I like both renderings (although I prefer the original).
I don't think there are many four-story buildings in Lafayette Square. Most seem to be three stories - I wonder if Lafayette Square's design standards had anything to do with the change in design.
Nice looking project still. Glad to see it's moving along!
Not that it isn't already, but Lafayette Square is going to be the "must see" neighborhood in St. Louis with all of this infill development taking place.
I just wish LS would bustle a little bit more with activities/festivals. Perhaps it's coming.
DeBaliviere, you were correct. The design originally proposed was considered very large. The St. Louis "Cultural Resources Office Preservation Board" had acknolegded that great attention had been paid to the replication of historic details and finishes, but they felt the proposal did not comply with the Lafayette Square Historic District Standards in the following:
301.2 Mass
The mass of new construction shall be comparable to the mass of the adjacent buildings or to the common overall building mass within the block, and on the same side of the street.
The building will be much larger than any other structure on the adjacent blocks
301.3 Scale:
A) New construction shall appear to be the same number of stories as other buildings within the block, or shall have the same number of stories as the building original to that site. Interior floor lines shall also appear to be at levels similar to those of adjacent buildings."
The building will be three and one-half stories. The building directly adjacent is two, other buildings on the block are two-and one-half stories.
301.6 Public and Intermediate Facade Materials and Material Color?
B) Siding of any type and style is prohibited at the Public and Intermediate Facades
The Lafayette Standards specifically state that: "Private Facades of new construction are not regulated by this ordinance"; however, the rear of the structure has a significant exposure to Park Avenue and could be considered a partial Intermediate Fa?ade. The staff would like to see some other material substituted for the proposed bi-color vinyl siding.
Since this projects has been revised so many times, it is hard to get the facts straight... but it looks as though the correct configuration now will be condos on the second and third floors... selling for around $390,000.
The ground floor will be home to a new restuarant called "Soda Fountain Square" and under the same ownership as SqWires Restaurant. The entire project is expected to cost around $4.2 million.
I'm all in favor of contemporary houses as well, just not in Lafayette Square.
I've always thought that Grand Center would be the perfect place for some really unique, modern homes. There is so much land available there that a number of different architects could be brought in and create different interpretations of urban homes. They would really compliment the Pulitzer and Contemporary Art Museums.
Yeah, I agree to keep L-Square as our traditional, quiet, and cozy neighborhood. It's too beautiful to be "hip" and "trendy." Beauty is best experienced in quiet awe. I just mean, that we shouldn't get too used to the old fashion architecture. I think I brought up that comment at a wrong moment.
Cool project - my only problem with it is the corner of it. It looks like on the original renderings, the storefront on the first floor went all the way up to the corner, but now there are just two separate entrances on either side.
You're right, DeBaliviere. The storefronts looked better in the original rendering. But still, its a good-looking building; and its actually better-looking in real life than in the posted photo.
I just got a Sqwires e-newsletter. It stated that the new restaurant/soda-fountain/diner will be opening very soon. It sounds like it will be a very cool place...
Yeah, the owners of Sqwires are opening an old-fashioned soda fountain. I thought it was supposed to be in the Vail Place development, but I guess it's going to be in the new building at 18th and Park instead.
I remember when this was a vacant lot with chain link fence across the street from a junkyard. It is certainly a good example of mixed use in-fill. Good job!!![/img][/url]
