City Walk

[mistermetaj]

This project is looking ridiculously nice. I do hope there is a little less red brick used though. But regardless, I am loving all that I see.

I do hope however in a freak construction accident, a large concrete pile falls right through the pizza hut and vitamin shop.

[urbanlife]

yeah Mulvanny and up here in the northwest of the country it is all about LEED. Good to see VB will have a large chunk of their new downtown dedicated to it.

[urbanvb]

I think it would be neat to include some green roofs on some of these buildings as that would be so neat. Imagine hanging out in a park-like setting with incredible views of the city.

[Telmnstr]

Are they really gonna put trees on the roofs of those condos? Those rooftop pools and tennis courts look cool. How, about a rollercoaster around one of them.

Sorry, I just say of picture of the New York, New York Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. They have a rollercoaster call New York Express (I think) that wraps around it.

They NY NY hotel's rollercoaster is outside. It's a rough sucker, not like the Bush Gardens one. The ?Stratosphere? or some other building actually has a roller coaster ON TOP. I can't imagine it. I keep meaning to go track it down, but I'm generally out there for the Defcon conference and it is held near the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, which isn't on the main strip.

That would be neat though. They should have put a resurant in the top of town center, IMHO. The view from up there is pretty nice.

[metalman]

I went to Vegas laster with my wife (then, fiance). We rode all but one ride on top of the Stratosphere! They were AWESOME! The roller coaster was kind of weak, but the fact that it's 1200ft in the air made it cool.

The is the launch tower that IS the spire/needle of Stratoshere. Without warning it rockets you up probably 100 ft or so. At the top you see no building at all. The only thing you see is pure dessert and mountains. Then the veiw quickly recedes as you free fall back down. Extremely intense....like I said your already 1200 some-odd ft in the air.

The other ride which, IMO was the most sick was like a roller coaster train on a 60 ft. track attached to the edge. The track is on hydraulics. It lifts up and out, tilts you back and then lunges down, OVER THE EDGE of the entire building. The coaster train rides down the track and stops at the end. The track retracks back near its platform, then lunges you foward even further and steeper down, and does it a thirde time. As the train rolls down the track and stops at the end your are completely off the edge of the building looking straight down to the ground as if you were just commiting suicide! It's pretty damn scary actually, but awesome! It's kinda funny, 'cause directly below you your staring at the roof of an IHOP as its letters taunt you from 1200 ft below.

The only one we didn't go on was the hugh swings that swing you off edge, just 'cause it looked like the least thrilling.

Great stuff though.

I saw the Manhatten Express in action, but didn't ride it. Maybe next time.

I didn't play a good amount of blackjack, thought and came out in the black, so I was happy. It was my first time there, so not a bad trip.

Metalman

Sorry to get of track...

so about City Walk...which is the more current render the one with three towers or four?

[vdogg]

I have received information from a reliable source that the rendering below is more accurate to the scope and scale of the project as it currently exist. Things are still fluid so even that may change but it does not appear at this point that the project will be as massive as the renderings above portray. They were likely part of the preliminary concept that the developers initially pitched to Mr. Sifen to integrate his property with theirs. As we all know Mr. Sifen refiled plans for a traditional strip center in march and only time will tell whether he will make any effort to incorporate his project into downtown. I can tell you with utmost certainty however that the Sifen property is not part of the City Walk project.

This rendering is fairly accurate as well except take out the midrise buildings on the Sifen property. We'll still get towers, we just won't be able to count on the Sifen property.

[rusthebuss]

So the buildings infront of the two towers is the Sifen property?

[vdogg]

So the buildings infront of the two towers is the Sifen property?

Correct.

[metalman]

That sucks.

[mistermetaj]

i thought that there was a sign infront of the sifen property that says "shoppes at town center," so pretty much all hope is lost on the sifen property. That really sucks, I wish the city council would have denied him. There has to be some zoning code he doesnt meet.

[erdogs]

What a disapointment! This Sifen guy just cares about his own ego! I think this has something to do with some inadequacy.

[urbanlife]

actually I think this might be less about ego and more about bottom line, what costs less and has a good return in VB that has been proven, strip malls.

You win some, you lose some, but even if a strip mall is built, it is merely a matter of time before another developer buys it and builds something urban there.

For reference, look at Bellevue, WA, much of what is going on there over the past ten years, I see VB about to go into. In their downtown are still strip malls waiting to be redeveloped.....recently they just ook down a large one in the heart of downtown that will be included into a major urban redevelopment......so I wouldnt worry too much about this little strip mall.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

actually I think this might be less about ego and more about bottom line, what costs less and has a good return in VB that has been proven, strip malls.

You win some, you lose some, but even if a strip mall is built, it is merely a matter of time before another developer buys it and builds something urban there.

For reference, look at Bellevue, WA, much of what is going on there over the past ten years, I see VB about to go into. In their downtown are still strip malls waiting to be redeveloped.....recently they just ook down a large one in the heart of downtown that will be included into a major urban redevelopment......so I wouldnt worry too much about this little strip mall.

Agreed. I hope he constructs it in such a way that it funnels pedestrian traffic from CW to TC effectively, though, and not just a blob of a building with a field of asphalt. That's the only thing I truly hope doesn't happen here.

[metalman]

UPDATE!

http://www.mulvannyg2.com/en-us/Show/Portfolio.aspx

Look at the City Walk page on Mulvanny's site again. Go to "on the boards", they pictures squares on the right, its' on the bottom row third one over...

If you click through the three pictures, the first two model pics are the same as before, but the the last schematic pic is different. The Hanifords property is not on there, but it show a more square street grid and redesigned blocks, and it looks like they bought up the pawn shop (or whatever it is) on the corner of Kellam and Indi. They 'piazza' that was in the middle of the development looks to be moved across the street in a half circle shape, and stuff. Kinda sucks that the Haniford proptery doesn't look to be in this development now, but the plus is that I think the the street grid is better and it makes it look more uniform now that the small property on Kellam/Indi is part of City Walk.

Can anyone blow this image up clearer?

Metalman

[vdogg]

UPDATE!

http://www.mulvannyg2.com/en-us/Show/Portfolio.aspx

Look at the City Walk page on Mulvanny's site again. Go to "on the boards", they pictures squares on the right, its' on the bottom row third one over...

If you click through the three pictures, the first two model pics are the same as before, but the the last schematic pic is different. The Hanifords property is not on there, but it show a more square street grid and redesigned blocks, and it looks like they bought up the pawn shop (or whatever it is) on the corner of Kellam and Indi. They 'piazza' that was in the middle of the development looks to be moved across the street in a half circle shape, and stuff. Kinda sucks that the Haniford proptery doesn't look to be in this development now, but the plus is that I think the the street grid is better and it makes it look more uniform now that the small property on Kellam/Indi is part of City Walk.

Can anyone blow this image up clearer?

Metalman

Actually, we've had that image for a while, Mulvanny sent one in pdf form but requested it not be shared without their express permission. Since its online now though i'll go ahead and post the clearer version for you.

[vdogg]

[hoobo]

I finally found something about this project that I can complain about. It creates a wall along Kellam with its parking structures. Although the project opens onto the Blvd and Columbus, it shuns its lovely FX/Bill's Flea Market neighbor. Why not put an office building or move one of the condo towers to the top of one of the garages leaving the original lot empty for a future tower? Furthermore, the placement of most of the parking on the outskirts of the site makes it feel like a true town center development rather than a downtown development. The more I think about it, TC was well planned. Architecturely up to now, it has been bland, but the layout has been well executed. It feels like a downtown with parking structures throughout, streets that feel like streets and not over-glorified pedestrian walkways, and an openness that both draws you in while also opening up to its surroundings. City Walk, on the otherhand, looks like a mall with its one long street. Just connecting the Potomac Green and Prentiss Lane stubs to Kellam would do so much. Adding offices, residences, or retail along Kellam would do even more.

[vdogg]

City Walk, on the otherhand, looks like a mall with its one long street. Just connecting the Potomac Green and Prentiss Lane stubs to Kellam would do so much. Adding offices, residences, or retail along Kellam would do even more.

I think that is just a result of them having to reduce their plans do to Sifen. If Sifen were on board the original plan would've been implemented creating that true downtown look that you're referring to.

[hoobo]

I think that is just a result of them having to reduce their plans do to Sifen. If Sifen were on board the original plan would've been implemented creating that true downtown look that you're referring to.

Even with the Sifen plan, they still had a wall of along Kellam. I really think the Sandlers (and to some extent Divaris) are thumbing their noses to the owner of FX since he's running a flea market now and wants to put in a Wal-mart.

[urbanlife]

it would of made initial sense to pull Potomac and Prentiss all the way through the site to Kellam, thus turning the garage area into blocks, regardless of where the parking structures, it is all about the blocks that make an area feel more like a downtown than a mall.

Think of how McAurthur would feel like if they left the street pattern of that part of downtown and made it a collection of mall buildings. It would of really felt like a downtown. Same goes for VB.

looking at the plan again, I have to agree it is more of a Mall layout. You have the wall of a garage running along Kellam. Then there is the loading docks that dump out onto Kellam and Fairmont. Turning those streets into service streets rather than apart of the make up of the area. I do hope this isn't the final idea for City Walk. But even if it turns out more like a mall, at least it would be some form of urban development in VB.

[metalman]

Those two parking structures aren't the only ones in CW. If you look closely at the Offic Max and Residential tower blocks you will see parking garages listed as well. There is parking on every block of city walk actually. So, you have a cornucopia of parking options to choose from.

[hoobo]

Those two parking structures aren't the only ones in CW. If you look closely at the Offic Max and Residential tower blocks you will see parking garages listed as well. There is parking on every block of city walk actually. So, you have a cornucopia of parking options to choose from.

Blocks B, C, and D structures are all less than 330 spaces each with most of the spaces on Blocks C and D earmarked for residents. Almost 1900 spaces are in the the Blocks A and E garages along Kellam. Most visitors to City Walk will therefore use these two garages. Also, these two garages appear to be attached to the backside of their respective blocks rather than integrated into the structure like is done with Blocks B, C, and D. With the exception of the one opening onto City Walk Drive from the Block B garage, all the other garages open onto either Kellam or Fairmont. The retail is concentrated along City Walk. This development is designed to lure you in and keep you there like a mall or shopping center. I think the best existing local comparison for this layout is Merchant's Square. This is really like PTC in Hampton. I have no problem with PTC because it is surrounded with parking lots which can be developed later with buildings when the Coliseum area becomes more urban. However, VB is trying to turn Pembroke into an urban downtown. We need more projects like TC which connect to the outside rather than a slew of high-rise self-contained developments.

[urbanlife]

of course this project does still have a long way to go before becoming a reality and things could change in each conversation they have with the people paying for the City Walk and the city itself.

There are currently several flaws in this new plan that we have all shown, so it shouldn't be hard for others to see them as well. I think as this project develops and things change in it, it could be for the better or worse.

My biggest fear with this project is more about Kellam than Fairmount, I am fine with Fairmount being a service street, but Kellam should be much more. With this big garage acting as a wall, it will only strengthen the idea that downtown VB stops at Kellam and will leave no room or will to expand in that direction. But then again that could be the idea, seeing that past that it become light industrial and that might be an area the city wishes not to change.

[vdogg]

They were out removing debris from the City Walk property today. This is the first work that has been done in weeks. In semi-related news there were surveyors at the Sifen property today. For the projects not being connected they sure seem to do work in tandem.

[urbanvb]

I noticed today them cleaning up after tearing down the Heavenly Ham place. I almost took a picture but now I know why I didn't.

Oh, and I heard that per Office Max's lease they cannot close for one day so therefore their new location will have to be built for them to move into before the old structure is torn down - which is about where they are cleaning up now. Bingo!