Winston Hotels 25-story tower @ Hillsborough & Harrington St

[Eastwestrob]

Oh come on, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Days Inn on Jones Street.

[ChiefJoJo]

Having walked by several times since the announcement, I've been trying to visualize this area with the hotel built on that site and with the Reynolds Tower diagonally across the street. I've concluded (for myself at least) that the best layout would be to provide vehicle access to the parking deck from Edenton St. Edenton St has the greater traffic flow and with it being probably 10-15 feet lower in elevation than Hillsborough St, it would provide a natural entrance into a partially below grade deck. The only downside would be that Edenton is one-way, but it's still easy to navigate.

That would leave the Hillsborough St frontage for retail (let's hope ), with the lobby facing the Harrington corner (nearest 2nd Empire facing Reynolds Tower), and maybe a restaurant or coffee shop on the block's south-center frontage. Hillsborough, to me could be a nice pedestrian corridor if the city really pushes for it (like Reynolds), and with the flat grade, nice street oaks and historic homes and churches mixed in, that makes it's potential all the more appealing.

[Jones_]

I am hoping they give good treatment to the West Street frontage also. West Street with Powerhouse Square, West@North and its southern extension to the future TTA area is nearly as an important north/south corridor as Glenwood or Fayetteville. If they could provide say a Panera Bread style eatery at the corner of Hillsborough and West that would be great but I am not sure that Hotels often, if ever lease commercial space. Jojo, I believe this would be in line with your zig zag of continuous activity from Mellow to City Market.

[ChiefJoJo]

Small blurb from the Reynolds article this morning:

Inland American Real Estate Trust also plans to build a tower that could rise 25 stories and feature two hotels and hundreds of condos on the block bounded by Hillsborough, Edenton, West and Harrington streets. Inland wants to finish in early 2010.

With a fairly large project such as this, if they want to meet that deadline, I'd imagine we'll see site plans in before year's end, and (purely my guess) construction by summer '08.

[bone450]

Is the site for this building that little patch of land at the bridge that people use for a parking lot?

[plus2]

Is the site for this building that little patch of land at the bridge that people use for a parking lot?

[Jones_]

Is the site for this building that little patch of land at the bridge that people use for a parking lot?

[RALNATIVE]

Its between the Dawson and the Clarion...currently its occupied by a 1950's style brick office building the city police deaprtment was using.

[Jones_]

That's the site for the Reynolds tower, not the Winston tower.

[JeffC]

Winston site is across Harrington from Second Empire, isn't it? collection of one story brick buildings painted yellowish tan with what looks like an old gas station service plaza right on the corner. In general, I like the low density commercial strip on the south side of Hillsborough...attractive street level retail buildings, wide sidewalks, and nice street trees...I hope they aren't emptying it out in order to level it...would be a perfect spot for a sidewalk cafe or patisserie after these other projects get built...

[ChiefJoJo]

Winston site is across Harrington from Second Empire, isn't it? collection of one story brick buildings painted yellowish tan with what looks like an old gas station service plaza right on the corner. In general, I like the low density commercial strip on the south side of Hillsborough...attractive street level retail buildings, wide sidewalks, and nice street trees...I hope they aren't emptying it out in order to level it...would be a perfect spot for a sidewalk cafe or patisserie after these other projects get built...

[bj-26]

Anybody speculating on what this hotel will look like? A very tall cream-colored Hampton Inn or something with glass.

I wonder how tall Bob Winston has built in the past, or will constructing something 25 stories be something new.