Olympia Mill Village Updates

[CorgiMatt]

It's very California in its present coloring.

[Captain Worley]

Does anyone know the status of the land behind Olympia and Granby Mills up to the Olympia cemetery?

It's owned by the quarry, I believe.

If it really is plank, then I can live with it- but hopefully they will paint it so it doesn't look like vinyl

Its some fiber cement board that is precolored.

http://www.jameshardie.com/

I'm not a huge fan of engineered wood products, but this is kind of intrigueing.

[CorgiMatt]

I really like the light-colored earth tones. That's what I like about Adesso. I like the subtle differences in colors.

[johnpro318]

I was excited about this project (being a college student) until I saw these new photos. The materials just come off really cheap. I don't want to compare to the apartments up in Clemson but these don't look well-built at all. Especially for the prices that they want for these. Most apartments aimed toward college students have higher quality materials and more intrigue than this project. IMO

[CorgiMatt]

What I look for in building materials is strength, durability and attractiveness, and IMO Aspyre's building materials offer all of those. I like the architectural demarcation and the roof line. There are buildings in Columbia that had to grow on me. Aspyre is not one of them. Neither is Adesso. Maybe it's because I had no preconceived notion about what either would or should look like. In the end the earth tones do it for me. Some on here complain about too much brick. Others complain about too much glass. Some want everything to look neoclassical. I like a mixture and I like Aspyre and Adesso.

[krazeeboi]

Well I don't care so much what the interior looks like as I'll never reside there, but I do want to see how the outer sides look. I'll reserve judgment until I can check out those perspectives.

[krazeeboi]

I think the exterior turned out great; it's somewhat similar to Adesso in the color scheme:

Assembly St side:

Whaley St side:

[CorgiMatt]

Only small accent sections of it have the hardy plank that some on here thought was vinyl. I love it!

[Spartan]

This one looks great. I'm pleasantly surprised.

[GamecockEngineer]

I like how it's built on the street... quality urban development. Great improvement for the area.

[waccamatt]

I'm also pleased with how it turned out - it is a huge improvement over the vacant lot and hot dog stand that used to be there.

[krazeeboi]

OK, I picked up the Free Times and looked at the rendering. It appears to me it is going to have even more khaki painted surfaces than canalside. Couple with its size, I just don't see it looking good.

I'll recant if it turns out looking good.

Soooooo......???

[Chtimi]

I think the exterior turned out great; it's somewhat similar to Adesso in the color scheme:

Assembly St side:

The building is unrecognizable! They kept the brick color at the corner, look at the frieze. Not boring, changing fa

[Captain Worley]

Soooooo......???

Not as bad as Canalside, about as bad as Adesso.

I like the brick corner. I wish they'd done the whole thing that way.

[krazeeboi]

I like the brick corner. I wish they'd done the whole thing that way.

That would have been horrible, since it's not actually brick. And even if it were, a residential building this large with an all-brick facade would look like a fortress--very uninviting. I think the color scheme and architecture is appropriate for its target audience (students).

[Captain Worley]

Oh, students would flock to it is it was fuscia and chartruese. That's why I think it was a good idea not to go condo. Students will rent anything close in.

But the thing looks like an oversized khaki mound. Way, way too big.

I see what you are saying about the brick making it look like a fortress, but that is mainly due to the size of the structure.

What is that that looks like brick? I haven't been by there in a couple weeks and even then didn't get a good look.

[krazeeboi]

You're right about students renting anything close in. But for newer projects like this, it's better that they have a more contemporary feel and look.

If you think this is too big, you'd gag at half of the complexes going up here in Charlotte...or just about any other bigger city.

The exterior material just has a brick color to it in those specific places, but it's not actual brick.

[Ronak]

You're right about students renting anything close in. But for newer projects like this, it's better that they have a more contemporary feel and look.

The contemporary feel is necessary to attract students at the price they're charging.

When I Lived in Whaley's Mill, it was $1188/mo for a 4 bedroom (now it's around $1600, I believe). Compare that to here, where a THREE bedroom rents for $2145.

I'm not arguing that it's extortion, I'm merely suggesting that students have repeatedly shown that they're willing to pay a premium to live in a newer, more contemporary complex. The same thing happened with places like Stadium Suites, University Oaks, The Woodlands, etc.

[Captain Worley]

If you think this is too big, you'd gag at half of the complexes going up here in Charlotte...or just about any other bigger city.

That's why I live where I do. I really hate that.

Aspyre is just so out of proportion with its surroundings.

[krazeeboi]

Aspyre is just so out of proportion with its surroundings.

And that's why I think the facade is designed the way it is, to visually break up the building so that it doesn't appear as massive and monolithic. That area is more transitional anyway as it pretty much sits at the junction of downtown, an industrial area, and an intown neighborhood, so the developer could "get away" with its size so to speak. Within walking distance are two mills, university research buildings, the Coliseum, and industrial buildings, so if you think about it, it's not so out of place considering its size.

[BrasilnSC]

I drove by it yesterday and it looks great . Come on, it's really not that massive.....the mills nearby are just as big if not bigger. What a great improvement for that portion of Assembly St.

[CorgiMatt]

That's why I live where I do. I really hate that.

Aspyre is just so out of proportion with its surroundings.

That's why you live in the town where the big new SCANA buildings are being built in the fields and woods by the interstate to complement the trees? Oops, wrong forum. If Aspyre were twice its height it still would not be too large for a building in the city. It looks great!

Some people probably thought the train station (California Dreaming) was too big in its day.

Edited June 9, 2009 by CorgiMatt

[krazeeboi]

In other words, scale is more important than actual size here. And I think that Aspyre does a good job when it comes to appropriate scale.

[Captain Worley]

In other words, scale is more important than actual size here. And I think that Aspyre does a good job when it comes to appropriate scale.

Yep, scale and proportion. Aspyre just doesn't get it for me. The mills do. The LWH ratio is just not right on Aspyre. yeah, they tried to visually break it up, but it ain't working for me.

And Corgimatt, the new SCANA buildings look awesome.

[krazeeboi]

That general area is in transition anyway, so after a few years when the area becomes a bit more pedestrian friendly and mixed-use, it will look like a natural fit.