Venue Tower at the BOB - 20 Monroe Live - House of Blues/Live Nation Venue

[ironyisadeadscene]

Yeah, I saw that, and also heard they hope to be open by new years? If that is going to happen, they are going to have to start soon.

[ctpgr34]

Updated Renderings

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/03/see_updated_renderings_of_the.html#incart_river

[mpchicago]

I love the Monroe side with what appear to be 3 ATM machines lined up along the sidewalk. Am I seeing that right? Or are they ticket windows??  It will be interesting to see if he gets his list of variances. 

Edited March 6, 2015 by mpchicago

[MJLO]

That looks oppressive and uninviting from Monroe holy cow. 

[GR_Urbanist]

Yikes! The comments on the story are a bit harsh.

 

 

 

For what it is, it looks perfectly fine. Places like this in bigger cities dont look all that different. Yeah, it isnt gloriously beautiful, but neither is Devos Place to be honest.

 

I can only assume that people on Mlive that arent fans of this design dont remember what this site looked like back in 1995. Or the previous "bobville" disaster proposal that really would have been tacky.

Edited March 6, 2015 by GR_Urbanist

[GRDadof3]

Yeah, here it was before. If even looks like the existing entrance of The BOB is all blocked off? Or is that just poor rendering?

 

The new design looks like the Monroe side is back-of-house, with a large loading dock, an exit door from a stairwell (fire exit), and ticket vending machines. Honestly I'll be surprised if this gets approved as drawn. Do ticket vending machines constitute "active use?"

 

 

 

The old floorplan showed that area as an "alley" across the entire site. Wonder if that was nixed? Hard to tell from that angle.

 

[SupercityGR]

Its better then I thought it would be. If all is approved, it should provide some nice infill, and some more apartments which is needed!

 

There not showing it from the backside. They are not showing the Ottawa st side. hmmmm 

Edited March 6, 2015 by SupercityGR

[Jippy]

Even if the entrance doesn't directly face Monroe and is windowless, they can do a much better job of making the facade interesting and pedestrian-friendly. Built like this, it would totally kill the pedestrian experience and essentially turn Monroe from an "A" street (primary, pedestrian friendly street) to a "C" street (support/service street). 

 

Looks like it doesn't even have enough room for a sidewalk! I would allow them to not have a main entrance or windows if they so choose, but make them shift the building (to put back the mandatory sidewalk/streetscape requirements) and add some architectural, vegetative, interactive elements to improve the pedestrian experience. 

[GRDadof3]

Its better then I thought it would be. If all is approved, it should provide some nice infill, and some more apartments which is needed!

 

There not showing it from the backside. They are not showing the Ottawa st side. hmmmm 

 

They are, they're just not posted here.

[SupercityGR]

^ balconies or blank wall with windows? The view from the fulton/Monroe intersection makes it look like the Ottawa side will be plain like the Gallery 

[ironyisadeadscene]

Looks like the existing BOB building loses its large windows and gains a floor?

[x99]

Looks like the existing BOB building loses its large windows and gains a floor?

 

Doubt it.  That's probably just more high quality work by Concept Design. 

[sfloria]

It feels like somebody accidentally pull the old BOB building out of the ground a floor.  Looks very odd.

[GRDadof3]

OK, someone take a look at these and see if you can decipher them and give us a synopsis. "The Alley" is a delivery vehicle "tunnel" that will double as a pedestrian access from the West End of the site to the East end beer garden and Venue entrance. No word as to what's going on with the weird BOB entrance in the drawing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or if you want to read the application:

 

http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Planning-Department/PlanningCommission/PC%20PACKET%203-12-15.pdf

[joeDowntown]

For once, I would like to see a rendering come back better than the previous. Actually, the B.O.B. did this with the previous renderings, but it would be so nice if someone actually said "oh, we added one more thing to make it look better" instead of taking away 10 things to make it worse.

 

Joe

[ironyisadeadscene]

The Monroe face is very boring and uninspired. That said, for what it is, I dont mind. I would like to see them work on that. But the tower? Maybe I'm in the minority, but I like it!

[SupercityGR]

I dont mind the tower. The venue part we wouldnt be able to judge until its completed because the rendering makes it look like a blob instead of the bob

[GRDadof3]

I dont mind the tower. The venue part we wouldnt be able to judge until its completed because the rendering makes it look like a blob instead of the bob

 

I don't "mind" the tower either, but the whole transition area from the tower to the Venue to the BOB is so clunky looking. It's almost as if they designed the interior floorplans first for function with no regard for how it could look sleek and seamless on the outside. I know there's a lot going on with the use of all these buildings working together but c'mon, it could be a lot more inspiring design-wise.

 

The balcony off the tower overlooking the beer garden is interesting. I assume it's a community room for the apartments. Looks like Darth Vader or Lando Calrissian may appear shortly.

[joeDowntown]

I like the tower as well (even though I wish it was still the taller version). It's the venue that is problematic (in my eyes). I get that windows are a hassle for a concert venue. I thought the last rendering did a good job by making it look like a concert venue and having nice architectural elements and a curved facade. 

 

I think the new rendering looks like an old building that once had windows but over the years they got bricked over. 

 

Joe

[The ATX]

I think it looks decent.  It's a typical urban residential building, and any/every residential building downtown is beneficial to the city.  I don't care for sky walks because they subtract from the street activity.  But I realized they are desirable in colder climates.  

[arcturus]

New towers are so rare here there's no such thing as a bad one.  Gotta keep the growth symbolism intact.

Edited March 9, 2015 by arcturus

[GRDadof3]

Agreed, build it! It's way better than a surface lot. The Monroe side just needs some tweaking, but honestly I'm rarely in that area other than driving by so I'm not going to die on that hill.

[Quercus]

The first couple of floors look pretty clunky. I too hope the Monroe side gets tweaked. The pillars and the facade on the Ottawa side are pretty bizarre; looks like the building started tipping over and had to be propped up. Given the unique shape of the parcel it would be nice to see it filled out a bit more. Another "plaza" along a major downtown road that will be empty outside of ArtPrize; coupled with the setback of the Kent County Arena the existing "Fulton Gap" will be maintained.

The tower looks okay. I'm not sure why the white corner panels are necessary. Such a color will likely be dingy in a few years, but more importantly it seems to block significant balcony views. Seems excessive if it's meant to provide privacy. I like the choice of a more transparent glass though; would prefer to see the whole tower done in such a way.

I'm all for additional housing units downtown, but if everyone shared the "who cares what it looks like...it's kind of tall! let's build it!" attitude we'd end up with a pretty crummy looking cityscape.

[GRDadof3]

The first couple of floors look pretty clunky. I too hope the Monroe side gets tweaked. The pillars and the facade on the Ottawa side are pretty bizarre; looks like the building started tipping over and had to be propped up. Given the unique shape of the parcel it would be nice to see it filled out a bit more. Another "plaza" along a major downtown road that will be empty outside of ArtPrize; coupled with the setback of the Kent County Arena the existing "Fulton Gap" will be maintained.

The tower looks okay. I'm not sure why the white corner panels are necessary. Such a color will likely be dingy in a few years, but more importantly it seems to block significant balcony views. Seems excessive if it's meant to provide privacy. I like the choice of a more transparent glass though; would prefer to see the whole tower done in such a way.

 

 

 

That is true. The building sits at a unique 45 degree angle to the rest of downtown, so why not take advantage of the views from the corner balconies? Instead we have a moderne' "pinwheel" design with the white walls jutting out. Maybe the whole building is going to spin in the wind and create its own energy?

 

[SupercityGR]

Where will all the art exhibits go