Jump to content

Westin at Towncenter Progress

ToweringTurtle

By ToweringTurtle
in Virginia Beach

Recommended Posts

vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

On a side note i think i'm starting to warm up to the new Westin design after getting over the initial shock of how different it was. I think if we just take care of the garage it really won't be a bad building to have in the skyline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 1.9k
  • Created
  • Last Reply
rusthebuss Metropolis

rusthebuss

Posted
Posted

On a side note i think i'm starting to warm up to the new Westin design after getting over the initial shock of how different it was. I think if we just take care of the garage it really won't be a bad building to have in the skyline.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Garage is really the only down fall of the whole design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoobo Burg

hoobo

Posted
Posted

if they are gonna try to blend all the buildings together, might as well continue it with the garages.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No way. I think we've been going about this the wrong way. I retract my earlier ideas.

They should highlight the garage. Make its horizontal features the foil to the vertical Westin. Something very high-tech. I'm thinking blue neon lighting and chrome trim. Tastefully done, of course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rusthebuss Metropolis

rusthebuss

Posted
Posted

No way.  I think we've been going about this the wrong way.  I retract my earlier ideas.

They should highlight the garage.  Make its horizontal features the foil to the vertical Westin.  Something very high-tech.  I'm thinking blue neon lighting and chrome trim.  Tastefully done, of course.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a good joke! LOL, I really think it takes too much of that block up and the space could be utilized better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoobo Burg

hoobo

Posted
Posted

Am I the only one who doesn't give a crap about the parking garage?

BTW, I love the auto censors :rofl:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The issue is scale. The garage dominates visually. Considering the cost of the project, the archtiecture of the tower, and the tower's eventual rank as the tallest building in Virginia, would it hurt to make the garage more attractive? There will be ground-level shops, so at least the structure won't impede pedestrian traffic. Still, camoflaguing the garage will allow it to fit better with the rest of TC and the Pembroke area not to mention the tower protruding from it. It doesn't even have to be encircled with townhouses/apts like russthebuss suggests or balanced with an office building at the SW corner like I suggest. Just something besides what we see in the artist rendering. Even the garage at the AH Building makes a weak attempt at faux windows, but they do help. Right now, the garage and tower look like they came out of Le Corbusier's city in the park except the park is now a garage. Too bad the high water table prevents the garage from being built underground.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoobo Burg

hoobo

Posted
Posted

Yeah I think it would be better if it was underground too. The scope and Chrysler hall have a underground garage. I still think its a waste of the block with it spread out so far. It takes away from the building.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many levels underground is the Scope/Chrysler Hall garage? It's been a few years since I've been there, so I'm not really sure if my memory is right, but I remember that Chrysler Hall is raised up from street level so that the garage entrance doesn't go down too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
urbanlife Town

urbanlife

Posted
Posted

How many levels underground is the Scope/Chrysler Hall garage?  It's been a few years since I've been there, so I'm not really sure if my memory is right, but I remember that Chrysler Hall is raised up from street level so that the garage entrance doesn't go down too much.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only a couple levels, but the Scope was risen up a bit when built, so the garage doesnt start underground.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoobo Burg

hoobo

Posted
Posted

I finally decided to see how big this garage really is. One thing first: I doubt there will be any townhouses or offices added to the garage. Looking at the phase 3 presentation on the city website, the office building on the SW corner shown in original renderings was removed from the Westin block. The only real solution is to give the garage architectural value as okinawatyphoon shows in his picture.

I got these numbers off the city's town center site:

AH Garage: 469,000 SF Parking Garage (1284 spaces) = 365 SF/space

Cosmo Garage: 292,000 SF Public Parking Garage (4 stories, 856 spaces) = 341 SF/space

Dick's Garage: 199,000 SF Public Parking Garage (574 spaces) = 347 SF/space

So it looks like TC garages are averaging about 355 SF/space.

The City and TC sites say the Westin garage will have 1150 spaces. The Pilot article says 944 spaces. That's a big difference. The square footage on the former is 408,000 SF and on the latter is 335,000 SF. From the renderings and satellite images you can get a sense of the parcel size relative to the building footprint. That can then be compared to other TC buildings. The Cosmo sits atop its garage. The Dick's garage takes up most of that block, I'd say 70%. The AH garage is very large but also hidden on 2 sides. Considering that the Westin tower and conference center will take up about 40% of the parcel, the garage is actually reasonably sized. After looking at this, I don't think making ithe garage taller will change the its footprint. Also, considering the footprints of the other TC garages, the Westin renderings appear to magnify the size of its garage. However, this doesn't mean they should build an ugly suburban garage. The garage is a prominent part of the parcel and should be designed to complement the Westin and the Performing Arts Center as well as the rest of TC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
urbanvb City

urbanvb

Posted
Posted

Well its good to know that perhaps they did not waste space by building the garage on the whole lot. But I honestly think I favor the old rendering better. In this rendering the garage makes me think of a museum or such with its high walls and what appears to be huge glass windows. And because the north side of the garage is taller it adds a bit of character as well. And also in the older rendering it is as if they bricked over most of the garage thereby disguising it. For the life of me I can't understand why they would not be doing that now. Now, the newer rendering has nothing to help disguise it. The older rendering had more of an urban look than the new one. :( Take a look here

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoobo Burg

hoobo

Posted
Posted

Well its good to know that perhaps they did not waste space by building the garage on the whole lot. But I honestly think I favor the old rendering better. In this rendering the garage makes me think of a museum or such with its high walls and what appears to be huge glass windows. And because the north side of the garage is taller it adds a bit of character as well. And also in the older rendering it is as if they bricked over most of the garage thereby disguising it. For the life of me I can't understand why they would not be doing that now. Now, the newer rendering has nothing to help disguise it. The older rendering had more of an urban look than the new one. :(  Take a look here

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The taller section with glass (on the west side), isn't that the office building portion that has since been removed? I do like the brick work more in the old rendering. But it should be taken a step or two further. Add faux windows and/or shutters. A two-story store on the SW corner would also help. Maybe lattice work covered with flowering vines above the shops. The exposed parts of the garage are on large streets: Indy and Columbus. The exposed part of the AH garage along the Blvd has window frames. The part across from Columbus One does not. It's not in the best interest of all stakeholders to have run-of-the-mill parking garage sitting on such a prominent site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
burt Megalopolis

burt

Posted
Posted

Well its good to know that perhaps they did not waste space by building the garage on the whole lot. But I honestly think I favor the old rendering better. In this rendering the garage makes me think of a museum or such with its high walls and what appears to be huge glass windows. And because the north side of the garage is taller it adds a bit of character as well. And also in the older rendering it is as if they bricked over most of the garage thereby disguising it. For the life of me I can't understand why they would not be doing that now. Now, the newer rendering has nothing to help disguise it. The older rendering had more of an urban look than the new one. :(  Take a look here

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with you, Guy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoobo Burg

hoobo

Posted
Posted

Yes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what I thought. Removing that component changed the whole project. With it, there was balance. I know it would look weird in the interim, but they should leave a notch cut into the parking garage to allow for a mid-rise office to be built in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

I am going to see Mr. Divaris tomorrow. I HOPE to have more info to post on this development.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice to know we have a man on the inside. I'd also like to see what particulars you can find out with regards to the BB&B property and what type of project requires a 2000 space parking garage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

Stakes are now being driven along the outskirts of the Westin Site, for what purpose I am unsure. There are flat bed trucks with black pile driver or crane pieces sitting on the parking lot behind columbus center. Unsure of the purpose of those either but if it is a pile driver it's most likely for the performing arts center.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.