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Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)

Posted: October 13th, 2017, 5:56 am
by Homewood2009
Protect all the contributing structures in a district, as long as it's defined coherently (i.e., not single family homes).
I'm curious about this. We have several "coherently" defined historic districts of single-family homes. You just don't think that's valid? Why not?
I strongly disagree gilded age mansions are worthy of protection. The social conditions that allowed them to exist shouldn't be forgotten but the mansions are a poor vehicle for communicating that part of our history.
I'm also curious about this. Have you ever taken a tour of the Hill or Ramsey houses? They do quiet a good job of conveying life of the servants and surrounding neighbors.

I do believe that in select cases it is worthwhile to preserve districts, meaning multiple buildings that together give a place a certain feeling. As MNdible says, there is no one-size-fits-all definition for this. Each has to be taken in its context.

Years ago I thought that new construction in such districts should look like the old. I've since done a 180 on that and think any new construction should absolutely state that it is new. Including additions to existing buildings.
I agree with you on this. Architectural diversity is a good thing and should be encouraged. I hate seeing old buildings torn down because of the craftsmaship and character that went into them is wonderful, but when we do lose one, it shouldn't have to look like everything around it. Protecting individual buildings is good, entire areas shouldn't have to conform to certain architectural style, or height.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 12:50 pm
by dajazz
West Elm hotel is dead, site will be apartments:

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 213229.pdf

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 1:33 pm
by grant1simons2
Not from what I heard a month ago. Maybe they found another site? That corner parcel next to Fairgrounds? The 1 story building behind the Lowry building? Literally anything on Washington?

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 1:40 pm
by dajazz
Not from what I heard a month ago. Maybe they found another site? That corner parcel next to Fairgrounds? The 1 story building behind the Lowry building? Literally anything on Washington?
Another site would be a better fit for them, especially a corner lot with lots of visibility, like the empty surface lot(s) across from Bonobos.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:00 pm
by EOst
Design is pretty yikes.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:16 pm
by amiller92
Especially with all the pictures of existing neighborhood buildings. It's like "look at all these details" and then "yeah, it's just a rectangle."

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:25 pm
by Silophant
I'm happy to see only one vehicle access point, and from Azine instead of 1st, even! Not as thrilled that it's a 1.55 parking ratio, but whatever, I guess.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:32 pm
by rhettcarlson
Too bad, this was such a good looking project before. I get the softening hotel market, but not so much the condos. Seems like there is still strong demand there.
West Elm North Loop.png

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:34 pm
by grant1simons2
That would've come out looking like a St. Paul postmod mess. I'd rather have something minimal, but pleasant to walk by (retail!) than a statement.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:44 pm
by MattW
lol, the lead up to the rendering was something. They had all these design elements of buildings in the area, then they come out with ...drumroll... a gray box.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 2:51 pm
by aeisenberg
lol, the lead up to the rendering was something. They had all these design elements of buildings in the area, then they come out with ...drumroll... a gray box.
"Farm and Fable"

Nailed it.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 3:00 pm
by xandrex
Love that they're including 5(!!!) small retail spaces. And it looks pleasant to walk by from the street.

But ugh...it's...a big, dark box that just seems to swallow everything around it.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 3:09 pm
by mamundsen
Would it be better if the U faced 1st? It would probably have better sun exposure and breakup the flat wall front of the building.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 3:15 pm
by MNdible
Yeah, not that they should repeat themselves, but I think the Spoonriver building that they show in the packet, designed by the same firm, has a more appropriate material palette for this location. The simple massing and austere detailing doesn't bother me -- as noted above, that's much better that than the weak PoMo that a few of the other projects in the area have used.

We have some masonry experts here, right? A six story building is likely 5+1 stick framed, and the floor plans seem to confirm this. I understood that you couldn't do full height brick over stick frame that tall. Has something changed?

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 3:19 pm
by Nathan
I really love the design. That Maganese brick is always much more rich in reality than renderings and drawings. I think the accent color on the balconies and retail bays is genius - basically the amalgamation of the Chicago brick tones throughout the neighborhood. It's geometric and a bit bulky, but I imagine the details in the brick will break it up more than it looks.

*masonry expert* you just need to use a brick that is available in a thin veneer. I love the brick and I especially think it's nice to break up the tones in the neighborhood. It'll be within view of the bright white town homes and modern offices going across the street so I don't think it'll be that jarring.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 3:28 pm
by dajazz
Would it be better if the U faced 1st? It would probably have better sun exposure and breakup the flat wall front of the building.
I'd like that. Right now the current design does nothing for me and I think come the dark days of winter it just won't look that good (IMO).

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 14th, 2018, 3:47 pm
by tdtmpls
We've had a few sources confirm that the West Elm Hotel is not dead, it has just moved sites. More information to come soon!

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 15th, 2018, 6:11 am
by Tyler
Ha! 100% agree with Nathan. Love this.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 15th, 2018, 6:59 am
by Nathan
At first I really thought maybe turning the "U" shaped opening towards the street would be an improvement but then I don't think that really represents the north loop genuinely. Show me a historic building in the neighborhood that has a U shape much less one facing the street. Every major building in this neighborhood is a monolith. I stand by enjoying it for its brutishness.

Re: West Elm Hotel & Condos - 102-120 1st Street N

Posted: August 15th, 2018, 8:32 am
by colink
We've had a few sources confirm that the West Elm Hotel is not dead, it has just moved sites. More information to come soon!
I hope this is true! Minneapolis is still listed as a location on their website for what it's worth.

I'm actually more excited about having a West Elm store closer to the downtown core. The one in Edina is way too small and it doesn't look like it's maintained very well.