Ugly Buildings

Expat · PostMar 16, 2008#262008-03-16T21:01+00:00

You guys are tough. I can' believe what passes as an ugly building.

La Sagrada Familia is an amazing structure. Even in its unfinished state, I found it to be one of the most spiritual spaces I have ever been in. It is brilliant. And the terraced condo building on Baltimore's harbor? I love that building with all its terraces and views overlooking the harbor. Get invited to a dinner party on one of thoses terraces as the city lights start reflecting on the harbor. You will change your mind and want to live there. Someone said that Boston has its share of ugly buildings. That is fair, since Boston also has far more than its share of beautiful buildings.

cwender · PostMar 17, 2008#272008-03-17T17:40+00:00

Okay...here goes: Park East Tower, St. Louis, MO

jlblues · PostMar 17, 2008#282008-03-17T18:54+00:00

I actually like that Atlanta Marriott. The odd thing about it is the top. I don't understand why they didn't just continue the curved facade all the way to the top. As it is, it looks like they decided to add seven more stories after they designed the building.

MattnSTL · PostMar 17, 2008#292008-03-17T21:29+00:00

CWEnder wrote:Okay...here goes: Park East Tower, St. Louis, MO

Just the base. The tower is well done.

migueltejada · PostMar 18, 2008#302008-03-18T05:58+00:00

RMIT building 8 - Melbourne:

http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/building366.html

And you're only seeing half of it!

Personally, I really like the Boston City Hall.

Other nominees:

AMP Tower (Sydney) - has been politely referred to as an architectural abortion: http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/amp-t ... usw117.jpg

The Gherkin (pickle) (London) - at twilight, it looks like a giant turd: http://plus.maths.org/issue42/features/ ... de_web.jpg

randallem · PostMar 18, 2008#312008-03-18T08:24+00:00

How do you all feel about the Del Taco at Forest Park Parkway and Grand?

jcity · PostMar 19, 2008#322008-03-19T01:18+00:00

Cool as F! I could imagine some uneducated dolt call for its demolition in favor of some "traditional" looking fake stucco building. that building should be placed on the National Register imo, as the Parkmoor SHOULD HAVE... nice Walgreens that you can't even enter.

bprop · PostMar 19, 2008#332008-03-19T01:28+00:00

I say ugly.

But I don't want it replaced with some traditional looking fake stucco building.

debaliviere · PostMar 19, 2008#342008-03-19T03:45+00:00

Del Taco?

LOVE IT!

framer · PostMar 19, 2008#352008-03-19T04:52+00:00

Anyone have any photos of the Del Taco building as originally built?

innov8ion · PostMar 19, 2008#362008-03-19T15:48+00:00

It reminds me of Busch II. This is just another example of space-race architecture that doesn't stand the test of time. Frigging flying saucers...

bonwich · PostMar 19, 2008#372008-03-19T15:56+00:00

Framer wrote:Anyone have any photos of the Del Taco building as originally built?

No, but I'm almost certain it started out its life as a gas station.

magnatron · PostMar 19, 2008#382008-03-19T16:01+00:00

Del Taco, not the prettiest thing, but a gem in terms of the 50's drive in, route 66 era style.... I love it!

drdrew · PostMar 19, 2008#392008-03-19T18:12+00:00

magnatron · PostMar 19, 2008#402008-03-19T18:17+00:00

I have been in this building... it's just as hideous if not more on the inside. I wanted to shoot myself being in there... nasty outdated flourescent lighting, hadn't been remodeled since it was built..... yuck

juiceinkirkwood · PostMar 19, 2008#412008-03-19T18:31+00:00

I have never thought as the Del Taco as beautiful, but I ate there for the first time last week and it was pretty good.

jcity · PostMar 20, 2008#422008-03-20T04:16+00:00

I don't think it was built as a gas station. I think it was always a drive-in/thru restaurant. Think Porky's.

framer · PostMar 20, 2008#432008-03-20T04:57+00:00

Toby Weiss (B.E.L.T) says it was a Mexican fast food joint called "Naugles". Circa late 1960's.

dogtowndan · PostMar 20, 2008#442008-03-20T12:49+00:00

Framer wrote:Toby Weiss (B.E.L.T) says it was a Mexican fast food joint called "Naugles". Circa late 1960's.

The Del Taco on McCausland next to the Hi-Pointe was also a Naugles. Good times.

jlblues · PostMar 20, 2008#452008-03-20T17:12+00:00

This building looked much nicer when it was a Naugles. It was all white and, I think, sea green, and the restaurant portion was all glass. The stripes on the underside of the spaceship used to light up too. Unfortunately, Del Taco has ruined the building by completely walling the place up and painting it tan.

Has anyone ever tried to demolish this building? I would think the cost of maintaining the spaceship roof would be astronomical. It is pretty ugly now, but I'd like to see someone restore it to its '50s glory.

Framer wrote:Toby Weiss (B.E.L.T) says it was a Mexican fast food joint called "Naugles". Circa late 1960's.

FWIW, I think Del Taco bought Naugles in the early-90's. Mmmmm, B.E.L.T. , I'm gonna have to go to Rooster now.

rbb · PostMar 20, 2008#462008-03-20T17:19+00:00

Eww, it's so old and ugly - waaaay past it's usefulness. Let's knock this nasty thing down:

Ah, much better:

Sincerely,

The Mercantile Bank Corporation

Larry Bushong, SLDC Director

-RBB

bonwich · PostMar 20, 2008#472008-03-20T17:58+00:00

Framer wrote:Toby Weiss (B.E.L.T) says it was a Mexican fast food joint called "Naugles". Circa late 1960's.

It was, in fact, Naugles, but it wasn't built as Naugles. (FYI: Naugles was owned by the same guy who started Denny's and Jojo's and at one point ran Harold's Deli on Euclid.)

There's an old thread that says it was built as a bank, which kinda sorta rings true to me, but I still think it was a gas station, at least in the '70s. Unfortunately, our archives only go back to 1981.

PostMar 20, 2008#482008-03-20T21:43+00:00

One of my contemporaries from SLU who can remember to the early '70s says it was a Phillips 66 station. Now I'm thinking it was never a bank, because it didn't have the proper secured areas for such a use.

PostMar 21, 2008#492008-03-21T02:40+00:00

I now have two more votes from old fogies over in my forum saying that it was a Phillips station built in about 1969.

doug · PostMar 21, 2008#502008-03-21T04:51+00:00

Please demolish all the architectural triumphs in St. Louis and replace them with 1980's horror or bland suburban hell. Perhaps vacant lots which maximize the tax base and deter crime. This is our City.

Ugly Buildings

Choose Display Mode