The Eclipse

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
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TommyT
Target Field
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby TommyT » February 17th, 2014, 8:45 pm

I am beginning to cringe every time I hear the word "hulking"

m b p
Nicollet Mall
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby m b p » February 17th, 2014, 9:02 pm

Eclipse looks sharp, simple, and refined.

301 washington looks jumbled and has no point to make. It reminds me of a teenage girl (or boy... I'm not one to make judgments) caking on makeup and thinking it makes them prettier.

I'd pick Eclipse any day.

John
Capella Tower
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby John » February 17th, 2014, 9:47 pm

I am beginning to cringe every time I hear the word "hulking"
I agree. Maybe the developers in this town should start designing some better buildings. ;)

min-chi-cbus
Capella Tower
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby min-chi-cbus » February 17th, 2014, 10:20 pm

Eclipse looks sharp, simple, and refined.

301 washington looks jumbled and has no point to make. It reminds me of a teenage girl (or boy... I'm not one to make judgments) caking on makeup and thinking it makes them prettier.

I'd pick Eclipse any day.
I tend to agree, actually. I like Eclipse's simplicity and sleek design, yet I like how 301 Wash. has a much better street-facing presence and connects with the street. Combine the two and you basically get Stonebridge.

kiliff75
Nicollet Mall
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Location: Northbound Brewpub - Standish

Re: The Eclipse

Postby kiliff75 » February 17th, 2014, 10:56 pm

The Eclipse will look a lot lighter when you have sunlight reflecting off the glass. If it's all glass it's gotta be more reflective than the renderings portray.

John
Capella Tower
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby John » February 18th, 2014, 12:20 pm

The Eclipse will look a lot lighter when you have sunlight reflecting off the glass. If it's all glass it's gotta be more reflective than the renderings portray.
I like the glass on the Eclipse and I don't mind that it is the predominant material and look. The problem is it's too overwhelming has nothing to play off of other than that beige brick. The exterior just needs a couple more elements to contrast /complement the glass. MBP, I get the idea of a minimalist/sleek look in a building. But I'm skeptical that was the intent. The design looks like a very minimal effort or concern was made for aesthetics. It's simplicity is to maximize profit for the developer. The architects could really care less as they get a nice fee. This is the same mentality that got us City Center (I remember, I was around when it was built).

Archiapolis
US Bank Plaza
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby Archiapolis » February 18th, 2014, 12:54 pm

MBP, I get the idea of a minimalist/sleek look in a building. But I'm skeptical that was the intent. The design looks like a very minimal effort or concern was made for aesthetics. It's simplicity is to maximize profit for the developer.
I agree with this statement. Start with plan, pack in the density, clad it later - do "just enough design" to get through entitlement then do the design development and then VE THAT down to the bare bones - laugh all the way to the bank.
The architects could really care less as they get a nice fee. This is the same mentality that got us City Center (I remember, I was around when it was built).

Whoa. "The architects could really care less..." Have you actually ever TALKED to an architect? 5 years of school (minimum, more often 7 years), 3-5+ years of documented and verified experience, and a year's worth of exams (if you pass) before you can LEGALLY call yourself, an "architect." For this effort, the "nice fee" that your firm collects will get you paid in the range of the average trash/recycling collector. "Nice fees" is not why people become architects, at least, I've never met anyone in this field motivated by money. I've heard the rumor that "people think all architects are rich" but I laughed it off as satire/sarcasm. Does anyone really think like this? For the record, this idea is patently false.

mnmike
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby mnmike » February 18th, 2014, 12:54 pm

You mean the architects "couldN'T care less"? :)

Anyway, the building looks fine to me. I don't see how open/airy glass frontage at the street level with commercial space is "meeting the street poorly". Add me to the "I don't see what the problem here is" list. Hope it gets built, and with all the glass seen in the renderings. Talk about a dead horse...

John
Capella Tower
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Joined: May 31st, 2012, 2:06 pm

Re: The Eclipse

Postby John » February 18th, 2014, 1:10 pm

You mean the architects "couldN'T care less"? :)

Anyway, building looks fine to me. Open glass at the street level with commercial space. Add me to the "I don't see what the problem here is" list. Hope it gets built, and with all the glass seen in the renderings. Talk about a dead horse...
Archiapolis, Oertel architects are going to get a nice fee for designing this and maybe that's to just stay afloat! I understand most architects are not rich and actually make lower salaries on average compared to other professions with the same years of educational attainment. And like any profession there are good ones and bad ones.

MNMike, I will shut up for now ( which I'm sure will please many). But if there is no change to this design and it gets built, I reserve the right (in a couple years) to say: " I told you so". ;)

Didier
Capella Tower
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby Didier » February 18th, 2014, 1:48 pm

I mean, isn't the overwhelming likelihood that this isn't the final design? This is the first design and the building isn't even approved yet.

5th Ave Guy
Landmark Center
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Location: North Loop

Re: The Eclipse

Postby 5th Ave Guy » February 18th, 2014, 4:04 pm

I can't wait for the inevitable "this isn't as bad as I was expecting" posts once this thing actually starts going up. Seems to happen with every project.

m b p
Nicollet Mall
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Joined: September 3rd, 2012, 5:46 pm

Re: The Eclipse

Postby m b p » February 23rd, 2014, 10:44 pm

I'm not trying to restart this debate... but.... I just wanted to post the final models I've made for this project (remember they're not just pictures... they're models. click the links).

Detailed Model:
Image
The detailed version takes up to 5 minutes or longer to load in google earth. http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ ... fee25a7f45

Simple Model:
Image
The simple model takes much less time to load. It has the exact same form, but lacks detail. http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ ... 45&ct=mdsa
Last edited by m b p on February 23rd, 2014, 11:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Anondson
IDS Center
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Location: Where West Minneapolis Once Was

Re: The Eclipse

Postby Anondson » February 23rd, 2014, 10:58 pm

I like the top image, also I agree with others who say this will be visually different with actual reflective glass in. Hard to make models appropriately reflective.

min-chi-cbus
Capella Tower
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Joined: June 1st, 2012, 9:19 am

Re: The Eclipse

Postby min-chi-cbus » February 24th, 2014, 10:12 am

I like it even more now, thanks!

*Note: I don't love how it meets the street still and I'm not crazy excited about the parking figures, but aesthetics-wise it's sleek and stands out in a positive way.

sushisimo
Landmark Center
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby sushisimo » February 24th, 2014, 10:51 am

The first level looks perfect for an upscale car dealership. It's hard to envision something like that at this intersection, but it could work.

John
Capella Tower
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Joined: May 31st, 2012, 2:06 pm

Re: The Eclipse

Postby John » February 24th, 2014, 11:01 am

The first level looks perfect for an upscale car dealership.
Yes exactly. Fits in perfectly to create a pedestrian friendly urban neighborhood. ;)

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby mattaudio » February 24th, 2014, 11:24 am

Those are really some nasty walls that give the finger to the sidewalk. Is it really necessary for a 5k SF workout room to take a third of a blockface? Also, I like street retail... but 5800 SF and 12100 SF: Those seem like awfully huge spaces, resulting in a low Gehl door ratio. https://streets.mn/2013/03/13/a-failure-of-frontage/

If there's only so much political capital that can be exerted by the planning process onto these designs, I hope we're more concerned about the sidewalk frontage than the parking ratios.

To that end, what could we do to encourage developers to incorporate smaller storefronts?

MNdible
is great.
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby MNdible » February 24th, 2014, 11:48 am

To that end, what could we do to encourage developers to incorporate smaller storefronts?
I'd say that you to encourage small retailers to exist. If somebody's looking to rent something, I guarantee that the developers will listen. Retailing is brutal these days, and aside from high-end boutique retail (and how much of this can we actually support?), it's not a growth market.

But I think it would be telling to go through a directory of retailers that had storefront spaces as recently as the 1980's and see how many of those functions have been obliterated by big box stores, category killers, online retailing, and a more disposable society.

schmitzm03
Nicollet Mall
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Location: Powderhorn, Minneapolis

Re: The Eclipse

Postby schmitzm03 » February 24th, 2014, 12:09 pm

Given how Stanton's Bridgewater building on Washington appears to have successfully filled quite a number of smaller retail spaces (http://goo.gl/maps/hSq2J), I would imagine Stanton could be convinced that splitting up the proposed space on such a high traffic corner would work well.

But, perhaps he already has some specific tenants in mind?

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
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Re: The Eclipse

Postby mattaudio » February 24th, 2014, 12:11 pm

I think part of that is how we've made it impossible through regulation for someone to open up a new tiny storefront... There are storefronts in my neighborhood that are literally 100 square feet. A 10 x 10 room. I bet there are a million reasons why you couldn't build a 10x10 storefront anymore, but they exist on our old streetcar corners. No off-street parking, no strict ADA compliance, if you need to go to the bathroom you go next door to the coffee shop. But the low rents create business opportunities that would not otherwise exist. One of the storefronts is leased by my neighbor across the street, a store that's only open for one or two long weekends a month. It's a hobby for them, but a cute little store that adds to the character of the neighborhood. Downtown could use that too.


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