in which individual buildings respect their context and each other. The ensembles
created as part of this process are Street Rooms. In this approach, the geometry of the city plays an important
part in the definition of the street room, by width of street, length of block, solar orientation and axis as it relates
to other grids defining other public rooms of the city like courtyard, plazas and parks. The real identity of the city is
closely related to how the city is seen up close, making it possible to understand the true character of a place. It is
these up close characteristics that make a city unique.
This holistic approach depends on an attitude of relational subjectivity in articulating the components of each
street room. This means that each wall of a building is studied as a part of the street that it faces and in conjunction
with the building directly across the street. Scale, color, material and construction details are considerations in the
whole composition of the street room—allowing the street to communicate a sense of place and completeness. A
district full of street rooms promotes activity and social discourse while signifying the possibility of new functions.
The street room is a source of sense of community even when it is not in use, thereby stabilizing the overall fabric
of the public realm.
Street Rooms within the Greater Southdale District
Throughout the Greater Southdale District, the public realm is defined by a series of street rooms. These rooms
are further defined by edges, referred to as the “seam” between the volume of the street and the form of the
building—which together, create the experience at a pedestrian scale. Seams dictate the basic height of the
defining street room wall (i.e. the building podium) but not necessarily the rest of the building form, allowing
buildings to respond to their context on all four sides of the building and creating a form that is appropriate for
each street room surrounding it. This creates variety throughout the district, and supports the notion that there are
transitions between characteristics of neighborhoods that are different in scale, program and building type. As an
example, transitions from single family houses to 36-foot-tall or 60-foot-tall buildings will not have the same criteria
as transitions from a podium base to taller structures sitting on the podium.
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The following considerations all factor into the development of public realm and street rooms. These ideas should
be utilized and considered by decision-making bodies when reviewing proposed development projects.
• Transparency of building walls in the public realm can be both private and public. When the ground plane is
connected along and through the building wall, it creates a link to experience the richness of activities in the
public realm
• Buildings could be sited perpendicular to streets, allowing vistas and pathways through the new street grid.
• Buildings can create a very consistent form and a clear sense of place within the public realm. Each building is
part of the next – both internally and externally. Regardless of building age, the continuity of scale, rhythm and
materials of each building that lines the street creates a sense of room.
• Continuity of building material quality is contained within each stone, brick, window pattern and cornice to
define the edges of the public realm and the street room
• Continuity of architectural language in the edges of shapes and rhythm of openings define a street room into
horizontal and vertical forms that frame the experience of being in room – whether interior or exterior. The
architectural language of the street should not be replicated but rather understood and transformed in each
new building within the context of its particular location within the Greater Southdale District.
• Buildings frame the public rooms of the district (parks, pocket parks, playgrounds, etc.) and should represent
the scale required to meet the needs of the community. Moving through these spaces, one should easily see
choices for other desired destinations.
• Good street rooms provoke a culture’s spatial imagination, social discourse and creative energy. The street
typologies and corresponding guidelines on building form define experience and spatial form that connects
the district together.
• The structure of the street rooms is organized to support residents, defining a particular place within a
neighborhood and the overall district. The memory of experiences in each of these rooms provides the
experience of sense of place and connects to other places within the Greater Southdale District.
• Walking is a shared experience. An engaging walk can be short, long, slow, quick, or meandering – in weather
that is wet, calm, windy, sunny, bright, cold, hot, or snowing – in places that appear open, closed, low, tall,
long, narrow, wide or expansive. The experience of walking through the street rooms must be full of events
connecting to a broader set of experiences.
• The materials of the walls that make up the street room define the characteristics of the public realm. A certain
part of this will depend on the age of the street, the program of the building and the design style in which
they were constructed. All of these factors, in whatever form, are read and experienced in different ways and
need to be delineated clearly.
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4 The Guidance
Shaping the Greater Southdale District
Experience
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
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4. The Guidance
Shaping the Greater Southdale District Experience
Overlaying a new street network and street grid is a fundamental strategy in breaking down the scale of the
existing massive ‘superblocks’ within the Greater Southdale District and improving the public realm experience. All
new development should begin with the premise of the 200-foot-square block as the measure by which a building
footprint is determined. The space between buildings are streets—which could be for cars, bikes, pedestrians only,
or transformed into parks and open space. By connecting the design of streets with the concept of street rooms,
the district will transform to one that is human-scaled, comfortable, green, and flexible for change and evolution
over the next 50 years.
While each street room and neighborhood will provide a distinctive experience, there are certain characteristics
that are common to streets throughout the Greater Southdale District, helping to creating a holistic experience
for pedestrians and bicyclists, transit-riders, and drivers alike. Buildings lining the public realm/street room will
incorporate a mix of uses, including housing, workplace/office, cultural, community, and commercial/retail space—
setting the stage for a rich variety of experiences.
The overall public realm experience within the Greater Southdale District is supported by:
• Consistent building setbacks that create the opportunity for an expansive public realm within the district and
sub-district.
• More frequent intersections to promote pedestrian connections within the district and to neighboring districts.
• Distinctive sidewalks that support the pedestrian experience, separate and dedicated bikeways, and
appropriate number lanes of vehicular traffic.
• Wide sidewalks with places for gathering, play areas, gardens, outdoor cafes, etc.
• Publicly-accessible pocket parks and courtyards along the street and sidewalk extend the public realm of the
sidewalk in between buildings.
• Separate and dedicated bikeways, and an appropriate number of lanes of vehicular traffic.
• Integrated signage and lighting systems that offer safety, interest and diversity to the pedestrian.
• Consistent signage that reflects sub-district identity to promote wayfinding within the larger Southdale
District, identifying characteristics of the street and public amenities.
• Pedestrian and vehicular paving (permeable) that is unique to a sub-districts streets and sidewalks.
• Trees that vary in species, installed in rows or clumps, and spaced to create visual interest and promote a range
of experiences such as shaded groves with benches, or a sun-dappled outdoor cafe, along the street.
• Pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular access routes through larger blocks.
• Safe, comfortable places where people can stop, view, socialize and rest. These may incorporate “landing zones”
for ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft — particularly near primary gathering places and public rooms
along the Promenade, connector streets and future East and West Promenades. These places of respite should
not conflict with other sidewalk uses.
• Different, and defined, zones on all sidewalk: building frontage zone, street furniture zone, movement zone,
and the curb. Cafes and outdoor seating can be located in the building frontage zone, extending the activity of
a building to include the sidewalk.
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• Transit stops that are designed to provide districtwide continuity, reinforcing the qualities of the Greater
Southdale District.
• Integrated plantings, water features and/or art to enhance public open space.
• Stormwater that is daylighted and used as a water feature or amenity, integrated into the overall experience of
the street and the district.
• Street parking provided at the curb to support a mix of activities for both residential and commercial activities.
• Varied landscaping and street trees that create a canopy over the street. Consider the changing climate when
selecting plant species with the understanding that indigenous plant materials may not always be the most
appropriate choice.
• Building equipment, mechanical exhaust systems and/or service areas concealed in a manner that does not
detract from the pedestrian environment.
• The public realm is for both summer and winter conditions and as such must be planned to be easily
maintained in all conditions. Building owners and city stakeholders should plan for maintenance, operations
and upkeep within the public realm. This includes prompt and thorough snow removal on every reach of
the sidewalks, care and feeding of trees, landscape and decorative planters (which should be changed on a
seasonal basis).
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PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF THE PUBLIC REALM EXPERIENCE
The following guidance is provided to assist the community, civic leaders, designers and developers in
understanding the vision and baseline parameters related to both building and public realm within the
Greater Southdale District.
Connections
• The overall strategy is to connect intersections, incorporate street typologies, and incorporate green systems to
add value to the experience of the district.
• The public realm is to be connected continuously north-south from Centennial Lakes, the Promenade, the
Galleria, Southdale Center, Fairview Southdale, to Strachauer Park. All new development shall support that goal.
• The public realm should be connected east-west from Edinborough Park to Centennial Lakes, west of France
to Pentagon Park and Fred Richards Park to Highway 100 on the west. This will set up future connections
to districts to the west—such as 70th and Cahill—supporting an overall vision of a more connected and
integrated Edina community.
• The district must be connected continuously east-west from the Cornelia neighborhood to Yorktown Park.
• New north-south promenades should be created on the west side of France and east side of Xerxes as part of
the broader strategy to sensitively transition to single family residential neighborhoods.
• Expand Centennial Lakes Park to France Avenue… celebrate this important public amenity by making it more
visible as a gateway into the district.
• Create a dynamic landscape that includes water, especially stormwater expressed as part of landscape, to
create public amenity spaces.
• Streets within the superblocks, East and West Promenades, and extension of the Promenade north to
Strachauer Park should be surfaced with pavers to promote a dominance of pedestrians and bikes over
vehicles.
• New parks and plazas shall be either public or publicly-accessible, not private, in nature.
• Increase number of sidewalks, pathways, and smaller parks/gardens to better address mobility. Incorporate
places to sit throughout the district.
• New trees should provide continuity of the street room experience with canopies that are consistent with the
Street Room Typology to enhance the continuity of pedestrian experience.
Intersections
• Street Room Typologies overlay each other, unifying the overall district experience through the recognition of
unique conditions that evoke unique design responses based upon location.
• Street Room Typologies connect intersections throughout the district, linking experiences together from one
neighborhood to the next.
• Street Room Typologies with lower façade heights take president over those with higher façade heights at
these points of intersection.
• The architecture of a façade of one block making up an intersection should be conceived as part of all corners
of the intersection.
• Crosswalks at intersections need to be an integral part of the public realm and continue the overall street room
experience from one block to another.
• The hierarchy of intersections will change based on an evolving context and investment in the intersection
experience.
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Street Room Form
• Building setbacks are to be considered as a part of the overall landscape and public amenities, and should
be designed to create a continuous pedestrian experience along major corridors to support “pools of human
activity.”
• Every new development should connect all publicly-accessible spaces such as pocket parks, courtyards and
plazas to the street room typology.
• Along all major corridors, seventy five percent (75%) of face of building walls need to be at the setback line to
support the creation of a ‘street room.’
• All new building façades in the district must have seventy five percent (75%) transparency at the ground level.
• All building façades are prime (including parking) and must be designed accordingly. There is no back side of a
building.
• All facades on the first vertical 60 feet of a building (above grade) shall use natural materials facing the public
realm.
• Above 50-60 feet, glass, precast panels with brick/tile are the preferred material palette. Metal panel can be
used as a secondary part of a wall system.
• No building façade can be longer than 200’ without changing direction by a minimum of 90 degrees.
Building Form
• Ground floors should have a minimum ceiling height of 20’ for flexibility. This floor-to-floor height will allow the
space to accommodate commercial, two floors of parking, or two-story townhouses.
• Above-grade parking structures should be designed with flat floorplates to allow for future conversion and
lined with programmable public realm space to minimize the visual impact of car storage.
• Within 50-60 feet of the ground, it is preferred that rooftops be programmed to accommodate residential or
public user activities (e.g. a restaurant or terrace).
• Rooftops facing the Promenades must be functional and programmed to provide interest and variety along
these important pedestrian spines.
• All development services, including rooftop mechanical systems, should be located within buildings and
should not be visible from the public realm, or semi-private and private areas of the development. The
exception are rooftop-mounted solar panels, which should be located on the highest point of the buildings.
• Building footprints above 60 feet should be no greater than 12,000 SF for residential use and 24,000 SF for
commercial space.
• Design buildings for flexibility and adaptability in the future, including use of structural systems that will allow a
building’s function to fundamentally change.
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TRANSITION AND CONNECTIONS
Within the Greater Southdale
District, a new network of streets
will provide both commercial and
resident access to new mixed-
use buildings along France and
York Avenues, keeping traffic
out of the adjacent single family
neighborhoods. These new
streets offer the opportunity
for new development to more
gradually transition from the
scale of the existing single family
neighborhoods and the commercial
heart of the Southdale District.
New development within transition
zones is expected to balance scale
and building use between these
single family neighborhoods
and the higher density, more
commercially focused Greater
Southdale District.
West and East Promenades
The character of the West and East Promenades, new north-south streets that run to the west of France Avenue
and the east of York Avenue, to are envisioned as woonerfs—shared streets for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles.
This typology creates opportunities for multiple access to buildings for both below grade parking and service, as
well as temporary/short-term parking for retail and building drop offs. Within the woonerf concept, pedestrians
have priority over cars, and as a shared street, cars are forced to slow down and travel with caution.
Because of their organization, these streets also can support a variety of uses, with building types catered to
residential uses such as townhomes, with considerations for retail space that support less intensive commercial
needs of adjacent neighborhoods. The sense of scale by way of width of street to height of building is maintained
by creating a street form that is no less than 60 feet high at its edges, with developments potentially increasing in
height as buildings reach the edge of the boulevards, and descending in height as they move to the single family
neighborhoods, providing an edge to the east and west transition zones.
Primary East-West Streets
East-west streets through the Greater Southdale District connect existing single family neighborhoods to the
heart of the district. The design of these streets is intended to respect the neighborhood scale and context in a
meaningful way, with an ample tree canopy, extensive setbacks and consistently-scaled buildings at the face of the
public realm. By employing these characteristics, the landscape experience serves as a bridge, knitting together the
single family residential neighborhoods and the greater intensity of the district.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6 Central Promenade Spine 66TH STREETVALLEY VIEW RD.66TH STREET69TH STREET70TH STREETHAZELTON RD.GALLAGHER DRPARKLAWN AVE76TH STREET77TH STREETMINNESOTA DR72ND STREETEDINBOROUGH WAY
YORK AVENUE
FRANCE AVENUE
XERXES AVENUE
BARRIE RD78TH STREETN
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STREET ROOM TYPOLOGIES
A hierarchy of streets and pathways within the district is the framework for public realm development and related
building form. Each street across the district has a role in how it serves pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles in
connecting sub-districts, adjacent single family neighborhoods, and the overall Greater Southdale District and
creating a unified sense of place. It is the intent that street typologies define the public realm experience: the space
between buildings, dimensions of building setbacks from the street, heights of facades at the building face at the
street and building step backs, where the façade of the building steps back from the volume of the street room.
Street Room Typology 1: Promenades and Transition Zones
Promenades are new woonerf-type streets on the west side of France Avenue and on the east side of York Avenue.
Within this typology, there are several different variations for new building development in these important
transition zones, responding to and respecting the context of adjacent single family neighborhoods.
Street Room Typology 2: Cornelia Overlay Zone
With the understanding that there is special sensitivity related to new building development near the Cornelia
neighborhood, this is a special zone governing the design of the public realm/street room on the east side of
France Avenue between the north side of 69th Street and Gallagher Drive. Buildings within this zone will be
expected to maintain the east side of the France Avenue street room, but will be of a lower overall scale than new
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6 Central Promenade Spine 66TH STREETVALLEY VIEW RD.66TH STREET69TH STREET70TH STREETHAZELTON RD.GALLAGHER DRPARKLAWN AVE76TH STREET77TH STREETMINNESOTA DR72ND STREETEDINBOROUGH WAY
YORK AVENUE
FRANCE AVENUE
XERXES AVENUE
BARRIE RD78TH STREETN
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page 19
buildings at the north or south ends of France.
Street Room Typology 3: New Local Streets
These are new 60’ wide streets internal to existing superblocks. These streets will be constructed as new buildings
are added to the district, and will help create the new network of streets and pedestrian pathways throughout the
Greater Southdale District. Some of these spaces between buildings may become parks or plazas, extending the
public realm. Others will become primary vehicular access for drop off and pick up, as well as access to parking and
primary building services.
Street Room Typology 4: Primary East-West Streets
The existing 69th Street, 70th Street, Hazelton Road, Parklawn Avenue and West 76th Street are important
connections through the district from east to west. This typology is intended to respect the neighborhood scale
and context in a meaningful way, with an ample tree canopy, extensive setbacks and lower scale buildings at
the face of the public realm. By employing these characteristics, the landscape experience of the single family
residential neighborhoods is extended through the Greater Southdale District.
Street Room Typology 5: The Boulevards
France Avenue, York Avenue, West 66th Street and West 77th Street are the district’s gateway streets. They carry the
highest traffic volumes and are intended to have higher transit volumes than any other streets within the district.
These streets will have the greatest impact in conveying the overall identity of the district: a consistent 50 foot
setback with a double row of trees will extend the length of these streets, while consistency in building heights
along the street edge will form the edge of the street room—bridging between the lower intensity and transitional
areas and the higher intensity zones within the Greater Southdale District.
Street Room Typology 6: Central Spine
The Central Spine comprises the existing Promenade, its potential expansion northward, and future connections to
the west to Fred Richards Park. This important pedestrian network is an attractive destination for both residents and
visitors alike. New development along the spine must respond to and respect this important public amenity.
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March 5, 2019
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The sub-district to the west side of France between
69th and Parklawn is a unique transition zone within the
Greater Southdale District. Any proposed developments
within this zone should be approached with special
sensitivity. This means that the street experience within
that zone should be perceived as connected to the
Cornelia neighborhood through landscaping and
trees, and buildings that gradually transition in both
height and function and use between lower intensity
neighborhoods to the more commercially-focused
district on the east side of France Avenue.
The West Promenade, a new north-south pedestrian,
bike and vehicle street/woonerf that accommodates
service access, is envisioned between France Avenue
and the Cornelia neighborhood. This new shared
street is intended to provide service access to new
developments along France (keeping vehicular traffic
out of single family neighborhoods), and providing
a new framework to support the transition from
townhouses and lower-scale residential buildings on
the west side of the West Promenade, to slightly taller
buildings on the east side of the West Promenade.
Street Room Typology 1A
West Promenade / Transition to Cornelia Neighborhood
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
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March 5, 2019
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Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 1A
West Promenade / Transition to Cornelia Neighborhood
As illustrated in the section above, within this transition zone, building heights will step up incrementally, from
those that are adjacent to single family homes to those that are facing France Avenue to provide a more gradual
transition from the residential neighborhood to the more commercially-oriented Southdale District.
The street room experience within Typology 1A will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• New buildings that are adjacent to single family residential properties, on the west side of the West
Promenade, should not exceed 36 feet in height. Townhomes are the preferred residential typology in this area
of the transition zone.
• All ground level space east of the West Promenade should have 20-foot floor-to-floor height. This dimension
allows for flexibility to accommodate one level of retail space along the street, or two-story townhomes facing
the West Promenade.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
• On the east side of the West Promenade, building faces should not exceed 50’ in height. Any height above that
limit should step back 20 feet from the facade of the building.
• On France Avenue, a 50 foot setback is required from curb to face of building with a maximum building height
of 60 feet.
• On individual developments, should the City choose to permit height above the 60-foot height limit, it is
recommended that additional height above 60 feet step back from the face of the building by a minimum of
10 feet in depth and 12 feet in height.
Street Typologies West Promenade
Transition to the Cornelia Neighborhood
A “Woonerf” reallocates the public right-of-way to create a place for people and plantings while accommodating slow-moving vehicles. The street is elevated so it is
flush with the sidewalk, allowing for a continuous walking surface. When the street is closed for public events such as a fes tival, the area becomes a public plaza. The
proposed building setbacks and building step-backs are intended to create a gradual transition in use and scale from the existing Cornelia Neighborhood on the west to
France Avenue to the east. Between a transitional Street “Woonerf” is used as both a collector for neighborhood needs and a barrier against additional vehicular traffic
flowing into the neighborhood.
This street-park hybrid is considered as public open space and needs to be programmed. With a perpetual festival permit in place, the street becomes a venue for
community events such as salsa dancing, a wine crush or a pop-up playground.
Within the district it is the intention to define a series of street rooms each having their own characteristics and connections to the existing neighborhoods and other
parts of the district to enhance the experience of the pedestrian creating both a sense of place and safe environment to be in. The West Promenade is intended to be a
pedestrian and bicycle collector between the existing residential neighborhood.
A1
Traffic Lanes 50 Foot Setback
France Avenue
50 Feet
West Promenade
“Woonerf”
(60’ wide Street)
Single Family ResidenceTownhouses
36 Feet maximum
20 Foot
Step Back
Mixed Use Buildings
60 Feet Maximum
Neighborhood
Street
15 Foot
Front Yard
Setback60 Feet Maximum
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Street Room Typology 1B
West Promenade Between Parklawn and Minnesota Drive
South of the zone designated as Street Room Typology
1A (where the Cornelia transition area immediately
abuts single family neighborhoods), the Street Room
experience shifts to respond to its changing context.
It becomes one that is more commercial in nature and
in concert with the expected higher intensity in the
southwest quadrant the Greater Southdale District.
As the West Promenade extends south into Typology
1B, it continues to serve pedestrian, vehicular and
service access. Uniform building heights on each side
of the West Promenade are intended to support the
transition from existing multi-family housing to taller
buildings at the south end of France Avenue near the
gateway from 494.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
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Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 1B
West Side of France Between Parklawn and Minnesota Drive
Within this zone, existing buildings are more commercial in nature and do not immediately abut single family
neighborhoods. This unique condition lends itself to new development along the West Promenade that is still
lower in scale, without the preference for townhomes or smaller scale buildings along one edge, as in Typology 1A.
The street room experience within Typology 1B will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• Building faces at the West Promenade within Typology 1B shall not exceed 50 feet in height. Any height above
that limit should step back 20 feet from the facade of the building.
• All street level space shall be 20 feet, floor-to-floor in height. This dimension allows for flexibility for retail space
(on France) and two-story townhomes facing the West Promenade.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
• Building faces on the east side of the West Promenade are intended to provide continuity in scale and
experience from Street Room Typology 1A and from one side of the street to another.
West Promenade
“Woonerf”
(60’ wide Street)
20 Foot
Step Back
50 Feet
20 Foot
Step Back
Street TypologiesWest Promenade A2
A “Woonerf” reallocates
the public right-of-way to
create a place for people
and plantings while
accommodating slow-
moving vehicles.
The street is elevated so it
is flush with the sidewalk,
allowing for a continuous
walking surface. When the
street is closed for public
events such as a festival,
the area becomes a public
plaza.
This street-park hybrid is
considered as public open
space and needs to be
programmed. With a
perpetual festival permit in
place, the street becomes a
venue for community
events such as salsa
dancing, a wine crush or a
pop-up playground.
60 Feet
105 Feet
20 Foot
Step Back
2 Foot Step Back
Traffic Lanes 50 Foot Setback
France Avenue
60 Feet
Maximum
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Street Room Typology 1C
East Promenade and Xerxes Avenue: Transition to Richfield
Similar to the transition strategy on the west side of
France Avenue, on the east side of the district, the
existing Xerxes Avenue South is recast as the East
Promenade to transition between the single family
Richfield neighborhood to the east and the more
commercially focused Greater Southdale District on the
west.
The general character of Xerxes is single family housing
on the Richfield side and multi-family residential
backed up to commercial on York Avenue. The intent
of this typology is to have townhouses along the street,
set back to a taller building above, creating an scale
appropriate to the existing character of the street.
Xerxes is bisected by Yorktown Park and Adams Hill Park,
near the Southdale YMCA. When Xerxes transitions
through Yorktown Park and Adams Hill Park, the street
becomes more woonerf-like, without vehicular traffic.
This street-park hybrid is considered as public open
space and needs to be programmed.
This typology extends along the north end of Xerxes
between 65th and Highway 62 without the woonerf
designation.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 25
The street room experience within Typology 1C will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• On both Xerxes Avenue north of 65th and on the East Promenade, a 15-foot “front yard” setback is required
from curb to face of building.
• Building faces at the East Promenade across the street from single-family homes shall not exceed 36 feet in
height. Height above that limit shall step back 20 feet from the facade of the building, and shall not exceed 60
feet in height. Any further height shall step back an additional 20 feet, to a maximum height of 84 feet.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
• See Street Room Typology 5 for description of dimensional characteristics of new development facing York
Avenue.
Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 1C
East Promenade and Xerxes Avenue: Transition to Richfield
Street TypologiesEast Promenade
Transition to the Richfield Neighborhood
The East Promenade Transition on Xerxes Avenue South is
between the Richfield neighborhood to the east and the
Southdale District on the west. The character of the street
is bisected buy Adams Place Park that is east York Avenue
and the Southdale YMCA. The general character of the
Xerxes is single family housing on the Richfield side and
multi-family residential backed up to commercial on York
Avenue. The intent of the building step back with
townhouses transition to taller building creating an scale
appropriate to the existing character of the street.
When Xerxes transitions to Adams Place Park the character
of the street becomes more Woonerf like in without
vehicular traffic. This street-park hybrid is considered as
public open space and needs to be programmed. With a
perpetual festival permit in place, the street becomes a
venue for community events such as salsa dancing, a wine
crush or a pop-up playground.
A3
50’ height limit
East Promenade
Existing Neighborhood
Street
Single Family
Residence
36 Feet
60 Feet
20 Foot
Step Back
20 Foot
Step Back
15 Foot
Front Yard
Setback
84 Feet
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 26
Street Room Typology 2
Cornelia Overlay at France Avenue
As a reflection of the scale of buildings east of the West
Promenade in Street Room Typology 1A, Typology 2
extends the scale of this potential new development
to the east side of France Avenue from Gallagher Drive
to south of 68th Street. This strategy is intended to
frame the street room experience along this corridor
with similarly scaled buildings that are respectful of the
nearby single family neighborhoods.
The goal is to establish this zone along France as a more
commercially-focused corridor (rather than residential)
while employing similar height buildings as on the west
side of France within the Cornelia transition zone.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 27
The street room experience within Typology 2 will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• On France Avenue, a 50-foot setback is required from curb to face of building with a building podium height of
60 feet. Above the 60-foot height limit, additional height should step back 10 feet from the face of the building,
to a maximum height of 84 feet.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 2
Cornelia Overlay at France Avenue
84 Feet
France Avenue
60 Feet
Traffic Lanes50 Foot Setback
10 Foot
Step Back
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 28
Street Room Typology 3
New Local Streets
These new local streets, created as part of the
strategy of breaking down the scale of the existing
superblocks, will augment the current street network,
providing new circulation options that can connect
residents and visitors across the district, and support
community life. Creating internal pedestrian walkways,
with accommodation for bicycles and potentially
cars, combined with existing public and private
infrastructure, supports connections within and outside
the block.
The width of these new local streets, and the
corresponding building form is based on the nature of
the uses within the larger superblock structure. Streets
can be lined with a mix of uses, including residential,
commercial, or retail. They contain shady places to
walk the dog or sit and have a coffee connecting to
neighborhood parks, places of worship, and schools.
Unique to the Greater Southdale District, some of
these local streets may become linear parks between
buildings, with vehicular access limited only to
emergency responders.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 29
Street Typologies60’ Wide Connector Street
Typical 60’ Wide Local Street
(within super-blocks)
105 Feet
20 Foot
Step Back
60 Feet
2 Foot Step Back
2 Way Traffic
Plus Parking
12’ Sidewalk 12’ Sidewalk
It is recommended
that buildings above
60 feet step back a
minimum of 20 feet
when there is an
opposing building at
the street edge
Podium Heights
can vary
The intent is to create a street that provides a access from roads that are
bordered by France and York and are connected by east /west streets such
as ParklawnAve, ParklawnCourt, Hazelton Road, W 70th, W 69th, W 65th.
Internal street within the supper block provide interconnections between
supper block connecting residents across the district north and south
supporting potential for community space. By creating pedestrians
walkways with existing public and private infrastructure thereby supporting
connections within and outside the block.
The street width is based on the nature of the uses within the larger super
block structure. They can be lined with a mix of uses, including residential
and retailwhile providing connectivity within a neighborhood. They contain
shady places to walk the dog or sit and have a coffee connecting to
neighborhood parks, places of worship, and schools.
Unique to the Greater Southdale District, many of the Connector Streets
may become entirely devoted to landscaping.
B
The street room experience within Typology 3 will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• New local streets should be 60 feet in width. Those streets which carry vehicular traffic should comprise two
traffic lanes with two lanes of parking or pick-up/drop-off. Sidewalks should be located on each side of these
vehicular streets as illustrated in the diagram above.
• Minimizing vehicular access to provide drop off, service and parking can be planned to share the vehicular
needs of blocks allowing the remaining spaces between the remaining blocks to be used in a variety of
ways for the benefit of the community. This “space between” buildings can be transformed into pocket parks,
gardens, play areas, plazas, wetlands, and many other activities that support the health and wellbeing of the
community.
• Building podium heights can vary, from 36 feet up to 60 feet.
• Above the 60 foot height limit, the long sides of a rectangular or “L” shaped building need to step back 20 feet
from the street room facade (as illustrated in the building at left in the diagram above), and the narrow ends
need to step back 2 feet from the street room facade (building at right in diagram above). This minimizes
the impact of the taller building form on sunlight at the street, and provides a lower-scale building at the
street, resulting in a more cohesive and comfortable pedestrian experience. The footprint on taller residential
buildings should not exceed 12,000 SF, while taller commercial buildings are permitted larger footprints of up
to 24,000 SF for efficient space utilization.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing. Vehicular access to the buildings
should be as close as possible to primary superblock streets (e.g. Typology 4 or 5).
Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 3
New Local Streets
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 30
Street Room Typology 4
Primary East-West Streets
These streets, including 69th Street, 70th Street,
Hazelton Road, Parklawn Avenue, and West 76th
Street, serve an important role within the district.
These are unique streets in that they form the district’s
superblocks with France and York Avenues, keeping
traffic out of adjacent single family neighborhoods
while connecting to the neighborhoods through the
30 foot setbacks that are landscaped to provide a
pedestrian focused experience.
This typology is intended to respect the neighborhood
scale and context in a meaningful way, with an ample
tree canopy, extensive setbacks and consistently-scaled
buildings at the face of the public realm. By employing
these characteristics, the landscape experience of the
single family residential neighborhoods is extended
through the Greater Southdale District.
Street Room Typology 4 consists of streets that are
between 110 and 125 feet wide, with two lanes of traffic
in each direction, a center median and no parking.
Several of these existing streets feature roundabouts.
These streets provide access to parking and building
services for buildings in Typology 3, as described
previously.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 31
The street room experience within Typology 4 will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• Within this typology, a 30 foot setback is required from curb to face of building with a building podium height
of 60 feet. Above the 60-foot height limit, additional height should step back 30 feet from the face of the
building, to a maximum height of 105 feet. Any height about 105 feet should step back and additional 10 feet
from the face of the building.
• Building podiums along these streets need to maintain as closely as possible the 60-foot height limit while still
adhering to the guidance of 75% of building face at the setback line to create the fundamental experience of
the street room.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 4
Primary East-West Streets
Existing East West Streets
60 Feet
20 Foot
Step Back
30 Foot
Step Back
Traffic Lanes30 Foot
Setback
30 Foot
Setback
69thStreet, 70thStreet, Hazelton Road, ParklawnAvenue and
76th Street are unique streets to the Greater Southdale District.
They form a super grid with France Avenue and York Avenue,
keeping traffic out of adjacent single family neighborhoods
while connecting to the neighborhoods through the 30 foot
setback that are landscaped to provide a pedestrian focused
experience.
The streets act as collectors that provide a balance between
pedestrian and vehicular circulation. Local streets and Woonerfs
perpendicular to these streets will provide access to shops,
galleries, restaurants, hotels, offices, and residential uses. Tree
shaded benches in the streetscape will provide a place for
pedestrians to rest, storm water management and bicyclists can
use these streets to connect from home to small outdoor cafés
and other amenities.
Street TypologiesPrimary East-West Streets C
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 32
Street Room Typology 5
The Boulevards
Streets that are included in this typology include the
primary district boulevards such as France Avenue, York
Avenue, W 66th Street and W 77th Street. In addition
to being the widest streets in the district, they also
currently carry a high volume of vehicular traffic. The
intent of this typology is to create streets that connect
the Greater Southdale District to the larger Edina
community. These commercially-focused streets will
reinforce the district’s unique role in serving Edina’s
neighborhoods, while at the same time, recognizing
that the district has a role in the broader metropolitan
region—providing employment, health, retail,
entertainment, and a wide range of housing options.
The streets that fall into Typology 5 will have the
greatest impact in conveying the overall identity of
the district, with wide, multi-use streetscapes lined
with a double row of trees within a consistent 50-foot
setback. Medians may also be present in the boulevard
streetscape to accommodate plantings and/or mass
transit lines and stations. In many cases, boulevards will
be adjacent to the tallest buildings in the district and
will be the locations for transit stops.
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 33
Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 5
The Boulevards
On these wide streets, a sense of scale is maintained by creating a uniform street wall of 60 feet, with taller
structures stepping back from this 60-foot datum. This consistency in building heights along the street will form
the edge of the street room—bridging between lower intensity and transitional areas, and the higher intensity
zones within the Greater Southdale District.
The street room experience within Typology 5 will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• On France Avenue, a 50 foot setback is required from curb to face of building with a minimum building height
of 60 feet (diagram at left). Above that 60 foot height, the building face should step back two feet to create a
cornice line, and can then extend to 105 feet. Above 105 feet, building faces must step back an additional 10
feet (as illustrated in diagram at right, above.)
• Building podiums along these streets need to maintain as closely as possible the 60-foot height limit while still
adhering to the guidance of 75% of building face at the setback line to create the fundamental experience of
the street room.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
• Parking and building services should not be accessed via these streets.
• Incorporate 10- to 12-foot wide sidewalks that create opportunities for gathering, outdoor cafes, pavilions, etc.
• Within the 50-foot setback, trees should be planted in a double row to add a strong canopy for pedestrian
activity.
Street Typologies Boulevards
France Avenue, York Avenue, W 66th
Streetand W 76th and W 77th: multi-
modal thoroughfares within the Greater
Southdale District. They have wide, multi-
use streetscapes lined with a double row of
trees. Medians may also be present in the
Boulevard streetscape to accommodate
plantings as well as mass transit lines and
stations. In many cases, Boulevards will be
adjacent to the tallest buildings in the
district and will be the locations for transit
stops.
D
A 50 feet setback is required from curb to
face of building with minimum building
height of 60 feet with a maximum
building height of 105 feet. Any part of
the building above 105 feet requires a 20
foot step back.
Preferred building materials: Concrete,
steel or heavy timber structural frame.
60 Feet
105 Feet
10 Foot
Step Back
2 Foot Step Back
Traffic Lanes50 Foot Setback
France AvenueFrance Avenue
60 Feet
Traffic Lanes50 Foot Setback
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 34
Street Room Typology 6
Central Promenade Spine
The Central Promenade Spine is intended to connect
the Greater Southdale District from the west at Highway
100, extending east to the heart of Centennial Lakes
and beyond to Edinborough Park. This Central Spine
also extends the existing Promenade north through the
Galleria and Southdale Center, and north across a future
green lid over Highway 62 to Strachauer Park.
The Central Promenade Spine traverses through a
variety of building types, ranging from townhouses to
multi-family housing, to low scale commercial/retail
buildings, to mid-rise office buildings. As the physical
form of buildings along this spine evolves, natural
sunlight light and limited shadow will determine the
experiential use of the space. Creating maximum height
of 36 feet at its edges will support a mix of uses fronting
the spine. Height above this 36 foot limit will step back
from the building face, maximizing the program of new
buildings rising along its edges without compromising
the experience of walking and biking through a park-
like environment
Transition Zones
1A West Promenade
1B West Promenade (South)
1C East Promenade
2 Cornelia Overlay
3 New Local Streets
4 Primary East-West Streets
5 Boulevards
6Central Promenade Spine
NPARKLAWN AVE.76TH STREETMINNESOTA DR.GALLAGHER DR.72ND STREETHAZELTON RD.70TH STREET69TH STREET66TH STREET65TH STREETFRANCE AVE.
YORK AVE.
VALLEY VIEW RD.
BARRIE RD.
XERXES AVE.
EDINBOROUGH WAY77TH STREET78TH STREET
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 35
The street room experience within Typology 6 will be shaped by the following experience guidelines:
• The 36 foot height along the Central Spine encourages a mix of uses focused on entertainment venues such as
restaurants, gathering places or community-oriented facilities that provide destinations to come to and stay at.
These lower-scale buildings that line the Promenade should reflect its stature as a special community amenity,
with a rich variety of architectural experiences that front this park-like environment.
• Above 36 feet, buildings shall step back 20 feet to the 60 foot podium height. Above 60 feet, buildings shall
step back an additional 20 feet.
• Buildings above the 60 foot height limit should be oriented to maximize the amount of sun on the Promenade.
• Locations where Typology 6 intersects Typology 4 and 5 are critical to reinforce the idea of the linear public
spine that connects this entire district. These intersections are the gateway to the Spine and should have a
unique architectural response.
• All parking, other than short-term retail or guest parking, and building services need to be located below
grade or hidden within the building. If on ground level or above, parking and/or building services must be
surrounded on all sides by program space such as commercial or housing.
Dimensional Characteristics of Street Room Typology 6
Central Promenade Spine
Street TypologiesCentral Promenade Spine
The Central Promenade Spine is intended to connect the
Greater Southdale District from the west at Highway 100,
east to the heart of Centennial Lakes, along the existing
Promenade north through The Galleria and Southdale Mall
and north to Strachauer Park.
The Central Promenade Spine transverses through different
building types from 2 and 3 story Townhouses to 1 and 2
story commercial/retail buildings to 6 story office buildings.
In imagining the future of the spine natural sunlight light
and limited shadow will determine the experiential use of
the space. Creating maximum height of 36 feet at its edges
support a mix of uses fronting the spine while not limiting
additional height to maximize the program of new building
rising along its edges will not compromise the experience
of walking and biking through a park like environment
50’ height limit
Central Promenade Spine
36 Feet
60 Feet
20 Foot
Step Back
20 Foot
Step Back
105 Foot Maximum
15 Foot
Front Yard
Setback
E
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 36
5 Implementing and Measuring the
Guidance
Ten Things to Remember
Greater Southdale District | Design Experience Guidelines
March 5, 2019
page 37
1. Every new development begins with the 200’ x 200’ block, or some variation based on
context.
2. Every block or building in a development will need streets to connect between
buildings. Not all of these streets will need to accommodate vehicles, providing the
opportunity for parks, plazas or courtyards—important parts of the public realm.
3. Buildings will not be greater than 200 feet in length, thereby minimizing the negative
impact continuous walls can have on a comfortable pedestrian experience.
4. All streets are not equal. The plan outlines a hierarchy that is driven by the kind of
experiences that are expected on these streets and how they facilitate an enlivened
public realm.
5. Designated transition zones are about maintaining the quality of life in these areas
without restricting growth in other parts of the district.
6. Promenades and East-West Streets are the bridge between single family
neighborhoods, such as the Cornelia neighborhood of Edina and the west side of
Richfield, to more intense parts of the district.
7. Street Rooms will intersect and overlap each other in many circumstances. At these
intersections, lower building heights should prevail, giving the smaller scaled building
precedence over larger scale buildings.
8. Building footprints above 60 feet in height are limited to 12,000 SF for residential uses,
and 24,000 SF for commercial.
9. Within the first 60 vertical feet of a building, primary materials systems that are
more traditional like brick, stone, glass wall systems are preferred. Above 60 feet,
other materials such as metal wall systems within a larger curtainwall system, can
be introduced. These baseline parameters should not be a deterrent to architectural
innovation but rather are intended to serve as a measure of quality and continuity
throughout the district
10. Transparency at the ground level facing the public realm is key to the individual
experience and is a catalyst for how to activate and maintain a community-based
approach to daily life and experience.
5. Implementing and Measuring the Guidance
Ten Things to Remember