The Blake Road Station

The
Blake
Road
Station

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Blake Road Station project is the redevelopment of 6.4 acres of land located at the intersection of Excelsior Boulevard and Blake Road South in Hopkins, MN. Trilogy Real Estate Group is working with the City of Hopkins to develop the site in a three phase, multi-modal transit-oriented development adjacent to the Blake Road Southwest LRT Station.

Each phase will build upon the improvements of the previous phase and will ultimately result in an increasingly connected, pedestrian friendly, and transit-focused community. The project will add to the mix of housing choices for area residents, providing a new opportunity to live immediately adjacent to the light rail transit station. Area businesses will be supported by more than 800 new neighbors who will eventually call this location their home.

SITE CONTEXT MAP

Site Context Map

STREETSCAPE & PUBLIC REALM

The development team has approached this site as a unique opportunity to complement the transformative power of the Southwest LRT line. Each phase of the Blake Road Station project defines and beautifies the streetscape while complementing the crucial transit functions in and around the site. Currently, the majority of the site is comprised of older, stressed pavement with ill-defined access and a plethora of surface parking stalls. In contrast, the development team is proposing a transformed site that emphasizes a neighborhood scale of connected streets, with traffic calming measures and pedestrian features, that will significantly improve the aesthetic of the Gateway to the City of Hopkins.

FRIENDLY & WELCOMING

The project vision includes extensive pedestrian improvements for the area, including sidewalk connections through the site that do not exist today. Ample boulevards and a rhythm of deciduous street trees are anticipated and would provide a human scale canopy year-round. The trees’ summer shade reduces the heat island effect, creating a comfortable microclimate when needed most. Both the trees and parallel parking zones will help to create visible friction that will successfully reduce driving speeds to provide a safer environment for people, bikes, and drivers. The pedestrian zone along Excelsior Boulevard and Blake Road expands to a width suitable for public street furniture including benches, planters, and bike racks.

ACCESS & UTILITY

A new North-South street that divides the site in two and connects to the SWLRT station becomes the crucial spine from which stem entries, active uses, and a linear park. The parcel that sits immediately adjacent to the project and south of the park-n-ride lot will have a unique opportunity to respond to this North-South street and linear park in addition to the many other benefits in and around the site.

DEVELOPMENT PHASING

Commencement of construction of the various phases is dependent upon existing lease agreements. The development team assumes the following start dates for the various phases:

■ Building A : On Hold
■ Building B : Spring 2022-2023 (pending existing lease agreements)
■ Building C : Spring 2026 – 2031 (pending existing lease agreements)

Building Design

Blake Road Station will provide creative, mid-rise residential buildings that maximize density while emphasizing green space and public realm at the street level. Trilogy envisions a community that values leisure and comfort with the ease of urban connection. The exterior building design draws on these qualities of being a transition from an urban to naturalistic landscape. Contemplated exterior materials are modern interpretations of the familiar. This pairing of materials adds an interesting and tactile palette fitting of such a prominent and active corner.

Conceptual Color Palette

Amenity courtyards and balconies extend living spaces to the outdoors while improved sidewalks and connections encourage active lifestyles for residents. With close proximity to the Cedar Lake Trail, each building will supply ample storage to encourage bicycle use for recreation as well as daily commuting.

The new, state-of-the-art dwelling units will support the residents’ sustainable living experience by providing urban housing that incorporates energy-efficient appliances, low-flow water fixtures, low-VOC paints, building-wide recycling practices while encouraging car-free living. The buildings will be designed to incorporate assemblies that ensure high-quality acoustical performance between units (wall and floor assemblies).