Westin at Towncenter Progress

[rusthebuss]

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are probably surveying for utlilities and such. It could be for electrical, plumbing, sewer and natural gas.

[rusthebuss]

I bet these utlilty companies are drooling all over these projects! They see all of these developments and are cashing in!

[rusthebuss]

Hey guynvb did you talk to mister Divaris

[urbanvb]

When speaking with Mr. Divaris recently I asked about the bland look of the parking deck for the Westin. He agreed wholeheartedly and said the rendering in the newspaper is just that. He showed me a rendering with a possible retailer/restaurant he is working with to go in on the corner ground floor and it really was impressive. It had a great looking facade that was 2-3 storeys tall so I expect the end result to look much different than what was presented in the newspaper. I asked if I could take a picture but since plans are finalized I could not at the moment.

[rusthebuss]

When speaking with Mr. Divaris recently I asked about the bland look of the parking deck for the Westin. He agreed wholeheartedly and said the rendering in the newspaper is just that. He showed me a rendering with a possible retailer/restaurant he is working with to go in on the corner ground floor and it really was impressive. It had a great looking facade that was 2-3 storeys tall so I expect the end result to look much different than what was presented in the newspaper. I asked if I could take a picture but since plans are finalized I could not at the moment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was hoping that they would do something with that garage. How did you get the opportunity to meet with him. Did he discuss any future projects in the TC area. Is he looking at DT Norfolk with any projects?

[hoobo]

When speaking with Mr. Divaris recently I asked about the bland look of the parking deck for the Westin. He agreed wholeheartedly and said the rendering in the newspaper is just that. He showed me a rendering with a possible retailer/restaurant he is working with to go in on the corner ground floor and it really was impressive. It had a great looking facade that was 2-3 storeys tall so I expect the end result to look much different than what was presented in the newspaper. I asked if I could take a picture but since plans are finalized I could not at the moment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is the possible retail/restaurant for the SW corner (Columbus and Indy)? Beacuse that's where it should go for balance. But it being just a rendering is a good sign. Also, if you hop on the Westin condo site, they show the view from the NE so you don't see much of the garage. Good marketing ploy.

[urbanvb]

I was hoping that they would do something with that garage. How did you get the opportunity to meet with him. Did he discuss any future projects in the TC area. Is he looking at DT Norfolk with any projects?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately I did not get to meet with him as he went into a meeting when I arrived but I did get to meet his assistant and I posted some comments in the Towncenter Section here.

[urbanvb]

Is the possible retail/restaurant for the SW corner (Columbus and Indy)?  Beacuse that's where it should go for balance.  But it being just a rendering is a good sign.  Also, if you hop on the Westin condo site, they show the view from the NE so you don't see much of the garage.  Good marketing ploy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looking at the rendering in his office it was difficult to tell which direction I was looking at but he really is working on this. By the way, Divaris is a major commerical real estate agent for the whole midatlantic seaboard. He has some massive projects going on in Philadelphia and in the DC area as well. We are VERY blessed to have someone like him working diligently to help our area to be a better place.

[rusthebuss]

Looking at the rendering in his office it was difficult to tell which direction I was looking at but he really is working on this. By the way, Divaris is a major commerical real estate agent for the whole midatlantic seaboard. He has some massive projects going on in Philadelphia and in the DC area as well. We are VERY blessed to have someone like him working diligently to help our area to be a better place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah this area is getting alot interest from people all over the country. I can't believe that this area is starting to get built up the way I all ways dream of.

[vdogg]

Well, they have updated the Westin site with the new rendering Westin. It doesn't look nearly as bad as it did from the newspaper renderings but I still like the old one better.

[urbanvb]

Yeah it looks like a scant better really. The window overlooking the entrance is a little bigger and the bricking on the southwest corner goes all the way around.

[urbanvb]

I just noticed another difference - its kinda hard to explain but before the top of the tower and a lower section had a thicker band running around it and now only the upper thicker band exists.

[hoobo]

Doesn't look much different to me. I don't understand why they can't make the opening look like windows like on the AH Tower. Or put some lattice work and cover it with vines. I am glad it's still a work in progress.

[vdogg]

So, for the past 2 days i've passed by towncenter on 264 and seen a pile driver sitting in the western end of towncenter. I assumed this was for the performing arts center so i really thought nothing of it. I just drove past the site (twice actually cause i couldn't believe what I was seeing and i wanted to make sure i wasn't making a mistake). Tell me why this pile drive was busily pounding away in a corner of the Westin lot. No

mistake about it, they are driving piles on the Westin site and failed to inform anyone of this. By contrast, other that the clearing of land, no work has been done on the Performing arts lot for weeks. WTF is going on? Has the construction schedule been moved up for the Westin or were they always planning on starting site work now (the actual groundbreaking ceremony wasn't supposed to be til August). I'm very confused right now. I hope they didn't get mixed up and start driving piles on the wrong site .

[urbanfan]

So, for the past 2 days i've passed by towncenter on 264 and seen a pile driver sitting in the western end of towncenter. I assumed this was for the performing arts center so i really thought nothing of it. I just drove past the site (twice actually cause i couldn't believe what I was seeing and i wanted to make sure i wasn't making a mistake). Tell me why this pile drive was busily pounding away in a corner of the Westin lot. No

mistake about it, they are driving piles on the Westin site and failed to inform anyone of this. By contrast, other that the clearing of land, no work has been done on the Performing arts lot for weeks. WTF is going on? Has the construction schedule been moved up for the Westin or were they always planning on starting site work now (the actual groundbreaking ceremony wasn't supposed to be til August). I'm very confused right now. I hope they didn't get mixed up and start driving piles on the wrong site  .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All sites that have piles driven must have test piles driven to verify that the ground is what was expected, and that there will be no problems when driving the other 800 piles. They do this because soil engineers only test the ground at specific areas of the project. Say, the corners and maybe some interior spots. Then they do there reports based on these findings and assume that these areas represent the norm. However, the test piles help confirm that and take some of the liability off of the soils engineer and others if something were to go wrong. There are several case examples of people not driving test piles and driving piles and come to find out there driving into a 'soft' area that doesn't have the capacity to hold all of the loads, what happens? Once the building gets a ways up the column above this pile fails and serious damage, if not a total collapse can happen. So they might just be driving test piles. Only explanation I can think of.

[vdogg]

If you take a look at this map. The pile driver is driving piles in the top left corner of where it says Westin Hotel. This is nowhere even close to where they list the performing

arts center so it is obviously for Westin.

[vdogg]

All sites that have piles driven must have test piles driven to verify that the ground is what was expected, and that there will be no problems when driving the other 800 piles.  They do this because soil engineers only test the ground at specific areas of the project.  Say, the corners and maybe some interior spots.  Then they do there reports based on these findings and assume that these areas represent the norm.  However, the test piles help confirm that and take some of the liability off of the soils engineer and others if something were to go wrong.  There are several case examples of people not driving test piles and driving piles and come to find out there driving into a 'soft' area that doesn't have the capacity to hold all of the loads, what happens?  Once the building gets a ways up the column above this pile fails and serious damage, if not a total collapse can happen.  So they might just be driving test piles.  Only explanation I can think of.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, that makes sense. They were driving in the corner of the lot.

[vdogg]

  So they might just be driving test piles.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So all that being said, would it be accurate to declare that site work has begun on this project?

[urbanfan]

So all that being said, would it be accurate to declare that site work has begun on this project?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unless the site still has trees on it, I wouldn't expect the actuall site work to begin till after the ground breaking.

[vdogg]

Just an update. I have received an email from residences at Westin. They going to have a temporary office to work out of in towncenter until their sales center is complete early this winter (that must be one hell of a sales center ). Not much, just letting you guys know.

[urbanvb]

Seems like I heard or read once that this office will be located on the corner of Market and the Blvd though I am not sure if this is the temporary or permanent office site.

[baobabs727]

Wow! There is a random, representational listing on public MLS for "TOWN CENTER"--2 br, 2ba--at 750K! It would appear that this may be the average anticipated list price for 2br, 2ba Residences at Westin. Yikes!

757

[urbanvb]

Could this be it? listing

[baobabs727]

Could this be it? listing

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep!

[wrldcoupe4]

lol so much for affordable condos in this thing