Details Of Linden Corner Focus Group Emerge

More details of by Linden Corners developer Mark Dwyer emerged last night as Dwyer faced another round of questions from residents and members of the Linden Hills Zoning Committee.

With his project , Dwyer said he would delay submitting his project for city approval in order to gather community input on the building's design through. This would happen through three focus groups of 20 people each. The groups will be moderated by a former member of the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council and an architect independent of the project, Dwyer said. 

Final details about the selection of Linden Hills residents will come within two weeks, said Dwyer, who hopes the groups provide a channel for community input in a less hostile atmosphere than at previous public meetings. Dwyer said he hoped to include comments and feedback in the final design.

Nonetheless, Dwyer acknowledged the sessions wouldn't produce a design under four stories tall—the building's height being the key point of contention. Dwyer argues that condo units in a three-story building of the volume he needs to make the project profitable would be unsellable.

Many residents opposed to the five-story size of Dwyer's original proposal fear city approval would set a precedent for future developments higher than the three-story maximum mandated by the area's current zoning.

Comments on the project should be directed to Hillary Dvorak in the city planning department, at hillary.dvorak@ci.minneapolis.mn.us and to an online comment form created by the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council. The council will share its results with the city when the Linden Corners project applies for its Conditional Use Permit.

See Patch's Previous Coverage of Linden Corner