The long dry spell on residential announcements has been broken! West Coast investors to renovate old Polar Wave Building at 9th & Barton to 43 apartments.... looks like there still may be a few design issues left to keep w/in historic tax eligibility but hopefully it will work out.
- 1,792
I was hoping for a mixed use proposal for that site. I imagined it as a pretty awesome event space, or restaurant. I look forward to seeing a site plan. The part of the polar wave building fronting 9th and the Iron works on the east side of the block present some really unique opportunities. I hope the developers have some vision.
- 3,762
this is an instance where the HTC's kind-of annoy me, especially considering how badly the city needs warm bodies. as a residential conversion this would be so much better if the developer were allowed to punch windows into the exterior facade. it just makes sense, and could be done without destroying the historic character of the building. i worry that these apartments won't lease well due to the lack of windows, but i supposed the developers know what they're doing...
- 1,792
I didn't realize they couldn't add windows... They COULD just forgoes the credits of course... Even if they did, another question is would the historic preservation review board block or allow the addition of windows? Should they? Its definitely a huge negative for marketability, and its also somewhat a public safety issue as well.this is an instance where the HTC's kind-of annoy me, especially considering how badly the city needs warm bodies. as a residential conversion this would be so much better if the developer were allowed to punch windows into the exterior facade. it just makes sense, and could be done without destroying the historic character of the building. i worry that these apartments won't lease well due to the lack of windows, but i supposed the developers know what they're doing...
- 3,762
^ yeah, a stipulation of getting HTCs is no significant exterior deviation from its historic character.
i actually think they'd have a good chance of getting windows past the PRB given the obvious boon of adding mid-to-high income residents to the neighborhood, and given that there are few other uses for an old building with no windows.
i actually think they'd have a good chance of getting windows past the PRB given the obvious boon of adding mid-to-high income residents to the neighborhood, and given that there are few other uses for an old building with no windows.
Definitely an interesting situation. Personally, I prefer strict rules to loose ones, but issues like this make a strong case for flexibility.
More so than windows, I'm curious how well these will sell with what amounts to a scrapyard immediately east. Or is the Broadway-facing block part of the project/site?
More so than windows, I'm curious how well these will sell with what amounts to a scrapyard immediately east. Or is the Broadway-facing block part of the project/site?
- 8,155
^ We need a staff photographer!
you can see info on the leasing along with a couple pic of a rental unit:
http://www.cricommercialproperties.com/ ... =173465247
you can see info on the leasing along with a couple pic of a rental unit:
http://www.cricommercialproperties.com/ ... =173465247
^RW, that doesn't appear to be the Polar Wave building on S 9th, and CRI doesn't have the project listed as one of theirs. Again, we need that staff photog!!
- 8,155
^ oops.... that's the 1917 Rutger project. Too many damn redevelopments to keep things straight!
edit... here are some unit pic of Polar Wave from zillow:
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2400- ... 9064_zpid/
Nice!
edit... here are some unit pic of Polar Wave from zillow:
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2400- ... 9064_zpid/
Nice!
Here is better info/pic from the developer on the Polar Wave now called Soulard Ice House
http://asprient.com/property/the-soular ... e-leasing/
http://asprient.com/property/the-soular ... e-leasing/
Whoever lives in those units is either a vampire or they are going to suffer from a serious vitamin D deficiency. $1000+ to live in a place with no natural lighting is outrageous! There is really something wrong with a historical code that prohibits punching windows into an, um, RESIDENTIAL retrofit!!!!! Hopefully this project fails in the market so we can revisit the stupidity of a historical code that prohibits modifications arising from new uses. So much dumb. I mean, honestly, any old housing project, where at least there are windows in the plural sense, would be a better rehab than this. It's sad. And it will cause SAD.
- 489
^^^not sure if serious.
I am almost certain they were able to cut out windows in the walls. At least from what I remember from a night at D's place...
I am almost certain they were able to cut out windows in the walls. At least from what I remember from a night at D's place...
