McKay Tower Renovations

[intovb]

McKay's big day

One of those articles that reads like a marketing brochure.

GR dad of 3 - Let's correct the title so it doesn't sound like anything worth talking about...

"McKay Tower...Keep It A Secret!!!"

See...didn't even have to pay me $82,000 to come up with that. I did it on the cheep!

I have a feeling Roller has somehting up his sleeve for The McKay Tower. HA! Stay tuned....

[mojomark]

GR dad of 3 - Let's correct the title so it doesn't sound like anything worth talking about...

"McKay Tower...Keep It A Secret!!!"

See...didn't even have to pay me $82,000 to come up with that. I did it on the cheep!

I have a feeling Roller has somehting up his sleeve for The McKay Tower. HA! Stay tuned....

All very interesting posts regarding McKay Tower. Yes, I do have "something up my sleeve"...

Shortly, an announcement will be made that the top 3 floors of McKay will be turned into residential condos. If the demand is there, I will convert 2 or 3 more floors to residential in "phase 2" of the project.

Coinciding with the conversion, I will be adding exterior lighting (we are evaluating different fixtures currently) to the north, west, and southwest facades.

I have also been toying with the idea of changing the lighted dome to something else. Many find the dome to be somewhat odd and wish it were gone or something else, but it seems that just as many like it the way it is...

Mark Roller

[twoshort]

Shortly, an announcement will be made that the top 3 floors of McKay will be turned into residential condos. If the demand is there, I will convert 2 or 3 more floors to residential in "phase 2" of the project.

I think you just made it.

[suydam]

Mark,

Welcome to UP! Glad to see yet another developer on here talking with us.

I say put a giant Tom Otterness sculpture of King Kong on top of your building. That would really get people talking.

In all seriousness, I wish you luck with your endevors downtown. It's great to see continued in-state investors (do disrespect to Duane Faustian type investment) capitalizing on this exciting time in GR.

[mojomark]

I think you just made it.

Good point.

Mark,

Welcome to UP! Glad to see yet another developer on here talking with us.

I say put a giant Tom Otterness sculpture of King Kong on top of your building. That would really get people talking.

In all seriousness, I wish you luck with your endevors downtown. It's great to see continued in-state investors (do disrespect to Duane Faustian type investment) capitalizing on this exciting time in GR.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll put "King Kong sculpture" on the possibles list

[twoshort]

Something tells me the price will reflect the view...

[Veloise]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll put "King Kong sculpture" on the possibles list

They make inflatable temporary ones. Seen 'em at car dealerships.

HTH

[tamias6]

It definitely needs a "back," definitely utilizing the space the Ellis surface lot.

Assuming there was a cunstruction boom going on in GR during the time McKay Tower was cunstructed, the developers probably left the Elias parking lot side blank assuming that somthing just as tall or even taller would be built at that location to cover up that side of McKay tower. Although a "second phase" is a more plausable explaination.

[localtalent]

All very interesting posts regarding McKay Tower. Yes, I do have "something up my sleeve"...

Shortly, an announcement will be made that the top 3 floors of McKay will be turned into residential condos. If the demand is there, I will convert 2 or 3 more floors to residential in "phase 2" of the project.

Coinciding with the conversion, I will be adding exterior lighting (we are evaluating different fixtures currently) to the north, west, and southwest facades.

I have also been toying with the idea of changing the lighted dome to something else. Many find the dome to be somewhat odd and wish it were gone or something else, but it seems that just as many like it the way it is...

Mark Roller

Mark deserves additional kudos for being UP's 13,000th member.

What took you so long, man?

[Weallneedhistory]

a permanent, inflatable King Kong on McKay... Now that would make a Cool City.

[mojomark]

Something tells me the price will reflect the view...

Million dollar views....

Respecting the non-commerical orientation of this forum, I will not get into pricing and such, but I will say that I am working dilligently to make the unit size mix and pricing reasonable for a wide range of potential residents.

[Allison Slater]

Coinciding with the conversion, I will be adding exterior lighting (we are evaluating different fixtures currently) to the north, west, and southwest facades.

...

I love you

Now, somebody give me a winning lottery ticket so I can go live at the top of the McKay. Seriously. Do it.

The past few months I kept thinking how those top 2 floors, at least from my perspective on the outside, would make awesome condos. Now that I know they will exist, it's now my life-long goal to live in one of them. I've got a lot of saving up to do for them I'm sure.

As for the steel dome thing (what IS it exactly?) I kinda like it. It'd be really cool to plate that in bronze or copper, but it's also pretty cool how it is as well. It's almost like the Eiffel Tower... definately not complete but still an integral piece of the area which just wouldn't be the same if it were finished, although the thing atop the McKay would have much less impact of change if it were finished than the Eiffel =p

I really cannot wait for the lighting =D

Here's one idea though. Would there ever be any possibility of having some sort of public observation deck on the roof? Sure it's not extremely tall, but the view is beautiful nonetheless! Especially from an equally beautiful structure.

[localtalent]

Here's one idea though. Would there ever be any possibility of having some sort of public observation deck on the roof? Sure it's not extremely tall, but the view is beautiful nonetheless! Especially from an equally beautiful structure.

Rooftop bar/lounge and observation deck....make it exclusive and expensive....awesome idea!

Maybe less exclusive than Mark's currently thinking (owners only), but it could be extremely cool.

[sparky05]

Rooftop bar/lounge and observation deck....make it exclusive and expensive....awesome idea!

Maybe less exclusive than Mark's currently thinking (owners only), but it could be extremely cool.

I'd be happy with a rooftop tour for Urban Planeteers...

[Allison Slater]

Rooftop bar/lounge and observation deck....make it exclusive and expensive....awesome idea!

Maybe less exclusive than Mark's currently thinking (owners only), but it could be extremely cool.

For one I'd be sad about the exclusivity and pricing, being the poor nobody I am at the moment; but regardless, that sould be quite a profitable idea. I'd imagine though that insurance and legal red tape would have to be dealt with for that, unless massive fencing were to be added to the top. I'd much rather there be no fencing up there, it would make things ugly from both the top and from the bottom as well. I really have no idea what the laws and regulations for that would be though.

[Veloise]

...

I love you

Now, somebody give me a winning lottery ticket so I can go live at the top of the McKay. Seriously. Do it.

The past few months I kept thinking how those top 2 floors, at least from my perspective on the outside, would make awesome condos. Now that I know they will exist, it's now my life-long goal to live in one of them. I've got a lot of saving up to do for them I'm sure.

...

I really cannot wait for the lighting =D

Here's one idea though. Would there ever be any possibility of having some sort of public observation deck on the roof? Sure it's not extremely tall, but the view is beautiful nonetheless! Especially from an equally beautiful structure.

Tony, you really should ask him out for coffee first!

[Allison Slater]

xD

I just really love that building, so I'm overjoyed to hear about the attention it's going to be getting ^^

[localtalent]

For one I'd be sad about the exclusivity and pricing, being the poor nobody I am at the moment; but regardless, that sould be quite a profitable idea. I'd imagine though that insurance and legal red tape would have to be dealt with for that, unless massive fencing were to be added to the top. I'd much rather there be no fencing up there, it would make things ugly from both the top and from the bottom as well. I really have no idea what the laws and regulations for that would be though.

Other cities find ways to do this. There are some really cool spots in NYC and Chicago on top of fairly non-descript office towers.

I don't care about the hurdles, I just want more cool stuff in GR.

[Jasoncw]

Thanks for coming here to talk, it really means a lot.

I doubt it would be practical, but a roof top cafe would be cool. I think it would take a lot of planning and money to make though, unless it only served things that don't need a kitchen to make. Then you'd have to work out the elevator situation and stuff like that.

But either way, some kind of roof top patio with some tables and chairs, and some bushes and stuff would be nice for the tennants.

Making the building LEED certified somehow would also be cool. Aside from being better for the environment, it would also make it seem cooler and more desirable. I don't know if it would be practical in this case, but I think it's worth looking into a little.

[localtalent]

Making the building LEED certified somehow would also be cool. Aside from being better for the environment, it would also make it seem cooler and more desirable. I don't know if it would be practical in this case, but I think it's worth looking into a little.

Unfortunately, it would probably cost more than he paid for the building to do this.

That's an old structure.

[snoogit]

Shortly, an announcement will be made that the top 3 floors of McKay will be turned into residential condos. If the demand is there, I will convert 2 or 3 more floors to residential in "phase 2" of the project.

I might be out of line here for asking, but is the McKay tower this empty?

[Nitro]

Unfortunately, it would probably cost more than he paid for the building to do this.

That's an old structure.

Horse Hockey............Going green doesn't cost, it pays. It's amazing how many people are under the assumption that green building costs a lot more then conventional construction. Yes, there are some small upfront premiums but with continued performance over the life of the building the payback keeps paying. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

[WOT]

Horse Hockey............Going green doesn't cost, it pays. It's amazing how many people are under the assumption that green building costs a lot more then conventional construction. Yes, there are some small upfront premiums but with continued performance over the life of the building the payback keeps paying. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Even more than the "jelly of the month club" as Eddie says to Clark!

[mojomark]

But either way, some kind of roof top patio with some tables and chairs, and some bushes and stuff would be nice for the tennants.

In our current plan, there is an owners' lounge on the 16th (top) floor with an outside deck and rooftop garden. There is also a penthouse on the 16th floor that has a private ~800 SF rooftop deck.

I might be out of line here for asking, but is the McKay tower this empty?

Like many office buildings in GR, it is not full. The 16th floor has been vacant for quite some time and a tenant occupying most of the 14th floor just built their own office building outside the CBD, so the timing is pretty good.

[PBJ]

Horse Hockey............Going green doesn't cost, it pays. It's amazing how many people are under the assumption that green building costs a lot more then conventional construction. Yes, there are some small upfront premiums but with continued performance over the life of the building the payback keeps paying. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

I agree

I'd also like to point out that the Haworth Showroom in the old Merchandise Mart in Chicago, which being completed in 1931 probably constitutes old, and is LEED-CI Gold certified. Just because it's an old exisiting structure doesn't mean it can't get LEED certified for a reasonable price tag.