CSX facade

[Fruit Cove]

I assumed everyone liked the new black facade until a recent post so Id like to know everyone's thoughts.

[Fruit Cove]

heres a pic i found online of the building in transition.

old facade

and i found this website with a cool slideshow.

http://jaxfountain.com/Gallery/slideshow.php?set_albumName=

one of mine from 95

[Captain Obvious]

The old color fit into the skyline's "blue" theme better, but the 50s style panels looked terrible close up. Conversely, the black glass looks less impressive from afar, but makes the building far more stylish up close.

It's a wash. I'm indifferent.

[Urban_Legend]

I don't really care, because I've never really liked the building. Regardless of the windows, the building has terrible street interaction (consider when it was built) and it is surrounded by a parking lot desert. I'd love for the CSX owner to pull a Riverpointe, and build a tower or two on that surface parking, and build a garage and some retail too.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

heh. they are both ugly, just like ol modis

[newzgrrl]

Ya know, I've been wondering what was going on there and just couldn't figure it out. Ha!

I like the blue because it fits with the rest of the skyline color scheme, but that black sure is sleek. The black gives the building a modern look, in my humble opinion. I'll have to see it for real to make a final determination but I'm leaning to black.

[RiversideGator]

I voted for the ole blue, but it was looking pretty run down b/c CSX didnt maintain it. If you compare the old blue tiles to the new black, of course the new black looks better. But, I think if you chose between the original look and that of today, it may be a different story. Hence, I am the only one to vote for the old facade.

[ironchapman]

I like the turquoise...or maybe it's just the picture.

I haven't been to Jacksonville in a while, so my memory's a little rusty on the tower.

[merlin]

Riversidegator - you are not alone. I too prefer the old turquoise facade to the bland new black.

[crazy cuban]

i prefer the the blue facade, but i have a beef with Urban Legend?>>> why should they build a new tower in the parking lot??? i think that the building has some decent street interaction, it may not be right up against the street, but the curving projection on the base is a wonderful example of 50's modernism, or is that the problem, Modernism??? (friendly discussion???)

although they have created a double skin facade, they do this in Eurpoe quite a bit (Foster and Piano), of course that is planned and used to vent the building ie. environmental >>> i wonder if this was consider by the folks at RS&H???

[asonj23]

I have to go with the new facade. I'm partial to modern buildings and the facelift pulls it out of the 50's and into at least the 80's! I love old buildings from a street perspective, however, its the modern steel and glass that make the biggest impression on a skyline.

[Captain Obvious]

i think that the building has some decent street interaction, it may not be right up against the street, but the curving projection on the base is a wonderful example of 50's modernism, or is that the problem, Modernism??? (friendly discussion???)

it is completely cut off from water street by an entire block of private parking lots. the "street" directly in front of the building is actually a private driveway. there is also a huge parking lot between it and the 550 building. more buildings could be build on the site without even compromising the CSX building's "streetfront" much like the 550 building.

the sheer volume of their parking lots are a tremendous waste of downtown space. (they also don't pay any property taxes on the building or the surface lots! did you anti-shipyards people know that?)

[asonj23]

No property taxes!! How did the city get talked into that one!?!?!

p.s.

I'm diggin' the slide show Fruit Cove. Thanks!

[La Florida]

I like the new glass but I dont like the color. Blue tinted glass would have fit better in the scheme of things. The building is still UGLY though.

[La Florida]

If you just put your thumb over the csx building in the second picture, jacksonville llooks so much better!!

[Urban_Legend]

If you just put your thumb over the csx building in the second picture, jacksonville llooks so much better!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

^

Regarding the modernism/street-interaction issue:

I have nothing against modernism. The Aetna building is one of my faves, and I like some of CSX's lobby. I was just saying it would be nicer to fill up some of that wasted space, either with another tower or some kind of mid-rise or mixuse thing. Anything is better than parking lots, IMO.

[bobliocatt]

It really doesn't matter to me. I've never really been impressed with the building anyway. It would probably look better if a couple of other highrises were built in their giant surface parking lot.