Durham City Center Tower

[NativeSpecies]

Ah, I meant the street-fronting portion that wraps around the block - the tower itself appears to be recessed a bit. 

[RaleighHeelsfan]

We need more photos please!

[KJHburg]

First time in  downtown Durham in many many years. Lots of construction here is the new City Center Tower photos I took today. This will be great to add some height to downtown Durham.  Looks like about 5 floors up. 

[bj-26]

KJHburg....thanks for the photos!

[Green_man]

Structure is up to the 8th or 9th floor now.

[InitialD]

[KJHburg]

Today. This is looking great! what a great addition to the skyline in Durham. How close is this to being topped out anyone know? 

[rancenc]

10 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Today. This is looking great! what a great addition to the skyline in Durham. How close is this to being topped out anyone know? 

Thanks for sharing.  I was curious to know now along this project is.  It will be a great addition to the Durham skyline!

[InitialD]

https://www.onecitycenter.com/blog/2017/8/31/construction-update-august-downtown-durham-nc

https://www.onecitycenter.com/blog/2017/8/31/construction-update-august-downtown-durham-nc

https://twitter.com/danbock10/status/899236233649455104

https://twitter.com/Mcashion1/status/893088396448608257

There are a few more construction shots here including views of the skyline from atop the building: https://www.onecitycenter.com/blog/2017/8/31/construction-update-august-downtown-durham-nc

[BullDurhamer]

that thing is way bigger than the old CCB building. 

[HRVT]

I was coming back home (to the Triad) about a month ago from a trip to NYC  down 85. That tower sure had a presence.

[Merthecat]

I haven't been to downtown Durham in awhile (I need to travel more), but from the pictures I've seen, it does really command your attention.  It has quite the dominating effect on the rest of the skyline.  But I think it's a great addition to the city.  I'd love to see more of this in the city.

[KJHburg]

WeWork leasing 58,000 sq ft One City Center  That is over 110,000 sq ft of the office space leased.   Great photo of the tower too.   http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article193135119.html#1

[rancenc]

38 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

WeWork leasing 58,000 sq ft One City Center  That is over 110,000 sq ft of the office space leased.   Great photo of the tower too.   http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article193135119.html#1

I think we might see another 20+ story tower announced for Durham very soon....just a gut feeling!

[orulz]

To me, this building earns the title of the best modern-era skyscraper in the triangle. Is it fantastic architecture, no- but to my eye, it does rise above anything found in Raleigh. There, despite the buildings being taller, the strongest praise I can honestly apply to any building would be "completely inoffensive," and only a couple even earn that title.

[Jones_]

2 hours ago, orulz said:

To me, this building earns the title of the best modern-era skyscraper in the triangle. Is it fantastic architecture, no- but to my eye, it does rise above anything found in Raleigh. There, despite the buildings being taller, the strongest praise I can honestly apply to any building would be "completely inoffensive," and only a couple even earn that title.

The Pickle never gets any love... :/

[orulz]

The pickle is cool, but it loses due to its location.

Nevertheless it must be noted that perhaps the *three* best skyscrapers in the triangle (One City Center, Hill Building aka SunTrust, and the Pickle) are all in Durham. Whereas the only ones in Raleigh that IMO even meet the standard of completely unremarkable but at least not awkward are One Progress, Skyhouse, and (perhaps) the heavily fire-damaged Quorum. Capital Club is a also nice older one, though not as nice as Hill in Durham - but at 12 stories it's not quite tall enough IMO to pass as a skyscraper.

None of the towers proposed here lately changes the picture much either. 400h and 301 Hillsborough are both rather awkward boxes. Even Dillon makes an attempt at being cool, and does manage to be different and somewhat interesting, but misses the mark slightly overall in my estimation.

To me, the awkwardness of Raleigh doesn't stop at downtown, either; everything tall at North Hills and on NCSU's main campus earns that ignominious distinction as well. Raleigh's best (only?) architectural standouts are IMO Dorton Arena and Hunt Library at Centennial.

Perhaps we will get something great at the N&O site... Although I would say that in the end it doesn't really matter all that much; density and street level activity are an order of magnitude more important at least than tower architecture.

[Jones_]

I just like to bring up the Pickle now and then. Poor thing. I feel sorry it...like a duckling that it's mother left behind. 

I still put the SECU building as best in Raleigh of say 15 or more stories. 

Interesting that you put Skyhouse on your list. I also kind of like it, but its clinical style construction makes me wonder how much a high end architect was even involved vs just a bunch of engineers tasked with efficiency. It is borderline brutalist to my eye....only the extra glass and cap separate it from that class. But it is square and a lot of exposed concrete on the exterior. Midtown Atlanta has multiple buildings in this style....not sure if it's same builder as Skyhouse, but their Skyhouse (2 even perhaps?) are right there with the others....point being, I wouldn't want a giant cluster of them...starts to be too much to me. 

In conclusion, Durham continues to get the better everything it seems. Sure Raleigh has *more, and many folks prefer Raleigh to Durham, but every time I head to Durham, I'm like, dang it, I should have bought up here...

Definitely not trying to start a pissing contest....just musing. 

[DPK]

No love for PNC in downtown Raleigh?  I've always liked it's pointy top.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

The “top/pinnacle/crown/x-mas tree/etc  at the very top of the PNC building really stands out in a very good way. I especially enjoy the different colors that get added as they look good when paired with the BB&T building as well as the “shimmer wall”...imho 

[InitialD]

The spire on top of the PNC tower was added so that it can claim that is is the tallest skyscraper between Charlotte and Philly.

[orulz]

The spire is fine on PNC but to me the massing of the tower is where the awkwardness comes in. If the residential part were taller or the office part were shorter it might look better

[Trent Y]

Has the Durham tower stalled? I feel like i haven't seen progress made on it in 7 or 8 months... They still don't have all the exterior glass on?

[KJHburg]

I dont think so look at these News and Observer photos taken Jan. 5 of this year.  WeWork is opening later this year.  http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article193135119.html#1

[Trent Y]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

I dont think so look at these News and Observer photos taken Jan. 5 of this year.  WeWork is opening later this year.  http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article193135119.html#1

Yeah i guess. Just seems like it's been slow going. They got a long way to go if the glass isn't really even close to being done yet.