Old Color Center Building Gets a Facelift

A highly visible Excelsior intersection will soon have two new street-level businesses.

The old Color Center building at the prominent corner of Water and 3rd is being renovated to house two new businesses. Taglio Salon will use part of the storefront, presumably moving from their current location on Lake St. The other half of the storefront appears to be dedicated to a new french bakery called La Patisserie. A quick call to the La Patisserie on Grand Ave. in St. Paul indicated that there is no relation between the two.

In addition to being on one of the heavier traffic corners of town, this location has the advantage of direct access to the West Lot, and presumably the spaces for these businesses are grandfathered in.

While that building at Water and 3rd seems underutilized by just having one story, it is exciting to see a new business come in and another relocate to it. A french bakery should have a very good chance of success given the genre of customers who make Excelsior a destination.

Twin Cities Housing Market: Bottomed?

Everyone knows that the housing market has been in a recession since 2007. While housing markets are highly regional, this bear market has hit the entire nation. The Twin Cities have been no exception, with prices down about 17% since the local market peaked in fall of 2006.

According to the most trusted index out there, S&P's Case Schiller Index, the Twin Cities market may have bottomed in April. Granted, it has only risen 1-2% since then, but market bottoms are a good thing.

I don't have data on how the Lake Minnetonka area market has fared in relation to the Twin Cities metro area, but would love to hear if anyone out there has access to that information.

9/11

(Note: This is a reprint from my post written last year -- I felt it appropriate to recognize the anniversary of 9/11)

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As the anniversary of 9/11/01 approaches, people seem to have mixed opinions on how to properly recognize it. Some believe it is time to move on, that the 5th anniversary last year provided a sense of closure for Americans, and that it is pointless to dwell on the past. Others believe that, given the magnitude of our loss on that day, we must always do something to remember the victims.

I side with the "recognize the day" camp. While we don't necessarily need to re-live all of the grief from that event, remembering the emotion and the victims of that day in whatever way one sees fit seems more than appropriate. I consider one person dying before their time a tragedy; 2,974 dying in one day from a series of willful attacks is still an unfathomable tragedy. Even though it happened before our eyes, it is still difficult to comprehend how many people 2,974 is, and by multipication how many millions of lives were directly affected by it.

Maybe a better way to recognize the day is to think about the survivors, particularly the people who the victims left behind. A number from 9/11 that has always hit close to home for me is 102. In addition to that being the number of minutes between the first plane crashing and the last tower falling, it has another meaning. 102 fathers of unborn children died on 9/11. 102 fathers went to work that morning, some knowing that their mate was pregnant and others still awaiting the good news, but never came home. 102 children were born in the nine months following 9/11 who would never get to meet their father. While 9/11 is six years old this week and the memories are slowly fading, and the perished are more gently resting in peace in our minds, many things about that day live on. Those 102 children are perfect examples.

It is poignant and fitting that this time of year, maybe on the very day of the anniversary of their fathers' passing, most of those 102 children are going to Kindergarten for the first time. Their mothers are packing their backpacks, the children are joining the other neighborhood kids at the bus stop, and these little tykes are boarding the yellow bus for their first ever school day. It is a shame their fathers won't share in the day. They weren't there to give the kid a pep talk on what school would be like, they won't be there to see the child step onto the bus, and the won't be there at dinner to ask how the day went. The children may realize their fathers would have been there if they could, but maybe it is too early in life for them to comprehend all of that.

This routine will happen 102 times. To us, 9/11 has largely become reduced to numbers, statistics, in addition to political rhetoric. But to that father who wasn't there on the first day of school, and to the mother who didn't have the father's active involvement preparing for it, and to the child who only knows that something unfortunate happened to their father and he isn't there, 9/11 was everything.

To me, that is why we should never forget 9/11. As these Kindergartners who are taking a big step forward demonstrate, 9/11 will always be part of our identity. Like those children, we move on to a brighter day knowing all the while that what happened will always be part of our personal and national fabric.

My Endorsement for President

After watching both party conventions during the past two weeks, I am optimistic that people are as engaged in the political process as they have been in recent history. Both candidates have compelling qualities to be admired by Americans.

John McCain is an American hero who has devoted his entire life to serving the country. After spending time in a POW camp, he could have easily drifted in to a quiet life and he still would have been considered a hero. Instead, he devoted the next 30 years of his life to public service in Washington DC. Regardless of what MSNBC wants you to think, McCain's lifelong record in DC is truly that of a maverick, and he has led some of the most critical reforms of our day.

Barack Obama is electric. He is a once-in-a-generation communicator who has the incredible ability to inspire people and provide a message of optimism. His gift of being able to engage people who had otherwise been apathetic toward the political process is extremely valuable. If a President needs charisma, he has it in droves. And regardless of what FoxNews wants you to think, Obama's experience in the Senate does count for something.

But my endorsement isn't for a specific candidate, but rather for an idea. I feel strongly that the President of the United States should be a true third branch of Government. The Executive Branch must be strong and able to rise above the partisan shouting match that permeates Washington. If it is simply an extension of the Congress or Senate, it isn't truly a third branch. It needs the ability to push forward an agenda that is that of the American people, not the GOP or Democratic leadership.

That is what I'll be watching these next eight weeks -- which ticket proves to me that it will be a true Executive Branch of Government, not just the leader of his party. You may arrive at a different conclusion than I do, but I'd encourage you to consider this as a primary criteria as well.

Local Elections at a Glance: Greenwood

Greenwood's council seats are normally up for election every four years, and the mayoral seat is open for election every two years. This year, due to a vacancy, there is also a two-year Council seat available.

Open Seats: Four. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms and one 2-year term for council) and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm

More Info: Greewood City Offices, at phone number 952-474-6633.

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: The massing ordinance (a.k.a. McMansion issue) is likely to be visible in 2009 even as the current council is putting new regulations in place.

Local Elections at a Glance: Deephaven

Deephaven's council seats are up for election every four years, but the mayoral seat is open for election every two years.

Open Seats: Three. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms for council) and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm More Info:
www.cityofdeephaven.org

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: Tell us what you're hearing in the comments area!

Local Elections at a Glance: Tonka Bay

Tonka Bay's council seats are up for elections every four years, but the mayoral seat is open for election every two years.

Open Seats: Three. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms for council) and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm More Info: http://www.cityoftonkabay.net/

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: Tonka Bay offers a link to see who has filed for the election. As of Aug 27, William Labelle had filed for Mayor, and Gerry De La Vega had filed for Council.
Tell us what you think the major Council issues will be for the 2008 - 2010 Council.