Great, they already have the marketing going - something that Pace Properties didn't do very well with its Valencia Place project in Richmond Heights.
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dweebe wrote:ChrisInDownTown wrote:Saw a billborad yesterday driving out 40 around Grand I think from the city. Looking forward to new info coming out.
There's another one on I-44 around Vanderventer that is visible when driving east.
On my way home tonight I went out of my way to see the billboard. Well, at 3am there isn't much too see when the billboard lights are off. I'll try to remember to see it in the daytime.
The Chase Park residence billboard looks nice with the building enlarged on the billboard. From what I recall, the skyhouse building was actually rather small.
In any case, I am excited about the project!
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I'm anxious to get an update on first months pre sales. Let's get it started, let's get retarded.
Sorry I had to do it...
Sorry I had to do it...
More press on SkyHouse
Excerpted from the West End Word
Plans for the 22-story Skyhouse tower proposed by Chicago-based developer Metropolitan Development Enterprise moved forward on April 11 as the Tax Increment Financing Commission voted 7-1 in support of allocating $11.5 million in TIF bonds to the project. The development would be located at the corner of 14th Street and Washington Avenue.
Announced in late February, the 22-story Skyhouse tower has created quite a buzz for being one of a few recent downtown developments promising to construct new buildings from scratch.
The cost of the project is expected to top out at $67.7 million. With prices starting in the mid-$200,000s for condominiums ranging from 850 square feet to 2,230 square feet, Donovan said her company is hoping to attract people between 35 and 45, as well as empty nesters and “people who want to use the space as a weekend getaway.”
The project is expected to begin begin a year to 18 months after presales open in mid-May and the building would take 18 to 24 months to complete. The project needs to reach a 40 percent presale threshold to receive construction financing.
Source
Excerpted from the West End Word
Plans for the 22-story Skyhouse tower proposed by Chicago-based developer Metropolitan Development Enterprise moved forward on April 11 as the Tax Increment Financing Commission voted 7-1 in support of allocating $11.5 million in TIF bonds to the project. The development would be located at the corner of 14th Street and Washington Avenue.
Announced in late February, the 22-story Skyhouse tower has created quite a buzz for being one of a few recent downtown developments promising to construct new buildings from scratch.
The cost of the project is expected to top out at $67.7 million. With prices starting in the mid-$200,000s for condominiums ranging from 850 square feet to 2,230 square feet, Donovan said her company is hoping to attract people between 35 and 45, as well as empty nesters and “people who want to use the space as a weekend getaway.”
The project is expected to begin begin a year to 18 months after presales open in mid-May and the building would take 18 to 24 months to complete. The project needs to reach a 40 percent presale threshold to receive construction financing.
Source
Prices don't sound too outrageous either. The sooner they break ground, the better.
I'll still miss my four hour shirt dry cleaner sign though.
I'll still miss my four hour shirt dry cleaner sign though.
Good news but wow, construction beginning 12-18 months after pre-sales. That means no start on this building until at least next May. I sure hope the other two break ground this year.
Agreed, I can't wait to see new construction downtown...that will be a huge milestone
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At the National Planning Conference I talked to people about their downtown movements and people were shocked at our prices for a downtown loft or these new high-rise condos of mid $200,000s.
It appears less common to have these old, tall, and big warehouse buildings and historic office buildings become lofts because I did not see such the same with similar buildings in Philadelphia. Granted they have great new construction down Broad and South Streets.
Newly constructed residential high-rises in Downtown, CWE, & Clayton will propel the region forward and prepare us for 2010 for the massive movement of the Baby Boomers (buying/selling). Build more Metrolink and Olivette may begin its town center, Delmar West around I-170 will redevelop for higher density, and Clayton, CWE, and Downtown will be ready for another high mark.
More transit = more redevelopment = future
It appears less common to have these old, tall, and big warehouse buildings and historic office buildings become lofts because I did not see such the same with similar buildings in Philadelphia. Granted they have great new construction down Broad and South Streets.
Newly constructed residential high-rises in Downtown, CWE, & Clayton will propel the region forward and prepare us for 2010 for the massive movement of the Baby Boomers (buying/selling). Build more Metrolink and Olivette may begin its town center, Delmar West around I-170 will redevelop for higher density, and Clayton, CWE, and Downtown will be ready for another high mark.
More transit = more redevelopment = future
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A nice little write-up that I don't recall seeing elsewhere in this thread:
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek ... tlouis.cfm
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek ... tlouis.cfm
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"Despite a height restriction of 250 feet on the site due to the city’s zoning code, Villanti enthuses that “the sky was the limit, and we felt we reached it.”
curious
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bpe235 wrote:"Despite a height restriction of 250 feet on the site due to the city’s zoning code, Villanti enthuses that “the sky was the limit, and we felt we reached it.”
curious
That doesn't make sense. The Arch is 630 feet high.
^I could be wrong, but it's probably meant for that stretch of Washington Avenue. It's likely an old zoning code from the late 1800's or something, when all of those warehouses/buildings were being built.
I think it's time for spring cleaning with many of our archaic laws and codes.
That rendering from the northwest is great. What a great addition to Washington Ave and downtown. I wish ballpark village had this kind of speed and momentum behind it (already multiple detailed write-ups in varied publications, quality renderings, and noticed all the billboards when I was home). Granted this is a smaller scale project but a couple new glass towers just to the right of Skyhouse in that rendering shot and to the left of Federal Courts building would look even better.
The project architect actually says:
"The last modern construction there was the Gateway Arch".
"The last modern construction there was the Gateway Arch".
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Framer wrote:The project architect actually says:
"The last modern construction there was the Gateway Arch".
Depends how you define "modern".
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I heard a radio ad for this project on the way into work today. They're really pushing this project which I think is great. It seems like other projects downtown you need to dig deep to find out what's going on.
- 10K
They have a billboard on 44 too - they seem to be aggressively marketing the pre-sales.
Looks like a pre-Grand opening VIP Party is happening in May. This project is moving fast it seems.
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Michael is too modest to cross-post his articulate discussion of SkyHouse here -- though he does cross-post this discussion on his site.
It sounds like EOA might be willing to give up the cleaners for Skyhouse, but not the shoe store -- or the ice cream store or the wholesaler -- for another highrise or two.
The link to his full post: http://ecoabsence.blogspot.com/
However, whether or not SkyHouse gets built, the proposal should be the start of serious discussion about how we should make the kinds of choices downtown new construction will force. There are many smaller historic buildings, some lacking any official landmark status, whose demolition might create larger sites for bigger development. Yet their loss could also destroy the visual variety and differences in height and building size that make downtown an attractive place. One SkyHouse is great, but ten similar buildings grouped near each other seems a rather gloomy prospect.
It sounds like EOA might be willing to give up the cleaners for Skyhouse, but not the shoe store -- or the ice cream store or the wholesaler -- for another highrise or two.
The link to his full post: http://ecoabsence.blogspot.com/
Nice to see a night rendering. Gives a better clue as to how the base will look. I am glad to see that it will not be solid. It will be all glass, and see through at that. I think it could probably still use a few tweaks, but over all looks promising.
