Ritz-Carlton Hotel & 1 Bank of America Center

[HopHead]

So the BofA office tower is going to be steel framed? Had no idea. It should rise rather quickly then.

[Guest]

So the BofA office tower is going to be steel framed? Had no idea. It should rise rather quickly then.

1 Bank of America Center will be all concrete, the winter garden between the two towers will be steel. This is the winter garden shown in the picture. I could be wrong tho.

[Guest]

So it looks like 1 Bank of America Center is going above and beyond on the LEED Certification thing.

Signs on the uptown construction site are framed in bamboo, and the typical promotional brochures have morphed into giveaway zip drives to save paper. An attached card on the zip drive can be planted and (it says) will then flower.

On Sept. 25, area brokers will be feted at a kickoff celebration on the 60th floor of the adjacent BofA Corporate Center for a look at the construction site. Prizes include a bike made of bamboo and a Toyota Prius.

[tozmervo]

So it looks like 1 Bank of America Center is going above and beyond on the LEED Certification thing.

When you said above and beyond LEED I was thinking more along the lines of the Living Building Challenge. The bamboo sign, etc, are cheap forms of marketing for BofA that qualify as Greenwashing*.

* Though they should be lauded for their efforts both here and with 1 Bryant Park in NYC.

[dubone]

Although you sort of qualified your statement yourself, my feeling on greenwashing as a term is when something is marketed in a way make to appear green or sustainable when it actually isn't. However, I believe in this case, they ARE green, as defined by an objective certification, and so they are simply publicizing that and using gimmicks to highlight that fact.

Now, if they used the cards that plant to grow a flower or bamboo frame for posters, etc., but didn't have true green or sustainable features, then I'd consider it greenwashing.

For most, the classic example of greenwashing is all the marketing around 'clean coal' as though it were actually clean. Really, they are just making it seem to the general public like some technology is being using to make coal clean, whereas that doesn't really exist.

Another favorite of mine is highlighting that something is 'recyclable' as though that is a big accomplishment.

[tozmervo]

Exactly. Its an aggravating catch-22 with BofA (among many other corporate entities). On the one hand they have made some good efforts - and some very expensive efforts - to improve their own physical spaces. The other hand, though, is basically raping Appalachia.

In both cases it comes down to economic returns. I am certain BofA would not be making any effort at all if they didn't think it would save them money and increase employee productivity in the long run (sustainable design does both quite nicely). Sigh, I'm going to stop before I depress myself too badly.

[dubone]

Oh, I follow you now. I wasn't thinking in the context of the entire corporation.

[InitialD]

Taken today:

What's this? Looks kinda like solar panels?

[Guest]

I'm a little confused, is this steel above ground or below ground at this particular time. To me it'd appear to be above ground, but sice I cannot see the ground I do not know. Great pictures by the way!

[InitialD]

I'm a little confused, is this steel above ground or below ground at this particular time. To me it'd appear to be above ground, but since I cannot see the ground I do not know. Great pictures by the way!

Yes, that steel is above ground, but it appears to be for the winter garden that connects the two buildings. 1 Bank of America will be to the left of the steel.

[atlrvr]

Steel is above ground for the Winter Garden portion. Concrete is almost flush to ground level for the tower portion. The columns are up, but they will need to pour the floor to get the tower portion up to ground level. The tower should be officially vertical in the next 2 weeks or so.

[Mobuchu]

^ 2 weeks later you got it... What I'm guessing is the elevator section is above ground, the rest of the tower is about 1 floor below grade still. Here's some updates.

10-27-08

And the Ritz...

[AuLukey]

Pardon me for being picky, but are Ritz's normally this bland? I've been holding out for something to come along to change my mind; but nearing completion, I'm beginning to lose faith that this might end up looking like anything but a generic mini-office tower.

[atlrvr]

Most Ritz's are relatively bland. The one in Toronto and a couple in Asia are more daring, but the brand strategy is more or less understated luxury. The interiors are very traditional as well.

[nonillogical]

well i think the completed block taken as a whole will be pretty interesting looking. personally i like some minimalism here and there

[InitialD]

What is that purple-looking vertical stripe up the tower (and horizontally near the top)? It really looks like solar panels. It is on the outside of the elevator shaft. Maybe just weird looking insulation or paneling? Does anybody know?

[Guest]

What is that purple-looking stripe up the tower? It really looks like solar panels. Does anybody know?

I am not sure what the purple stuff is. However I do know that this whole backside will be covered in glass, so whatever the purple stuff is, it'll be covered in glass. One thing I noticed that I hadn't thought of was the bottom 4 floors of hotel are going to look into the winter garden. You can see this from the video on 1bankofamericacenter.com. I always liked when hotels had some rooms that looked inside.

[HopHead]

One of the cranes for the Ritz is coming down this morning it appears...

[dubone]

When do they plan to open the Ritz? It seems so far along.

[HopHead]

When do they plan to open the Ritz? It seems so far along.

Per Ritz Carlton's web site, it says Fall 2009 opening. I agree that they are pretty far along to be a year away from an opening. Perhaps a late spring opening may be in the cards?

[dubone]

They probably have a lot of work to do on the inside. Gilding the bidets takes a while, you know.

[Charlotteman]

They probably have a lot of work to do on the inside. Gilding the bidets takes a while, you know.

that's funny! lol

I must say, I'm disappointed in the Ritz's over-all exterior appearance. Personally I don't think it looks as good as the conceptual drawing~and that drawing wasn't anything to write home about in the first place.

Ritz Charlotte reminds me too much of 1950s era International Style~which wasn't much to write home about either. It's dull to my eye. God I hope 1 Bank of America isn't going to be as big an architectural dullard.

Perhaps BofA upper echelon didn't want their new hotel competing architecturally with their iconic corporate headquarters (?) Possibly a purposefully boring building?

[Andyc545]

Ritz Charlotte reminds me too much of 1950s era International Style~which wasn't much to write home about either. It's dull to my eye. God I hope 1 Bank of America isn't going to be as big an architectural dullard.

Unless much has changed, I think you're going to be disappointed. The idea was to draw the whole Superblock together through the same style. I think BofA was aiming more for functionalty than visual delightfulness.

[Mobuchu]

No major changes since the last update, but looking a little more complete.

12-8-08

[nonillogical]

so why is 1 bank of america like 3 floors up for the core now but below grade for the rest still?