10 Story Condo Tower

[jice]

Don't mean to butt in... but I just had to ask... what was meant to be funny about this?

The notion that this building isn't even in the public realm is just plain ignorant. The streets are public. The sunshine is public. The air is public. The light particles that will bounce off that stupid ground floor and bear bad news to your private-ass eyeballs will be public.

I agree though... NT's posts are quite entertaining... I'll take that drink

[NewTowner]

Don't mean to butt in... but I just had to ask... what was meant to be funny about this?

I agree that was probably over the top, and I apologize! Dave is one of my favorite folks on this site, and I hate the idea that I might have miffed him. Sorry, y'all!

[it's just dave]

It was only a brief moment of miff. I do love your posts, NT, and you and others' dissecting the things we build will make a difference in our landscape. Hopefully, the discourse will continue. I had a sensitive moment. Nashville is my 'mother' and you told me you didn't like her shoes in spite of her really trying to dress nicely.

Please continue, we're all very lucky to have many folks like you who are willing to take the time to really look at things and point out flaws others of us may overlook. As time goes by, we'll all be better for it. The debates I'm fortunate enough to read here start many days on a high note for me.

I still like it. lol

"anyone crazy enough to buy a super expensive-ass condo in this Glorified Luxury-Outlet Stripmall would clearly pose a menace to society, and should be contained for the benefit of the greater public"

Bring on the PowerBall and watch out for Dave.

[linclink]

I still like it. lol

ring on the PowerBall and watch out for Dave.

I still like it too Well, I really LOVE it... but I guess I'm not even getting it.. it's probably going to be the second, more federal style building. Which is nice too. Maybe I'll remodel the house I buy and make it look like a mediterranean house. Ooh... ooh... and I'll find out where New Towner lives and be sure to by a house right next door to his!!!! He's the one that was defending the right to have a "P" house wasn't he? Then I'm sure my Med house will be a welcome alternative!

[NewTowner]

I still like it too Well, I really LOVE it... but I guess I'm not even getting it.. it's probably going to be the second, more federal style building. Which is nice too. Maybe I'll remodel the house I buy and make it look like a mediterranean house. Ooh... ooh... and I'll find out where New Towner lives and be sure to by a house right next door to his!!!! He's the one that was defending the right to have a "P" house wasn't he? Then I'm sure my Med house will be a welcome alternative!

Curses! I was actually trying to argue AGAINST the "P" House, using it as a horrendous example of Liberty Run Amuck in an effort to trick a Libertarian into contradicting himself. My scheme failed--and now I apparently have to deal with the additional disgrace of becoming known as the "P" House Person!

If someone tried to build a house like that next to mine (which doesn't exist, as I live in a converted stable), there would be a quiet, seething rage of the sort that only dogs can hear.

And then I would sue.

[linclink]

Curses! I was actually trying to argue AGAINST the "P" House, using it as a horrendous example of Liberty Run Amuck in an effort to trick a Libertarian into contradicting himself. My scheme failed--and now I apparently have to deal with the additional disgrace of becoming known as the "P" House Person!

If someone tried to build a house like that next to mine (which doesn't exist, as I live in a converted stable), there would be a quiet, seething rage of the sort that only dogs can hear.

And then I would sue.

[linclink]

Yeah.... sorry... the "p" house guy just stuck... hehehehe

so you live in a converted stable?!?!?! That is SOOO awesome!! I'd love to buy an old stable or barn, or old firestation, etc... and convert it into a house... I LOVE unusual homes, and unorthodox uses for old buildings and spaces...

So do you live on a farm? What county? Maybe I could buy the land next door and build a SPRAWLing mediterranean villa style house... that would be soooo pretty... hhehehehe... as long as I'm getting sued, I might as well make it worth your while... hahahahha...

Anyways, I respect your right to hate the med style... don't understand it.. but respect it.

[NewTowner]

Yeah.... sorry... the "p" house guy just stuck... hehehehe

so you live in a converted stable?!?!?! That is SOOO awesome!! I'd love to buy an old stable or barn, or old firestation, etc... and convert it into a house... I LOVE unusual homes, and unorthodox uses for old buildings and spaces...

So do you live on a farm? What county? Maybe I could buy the land next door and build a SPRAWLing mediterranean villa style house... that would be soooo pretty... hhehehehe... as long as I'm getting sued, I might as well make it worth your while... hahahahha...

Anyways, I respect your right to hate the med style... don't understand it.. but respect it.

I live in the city, in a Carriage House in Savannah.

Second--I don't hate the Mediterranean "style". I just don't believe it exists. The Mediterranean world is HUGE, complicated, and incredibly diverse. The Spanish Revival Renaissance architecture found in Spain, its former colonies, and Florida can be unbelievably gorgeous. I think this is what you are vaguely referring to. But Spanish Revival Renaissance architecture would probably be stupid in Nashville--mostly because the climate doesn't suit it--and anyway, there are equally attractive, equally classical styles which do suit the climate, and have the sort of cultural precedent an intelligible public realm so desperately needs.

Most of the Mediterranean "style" houses built in Middle Tennessee would be rejected by any discerning Hollywood director to serve even as background noise. They are poorly made, cartoonishly proportioned, loaded with exaggerations, and devoid of the kind of detail which makes Salamanca and Coral Gables so lovely. They had might as well be Taco Bell "restaurants" as anything else. Even the shoeshiner of a fifteenth-century Catalan messenger boy would laugh at this crap.

The building in question in this thread is guilty, not so much of fakery, as just bad design. The ground floor is horrible, and the classical "details" are clunky and arranged with no conception of a unified whole. A much simpler residence like the Hardwick House, or the Villa Rotunda, can execute with ten times the elegance, using some simple tricks like good proportioning, and grown-up consideration of how the building rests on its foundation. This stair-stepped playset is just amateurish, honestly. It honestly comes closer to a "P" House than the Signature Tower, and believe me--that's saying something.

[linclink]

alright.. you win... hehehe.. I wasn't being mean... I was just fooling around with you... I kind of think parts of your reply were tongue in cheek... but if not.. if I really offended you... I'm sorry... I just though it was funny how much you were freaking out over this one building. I

I DO agree with you that the style is NOT suited to Nashville. And like you I love the designs found in Coral Gables, and Vizcaya, just to name a few. I would never buy one of the generic med homes found in subdivisions down here (1st cause I HATE subdivisions, and secondly cause I like old houses that actually have history and character). So I understand your feeling that it should be true to form, and to its roots. However, there is very little in new construction now a days that IS true to its roots, and form. Even the new federal style building in the place of the old Med one on this thread is NOT the real deal. It is as much a fake as the med style. So I find it to be a matter of taste and opinion when you go off on the med style for not being true to proportions and being cluncky and badly composed. Because the new version is equally as cluncky, badly composed and out of proportions (if you are going to nitpick). The only difference is that its probably in a style that you prefer. I think that if a building looks good, than it looks good. Would it be better if it were a perfect feat of architectural design? Yes... but how many developers do you REALLY think are going to go out of their way to do that? Not many. So if a building looks good... than I, and most other people, will appreciate it. Flaws and all.

Just my humble opinion. And again, sorry if you thought I was picking on you... it was all good natured.

[NewTowner]

alright.. you win... hehehe.. I wasn't being mean... I was just fooling around with you... I kind of think parts of your reply were tongue in cheek... but if not.. if I really offended you... I'm sorry... I just though it was funny how much you were freaking out over this one building. I

No, I was totally not offended and I was trying to be cool! Geez, what's with this Internet conversation thing? It's impossible to convey things clearly.

Second, I like the style you refer to as "med", I just don't think the name is accurate...I think "Spanish Renaissance" or "Moorish Revival" are more accurate descriptions for some of the buildings that are lumped, together with all their suburban parodies, under the classification "Mediterranean Style."

Just semantics, nothing more!!

[it's just dave]

I guess no one would like the Mediterranean dresser I had in my college bedroom. A swag lamp came in the package. Man, was I cool. The shag carpet got fleas and I had to pull it up. Drat.

[tombarnes]

I'm not impressed with either rendition. The first looks like a La Quinta that took vitamins and the second doesn't look like much of anything. Aren't there any local building traditions which could be exploited in the new building?

[linclink]

No, I was totally not offended and I was trying to be cool! Geez, what's with this Internet conversation thing? It's impossible to convey things clearly.

Second, I like the style you refer to as "med", I just don't think the name is accurate...I think "Spanish Renaissance" or "Moorish Revival" are more accurate descriptions for some of the buildings that are lumped, together with all their suburban parodies, under the classification "Mediterranean Style."

Just semantics, nothing more!!

Hey NewTowner,

I thought you were playing along.... but there have been times when I've been joking around online only to find out that the other person wasn't. So I wanted to make sure. Thats why I use the smileys alot... that way people will KNOW for sure that I'm kidding. You are quite informative, and ALWAYS ALWAYS entertaining. And just so you know... I found the P House HILARIOUS. As for the name of the style... you are probably, most assuradly right! Thanks for giving it a name!

Dave,

All I can say is

And Tom,

You live in Ft. Laud too? Cool. So... what style do you propose?

[tombarnes]

Anything but the pseudo-Spanish renaissance revival so popular in South Florida and in McMansionLand everywhere. How about using stone native to the region? What about something which evokes the past without making a joke of it? I have nothing against revivalism, historicism or any kind of pastiche, as long as it's done with respect to the beholder. These two renderings suggest little more than pandering to the lowest tastes of those who crave elegance at any cost. Blech....there's far too much of this garbage in South Florida.