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WANDERING: MetroLofts

oak

By oak
in Providence Projects and Construction

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Jerry2 Hamlet

Jerry2

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Posted

I love this building! It's chic, stylish and doesn't draw away from the row of nice buldings along Westminster...Perfect height....[it complements the high-rise across the street and blends with the streetscape. It reminds me of a tall sleek Japanese hut...Love it!

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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I love this building! It's chic, stylish and doesn't draw away from the row of nice buldings along Westminster...Perfect height....[it complements the high-rise across the street and blends with the streetscape. It reminds me of a tall sleek Japanese hut...Love it!

Even with the roof flanges, I'm pretty much liking it too. It looks like a Providence building. Now if we can get Westminster Street opened through to Downcity and urbanize the Service Road (by that I mean reduce it to two lanes and put street parking on it (and some trees for jen (and for me too, I like trees))) then we're really 'reconnecting Downcity.'

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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I should have done a little experiment and just posted the elevation drawing, then posted the rendering of it in place. Because I was taken aback for a second on first seeing the elevation drawing and not having seen the Westminster rendering.

I'm thinking of Parcel 12 when I see the differences in my reaction.

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Liamlunchtray Burg

Liamlunchtray

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I really like it. I dig the flanges, I think the proportions are good, and I like the setback on the tower. Very Very nice. It fits in very well with the surrounding buildings and doesnt overwhelm them. Its not uber modern, nor is it knockoff "traditional". It looks stylish, sophisticated, and urban.

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eltron Hamlet

eltron

Posted
Posted

Needs roof flanges. What the hell is a flange anyway, am I even using that word properly?

In concept, I think it looks alright (though I like the ikea dresser better).

However, I think the rendering is a bit misleading, and certainly well done in hiding the real impact of this building. It TOWERS over the westminster street buildings, yet looks pretty contextual in the rendering.

I'm not saying its necessarily bad, but I think some more truthful representation of it is needed to see how it really looks in the neighborhood.

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Lone Ranger Burg

Lone Ranger

Posted
Posted

It's well proportioned and has nice clean lines. That's what makes it decent architecture.

I like that fact as well.

I also like the ratios of brick & glass on the body of the building. Enough brick to look like it belongs here, but enough glass to be modern as well.

I'm still deciding what I think about this design from the neck up.

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Gusterfell Burg

Gusterfell

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I really like this. To me, it seems to pay homage to Providence's history as an industrial town. Picture the tower reduced to four stories or so, and it would look just like one of the city's 19th century mills. Yet, as others have said, it also has a modern sophistication about it.

While it may tower over its neighbors, it will also tower over 95. It is just tall enough to give the impression that the city continues west of the highway. I wouldn't want to see this kind of height much farther west, but immediately adjacent to the highway, it will both even out the view seen by passers-by and help to connect the neighborhood with downcity.

Build it, I say. :)

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Garris Town

Garris

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Very nice, for all of the reasons people have mentioned. It's simple, classy, and even somewhat contextual. Something more adorned wouldn't have looked good for the space.

The stepped back look works really well here, and the lower level does extend (finally!) the feel of Westminster street. It'll look great with Crossroads RI in adding some height over 95 west of the highway.

Thumbs up.

- Garris

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damus Burg

damus

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Very nice, for all of the reasons people have mentioned. It's simple, classy, and even somewhat contextual. Something more adorned wouldn't have looked good for the space.

The stepped back look works really well here, and the lower level does extend (finally!) the feel of Westminster street. It'll look great with Crossroads RI in adding some height over 95 west of the highway.

Thumbs up.

- Garris

I still think it doesn't look too special, but I see your point about fitting in with the area. Westminster will look very urban with this added in. I hope Crossroads doesn't scare too many people away. Extending the skyline and increasing the urbanity of Providence alone make this project great for the city. I hope they bring back the idea of decking over the highway, taking away a "barrier" between the west side and downtown...

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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I hope they bring back the idea of decking over the highway, taking away a "barrier" between the west side and downtown...

The highway isn't the barrier, the Service Roads are. The Service Roads need to be tamed.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

Posted
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i really like this project. it seems to fit in well with the city in general, as well as the neighborhood its in. i would like to see it as lower-mid range as opposed to all the expensive condos and lofts being built.

The highway isn't the barrier, the Service Roads are. The Service Roads need to be tamed.

was there some historical significance to the service roads? there aren't many cities that have roads like this as feeders to the highway. they're really kind of pointless in my opinion... and the 3 lanes is dumb, even during rush hour, they're never even near capacity.

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Griswald Whistle-Stop

Griswald

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I take the service roads every day since I live on the West End, and although they may be convenient for driving, I agree that they add to the barrier between downtown and the west. The highway doesn't have to be a barrier at all. Take down that auditorium on the east side of the highway at Westminster, opening up Cathedral square. Deck over the highway creating a park and pedestrian access to downtown. I think this would make residences at the lofts a lot more desireable, as well as any other residences on the west side of 95. It's not a difficult walk to get downtown, but it isn't very pedestrian friendly, which is a big deal.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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I take the service roads every day since I live on the West End, and although they may be convenient for driving, I agree that they add to the barrier between downtown and the west. The highway doesn't have to be a barrier at all. Take down that auditorium on the east side of the highway at Westminster, opening up Cathedral square. Deck over the highway creating a park and pedestrian access to downtown. I think this would make residences at the lofts a lot more desireable, as well as any other residences on the west side of 95. It's not a difficult walk to get downtown, but it isn't very pedestrian friendly, which is a big deal.

hartford built a park above 91... why can't we do teh same?

boston has a grocery store and a hotel above the mass pike... again, what's stopping us?

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Dan Hamlet

Dan

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:thumbsup: I had the same reaction many of us had... the elevation made it look ok, then the neighborhood render told the tale that it would blend quite nicely. It's like an announcement that you've "arrived" when approaching downtown on Westminster St. Unfortunately, you then have the useless McVinney Auditorium which forces you onto the Service Road to navigate your way in, if you can.

We should care for the parks we have, which Providence Parks Dept. seems completely incapable of, before we examine building expensive elevated parks atop interstate highways.

What's wrong with the Service Roads? Those nice concrete (mixed-use) shrub planters/Dunkin Donuts cup receptacles with the little design engraved on them are my favorite! :rolleyes:

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  • 2 weeks later...
damus Burg

damus

Posted
Posted

Why is the concern that, being on a hill, these looking like the tallest in the city such a bad thing? If anything, I think it'll help boost the profile of the city. I understand concerns about overwhelming neighborhoods with development, but isn't development and the extension of the urban core of Providence a good goal to strive for?

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