The Bottle District

xing · PostJan 22, 2006#5762006-01-22T02:45+00:00

Check it out. The skyline could look like this.

From The North

From the North East (oh, and btw, that farmland is only 10 miles from Downtown- 10 MILES!!!!)

Expat · PostJan 22, 2006#5772006-01-22T02:49+00:00

Xing - good work. I really like the first picture with the river in the foreground.

marmar · PostJan 22, 2006#5782006-01-22T02:54+00:00

You're remarkable, Xing...and gifted, too.

buckethead · PostJan 22, 2006#5792006-01-22T02:58+00:00

Marmar wrote:You're remarkable, Xing...and gifted, too.

I agree. Very nice, Xing.

brickandmortar · PostJan 22, 2006#5802006-01-22T03:26+00:00

Xing, you outdo yourself again. First the pictures now this. Anyway, after seeing those renderings I really hope they keep the Lebeskind design for the towers instead of the crayola drawings that have been proposed lately.

matguy70 · PostJan 22, 2006#5812006-01-22T05:02+00:00

nice job Xing - beautiful work...

no could you do the same with the towers proposed in the new renderings too... which I think are still very attractive.

How about a arch straight ahead shot from east St. Louis with the new Ballpark Village highrises and Gateway Village (Bottle District)...

Thanks in advance!

xing · PostJan 22, 2006#5822006-01-22T05:39+00:00

I have a feeling most of you wont like this angle.

marmar · PostJan 22, 2006#5832006-01-22T06:22+00:00

Stunning...absolutely stunning...I am in awe of your uncanny ability to make what doesn't exist yet look like reality.

stlmike · PostJan 22, 2006#5842006-01-22T06:46+00:00

These are incredible.

metzgda · PostJan 22, 2006#5852006-01-22T16:15+00:00

Wow, nice job. However, I think the towers are a little taller than they actually will be if they are Libeskinds towers. If you look at the tallest, it's actually quite a bit taller than the arch in the picture, but it will be the same height or slightly shorter. Additionally, it will be set back pretty far, probably about as far as Met Square or further.

IMO, the tallest tower should be Met square height with the others scaled with it.

Xing - please don't take this as an insult, you did a fantastic job with this. I'm just thinking it actually won't look as "Detroit" as it does in the head-on shot.

jmedwick · PostJan 22, 2006#5862006-01-22T16:34+00:00

Well, Xing is right, the views from dead east are not my cup of tea. However, there are plenty of soultions to the gap problem. Maybe someone will convince the city and MODOT to get rid of 70 and open up a nice peice of property infront of the dome to development of a beautiful triangular high rise. That would just about bridge the gap.

brickandmortar · PostJan 22, 2006#5872006-01-22T19:25+00:00

Hopefully, if the BD proves to be successful it could be a catalyst towards filling those damned parking lots north of Washington along 10th west of the Dome. IMO the skyline 'gap' could be filled with a couple 10-15 story buildings and because the elevation there is higher than the river, the casual observer crossing the PSB couldn't tell the difference.

To quote 'What About Bob?' we need to take baby steps. If the Gateway Village creates a gap I say oh well because someone else will fill the 'gaps' in the skyline sooner than later. St. Louis certainly has a lot more going for it than Detroit these days.

st. louis texan · PostJan 22, 2006#5882006-01-22T20:06+00:00

Well at least St. Louis' biggest companies aren't going down the drain like Detroit's. Thats probably the big diff between the two cities.

Wow Xing i just looked at that last page with the pictures on it. All I have to say is you are the best.

matguy70 · PostJan 23, 2006#5892006-01-23T03:56+00:00

Thanks Xing!

Very nicely done!

The city is going to drastically change no matter what the heights end up to be - 35 stories or above. I think it looks better than what I thought!

stlmike · PostJan 23, 2006#5902006-01-23T05:02+00:00

This may be a dumb point to address, but I think more "skyline shots" used to promote the cities image should be some of those northern skyline shots. No matter how tall the buildings are the arch is separated to the left of it and looks like a real gateway. I love it!

drdrew · PostJan 23, 2006#5912006-01-23T05:26+00:00

I like tall buildings as much as anyone, but I really don't think the appearance of the skyline should be a prime consideration for development of downtown. For one, as Expat and a few others have said, the street-level atmosphere is the biggest determinant of whether people will want to be there or not. Secondly, if you're coming in from the east, as I do every time I drive back here, you've been driving through southern Illinois for a long time, and the only structure of note taller than about two stories is the Effingham cross, so any skyline looks pretty darn impressive.

suburban lou · PostJan 23, 2006#5922006-01-23T06:31+00:00

From the January 20, 2006 print edition

McGuire, Ghazi change plans, name for Bottle District

Lisa R. Brown

The $300 million Bottle District planned for north of downtown will begin taking shape in March with a new name and changes to its original design.

The 18.5-acre development on the site of McGuire Moving & Storage is now being marketed as the Gateway Village. The Bottle District theme, named for century-old bottles unearthed on the site, will be the name of the development's entertainment and dining district.

The changes were made after Dan McGuire, owner of the property and the driver behind the development, brought Charlotte, N.C.-based The Ghazi Co. on as a joint venture partner last fall. McGuire said that as the project gained momentum in 2005, it was time to partner with a company with experience as a lead developer. Clayco is the general contractor, and New York-based Studio Daniel Libeskind, working in conjunction with Clayco's Forum Studios, is designing the project. DMR Architects of Charlotte is also working with Forum Studios on the master planning of the site.

"We're not a developer," McGuire said. "We managed to bring it this far, and we think we've done a terrific job." The Ghazi Co. is now handling leasing at the Bottle District. "We're handling what we had in the works before they joined," said Matt Bernsen, marketing director for the Bottle District. "They have experience with mixed-use development that we don't, and they have a list of tenants that aren't in St. Louis that they work with on the East Coast."

McGuire is narrowing his choices for financing the project among three lenders. Royal Banks of Missouri financed property acquisition for the project.

"(Ghazi Co.'s) concern was being able to bring residential to the project," McGuire said. "By changing part of the name, it gives them a lot more opportunity to bring in residential developers." McGuire said it's still undetermined what amount of residential the project will contain. The new plans call for at least two 35-story residential towers and possibly a taller one, he said. Previous plans showed three residential towers, at 24, 28 and 32 stories in height.

Read More

thewayofthearch · PostJan 23, 2006#5932006-01-23T17:28+00:00

I am most impressed with the attention to detail...Way to include the cable towers for the MRB. Nice touch!

matguy70 · PostJan 23, 2006#5942006-01-23T18:44+00:00

OK - Xing...

next challenge...

This article above says 2 35 stories and one additional tower taller---

let's see it with the new towers that have been promoted recently too. - if you get a chance!

we love you!

st. louis texan · PostJan 23, 2006#5952006-01-23T19:35+00:00

Love is such a relative term.

markofucity · PostJan 23, 2006#5962006-01-23T20:20+00:00

if we're going to request additions .. how about adding the ballpark village towers?

xing · PostJan 23, 2006#5972006-01-23T20:24+00:00

Look closely. Those are already in there, as is the new bridge.

southslider · PostJan 23, 2006#5982006-01-23T20:36+00:00

Yep, you can see the Ballpark towers to the left (or south) of the Eagleton Federal Building. And the bridge on the far right (or north) of the picture.

markofucity · PostJan 23, 2006#5992006-01-23T21:02+00:00

I stand corrected.

archmadness · PostJan 24, 2006#6002006-01-24T06:18+00:00

Those are awesome renderings Xing. I'm really liking the views from the north.

The Bottle District

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