CONSTRUCTION THREAD: Magnolia Park Town Center

[Greenville]

Here is a rendering of the residential portion of Magnolia Park.

This isn't bad. It isn't my ideal, but it could certainly be a lot worse. I am not yet sure how I feel about all of the balconies, but the glass makes the building look very clean. I think the design is important, since the building will be so highly visible.

[tablrock]

i like it

[btoy]

This isn't bad. It isn't my ideal, but it could certainly be a lot worse. I am not yet sure how I feel about all of the balconies, but the glass makes the building look very clean. I think the design is important, since the building will be so highly visible.

You may not like the balconies, but trust me, the people who will be living there want them. If you want a truly marketable product, you need to provide plenty of balcony space.

Also, it is funny, so many people want affordable multi-family housing, and they want sky scrapers, but then they also want the unecessary added exspense of dramatic rooflines.

[mallguy]

You may not like the balconies, but trust me, the people who will be living there want them. If you want a truly marketable product, you need to provide plenty of balcony space.

Also, it is funny, so many people want affordable multi-family housing, and they want sky scrapers, but then they also want the unecessary added exspense of dramatic rooflines.

Agreed re: the balconies- there was a recent NY Times article about why balconies are much in demand, even if people don't actually use them once they buy.

I assume these will be condos, rather than apartments? Any clue on the price range?

Thanks.

[distortedlogic]

Also, it is funny, so many people want affordable multi-family housing, and they want sky scrapers, but then they also want the unecessary added exspense of dramatic rooflines.

I understand your point about not wanting to pay for drmamtic rooflines, but If I am going to pay a lot I don't want the building to look like it was cutt off in the middle either

It doesn't need to be dramatic, just a subtle something to keep it from being flat would be appropraite

[mallguy]

How will that residential high-rise look in 30 years, once it's had the opportunity to age somewhat?

[g-man430]

How will that residential high-rise look in 30 years, once it's had the opportunity to age somewhat?

Good question. I suggest you look at the landmark building downtown, seeing how that is over 30 years old.

Edited July 21, 2006 by g-man430

[RestedTraveler]

How will that residential high-rise look in 30 years, once it's had the opportunity to age somewhat?

Just take a stroll down any major east coast beach...Myrtle Beach, Daytona, Cocoa, etc., and look at the condo towers that were built there 30 years ago. That's what this residential tower reminds me of.

[Greenville]

Just take a stroll down any major east coast beach...Myrtle Beach, Daytona, Cocoa, etc., and look at the condo towers that were built there 30 years ago. That's what this residential tower reminds me of.

Very well said! Great analogy, RT. I wonder if condos with an interstate view will cost more?

[GvilleSC]

Just take a stroll down any major east coast beach...Myrtle Beach, Daytona, Cocoa, etc., and look at the condo towers that were built there 30 years ago. That's what this residential tower reminds me of.

I doubt this building will age well... Oh well, someone will buy the building and invest major bucks in the Greenville economy. So Sad haha

[greenupstate]

This isn't bad. It isn't my ideal, but it could certainly be a lot worse. I am not yet sure how I feel about all of the balconies, but the glass makes the building look very clean. I think the design is important, since the building will be so highly visible.

Give us everyone some idea of what you think it should look like???

[greenupstate]

You may not like the balconies, but trust me, the people who will be living there want them. If you want a truly marketable product, you need to provide plenty of balcony space.

Also, it is funny, so many people want affordable multi-family housing, and they want sky scrapers, but then they also want the unecessary added exspense of dramatic rooflines.

A reasonable response. Remember economics drive everything. An overdone rooftop will not sell more units or get a higher price. This is Greenville afterall. Although a very nice place and a lot going for it, Greenville is a "second tier" city at best.

[TREY]

This is Greenville afterall. Although a very nice place and a lot going for it, Greenville is a "second tier" city at best.

What "tier rating system" are you using I would like to know more.

[mallguy]

I'd think that my hometown having a "refined" shopping center including a Costco, a Rooms to Go, a movie theater and a Myrtle Beach-style residential high-rise would, by itself, make it a second tier city.

Edited July 21, 2006 by mallguy

[g-man430]

I'd think that my hometown having a "refined" shopping center including a Costco, a Rooms to Go, a movie theater and a Myrtle Beach-style residential high-rise would, by itself, make it a second tier city.

Can't argue with that. I'm not sure I like this development as much as I did when it was first announced, but i'll have to wait on the finished product to decide. Having a Costco, Rooms to Go, and a Myrtle Beach-style residential highrise all together doesn't seem like it fits together too me. It's like they just took a whole bunch of stuff and just stuck it together to make this development. Hopefully, it will turn out better then I think it will.

Edited July 21, 2006 by g-man430

[TREY]

I'd think that my hometown having a "refined" shopping center including a Costco, a Rooms to Go, a movie theater and a Myrtle Beach-style residential high-rise would, by itself, make it a second tier city.

Not sure this is worth discussing but I have wondered about how the "tier" system works? Does one Peace center cancel out one Costco or what?

Anyway the Mangled Town Center is starting to look less appealing but hoping for the best.

[mallguy]

Not sure this is worth discussing but I have wondered about how the "tier" system works? Does one Peace center cancel out one Costco or what?

Anyway the Mangled Town Center is starting to look less appealing but hoping for the best.

The Peace Center and the Peacock downtown definitely put Greenville in a league above Spartanburg or Anderson- and arguably above many other cities of comparable size- but that Myrtle Beach high-rise just detracts from Greenville's overall ambiance, in my view. Can't Greenville get even something like Phillips Place instead?

Certainly this is not a PC post, but hey, it's my hometown.

Edited July 21, 2006 by mallguy

[Spartan]

With regards to balconies- urban residences with balconies are the best kind. No balcony = less money. Its particularly good if there is a view.

I am also curious about this tier system. Greenville is second tier? To what? What is the reference point here? Its definitely not 2nd tier in SC.

[greenupstate]

What "tier rating system" are you using I would like to know more.

This means it is not Charlotte, Dallas, LA, San Francisco, Atlanta, etc.

While it may be hometown to some, the demographics do not compare to many cities in the USA.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing in some respects, but for many, many retailers Greenville is not and will not be on the radar screen for some time.

[Greenville]

Give us everyone some idea of what you think it should look like???

As several of us have said, this building reminds us of an old condominium building at the beach. While I understand that balconies are needed, I think my issue with them in this design is that they are so prominent. Nobody is saying to take the balconies away, but perhaps they could be integrated into the design in a way that keeps them from being the first thing you notice. And as I said, I do like the glass, and feel that the building has a clean look. I am optimistic that the rendering does not do the current project justice.

The reason we care is because this building is very visible. It sits on one of the busiest roads in South Carolina (if not the busiest). It is going to be significantly taller than any other buildings in the immediate area, and thus visible from two different interstates. Thus, it should represent the city well - especially since it is the first significant building people see when driving from GSP International Airport to downtown Greenville. I don't think many of us are looking for a dramatic rooftop, but a little architectural compromise doesn't seem like too much to ask.

In terms of Greenville retail, I think we all understand that we aren't going to attract the extremely high-end stores anytime soon. We are, however, the principal city in a metro of around 1 million people. There is certainly some buying power in Greenville. If there weren't, you wouldn't see Greenville getting many of South Carolina's "firsts."

Edited July 21, 2006 by Greenville

[TREY]

This site has always been #2 or lower to something. 1st it was#2 mall after Haywood mall and now it is the #2 "town center " behind Greenridge. IMO this site has never reached it's full potential. The residential tower is disappointing and the I am starting to be concerned how the new buildings and old buildings are going to work together.

[mallguy]

This site has always been #2 or lower to something. 1st it was#2 mall after Haywood mall and now it is the #2 "town center " behind Greenridge. IMO this site has never reached it's full potential. The residential tower is disappointing and the I am starting to be concerned how the new buildings and old buildings are going to work together.

Agreed completely- that's why I think they should just give up and turn the existing structure into a dead mall museum, or truly make it a first-rate project.

Anyone who has gone to Stony Point Fashion Park in Richmond, the Americana at Manhasset in Long Island, Fashion Island in Orange County and more has seen how pleasant and attractive an outdoor shopping center/lifestyle center can be. Sure, Costco and Rooms to Go aren't Neiman Marcus, but a center including those anchors could still be first-rate by mid-market shopping center standards (and should not be called a "refined" shopping center because it's not, with those stores); the developers of Magnolia Park could be at least using extraordinary architecture and cutting-edge designs to make this center live up to its potential. Greenridge's layout, with the massive parking lots, doesn't really do it for me, but at least Greenridge is aesthetically pleasing, with high-grade architecture that works well for a shopping center, so I am proud to have that center in Greenville. I don't see Magnolia Park being even a Greenridge, with a similar layout but Myrtle Beach-style architecture- sorry, but that high-rise is not particularly attractive and will not be in 30 years, either. Ugh.

Edited July 21, 2006 by mallguy

[distortedlogic]

Now hold on guys. I am not crazy about it either, but remember that this is just one picture, and we have NO idea what other parts of the development will look like. Since one company is spearhading this thing, I would expect they will take care in making sure that each piece of the Magnolia Park Puzzle compliments the others. This may just be one piece that, by itself, looks out of place. But it may fit together quite well once the whole thing is there. Also remember that this company has a pretty good track record on developing centers such as this. I am curious as to what a rendering of the whole development looks like. I think we have only seen an overhead box layout. I could see this whole site looking very cool as long as the peices fit together. This building will only look out of place if it is poorly plannned.

[greenupstate]

Now hold on guys. I am not crazy about it either, but remember that this is just one picture, and we have NO idea what other parts of the development will look like. Since one company is spearhading this thing, I would expect they will take care in making sure that each piece of the Magnolia Park Puzzle compliments the others. This may just be one piece that, by itself, looks out of place. But it may fit together quite well once the whole thing is there. Also remember that this company has a pretty good track record on developing centers such as this. I am curious as to what a rendering of the whole development looks like. I think we have only seen an overhead box layout. I could see this whole site looking very cool as long as the peices fit together. This building will only look out of place if it is poorly plannned.

A very accurate statement. Lets all give this developer and project time to evolve. It is not every day that a very large mixed-use projet is built in Greenville. It is hard to imagine the complicity of the process to work thru the design and ultimate implimentation of such a project. Not sure if this developer can deliver or not?? Hopefully, a dream I am sure, they will bring in some nationally recoginized designers to make this really into something everyone in Greenville can be proud. A dream for sure! Lets all give it some time.

[greenupstate]

As several of us have said, this building reminds us of an old condominium building at the beach. While I understand that balconies are needed, I think my issue with them in this design is that they are so prominent. Nobody is saying to take the balconies away, but perhaps they could be integrated into the design in a way that keeps them from being the first thing you notice. And as I said, I do like the glass, and feel that the building has a clean look. I am optimistic that the rendering does not do the current project justice.

The reason we care is because this building is very visible. It sits on one of the busiest roads in South Carolina (if not the busiest). It is going to be significantly taller than any other buildings in the immediate area, and thus visible from two different interstates. Thus, it should represent the city well - especially since it is the first significant building people see when driving from GSP International Airport to downtown Greenville. I don't think many of us are looking for a dramatic rooftop, but a little architectural compromise doesn't seem like too much to ask.

In terms of Greenville retail, I think we all understand that we aren't going to attract the extremely high-end stores anytime soon. We are, however, the principal city in a metro of around 1 million people. There is certainly some buying power in Greenville. If there weren't, you wouldn't see Greenville getting many of South Carolina's "firsts."

With the right design you can never know what tenants it will attract.