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Council Passes 20 Is Plenty Law, 2+U Alley Vacation, And New Madison Valley Park

Skanska USA is proposing to construct two towers and a series of podium structures on a Downtown block. One tower would would rise 41 stories while the shorter of the two would reach 20 stories. Called 2+U (1201 Second Avenue)–named after the streets Second Avenue and University Street–the project would require an partial alley way vacation between First Avenue and Second Avenue to become a reality. That’s because the towers would straddle over the alley and the podium structures. A total of four buildings would be demolished on the block–two buildings each on First Avenue and Second Avenue–to make way for the development. However, the Diller Building, one of the first buildings built downtown following the fire of 1889, will remain on the block.

Skanska has designed public space into the project concept. Between the podium structures, Skanska would provide permeability for public across the site with welcoming features. Instead of just an alley, a diagonal through connection would reach from First Avenue to Second Avenue from the southwest to the northeast. Another through connection would snake behind the planned retail on Seneca Street while an open connection would be just south of the Diller Building. One-third of the alley would remain in place from University Street to provide emergency and service access to the center of the site; the alley will essentially operate like a woonerf. To add open space and views, Skanska would develop an overlook on the Seneca Street side with level access from Second Avenue.

Skanska promises to provide the open space as privately-owned public space:

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https://www.theurbanist.org/2016/09/...n-valley-park/