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Kregel Publications - Renovation? Wealthy Street.


EastownLeo

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I'm involved with this project and thought I'd move on from being a lurker and finally make an account here. Yes, this is happening, although there are some changes from the original renderings due to historical preservation issued. The main change is that there wont be windows cut into the front top three floors.

 

*facepalm*

 

Historic preservation!?!?

 

Only the idiots running GR would easily clear buildings to be demolished for parking lots without barely blinking, but chafe at putting windows in blank walls! It almost makes the residential portion useless if the people cant even use the abundant natural light that they could get in the summer, never mind the lost view, and making the building façade more friendly! What would be the point of even putting offices there? It would be soul-sucking to work in a space that is sealed off from a view of the outside.

 

 Those upper floors were just used for storage, what is the historical significance of preserving that aesthetic?

 

I hope you guys can appeal this. THIS needs to be overridden.

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*facepalm*

 

Historic preservation!?!?

 

Only the idiots running GR would easily clear buildings to be demolished for parking lots without barely blinking, but chafe at putting windows in blank walls! It almost makes the residential portion useless if the people cant even use the abundant natural light that they could get in the summer, never mind the lost view, and making the building façade more friendly! What would be the point of even putting offices there? It would be soul-sucking to work in a space that is sealed off from a view of the outside.

 

 Those upper floors were just used for storage, what is the historical significance of preserving that aesthetic?

 

I hope you guys can appeal this. THIS needs to be overridden.

An appeal is being worked on, and windows are in the future plans (possibly a few years out). I'm putting together a new rendering with double-hung windows to see if they'll bite.
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*facepalm*

 

Historic preservation!?!?

 

Only the idiots running GR would easily clear buildings to be demolished for parking lots without barely blinking, but chafe at putting windows in blank walls! It almost makes the residential portion useless if the people cant even use the abundant natural light that they could get in the summer, never mind the lost view, and making the building façade more friendly! What would be the point of even putting offices there? It would be soul-sucking to work in a space that is sealed off from a view of the outside.

 

 Those upper floors were just used for storage, what is the historical significance of preserving that aesthetic?

 

I hope you guys can appeal this. THIS needs to be overridden.

Preach it!

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Agreed. It seems a bit heavy handed. Adding windows brings the building back to full use and I don't think it ruins the historic nature of the building. That is one thing that annoys me about the HPC. I've seen them be very accommodating with some projects, and hard asses with others. If nothing else, they need to be consistent.

 

Good luck with the project. I hope the changes (or lackthereof) don't sink this idea.

 

Joe

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I'm involved with this project and thought I'd move on from being a lurker and finally make an account here. Yes, this is happening, although there are some changes from the original renderings due to historical preservation issued. The main change is that there wont be windows cut into the front top three floors. Balconies on the rear and east side are still being determined. The ground floor is planned to be retail, with the second floor as co-working space geared towards creative professionals. The rest of the building will be live+work lofts ranging from 1,000-1,700 square feet, with the option of leaving it raw or finished. Due to not being able to add windows to the front, the current plan is to convert the front units into office space. 

 

It's an interesting building as the floors of the front section, which is brick and wood, do not meet level with the floors of the rear section, which is reinforced concrete. So while the building has six floors, the elevator has twelve stops. There are quite a few interesting architectural features, which I'll make sure to get photos of in the next couple weeks. 

 

The developer is The Urban Renaissance Group, which recently renovated the old Nextel building in Cascade into the new A.K. Rikk's store. They also own the Harris Building downtown on the Avenue of the Arts. 

 

That's a little disappointing to hear, because I really liked how the renderings looked with the windows.  

 

Thanks for the info and for breaking your silence.  Welcome to UP-GR!

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Oh no, my confidence that this project will happen just went down a few notches.

It's a matter of getting the historic preservation tax credit or not. At this point it's going forward with or without. Keep in mind that there will be windows cut into both sides and the back - it's just the front that they're picky about.
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It's a matter of getting the historic preservation tax credit or not. At this point it's going forward with or without. Keep in mind that there will be windows cut into both sides and the back - it's just the front that they're picky about.

 

Who's "they" and where are they located? I will go smack some sense into them. 

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Who's "they" and where are they located? I will go smack some sense into them. 

 

http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Planning-Department/Pages/Historic-Preservation-Commission.aspx

 

http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Planning-Department/Pages/Historic-Preservation-Commission---board-members.aspx

 

 

Let us know how that goes.  They are just volunteers, doing what they believe is helping the community, even if it isn't always or isn't the popular choice.  I'm just hypothesizing, but there may also be restrictions in the law outlining the HPC Tax Credits that give guidelines for what makes a project eligible.

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My understanding is that this is a federal tax law requirement, not wayward local historic preservationists. This is the same challenge that Bazzani had with the Kingsley building on Lake Ave.  He wasn't allowed to alter the facade if wanted the HTC, thus he improved the interior and built-out the ground floor. After 5 years, he is free to alter the upper floors when the credit prohibitions expire.

 

It appears that this is what they will do with the Kregel building too. 

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It's a matter of getting the historic preservation tax credit or not. At this point it's going forward with or without. Keep in mind that there will be windows cut into both sides and the back - it's just the front that they're picky about.

 

I had heard they were going to do the alterations and forego the tax credits. I wasn't referring to the windows being the issue though.

 

I agree with fotoman, don't take this out on the HPC.

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My understanding is that this is a federal tax law requirement, not wayward local historic preservationists. This is the same challenge that Bazzani had with the Kingsley building on Lake Ave.  He wasn't allowed to alter the facade if wanted the HTC, thus he improved the interior and built-out the ground floor. After 5 years, he is free to alter the upper floors when the credit prohibitions expire.

 

It appears that this is what they will do with the Kregel building too. 

 

*sigh*

 

The hoops people have to jump through to do some good..

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there are extensive guidelines based on the the national park service ( i think, it's a federal government thing for sure). they guidelines aren't exactly up to date with best building practices and they don't really care about functional upgrades that would be historically appropriate. they are most concerned with preserving the original structure and if that is not possible then upgrading things in a way that is reversible and appropriate.  The credits are an all or nothing proposition as well.  I lost out on about 25 thousand dollars worth of credits because I used spray foam to insulate my basement in my old house.  

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