Vote leaves Dinkytown hotel in limbo

A hotel proposed in the heart of Minneapolis' Dinkytown area hangs in limbo after a key City Council panel voted Thursday to stop demolition of one building needed for the ­development.

Council President Barb Johnson introduced the motion to stop demolition of 1319 4th St. SE., currently home to Camdi Restaurant and Mesa Pizza, until it could be studied for possible historic designation. The motion was opposed by Council Member Lisa Bender, chair of the zoning and ­planning committee.

Just where that leaves developer Kelly Doran's plans to build a six-story hotel remains unclear. Doran declined to comment following the vote.

The decision will ultimately have to be ratified by the full City Council, which could opt to overturn it.

Simultaneously, the committee voted to approve demolition of two other commercial buildings needed for the development. The Heritage Preservation Commission had previously voted to protect all three of the buildings and perform a historic ­designation study.

"How things change is part of the way a city works," Johnson said. "But I think when you have an opportunity to make a statement about the ­flavor of what that place looked like in the beginning, I think this particular building at 1319 offers that."

Bender, an urban planner, responded that the building is not dissimilar from those along Nicollet Avenue, where the city has plans to create a denser transit corridor.

Much of the public testimony hinged on whether existing buildings or the neighborhood's inhabitants make Dinkytown a unique place.

"We all love the character of Dinky­town," said Gary Eidson, who owns one of the buildings slated for demolition. "But that character has more to do with its geographic location and its demographics than any particular building or buildings."

Demolition opponents said while the buildings may not individually qualify as historic, they collectively add up to something worth preserving.

"It's not one building that's historic," said Paul Buchanan, a board member of the Marcy Holmes Neighborhood Association. "It's the fabric of Dinkytown that is historic, that contributes to the identity of our neighborhood."

Cordelia Pierson, president of the association, added: "A historic district is made up of parts. If you take out part of those parts, you don't necessarily have a whole anymore."

Council Member Jacob Frey, who represents the area, said he plans to do more research on the 1319 4th St. SE. building before casting a vote. He is not a member of the zoning and ­planning committee.

"Smart growth and density, retaining historical value and incorporating community input are not mutually exclusive concepts," he said. "It does, however, require both sides to compromise and work together … We're going to have to have some compromise on both sides to ultimately get this done."