Birds of the Skyway

Teresa--I used to be able to park in the Dayton's ramp and get to just about anywhere from the skyway...Not so much anymore as I don't visit downtown like I used to....and when I do I don't get too far from the Science Museum, Ordway or Rice Park..Love the birds. Thanks for sharing! 

What a fun collection of wild life, Teresa. This is one of the times of year that I treasure living in Florida where I can still walk out in the open air. The key to optimizing our walks, and our life, is to really look around us and SEE.

Those are cool.  And it looks like they also serve as lighting?

 

Teresa!

Skyways...the ultimate concession to winter...along those five miles, can you get wireless and did they ever put in more benches so you can sit and watch the traffic and human icicles down on the street?

I miss the Twin Towns - I wanna read a copy of the Skyway News....

 

Steve 

 

 

 

Fascinating, I had now idea how you all got around in the winter!  Incredible photos!

Teresa, I have always heard of this mall, but I have never been there. I lived in Madison which was the closet I have been to it and I did not take a trip there to see for my own eyes. Yes a walk out of the cold I would like if I lived there.

I'm not sure these creatures are birds, but they are fantastic!

Love your pictures, I have started to keep my camera beside me as well.  I have missed a lot of great shots in the past not having it with me.  I used to love walking in the snow when we lived in northern Michigan but this looks just as interesting.

I LOVE this concept.  As the downtown of White Plains, NY becomes more dense, such an arrangement would make tremendous sense. Everyone is always scrambling around for parking! If the weather is bad, people scramble to find parking in several different places.  It would probably relieve some of the down town congestion if some form or what you are talking about was available here.  I have to alot an extra 30 min to 1 hour to insure that I secure parking when I'm working with a client downtown.  It can be quite daunting.  The birds are just so imaginative as well. Sounds like a great way to get a bit of exercise without freezing to death as well!

 

Theresa, what beautiful photos of beautiful art!  Everyone loves to look at photos, and yours are always excellent.

Teresa, These are great photos and very fascinating!  Thanks for sharing with us.

Teresa - a bit of history and perspective...

My family was very much involved in the origination of the skyway system in Minneapolis and it is an outstanding example of win-win thinking.  Nearly seventy blocks of downtown Minneapolis are on the skyway system, providing safe (well, safer), climate controlled, indoor access to virtually the entire downtown area.  Clearly this is a benefit to the pedestrians who do not have to brave the winter cold, summer heat or vehicular traffic while traversing the downtown area. 

But the commercial real estate developers and owners (of whom we were a part in the last century) also benefit.  Less desirable second or third floor office space is converted in to higher rent and more vibrant arcade space with shopping and food operations to serve the foot traffic attracted by the skyways. More businesses are accomodated, vehicle traffic flows better with fewer pedestrians on the street, rents are up - enhancing property values - so the city gets more taxes.  Everybody wins. 

Your birds photos are great and demonstrate a vital part of the skyway concept.  Coming downtown in Minneapolis or St Paul for business or shopping can be fun.  Bring the kids.  That's a hard sell in many urban areas. 

That's a LOT of skyways!! I went to college in Spokane, where they had several skyways downtown and I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. Not sure I've ever seen one in California, unless it was connecting a parking structure with the building it was intended to serve.

Cool pics!  (As always)  Love the one of your cat above, too :)

Mary

Steven... looks like Skyway News is now the Downtown Journal - link < here > including maps of the skyway system (Minneapolis)

Those are fun!  I wish we had stuff like that.  I too remember the skyways of Spokane, which were great.

John H.

Teresa - I always enjoyed the indoor gardens - are they still there? And as I recall the shyways shut down at nigth so you have to be sure to get where you need to go by a certain time.

Jeff