158 Weston SW - Arena Place Mixed-Use Development

[WMrapids]

3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

The "siding" on the South end of the residential portion already looks like it's warping from the sun. You can see a ton of big ripples in it from the S-curve.

I thought I saw that too. Maybe they should redo it with better materials like they did with Plaza Towers and screen the darn parking garage while they're at it!

[joeDowntown]

Snapped a pic from GRID70 today. 

 

[ironyisadeadscene]

Compared to what that corner looked like before, I really like it. 

[organsnyder]

As ugly as those parking levels are, I think they're banking on the fact that they will be basically invisible once there are buildings of similar height surrounding it. That lot between the arena and the planned theater complex can't remain a surface lot for long, and it's already mostly blocked on the other sides. I still don't like it, but I don't think it will be a major eyesore in this location. Also, I really like the street-level presence. It has the potential to really contribute toward extending the downtown fabric along Ottawa.

[WMrapids]

It looks good with the sign up there now, sort of like in a pig wearing lipstick kind of way.

[GRDadof3]

4 hours ago, WMrapids said:

It looks good with the sign up there now, sort of like in a pig wearing lipstick kind of way.

A pig wearing a taffeta scarf, I think you mean. 

[EastownLeo]

Saw the west side of this building at dusk.  The windows are all a bit warped and do not have a nice flat clean look of a mirror reflection.  It creates a strange uneven look that does not make me like this building any more.  Some seem to sit flat but that just makes the others stand out more.

[GR_Urbanist]

On 6/2/2016 at 9:05 PM, joeDowntown said:

Snapped a pic from GRID70 today. 

 

Since the arena has no plans to ever "complete the bowl", and their recent parking garage plans have fallen through, perhaps they should consider a better facade to the existing back of the building to give it a "not the rear end" look. They can then put in a cross street between Ottawa and Ionia in front of it (that can be closed for events, and turn the rest of this slab into a proper public square? Once the foreground gets some infill, and the movie complex is completed, it will really look quite nice.

[WMrapids]

Saw them working on the windows this morning. Not sure if it had to do with the warping or they were just cleaning them.

[joeDowntown]

I've generally been pro Arena Place, but I think they have a serious problem. Got out of my car at 7:15am and the light was hitting it perfectly. I think the photo does an ok job of showing it, but IRL, the whole apartment portion has a major siding (warping and buckling issue). Maybe it was the light, but it looked REALLY bad (like, sue the contractor or manufacturer bad). Photo evidence: 

 

Unfortunately, shot with a phone camera but the rippling is NOT a texture or design feature. 

Joe 

[ironyisadeadscene]

Green roof? Just saw it today. I don't recall seeing it yesterday.

[GRLaker]

On 6/9/2016 at 4:48 PM, joeDowntown said:

I've generally been pro Arena Place, but I think they have a serious problem. Got out of my car at 7:15am and the light was hitting it perfectly. I think the photo does an ok job of showing it, but IRL, the whole apartment portion has a major siding (warping and buckling issue). Maybe it was the light, but it looked REALLY bad (like, sue the contractor or manufacturer bad). Photo evidence: 

 

Unfortunately, shot with a phone camera but the rippling is NOT a texture or design feature. 

Joe 

Yikes...That looks awful. I hope something is done to fix that. 

[x99]

On 6/9/2016 at 4:48 PM, joeDowntown said:

Unfortunately, shot with a phone camera but the rippling is NOT a texture or design feature. 

Joe 

What kind of siding on a commercial building starts to buckle that bad within a year of installation?  Yikes.

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, x99 said:

What kind of siding on a commercial building starts to buckle that bad within a year of installation?  Yikes.

I actually think it must have been buckling when they put it on

Joe

[GRLaker]

Just curious...Is the parking ramp under this building public or for commercial and residential use only?

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, GRLaker said:

Just curious...Is the parking ramp under this building public or for commercial and residential use only?

I believe that since they replaced a city surface lot, that they had to provide at least some public parking spots. Not sure though. 

[ctpgr34]

27 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

I believe that since they replaced a city surface lot, that they had to provide at least some public parking spots. Not sure though. 

No city spots, all for residential & commercial in building.  You can pay hourly as a "guest".  No monthly rates available for off premise users.

[GRLaker]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

I believe that since they replaced a city surface lot, that they had to provide at least some public parking spots. Not sure though. 

1 hour ago, ctpgr34 said:

No city spots, all for residential & commercial in building.  You can pay hourly as a "guest".  No monthly rates available for off premise users.

That then begs the question...What ever happened to the building a parking ramp connected to the arena? Was that idea scrapped?

 

Edited August 4, 2016 by GRLaker

[getemngo]

I remember reading that the arena deck was scrapped with no explanation, but I can't find an article supporting that. Mayor Bliss is a pretty strong opponent of building more parking.

Edited August 4, 2016 by getemngo

[joeDowntown]

14 hours ago, getemngo said:

I remember reading that the arena deck was scrapped with no explanation, but I can't find an article supporting that. Mayor Bliss is a pretty strong opponent of building more parking.

This was posted in the parking forum:

"They can't build a parking lot south of the arena because of the laws relating to the bonds that were issued when the arena was built.   Apparently a parking ramp connected to the arena is not allowed to make money and a ramp can't be built for another 10 years or so."

Don't know if this the reason or if they are working with Celebration Cinema on their ramp (would make sense).

Joe

[TheSutterKing]

It's too bad they won't go through with the parking deck attached to the Arena. I thought that it would've been a great idea especially having ground floor retail and commercial space around the whole thing.

[wingbert]

So, you may be pleased or further dismayed to discover that even the BIG firms like Gensler in bigger metros like Washington DC are using these screens on their parking decks.

Check out Gensler’s perforated and fritted glass facade for this building in Tysons, VA

[GRDadof3]

Siding is apparently blowing off of Arena Station today. Who's surprised, raise your hand!! 

[organsnyder]

It's crazy how windy it is. Next door (25 Ottawa) we can feel the building rocking.

Probably the windiest conditions that Arena Place has experienced so far. Given the shoddy siding, not surprised that it's having issues. Another minor piece of damage: at the entrance for the parking ramp, the overhead clearance sign has been swinging wildly, and appears to have dislodged a mirror that was there for helping to see around the corner.

[organsnyder]

Grabbed a pic of the carnage this morning.