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Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 2:53 pm
by mister.shoes
There must be some mistake, where is the parking podium?
Right? Three levels of underground parking? I thought Opus said it wasn't feasible one whole block away (diagonally).
Count me in the "Huh. I really like this." camp.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 2:54 pm
by Seth
WHY is it so disjointed? What am I supposed to be looking at? There's no sense to this. Why is it floating? This thing is all sorts of strange, and not in the good ways..
Agree.
Also, why would they place a garage entrance on the most prominent corner. They're really missing an opportunity to do something great there.
Where else were they going to put it? This site has the challenge of sitting on arguably the three most prominent streets in the city; Hennepin, Washington and Nicollet. Third is really the only feasible spot given the circumstances
I'd say the could probably have done without an entrance to the garage there with the existing one on third. However, as a Four Seasons guest it would be pretty tacky to have the valet drive my car around a couple extra blocks.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:03 pm
by Silophant
I'm excited about the plaza - it looks great, to the point that it would be a shame to tear it up for the streetcar. Luckily, I don't think there's actually any danger of that at this point...
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:05 pm
by MattW
Agree.
Also, why would they place a garage entrance on the most prominent corner. They're really missing an opportunity to do something great there.
Where else were they going to put it? This site has the challenge of sitting on arguably the three most prominent streets in the city; Hennepin, Washington and Nicollet. Third is really the only feasible spot given the circumstances
I'd say the could probably have done without an entrance to the garage there with the existing one on third. However, as a Four Seasons guest it would be pretty tacky to have the valet drive my car around a couple extra blocks.
Oh, okay. I totally missed that there's an entrance on the corner of Hennepin and Washington. I agree with you that it sucks to have a garage entrance there, but with all the restrictions attached to this block (no cars on Nicollet, transit development requirement) I don't see how else it's possible. Count me in the camp that thinks this thing ain't too bad now.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:09 pm
by Silophant
There must be some mistake, where is the parking podium?
Right? Three levels of underground parking? I thought Opus said it wasn't feasible one whole block away (diagonally).
Count me in the "Huh. I really like this." camp.
Yeah, Opus is full of crap. Within a block of them, this has three levels underground, the library and Marquette Plaza have two, and the Crossings has
four.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:13 pm
by BigIdeasGuy
I get what they were going for and I really like it in concept but it just doesn't work for some reason. It reminds me of the Wells Fargo Tower with the vertical ribs breaking up the glass facade. I guess it isn't elegant enough to pull it off maybe if it was a few stories tall (I'm not just saying that as a fan of height either) or if they continue the curve the setbacks form as you look at the building from the side, it kinda just pulls way back at the top.
Two other things I noticed was that RBC wants a sign at the top of the building facing downtown, I'm pretty sure there is an ordinance against that. They are also including a structure supporting street cars cutting across the block in the garage if that ever happens.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:32 pm
by Nathan
Still just doesn't have the correct proportions to be an elegant building, it looks nicely appointed but is lopsided and has a couple glaring awkward moments, the far to rapid step backs at the top and the almost overhang over a ramp to a garage and a strange curved wall that seems out of place. The "podium" facing Nicollet looks like it belongs on entirely different building, very clunky.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:34 pm
by MattW
They are also including a structure supporting street cars cutting across the block in the garage if that ever happens.
There's a stipulation on this lot that it must have public transit integrated into it. Why this sat as a bus layover facility for so long.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 3:59 pm
by 5th Ave Guy
Did they shove a tower from one proposal and the base from another together at the last second? Not sure how else it would end up like that.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 4:03 pm
by Nathan
Still just doesn't have the correct proportions to be an elegant building, it looks nicely appointed but is lopsided and has a couple glaring awkward moments, the far too rapid step backs at the top and the almost overhang over a ramp to a garage and a strange curved wall that seems out of place. The "podium" facing Nicollet looks like it belongs on entirely different building, very clunky.
Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 6:23 pm
by bapster2006
The city's new 8th tallest tower is looking better and better.
9th. “Eleven” is taller
If all goes well, there will be three towers over 480 feet going up at the same time.
Re: RE: Re: United Properties / Four Seasons "Gateway" Project (Nicollet Hotel Block)
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 6:26 pm
by MinnMonkey
Two other things I noticed was that RBC wants a sign at the top of the building facing downtown, I'm pretty sure there is an ordinance against that.
That's the first thing I noticed. I hope the city doesn't allow a variance to the sign ordinance.
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Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 7th, 2018, 7:46 pm
by datasage
This looks better than some of the initial images, but the podium doesn't quite work with the building design. Most of the edges are straight and the volume is most made of cubic shapes. Then you have this curved facade with the rest of the tower jutting over it.
Sometimes contrast can make the building more interesting, but in this case it seems haphazardly placed. Hopefully they fix that before going forward with the building.
Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 6:15 am
by Qhaberl
I’m surprise the idea of a Nickel Avenue street car he still out there. I would much rather see Nicklett Avenue have a bus BRT Set up. Once the slot., Where are the bus is going to use as their turnaround point? I believe the currently use this lot?
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Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 6:56 am
by ko123
First glance, I really like it, especially considering all the challenges of the site and different uses. They have even incorporated structure for a future trolley / streetcar line which explains the curved building line at the landscape plaza at corner of Washington Ave and Nicollet. A bit disappointing that the architecture and engineering teams are all Atlanta based.
Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 7:30 am
by bubzki2
7 stories of residential? Has that been increased from the last proposal?
Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 8:30 am
by phop
Yes, surprised no one has mentioned it yet, but (if I'm reading correctly) the condo component has increased to 50 units. They also now describe a potential scenario where both the hotel and condos components are replaced with apartments if the hotel is "deemed unfeasible".
Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 9:15 am
by Tyler
Cool.
Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 12:05 pm
by Lisa I. RoadBot
The Hennepin Avenue side of this building seems to be it's rear end- Favored renderings show the Nicollet side more often-
Not as many interesting features on the podium on the Hennepin side? (maybe I should look at the renderings before commenting)
Maybe this is a mullet of a building, Business in the front, Party in the back (?)
Re: Gateway Tower (Four Seasons/RBC) - 43 stories - 513'
Posted: June 8th, 2018, 12:26 pm
by Tyler
I think the Hennepin side will look fine from the street.