Fargo in the next 10 years??

[Bison bison]

It was a poorly conceived concept, and there was never a definite direction for what they wanted to build and have the taxpayers foot the bill for. "It's for the kids", "We could get a minor league hockey team", "It could be the home for NDSU basketball", "It will seat 8,000", "It will seat 4,500", etc. etc...........

So it's a version of the same scam they PULLED OFF with the UP.

[OrygunBison]

Until I see Fargo on this list (which won't happen in the next 10 years) wish list items designed to reduce congestion or travel times should get zero consideration.

Here are all 10 of the worst cities for traffic as put together by Forbes Magazine.

Top 10 Cities With The Worst Traffic:

Washington D.C.
Atlanta, GA
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Houston, TX
New York, NY
Riverside – San Bernardino, CA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Boston, MA.

I live and work in the worst traffic city in the nation. Here's the deal. It doesn't matter where you live or what sort of congestion you have to put up with. It sucks. Whether its a piece of farm equipment on a two lane rural highway or someone blocking the box and stopping traffic in all 4 directions, no matter where you live, it always takes longer to get somewhere than you think it should. If you make it easier to get someplace, more people will go there, the system finds its own equalibrium. Final victory can only be achieved through surrender.

If you think downtown is a winner and you want to share it with more people, than that's a reason to improve roads but don't delude yourself into thinking that you'll get there any faster, you'll just have more company.

Also, parking garages are just ugly. For god sake build something that's plesant and/or interesting to look at. It'll make sitting in "traffic" more tolerable.

I agree strongly with all but the last paragraph. For that, you only need to make sure to include a design budget. As an architect that has designed several nice parking structures in urban areas, I know that it can be done. The best urban garages have retail on the ground floor with only an entry/exit ramp visible at that level. Many of these structures are designed by engineer-types and that is why they suck. They need a vision just like all good buildings do. They are most certainly not just stack slabs of parking. They are often the "front door" to our downtowns.

My most recent parking structure has 25,000 s.f. of retail on the ground floor, a basement level of parking, 3 upper levels of parking and the structural capacity to build some future commercial (either a hotel or residential) above. The design is very contemporary. The client considers it a 70-year building...which is important since most people think of their buildings as disposable anymore.

[tony]

I agree strongly with all but the last paragraph. For that, you only need to make sure to include a design budget. As an architect that has designed several nice parking structures in urban areas, I know that it can be done. The best urban garages have retail on the ground floor with only an entry/exit ramp visible at that level. Many of these structures are designed by engineer-types and that is why they suck. They need a vision just like all good buildings do. They are most certainly not just stack slabs of parking. They are often the "front door" to our downtowns.

My most recent parking structure has 25,000 s.f. of retail on the ground floor, a basement level of parking, 3 upper levels of parking and the structural capacity to build some future commercial (either a hotel or residential) above. The design is very contemporary. The client considers it a 70-year building...which is important since most people think of their buildings as disposable anymore.

Yeah, done right, you can build a parking ramp and the entrance is the only way you'd ever know it was there. Heck, I lived right next to a parking garage in Midtown and never even noticed it. The key is keeping street level friendly.

[Bisonguy]

So it's a version of the same scam they PULLED OFF with the UP.

Yup, but they were arrogant enough with the Cityscapes project to disclose that the taxpayers would foot $40 million for construction. UP used deception and sleight of hand to pull it off.

[bisonmike2]

It was a poorly conceived concept, and there was never a definite direction for what they wanted to build and have the taxpayers foot the bill for. "It's for the kids", "We could get a minor league hockey team", "It could be the home for NDSU basketball", "It will seat 8,000", "It will seat 4,500", etc. etc...........

I agree, I voted for it based on the knowledge that I was moving to Moorhead and wouldn't have to pay for it anyway. And it was a scam that they did to get the UP center built where it's currently at.

[EndZoneQB]

I agree, I voted for it based on the knowledge that I was moving to Moorhead and wouldn't have to pay for it anyway. And it was a scam that they did to get the UP center built where it's currently at.

Doesn't the whole Urban Plains thing go against everything Fargo has been trying to avoid in recent years(urban sprawl because of lack of planning in the previous 50 years)? That's what I never really understood...

[phpguru]

Which brings me to: WTF was this area thinking by placing the interstate south and west of downtown when they were coming through?? UGH!

On another note, you could maybe follow that drainage ditch by 12th ave or whatever. I remember someone on like city-data or skyscraper forums that diagrammed one going and connecting with 10th and uni directly( I think), much like 94 and 394 in Minne.

Are you referring to this one that NanoBison did a while back... (he seems to have abandoned the site)...

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2...bigideaeo5.jpg

[EndZoneQB]

Are you referring to this one that NanoBison did a while back... (he seems to have abandoned the site)...

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2...bigideaeo5.jpg

I think that's the one! haha

[North Side]

This really isn't a building project but I would like to see better signal strength for the digital channels. I pick them ups with rabbit ears and if the wind is great than 10 mph my picture always breaks up and even on a calm day I still can't get all the channels.

Also I would like to see HD news cast for WDAY and KVLY ect. I am sure the cameras are pricey but it be nice to watch Bison highlights in HD. I would think this is a possibility with in the next 10 years.

[onbison09]

Atlanta, GA
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Houston, TX
New York, NY
Riverside – San Bernardino, CA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Boston, MA.

.

Yuppers. Tollways aren't as bad but I-35 and other roads are brutal.