Vourmbianigoat

Well that's promising, haha

Does anyone know the latest on Magnolia? I believe Noisette is in financial trouble is it the same for Maggie or are they still going through with preparing the area for construction?

Yeah they're stretched for space out there anyway the space can even be used for an outdoor cafe maybe on an intermittent basis until the hotel rumbles around. The cafe can spill right out onto park space and offer a nice option for drinks and lounging for the young park going group

Totally right, if we were to simply raise the crosstown it would act as an interstate and destroy the urban fabric of the area. But that's not what I'm advocating. The lower level will fully integrate the two areas with lights at every block and nicely groomed landscaping and walkways. The 2 lane expressway (4 lanes if both directions are combined) will have shoots that go down to the local level so those on the expressway can exit the crosstown easily without the bottlenecks we see on exits such as Rutledge ave. Add in a rail line that will finally give people a fast option to the airport (rather than the time consuming CARTA), Charleston will be well on its way

Uhh oh I'm feeling like people are gonna resist this idea on here but I think the crosstown should be elevated, too. Upper level for express traffic across the peninsula with a light rail line while the lower level is for local traffic. The light rail runs south down the interstate from the airport and eventually into West Ashley where Gerald's is (that circle there). Allow the easy movement between levels and we're in business. Go Riverdogs!

I like what they did with the top floor it seems to have something unique to it. Overall very nice! I'm not sure if I like the screened in porches in the rear of the building may come off strange but I guess they're trying to blend it in with those houses behind it. Does anyone know the name of the program which creates these renderings anyway? I wanted to play around with it if I can get a lead on what it's called and where to get it.

If enough funds are appropriated into a light rail system the system would flourish over time, though yes it might encounter some difficulties until the city reaches its full potential. If you figure the best corridor for light rail to be the neck area from North Charleston down to Charleston there's massive potential for that area to grow--and the light rail will help it get there. International Blvd. development is reaching south towards Magnolia which is in close proximity to park circle and noisette. Still moving south you'll hit the upper king revitilization, and some small towers going up near the bridge (an area I like to call Underbridge-- there are a few towers that are going up over there that will have beautiful views of the harbor and bridge and if there's a light rail connection reaching further into the dowtown destination there's no telling how this area can grow). This is also an area the the Ginn company has been interested in developing in once the market turns around. Moving downtown the system should end right behind King street behind the College of Charleston Simons center where there's currently a HUGE parking lot which would act as a fantastic end point for a light rail system. The parking lot is right behind King street's major shopping corridor and has the college and a plethora of businesses to draw ridership from. There are two points to make about light rail in Charleston: The various developments along the neck into downtown are great for the community and if a light rail system is put in place the holes between these developments will fill in over time. Secondly the construction of a light rail system will take a very long time before it is ready--especially here in Charleston where people love to talk about things until the project passes from their minds entirely. In the time it takes to build the system more and more developement will occur until it's ready. While planning and construction are going on, developers will get a cue on where the corridor will run and where to develop. Chareleston is ripe for light rail, it's just a question of whether we'll take the initiative or not and when we do it execute it correctly and devote enough funds into a very expensive project.

I just don't see anything original in it I'm sorry-- I was looking for it in the rehash but it's just not there. I have a feeling that the project is going to have a fake feel to it but I guess we'll find out soon enough. Uniqueness (good looking) is something I'm big on and this project just gives me a bad feeling that it's just gonna be a bunch of rectangles that won't be appreciated in a few years. I wish developers would more frequently enlist the services of other developers to develop the smaller plots within the project as a whole that way it looks like the community actually came together naturally. It would be pricier for sure but at least it would have a good feel to it. Back to my first point however I don't think the place has any identifying features.. it's just a place. I like the idea for the Marion Square hotel however because it'll have that nice copper roof that will naturally turn green with time. Maybe they could light up the roof a bit and it'll really look sharp.

You can see their intentions in the "outer layer/ fronting" of the building to blend the building in with its surroundings but in the end it's a boring conglomerate of a rectangles which is intended at its core to hold bodies with no regard of the exterior. Is it only me or is the newest rendering practically the SAME exact one that was shot down by the Charleston BAR a few weeks ago? We all applauded the suggestions made by the BAR and seemingly the firm was going to make some adjustments but it's the same darn thing! Where's the "we're going to role up our sleeves and get back to work"? Seems to me a guy spent an extra 15 minutes using an eraser for the trash disposal center on the side of the building but that's about it. Lackluster and unimaginative in its greatest sense.

Unimaginative architecture, the firm that designed this should be ashamed of themselves. Building for the sake of building is not moving forward there has to be something there that actually will be appreciated in years to come as either innovation or just beauty. The building reminds me of the building on calhoun next to the county library-- new but just awful.