Raleigh Marriott City Center Hotel

[pack-man]

redesign the whole thing I say

[Raleighsfinest]

Here here!!!

[Eastwestrob]

redesign the whole thing I say

Yes....and Half as wide and twice as tall

[ChiefJoJo]

I'll settle for a nicer facade, some street activity on Lenior, and a more urban Fayetteville St entrance.

[ChiefJoJo]

I believ the City Council addresses this issue and the chandelier issue today at 1pm.

[Justin6882]

Once again, another issue has been pushed back two weeks for further study. This time its the EFIS on the sides of the convention center hotel. The Council had 3 major concerns:

1. EFIS is cheap and unattractive

2. The entrances still aren't prominent enough

3. (dmccall will like this one) The roof lines aren't distinct enough

Lets hope this whole debacle can be resolved soon - they need to be able to start on this so it can open in tandem with the convention center.

Here's the link

[dmccall]

3. (dmccall will like this one) The roof lines aren't distinct enough

Ha ha!! I didn't realize until yesterday that the Bellagio is covered in EIFS. It is a GREAT looking hotel, but if we only consider the lower 2/3 of the building, it really isn't that great looking. The windows are boring and there is just a small amount of ornamental "molding". The top 2 or 3 floors really make the whole thing stand out.

[Raleighsfinest]

I don't see why Raleigh does not deserve a hotel on that level. If stucco is not executed precisely it can look very artificial and unattractive.

[Tayfromcarolina]

I say use whatever material is on the Embassy Suites and On the Grandover resort in High Point. Matter of fact just design the building after the Grandover Resort. That's a nice hotel if I ever saw one.

[Raleighsfinest]

The embassy suites looks just as cheapo as the project, that's tryin to get approved. I can't really tell what the Grandover Resort looks like from those pics. Remember this is our main avenue in DT, also our money shot. We need something grand, prominent, and able to stand the test of time.

[plus2]

Why no glass proposals? Is glass more expensive than brick?

[avery]

Because these guys went with an easy design in my opinion. It looks like they opened up a previously used hotel design and made some changes to it. It looks like it belongs on Aviation Pkwy near RDU.

[Raleighsfinest]

Because these guys went with an easy design in my opinion. It looks like they opened up a previously used hotel design and made some changes to it. It looks like it belongs on Aviation Pkwy near RDU.

Very true. I'm a fan of the Westin in Charlotte. The building is very interesting, it also does not have the rehashed feel

[pack-man]

I thought that this went to council, does anyone know the outcome?

[Jones_]

Because these guys went with an easy design in my opinion. It looks like they opened up a previously used hotel design and made some changes to it. It looks like it belongs on Aviation Pkwy near RDU.

That is definitely one way these guys make money....any wonder that Southpoint and TTC have the same general foot print as an example. Specs get cut and pasted into design documents...its alot cheaper than reinventing the wheel for each new project.

[Tayfromcarolina]

The Westin in Charlotte is a unique design. I really don't know whether I like it or not. Now there new Ritz Carlton looks like it will be nice. That kind of design in Downtown Raleigh would probably blend nicely.

[ChiefJoJo]

The delayed the vote for further study and consideration.

A little bit off-topic... I watched RTN last night, and they showed the council's joint meeting with the county commissioners discussion/vote on the convention center budget. I have to say Tommy Craven and Philip Isley are the two biggest buffoons on the council. Craven commented that they should basically cancel the whole thing and spend the money on new schools and roads. Uh, Tommy Boy, the hotel prepared foods tax money is directed by law to be spent on this project alone, so that's not possible--and that was pointed out be several members. And right before the call to vote, Isley began his granstanding session, 'I was going to vote no five minutes ago, but I will reluctantly vote yes after hearing Mr. [Wake Co. commissioner] comments... this is it, I'm tired of these cost increases... there not getting another nickel from me on this project!' Also, James West only seems to be interested in finding out about minority businesses on the project, and nothing else. Talliaferro, actually asked some good questions, and was suitable impressed with how the project team answered. Despite their lack of direct involvement on the issue, a number of Wake Co commissioners made negative comments about the EIFS on the hotel, hoping their words would sway council to vote no on the hotel plans. Actually, I was really surprised at Crowder's no vote (the only one) on the Convention Center budget and bids, as he wanted to wait for the hotel issue to take place first.

[MR-2]

Yeah, Crowder votes no on basically everything.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Yeah, Crowder votes no on basically everything.

I may step on some toes here but Crowder is a Landscape Architect, and like many people with design creative juices flowing, their natural reaction is to vote no and disagree to anything they do not like or what they want. Good job if you can get it but does not always work well in a project plan.

All these issues are business decisions and should run like businesses. Like business, it is about compromise and people who vote no because it is not exactly like they see it in their visions, usually just get in the way.

Crowder is only a half-step better than Regan was on the CC. Crowder is just the bigger NIMBY. And I am not even going to mention his war on renters.

My best friend is a Landscape Architect and we argue this point all the time........

[urbanesq]

I may step on some toes here but Crowder is a Landscape Architect, and like many people with design creative juices flowing, their natural reaction is to vote no and disagree to anything they do not like or what they want. Good job if you can get it but does not always work well in a project plan.

All these issues are business decisions and should run like businesses. Like business, it is about compromise and people who vote no because it is not exactly like they see it in their visions, usually just get in the way.

Crowder is only a half-step better than Regan was on the CC. Crowder is just the bigger NIMBY. And I am not even going to mention his war on renters.

My best friend is a Landscape Architect and we argue this point all the time........

I thought he was an architect?

In any event, point well taken (My undergraduate degree is in landscape architecture, and my wife says nothing's ever designed well enough to please me....)

[pack-man]

It doesn't matter what your everyday profession is when you're on council. You have to put your personal agenda aside and do what is best for the city. I hated the guy with a passion, but Benson Kirkman was one of the best city councilman this city has ever seen.

As for the building, the council is planning to hold a special meeting on the 21st to discuss the next step.

[MR-2]

All these issues are business decisions and should run like businesses. Like business, it is about compromise and people who vote no because it is not exactly like they see it in their visions, usually just get in the way.

Not so sure about that. It seems business is often just as unwilling to compromise as government.

[Damien]

Whatever happened to this? Wasn't this the original rendering? I think this looks much, much better than what they're trying to punk us with now.

[RALBOI]

Should condo's or apt's be added to the center city Marriott convention center hotel project, this would add more height and i think more flare and density,Va beach is doing this why can't Raleigh?

[bdp]

i dunno if i would want to live in a convention center hotel, seems like there would be a lot of traffic to work your way around.