Tallahassee Convention Hotel

[Florida]

^Only 40, but you never know, I could be hit by one of those new StarMetro buses tomorrow.

That would be terrible!!!

... my workload would increase when your family tries to sue us.

[csmurphy8885]

Decrease in condos is going to steal some hieght then, how many floors would you guess the new renderings might be. can we still break the 15 floor mark?

More condos might have forced some of the prices down, but that wouldn't really help to attract more projects. So i am goin to jump on the wagon and appreciate the decrease aswell. Where the parking garage issues discussed? what about public space like alot of the tampa develpments. It would be great to force a park into some of the Civic Center Pavement.

[Florida]

Here's a rendering prior to the increase in Condo Units. I've had this since 1998-99.

[celebrated]

Doesn't look like a huge change to me...

[csmurphy8885]

they are of the same rendering. it will be smaller with the decrease in condos.

[Florida]

they are of the same rendering. it will be smaller with the decrease in condos.

They are NOT the same. The second one, the computerized rendering has 4-5 levels of condos, the first only has 2.

The first building is right about 15 stories, the second is around 17. But either would be cool with me. I think they may be going for a totally different design now, however, just judging from the comments made at Wednesday's meeting.

[Glenn]

Thanks for sharing the renderings. They are both beautiful & I'd be happy to finally see either one of them. I hope we can actually see some progress on the site this year.

[Florida]

Thanks for sharing the renderings. They are both beautiful & I'd be happy to finally see either one of them. I hope we can actually see some progress on the site this year.

Today we got a step closer. At City Hall today, we are actively in the process of executing a new development agreement for this site. The details state the developer now has until November of this year to get a foundation permit, and the building is to be completed by 2008. If a building is not underconstruction by that time, the agreement will expire in 2010 and the authority will likely seek another development to pursue. Hopefully we'll see a new Marriott hotel by then. I'd love it if it were a JW, with blue glass... but its not my money! LOL!

[Monticello-1827]

nice! so what are the actual chances they'll pull the foundation permit? this project/the promise of it has been frustrating to say the least.

the location is across from the civic center on pensacola correct? that large fenced in grass area right?

[csmurphy8885]

no, that is a 6 story marriot with retail on the bottom (like yoplait). This convention center will be on teh civic center parking lot.

[Florida]

nice! so what are the actual chances they'll pull the foundation permit? this project/the promise of it has been frustrating to say the least.

the location is across from the civic center on pensacola correct? that large fenced in grass area right?

The chances are good they will pull a foundation permit... they are relatively cheap, and don't really obligate the developer to build anything, although I think the project is going to move this time. I just didn't think Strauss was really into it.

[cityboy05]

Good news. I like it how you say they have until November for a foundation permit.

[Florida]

Good news. I like it how you say they have until November for a foundation permit.

Commissioner Gillum insisted they include some tougher language in this act, and to some degree I agree with him. These foundation permits are inexpensive compared to many of the other permits builders have to pull. So technically one could pull a foundation permit by the deadline and still be in no position to build anything. But the Civic Center authority is comfortable going forward with this as written, and I'll have to take their word. But in re-engineering this building, I hope they come back with something a bit "out-of-the-box" from some of the other developments we have downtown. If this is going to be our big convention center hotel, it should be big. It should be taller, and make a statement... just my opinion.

[poonther]

You are so right about the design TJ. They could take a lesson or two from the folks that designed The Floridian bldg. (BTW that is the same name of my favorite diner located in Ft. Lauderdale on Las Olas and makes me hungry for their turkey club everytime I type the word...yeah yeah I know it was the name of the old hotel that was at that site.)

I'm glad that Gillum insisted on tougher lanuage even though it really doesn't sound all that binding. Makes me glad I've supported him w/my votes and contributions.

[csmurphy8885]

yeah, and going taller in the "valley" between fsu, famu, and the monroe ridge will certainly not be a bad thing. It would help alot as far as our citys density from all angles. It will be hard to fill a nice midsize skyline with less than 18 at the civic center lot. I would love to see a more vertical design (and i am sure the fewer condo owners will love the increased views!)

[Florida]

yeah, and going taller in the "valley" between fsu, famu, and the monroe ridge will certainly not be a bad thing. It would help alot as far as our citys density from all angles. It will be hard to fill a nice midsize skyline with less than 18 at the civic center lot. I would love to see a more vertical design (and i am sure the fewer condo owners will love the increased views!)

I would also murphy. There are several JW Marriott hotel designs I like, and I know they are selective about where they put these nicer hotels, but it seems this design we have coming is rather upscale also. Why can't we design one that looks more like a JW? I'll search for some images of JW marriotts and post here. Usually they are taller, and have that blue glass look. I definately think for the density of our downtown this project will have to be atleast 20 stories tall.

[Florida]

Here are some JW Marriott Hotels

Atlanta

San Fran

Grand Rapids, MI (under construction)

I honestly think the blue glassy look would help to add some character to our skyline. JW is my personal preference. It has the look of an office building... but its a hotel ya know. I think that's what I like most about it.

[cityboy05]

Wow I like them all!

[Florida]

So do I. I like the Atlanta design most.

[P_McLane]

I do not come to this forum with a construction background, and these questions might betray my naivete...

Wouldn't a glorious steel and blue-glass edifice cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more to construct than a steel and masonry building? Based on the proposed renderings posted earlier, is there any real chance that Marriot would deviate from the rather bland brick and stucco and pre-cast model to build a crystal palace? I wonder mostly about the added expense, and the sense (among Marriot building-committee execs) that Tallahassee does not rank something so splendid. Especially given the sorry state of our present hotel options.

[Florida]

I do not come to this forum with a construction background, and these questions might betray my naivete...

Wouldn't a glorious steel and blue-glass edifice cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more to construct than a steel and masonry building? Based on the proposed renderings posted earlier, is there any real chance that Marriot would deviate from the rather bland brick and stucco and pre-cast model to build a crystal palace? I wonder mostly about the added expense, and the sense (among Marriot building-committee execs) that Tallahassee does not rank something so splendid. Especially given the sorry state of our present hotel options.

Great question. I'll try to find out how much the Grand Rapids hotel costs.

[csmurphy8885]

we do get alot of Gov people in here when things happen... nice places to stay for over glorified politicians... ok i'll stop with the bashing for a serious thought...

I dig brick... i like it in buildings... i like it on driveways, roads, and sidewalks... But i will sacrafice brick for hieght. A tall attractive building is what we need more than another 12 story sexy building. I want 20+ from these folks

[Florida]

I just wrote a lenghty response to your post CMurphy... only to have something go wrong. Frustrated about that. But I was bascially saying we've waited almost 10 years for this project and the quality and design should reflect this long term investment of time from this community. This will be OUR convention center... do we deserve some bland, cheap design, or are we worthy of a jewel as P McLane points out.

By the way P, the Grand Rapids building has a $100 Million price tag. Our hotel as it is now designed is supossed to run $50 Million. Each hotel has about 325 rooms, and each will include parking areas ours at 700 cars, theirs at 650. So very similar. Their plan calls for a 24 story building, ours at this point, 21-22 stories. But the re-design will no doubt change this.

[csmurphy8885]

changed higher or lower in Your estimate TJ... and i also noticed on the connectivity plan thread there are building proposed on the lots between gaines and the civic center... did i miss it... or is it speculative for the inevitable development of the lots...

[Florida]

At the time the development between the civic center and gaines was supossed to be the new

"Exchange at Gaines" by the same company that built The Exchange on Sharer Road. Those plans are out the window. I've heard rumors resurface about the Embassy suites hotel, only to have the Marriott Hotel thing come back also.

The Marriott plan will not include just 47 Condos vs the 97 that the 22 Building was designed to hold. This doesn't mean that the building has to be shorter... it could be thinner or take on a different shape. But I'm not sure of the likelyhood of a redesign.