Downtown Greensboro is getting a Westin Hotel

[nicholas]

[cityboi]

Definitely activity happening on the Westin site. They were digging Friday 

[Genesis704]

I mean, it’s a ton of construction workers out there and tons heavy machinery.

 

yes, they are doing ALOT of work, once the foundation is laid and the the steel beams arrive, the Westin site should go up pretty quick like 400 bellemeade.

[cityboi]

[cityboi]

Construction has officially started on the city deck/Westin Greensboro. Contracts have been signed with the hotel developer.

The parking deck will be built by Elm Street Hotel LLC at a cost to the city of $25.8 million. Parrish said that the completion date would be in early 2021 and after it is completed the city would own and operate the parking deck.

 

http://www.rhinotimes.com/featured-article/february-one-parking-deck-is-a-go-contract-signed-construction-started/

Edited September 25, 2019 by cityboi

[gman430]

What’s the current status? Why no pics? 

[cityboi]

11 hours ago, gman430 said:

What’s the current status? Why no pics? 

Construction is ongoing. They are currently doing a lot of ground prep work for the deck and hotel so right now nothing structurally is built.

[cityboi]

A lot of complicated site work is being done but it looks like Westin construction is around the corner.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2019/11/27/completion-of-needed-project-may-power-up.html

[cityboi]

Some site photos of the Westin

[gman430]

Stop hogging it all. 

[Genesis704]

finally a Full blown construction site. Time to start going vertical

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by GSOcitizen

[GSOstrong]

finally a Full blown construction site. Time to start going vertical

 

I didn’t think we would ever see this on the Westin site, actually surprising


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[cityboi]

On 4/22/2020 at 6:50 AM, GSOstrong said:

I didn’t think we would ever see this on the Westin site, actually surprising


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Yes indeed like the performing arts center they have been playing around in the dirt for months and now construction is finally revving up. Its exciting but I must say the city and developers need to do a better job getting construction started on downtown projects a lot quicker. I've never seen such snail pace movement in other cities in the state. They'll do a groundbreaking and some digging and nothing much happens for months! And let's not talk about the 6 story Hampton Inn and Suites where construction started in late 2018 and its still under construction. A year and a half and counting to build a 6 story building? Carroll at Bellemeade took 4 years to build when it was suppose to take 2 years! It really shouldn't have even taken 2 years. I miss the days when downtown construction was fast. In 1988/89 it took only a year to build three office towers and two parking decks. There is a risk with slow movement on projects. If things drag out too long they can easily get cancelled before construction gets started due to a number of things like national recessions and even pandemics. Greensboro was supposed to get an 18-story federal courthouse downtown. They dragged and dragged then a war and a recession hit the country which led to the cancellation of federal courthouse construction across the country. In regards to the Westin the city really screwed up the process with the easement issue with the Cone Denim Entertainment Center. That was a big part of the delay. I do hate that the foot print in the design changed. Even though it will still be a high-rise it originally had 6 more floors than the current plan. It wasn't downsized in terms of the number of rooms, just the layout of the building. Both designs are lackluster compared to the kind of hotels going up in downtown Raleigh and Charlotte. But despite that, I'm glad its moving forward and having a name brand such as Westin really enhances the image of downtown Greensboro. Still I wish developers would build projects with more interesting designs. Project Slugger is the exception. Its going up fast and is the most attractive building design wise going up downtown.

Original height and design of the Westin 

Current height and design 

 

My biggest complaint is the break in the design of the part of the deck directly beneath the hotel. I don't know what's going on there. Maybe the developer, Greg Dillion of Maryland has something planned across the street on the News and Record property that he is purchasing that will connect with his Westin hotel via multilevel enclosed pedestrian bridge over the road or something. High Point has a multi level pedestrian bridge that connects a few showroom buildings.

That's my best guess because it has an unfinished look there. There have been several rumors about a small conference/convention center being in the mix of a multi use development on the News and Record property. Guests parking in the deck would have easy access to the convention center avoiding poor outdoor weather.

Multistory pedestrian bridge in High Point.

Edited April 24, 2020 by cityboi

[GSOstrong]

Yes indeed like the performing arts center they have been playing around in the dirt for months and now construction is finally revving up. Its exciting but I must say the city and developers need to do a better job getting construction started on downtown projects a lot quicker. I've never seen such snail pace movement in other cities in the state. They'll do a groundbreaking and some digging and nothing much happens for months! And let's not talk about the 6 story Hampton Inn and Suites where construction started in late 2018 and its still under construction. A year and a half and counting to build a 6 story building? Carroll at Bellemeade took 4 years to build when it was suppose to take 2 years! It really shouldn't have even taken 2 years. I miss the days when downtown construction was fast. In 1988/89 it took only a year to build three office towers and two parking decks. There is a risk with slow movement on projects. If things drag out too long they can easily get cancelled before construction gets started due to a number of things like national recessions and even pandemics. Greensboro was supposed to get an 18-story federal courthouse downtown. They dragged and dragged then a war and a recession hit the country which led to the cancellation of federal courthouse construction across the country. In regards to the Westin the city really screwed up the process with the easement issue with the Cone Denim Entertainment Center. That was a big part of the delay. I do hate that the foot print in the design changed. Even though it will still be a high-rise it originally had 6 more floors than the current plan. It wasn't downsized in terms of the number of rooms, just the layout of the building. Both designs are lackluster compared to the kind of hotels going up in downtown Raleigh and Charlotte. But despite that, I'm glad its moving forward and having a name brand such as Westin really enhances the image of downtown Greensboro. Still I wish developers would build projects with more interesting designs. Project Slugger is the exception. Its going up fast and is the most attractive building design wise going up downtown.

Original height and design of the Westin 

Current height and design 

 

My biggest complaint is the break in the design of the part of the deck directly beneath the hotel. I don't know what's going on there. Maybe the developer, Greg Dillion of Maryland has something planned across the street on the News and Record property that he is purchasing that will connect with his Westin hotel via multilevel enclosed pedestrian bridge over the road or something. High Point has a multi level pedestrian bridge that connects a few showroom buildings.

That's my best guess because it has an unfinished look there. There have been several rumors about a small conference/convention center being in the mix of a multi use development on the News and Record property. Guests parking in the deck would have easy access to the convention center avoiding poor outdoor weather.

Multistory pedestrian bridge in High Point.

I agree, they really could do a better job with the architectural designs of these buildings. I like the original rendering but I hate that color. & my job is in high point so u I have seen that bridge a few times. I think Greensboro has a bright future, it’s very exciting to experience but I guess we will have to wait until this pandemic is over to see everything come to the light

 

 

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[cityboi]

[cityboi]

Westin website says the Westin Greensboro will open in 2021. But has the hotel been redesigned? I ask because I know the city said it was building a 5-story deck instead of a 6- story deck and to cut cost the deck will have a less elaborate design. The redesigned rendering shows the changes in the deck 

 

https://www.westingreensboro.com/

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by cityboi

[jthomas]

Ugh. Not surprising, because nice things rarely make it to the finish line unscathed, but that entire streetscape looks like garbage. What a waste.

[cityboi]

2 hours ago, jthomas said:

Ugh. Not surprising, because nice things rarely make it to the finish line unscathed, but that entire streetscape looks like garbage. What a waste.

the hotel design is slightly better but yes the deck design is no better than the News and Record building across the street. I suggest the city hire an artist to dress that deck up. Turn it into a larger wall mural using a mesh material that would still allow air to get inside to prevent carbon monoxide issues. That's how they can make lemonade out of a lemon. Maybe even have a lighting effect at night.

Some examples basically a screening system . Something like these are actually better than a better designed parking deck. It turns the deck into an a grand art piece. I sent city council members this suggestion.

Edited July 9, 2020 by cityboi

[gman430]

Is this project dead or something? How about some update pics.

Edited November 28, 2020 by gman430

[jthomas]

23 hours ago, gman430 said:

Is this project dead or something? How about some update pics.

Who knows? It’s still just a hole in the ground - doesn’t look much different than the most recent photos in this thread.

[gman430]

No wonder Cityboi hasn’t been posting any update pics of the site. Unfortunate to see it stall.  

[cityboi]

On 12/4/2020 at 1:18 AM, gman430 said:

No wonder Cityboi hasn’t been posting any update pics of the site. Unfortunate to see it stall.  

Westin is moving forward 

 

https://greensboro.com/a-monumental-step-greensboro-council-to-vote-on-bonds-for-controversial-parking-deck/article_4ca09528-3e61-11eb-ad12-b7f7c2ce7702.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

[KJHburg]

from the Biz Journal about the Westin and the parking deck.

Greensboro OKs upping funding for South Davie parking deck to $37 million - Triad Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

The Greensboro City Council approved bond funding of up to $37 million to build the long-proposed parking deck on South Davie Street. The deck would support a new Westin Hotel on Elm Street that has been on the drawing board for years.

Three years ago, the council approved $30 million in funding for the 720-space South Davie deck and another $30 million for a 926-space deck on Eugene Street to support a hotel being built by Roy Carroll.

The proposed Westin Hotel on Elm Street would be developed by Dillon Development Partners of Frederick, Maryland, which is led by principals Greg Dillon and Jack Cash. Local partners include attorney George House and developer Randall Kaplan, husband of recently elected U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Manning.

The group has listed the Westin Hotel project on its website since May 2018 and issued a Request for Proposal due on May 18, 2018, for construction of the Davie Street deck and the hotel.

Work on the hotel or the demolition of the Elm Street Center at 203 S. Elm St. to make way for the hotel has not started. It is the only current project listed on the group's website.

Enlarge

A rendering of the planned Westin Greensboro, which will incorporate Elm Street Center.

COURTESY OF ELM STREET HOTEL

A separate website for the Westin Greensboro states the hotel is scheduled to open in 2022 and will have 180 guest rooms, 22,000 square feet of event space and 6,500 square feet of outdoor space. Dillon originally hoped to have the hotel open by March of this year.

[jthomas]

Update on the Westin in today's Business Journal:

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2021/03/11/westin-hotel.html

Highlights:

• Vertical construction supposed to start this month
• Targeted opening mid-2023
• There will be some changes to the design, including eliminating the pool

This is certainly a complex project, but one can't help but think that it could have been built and open long before now. IMO, a key mistake is the attempt to integrate a public parking deck into the hotel structure. I question whether the deck was even needed at all. But even if so, it seems in hindsight that it should have been a stand-alone structure, like the new Eugene Street deck for Project Slugger and the Carroll development. I think that is a much better model for future developments. The partnership with the city seems to be the cause of most of the delays on this project.

[HRVT]

4 hours ago, jthomas said:

Update on the Westin in today's Business Journal:

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2021/03/11/westin-hotel.html

Highlights:

• Vertical construction supposed to start this month
• Targeted opening mid-2023
• There will be some changes to the design, including eliminating the pool

This is certainly a complex project, but one can't help but think that it could have been built and open long before now. IMO, a key mistake is the attempt to integrate a public parking deck into the hotel structure. I question whether the deck was even needed at all. But even if so, it seems in hindsight that it should have been a stand-alone structure, like the new Eugene Street deck for Project Slugger and the Carroll development. I think that is a much better model for future developments. The partnership with the city seems to be the cause of most of the delays on this project.

I suspect the parking deck is mostly in anticipation for future need such as for future development of the N&R site across the street or for the demolition and redevelopment of a nearby parking deck down the road.