I will be very interested to see how this blends with the central streetscape. It is my initial impression that this building will kill alot of the character of Central between Maryland and Forsyth. 
No way that the design gets approved for two reasons:
1. It's not a big rectangle
2. It doesn't look like the other buildings surrounding it enough
Clayton will not allow such things!
1. It's not a big rectangle
2. It doesn't look like the other buildings surrounding it enough
Clayton will not allow such things!
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TB1000 wrote:No way that the design gets approved for two reasons:
1. It's not a big rectangle
2. It doesn't look like the other buildings surrounding it enough
Clayton will not allow such things!
No way that design gets approved because it's hidious... Some buildings I change my mind on, but this thing is just gaudy.
- 11K
I like it and building on the parking lot across Maryland is sorely needed - can't wait, please just find a nice place for Il Vicino.
I like it too. My gosh, everything does not have to be orange/brown brink in Clayton!
Maybe some more renderings (differant angles?) will change my mind, but for now I give it a thumbs down. It's just too clumsy and top-heavy for me. And I really hate the base; they can put radiator fins at the top, but they can't come up with anything but a flat wall at the bottom?
And I still can't get over the feeling that it really belongs in the BJC complex.
And I still can't get over the feeling that it really belongs in the BJC complex.
- 11K
I like the base because it maintains the streetscape scale as it is now - nothing fancy, but human scale at least. I like that the tower isn't boring.
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can anyone post a map of where this is located? I'm slightly confused right now. Apologies in advance for my incompetance.
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The black box south of Maryland will be the hotel (roughly) and the black box north of Maryland will be retail/etc.
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Is that the library on the Northeast corner? I used to spend lots of time there way back when I worked in Clayton.
The West End Word has an article about a recent public hearing. Some of the neighbors are concerned about shadows (the nearby church's stained glass windows could be blocked, for example) and Graybar doesn't seem to like it at all. They're actually worried about the "safety" of two large buildings so close to each other. I guess they don't get around much.
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According to this report on the April 21st meeting of the Clayton Planning Commission, the hotel project (and the parking garage in particular) is still facing opposition from Graybar (not surprisingly) and residents of Old Town:
http://www.westendword.com/NC/0/376.html
http://www.westendword.com/NC/0/376.html
“The glow that would come from the garage strikes me as something from the set of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This will have an immediate, negative impact on our property.”
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Hugh Ferriss wrote:According to this report on the April 21st meeting of the Clayton Planning Commission, the hotel project (and the parking garage in particular) is still facing opposition from Graybar (not surprisingly) and residents of Old Town:
http://www.westendword.com/NC/0/376.html
“The glow that would come from the garage strikes me as something from the set of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This will have an immediate, negative impact on our property.”
I don't get this "glow" complaint. Is the garage going to be radioactive or something?
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Clayton hotel moves toward approval despite mixed reception
By Margaret Gillerman
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06/09/2008
Clayton — Despite strong objections from some residential and business neighbors, a plan for a new hotel tower, luxury condominiums, shops and a parking garage in downtown Clayton has advanced with a favorable recommendation from the city's Plan Commission...
...After hearing comments at a packed hearing Monday, the Plan Commission recommended that the Board of Aldermen approve the plan.
The 225-room hotel would include a spa and fitness center, meeting rooms, an outdoor pool, restaurants and high-end retail space. It also would have about 40 luxury condominiums on the upper floors.
SOURCE
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That Maryland Avenue street sign looks like it would impede traffic 
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Why would the council allow a 12 storey side to be a solid wall with no windows or other aesthetic treatment? That's inexcusable.
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Best understandings:migueltejada wrote:Why would the council allow a 12 storey side to be a solid wall with no windows or other aesthetic treatment? That's inexcusable.
1. So the people who live in Old Town Clayton retain privacy from hotel guests looking in their windows.
2. To separate the elevators from the hotel and residential components.
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Gone Corporate wrote:Best understandings:migueltejada wrote:Why would the council allow a 12 storey side to be a solid wall with no windows or other aesthetic treatment? That's inexcusable.
1. So the people who live in Old Town Clayton retain privacy from hotel guests looking in their windows.
2. To separate the elevators from the hotel and residential components.
There are windows to either side, what's the big deal?
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Article from today's Post-Dispatch focused on the complaints of Old Town Clayton for the development (evident bias/agenda for the writer). They're stating they have a problem with "rezoning", but it really just sounds like NIMBY.
Source: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocumentAldermen delay vote on high-rise
By Margaret Gillerman
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Wednesday, Jun. 25 2008
CLAYTON — For Suzi Forsyth, her neighborhood battle in Old Town Clayton is deja vu.
In 1987 and 1988, Forsyth and some of her neighbors in the Old Town association of Clayton succeeded in keeping out a hotel and parking garage on North Central Avenue just south of their neighborhood of luxury and costly condominiums, duplexes and homes. The idea is before the city again with a different developer and different hotel interests.
The $110 million project will require a rezoning that residents like Forsyth oppose.
"It's wrong to rezone for the sole benefit of the developer," Forsyth said Tuesday night before city aldermen voted to delay a vote on the issue.
Forsyth was among a standing-room-only crowd at City Hall for a hearing on the proposal by R.J. York Development at Central and Maryland avenues. The builder's Central Maryland Hotel project would include a 23-story hotel tower, with luxury condominiums and shops.
The project, designed by Core 10 Architecture, has gotten a favorable recommendation from the city's Plan Commission. Supporters say the county seat could use a new upscale hotel with boutiques, restaurants and more parking. The developer is hoping the hotel would be a Westin.
Architect Tyler Stephens said the plans for the project have already been altered. "We've had numerous meetings with the public, heard concerns and made changes to the plan each time," he said.
But some neighbors say they fear excessive traffic and worry about pedestrian safety.
And while some say they aren't opposed to the hotel per se or the development, they're upset that the city is considering rezoning residential lots just south of Old Town to allow the parking garage.
Resident Carolyn Jenkins said that neighbors want to protect Old Town. "Rezoning is the issue," Jenkins said. "This proposal threatens the entire neighborhood."
The Art Deco-style tower would be on the southwest corner of Maryland and Central avenues, replacing a five-story building. The six-level garage, with three levels below ground, would be on the north side of Maryland, west of Central. It would replace three lots, including one used by St. Joseph's Catholic Church and another owned by the city.
James Kerley Jr.'s father opposed the similar proposal 20 years ago. Now, Kerley and his wife, Terri, are fighting this one.
"It was a bad plan then and it's a bad plan now," he said.
mgillerman@post-dispatch.com | 314-725-6758
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Moorlander wrote:Gone Corporate wrote:
There are windows to either side, what's the big deal?
The big deal is that from a design perspective, it's an awful lot of wasted space. It doesn't look particularly inviting, and those windows on the sides are minor in comparison. There's real opportunity to have something of design on that space.
As far as elevators go, there's nothing to say that the windows have to look into the building. They can screw mirrors onto the side of the wall for all I care - there just should be some additional design element on that space, just to break up the monotony.
Few remember, but the HBE buiding at Olive & Mosley used to have a HUGE multi-colored strip running down the fron of the building. About 15 years ago, they got rid of it for some unknown reason, and just left it as a big brown streak. Looked awful, still does. Something creative is needed there.