33 replies to this topic

[macrocosim144]

hauntedheadnc, on Dec 29 2008, 02:52 PM, said:

I love the way the city council will approve any short building, not matter how hideous, before it would dare approve a well-designed tall building.

That does seem to be the track record, but in their defense the developers dont seem much up to the task of presenting the right projects and doing so intelligibly enough to get public support; not to say that its an easy task but surely its not impossible.  Instead things usual devolve into an egomaniacal pissing contest from both sides.... ahhh its a good thing im not human! lol

[hauntedheadnc]

macrocosim144, on Jan 3 2009, 02:26 AM, said:

That does seem to be the track record, but in their defense the developers dont seem much up to the task of presenting the right projects and doing so intelligibly enough to get public support; not to say that its an easy task but surely its not impossible.  Instead things usual devolve into an egomaniacal pissing contest from both sides.... ahhh its a good thing im not human! lol

Well, not to name names, but one developer was up to the challenge and did offer a spectacular project that included numerous concessions to Asheville's art, history, character, and soul, but his project was turned down because it was "too big."  Which is to say, it was too urban, and the city council was upset with this developer because he refused to play along with their delusion that Asheville is just the quaintest lil ol' thing to mince down the pike since Lake Wobegon.  Thus, they did not approve the project.  However, place before them a godawful eyesore like this hotel and if it's short and can perpetuate the illusion that Asheville is far too small and quaint to justify a skyscraper's construction, they'll rubberstamp it so fast your head will spin.

I think it's partly that, and partly the fact that new construction downtown must meet strict requirements for mediocrity and gentrification before the city council will approve it.  This building far exceeds the requirement for mediocre architecture.  It's right up there with the Indigo Hotel, 12 S. Lexington, and 21 Battery Park Avenue.  I'm sure that they were really just kidding about that workforce housing they wanted to add to this project -- because they're always just kidding about that kind of thing -- so what we're doing here is providing another staging area for uppity tourists looking for second homes.  So, we're helping the gentrification along quite nicely as well.  

Add all that up and how could the city council possibly refuse?

[macrocosim144]

hauntedheadnc, on Jan 4 2009, 12:03 AM, said:

Well, not to name names, but one developer was up to the challenge and did offer a spectacular project that included numerous concessions to Asheville's art, history, character, and soul, but his project was turned down because it was "too big."  Which is to say, it was too urban, and the city council was upset with this developer because he refused to play along with their delusion that Asheville is just the quaintest lil ol' thing to mince down the pike since Lake Wobegon.  Thus, they did not approve the project.  However, place before them a godawful eyesore like this hotel and if it's short and can perpetuate the illusion that Asheville is far too small and quaint to justify a skyscraper's construction, they'll rubberstamp it so fast your head will spin.

I think it's partly that, and partly the fact that new construction downtown must meet strict requirements for mediocrity and gentrification before the city council will approve it.  This building far exceeds the requirement for mediocre architecture.  It's right up there with the Indigo Hotel, 12 S. Lexington, and 21 Battery Park Avenue.  I'm sure that they were really just kidding about that workforce housing they wanted to add to this project -- because they're always just kidding about that kind of thing -- so what we're doing here is providing another staging area for uppity tourists looking for second homes.  So, we're helping the gentrification along quite nicely as well.  

Add all that up and how could the city council possibly refuse?

Its sad if you look at satellite imagery of cities like Orlando or Atlanta you can see the direct result of neglecting to develop a dense urban core in lieu of suburban sprawl, the nature disappears very fast, and is usually gone for good.  As more people decide to call Asheville home we will see if the trends change, though for now most of the owners of the surrounding lands seem more than happy to sell out the farm for cookie cutter houses and strip malls... which is a shame.

Its not easy to get a project off the ground, but if you can truly get the public behind it then a council will usually go along with it.  Then again there must have been some way he refused to play ball and it killed the project.  Though truly if he's got a good idea there is always some other city he can bring all those jobs, culture and massive economic impact to, the SW principle always applies... Some Will, Some Wont, So What, Someones Waiting...

[orulz]

There was something on the council agenda regarding this project. They need to buy air rights for the "swoof" that will be on top of the building. See the item here. There was apparently also an item related to this project on the DTC agenda today - probably related to the residential building slated for the Lexington Ave side - but the agenda isn't available so I don't know the specifics.

[Alias]

What's the status of this project? According to aloft's website the hotel os supposed to open March 1, 2012.

http://www.starwoodh...propertyID=3373

[thecowgoesmoo]

Alias, on 01 February 2010 - 03:18 PM, said:

What's the status of this project? According to aloft's website the hotel os supposed to open March 1, 2012.

http://www.starwoodh...propertyID=3373

They better get a move on, because unless something happens RSN there is no way they can beat that date. I wonder if they're having funding issues like everyone else?

Maybe they can dig up the parking lot and turn it into a mud pit like Zona Lofts.

[orulz]

According to the Citizen-Times, the Aloft just got financing. It includes a City-financed and operated 412 story parking deck. The C-T says it's been decreased from 8 to 6 stories (though the approved design shows only 7 stories) and from 146 to 115 rooms. Hopefully they haven't dropped the retail.

[orulz]

Article here.

City council just gave approval to their portion of this project. I'm not entirely clear as to whether that means this project has 100% of its financing in place, or if that just means the parking deck will be built but McKibbon still has to line up their financing to build the hotel portion. Looking at my prior post from December, it seems that maybe McKibbon already has their financing in place and it was contingent on the City Council approval.

This will be funded out of parking revenues, since the city now has all of its parking bonds paid off. The retired bonds were issued roughly 20 years ago to build the Wall Street and Rankin Avenue decks.

It seems based on the number of units that this will be exactly one floor shorter than the renderings indicate. I really have no problem with that. Also recall that PIP is retaining a strip of land along Lexington Avenue that they hope to develop into relatively inexpensive residential units, as well as a small parcel along Biltmore Avenue. In order to be tall enough to mask the blank wall of the parking deck, the building along Lexington would have to be about 50 feet, or probably 5 stories tall.

[Alias]

Construction finally started today!...or at least there was some minor ground work.

http://www.citizen-t...|text|Frontpage

[orulz]

I can definitely report that there is now a large hole in the ground where the Aloft will be. No pictures, but the hole really is pretty immense. This is a big project.

[Jones133]

I was there this weekend and its up to about 4 floors now. Concrete pours still taking place....

[orulz]

This is what the Aloft looks like now (courtesy of Facebook.)

[rooster8]

Not a lot to report except that it is getting closer to completion (duh).  I do hope that the workforce housing happens sooner rather than later. That blank wall along Lexington looks fugly (looks like the L building in Raleigh).

[Whistler]

Anybody else disapointed in the overall design of this project? It's been a couple weeks since I saw it, but my overall impression was one of a cheap suburban hotel perched on a parking garage, really unworthy of the urban setting. Something about the flatness of the facade is troubling...