urbanMSP

I thought that I saw most of the street front of Elan with actual stucco? Was I tripping?

^^^ It may be stucco, but it looked like concrete board when I went by on my bike. My apology if I'm mistaken. The stucco will be more durable.

It's concrete board as far as I can tell. Or remarkably homogeneous stucco with channeled expansion joints.

The wood they've put up the last few days is SHARP. Check out that west facade. MmmMmmMmm!

The stucco would have to have such expansion joints, I don't think it's rough traditional stucco, but a smoother synthetic stucco.

I'll try to go by tonight and figure it out

The stucco would have to have such expansion joints, I don't think it's rough traditional stucco, but a smoother synthetic stucco.

I'll try to go by tonight and figure it out

Thanks. You're smart about these things. My question then is the stucco-like material more enduring, and does it paint well? I do like some of the various colors they are painting it. Gives some contrast and helps reduce the flatness of the stucco (or cement board).

The stucco would have to have such expansion joints, I don't think it's rough traditional stucco, but a smoother synthetic stucco.

Ah, sorry, I've never heard of synthetic stucco. You learn something new every day!

Synthetic stucco is available in almost as many colors as paint is, it's made out of acrylic rather than a cementitious masonry base. That means it's not as rigid of a plane as traditional stucco is, allowing it to flex more with the building, and not have fine hair line fractures anytime the building settles etc etc... I believe it can be easily re-painted or finished.

Dryvit http://www.dryvit.com/commercial/ is a pretty commonly used product I believe... makes disneyland (block e) type buildings ever possible. (still not one of my favorite materials if you can't tell... traditional stucco done well usually looks better and can last a long long time.)

Also, they can texture it to a few different textures, but nothing like traditional stucco.

just checked it out... it is real "synthetic" stucco. not a piece of cement board on the whole building. ifyou look close it looks a lot nicer. much larger sections, better texture, but from afar pretty plain.

I saw the wire mesh and them applying the stucco. So this is a quality exterior! Putting up some copper colored panels on the corner facing rainbow.

Walked along the greenway today and saw that there is a lot of the underground parking outer wall up with a few concrete support. This is going very fast. They are still tearing down the old buildings on the west side of Emerson.

I'm super jealous that they have their own private entrance to the Greeenway. NOT FAIR!!

https://imgur.com/zUzjOcG Taken today (Aug 1) Lots of progress. They're also coming along with phase III.

Incidentally, can anyone tell me if there will be access from the promenade to the Greenway for non-residents with this phase? I'm not sure if the promenade just passes over the walkout or if they're going to give non-residents a convenient access to the trail.

Incidentally, can anyone tell me if there will be access from the promenade to the Greenway for non-residents with this phase? I'm not sure if the promenade just passes over the walkout or if they're going to give non-residents a convenient access to the trail.

From what I can see on the renderings, Residents have access to the Greenway through doors in the parking garage. The promenade only goes over the plaza, and there is probably a gate between the greenway and the plaza.

From what I can see on the renderings, Residents have access to the Greenway through doors in the parking garage. The promenade only goes over the plaza, and there is probably a gate between the greenway and the plaza.

Are you talking about phase I or phase II?

Phase II in this thread.

Phase II in this thread.

Why would residents in phase II have to go through the parking garage to get to the Greenway?

You can look at the picture, and interpret yourself, but what I can see from the recent construction photos and this, the doors to the greenway on either side of the plaza appear to be coming out of the parking garage level.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doodmondan ... otostream/

You can look at the picture, and interpret yourself, but what I can see from the recent construction photos and this, the doors to the greenway on either side of the plaza appear to be coming out of the parking garage level.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doodmondan ... otostream/

I don't actually see the plaza in that picture. The first page of this thread shows a rendering of a staircase down from a courtyard area. Wouldn't residents just use that?

I see what you mean about the bridge. That's hugely disappointing. Big missed opportunity. The area below the stairs is going to be public space so why not add a ramp down there?