Granby Tower

[vdogg]

It damn sure looks like the main structure is 450ft doesn't it. The zoomed in version makes it look really tall .

[vdogg]

I didn't realize urbanlife was a chick. LOL I really thought she was a dude.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably is. Urbanlife has a chick as an avatar on another forum so my brain just automatically spits out she but honestly i don't know. If it was a male avatar i'd probably have said he. And don't confuse urbanlife with urbanfan. Urbanfan is a guy i'm pretty sure. I'm always mixing the two up though.

[rusthebuss]

It damn sure looks like the main structure is 450ft doesn't it. The zoomed in version makes it look really tall .

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Dude its a beautiful building and it does look tall. I wish the westin didn't look so bland and hopefully they will change the coloring or something. I hope the TC doesn't end up with a cliche look.

[rusthebuss]

Probably is. Urbanlife has a chick as an avatar on another forum so my brain just automatically spits out she but honestly i don't know. If it was a male avatar i'd probably have said he. And don't confuse urbanlife with urbanfan. Urbanfan is a guy i'm pretty sure. I'm always mixing the two up though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL, urbanfan is from Hampton and Urbanlife is living in Portland and i guess he/she was living here at one point. I really hate when people leave the area.

[vdogg]

Dude its a beautiful building and it does look tall. I wish the westin didn't look so bland and hopefully they will change the coloring or something. I hope the TC doesn't end up with a cliche look.

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They do need to get away from that monotone concrete look their buildings have had as of late. Though i will admit that i was really excited by the westin design and thought it was the better of the two until this last rendering. I just didn't expect Gadams to come with it like that . This version by far beats any architecural design of any highrise in this city thus far.

[rusthebuss]

They do need to get away from that monotone concrete look their buildings have had as of late. Though i will admit that i was really excited by the westin design and thought it was the better of the two until this last rendering. I just didn't expect Gadams to come with it like that. This version by far beats any architecural design of any highrise in this city thus far.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well where it lacks in looks it will definitely make up in height. It might look better in person than i might think. I don't like it when all the building look really similar. I like a little orginality for each building.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

When I counted, I got 31 to the top of the main portion of the building (not including the possibly tech levels below the spire). Idk though... It's hard to count from a distance back. Nevertheless, thanks for the bigger pic vdogg!

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Dude its a beautiful building and it does look tall. I wish the westin didn't look so bland and hopefully they will change the coloring or something. I hope the TC doesn't end up with a cliche look.

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I have a strong feeling that TC will appear somewhat monotone.. all rather similar, but I also think height will give it a bit of a wow factor. But also when City View and the other projects with very different looks start being built it will transform the area and give a bit of variety. I'd love to see some navy-blue glass-clad office towers pop up or some brick-clad apartment towers Wait and see.

[urbanvb]

Right. Well, Town Square is to be built where the old HQ is and they are supposed to have a tower(s) and hopefully they will look different as well.

[vdogg]

When I counted, I got 31 to the top of the main portion of the building (not including the possibly tech levels below the spire

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, well not counting the tech levels i would've got 33. Does anyone know if the tech levels are considered as part of the buildings height?

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Yeah, well not counting the tech levels i would've got 33. Does anyone know if the tech levels are considered as part of the buildings height?

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Different people and agencies measure buildings differently. Most do not include tech levels. With that said, Sears Tower in Chicago is considered 108 floors by some instead of 110. I think a lot of it has to do with whether or not the building's owners/builders consider them 'floors', but I don't know for sure.

[ace707]

Let's do the math and play the numbers game...

For reference, Dominion Tower comes in at 340 ft w/ 26 floors. This equates to approx. 13.08 ft in height from floor to floor.

When announced, the Westin was to be 400 ft w/ up to 32 floors. This equates to 12.5 ft in height from floor to floor and if we assume each floor has 9 ft high ceilings then it would have 3 ft. of space between floors for structural support and utilities and such. Looking at the numbers compared to Dominion Tower, that 3 ft. is very likely to be a real-world figure. Now I remember I think it was Urbanfan was the one who was a structural engineer saying that steel towers have higher space for structural support and utilities compared to mostly concrete towers like Dominion and Westin. He mentioned it at 4 ft.

Well it's now confirmed that Granby Tower will be a mostly steel tower. Let's use the 450 ft. figure. 450 / 31 = approx. 14.5 ft between floors. Knowing this building is said to be a luxury residential tower, this could either have 10 or 10.5 ft high ceilings. I'm trying to be logical with the whole numbers game but it appears that 450 ft will be the height of the building. Note I'm not counting spires here just the building itself.

As for another exciting building, the Westin. Let's take the 12.5 ft mark as a theoretical benchmark and times it by 38. Wha La! we have and even 475 ft BUILDING height! What does this mean? Westin WILL be the tallest building. Please note that I have not taken into account of the first floors of the Westin and Granby in their obviously taller ceilings. I just counted them as other floors in their respective buildings. They both are bound to have 16-20 ft. ceilings so don't be surprised if these claims of 450 ft. and 475 ft. are just really shorter than what the developers have in their blueprints. In the end, I think we can kiss the Rossyln as a competitor goodbye. Additionally, when we take into account of the spires of the Westin and Granby, we can also say that we just skipped the entire 400 ft range and say hi to the 500 ft range! Now THAT's the MOST exciting thing about these buildings.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Let's do the math and play the numbers game...

For reference, Dominion Tower comes in at 340 ft w/ 26 floors. This equates to approx. 13.08 ft in height from floor to floor.

When announced, the Westin was to be 400 ft w/ up to 32 floors. This equates to 12.5 ft in height from floor to floor and if we assume each floor has 9 ft high ceilings then it would have 3 ft. of space between floors for structural support and utilities and such. Looking at the numbers compared to Dominion Tower, that 3 ft. is very likely to be a real-world figure. Now I remember I think it was Urbanfan was the one who was a structural engineer saying that steel towers have higher space for structural support and utilities compared to mostly concrete towers like Dominion and Westin. He mentioned it at 4 ft.

Well it's now confirmed that Granby Tower will be a mostly steel tower. Let's use the 450 ft. figure. 450 / 31 = approx. 14.5 ft between floors. Knowing this building is said to be a luxury residential tower, this could either have 10 or 10.5 ft high ceilings. I'm trying to be logical with the whole numbers game but it appears that 450 ft will be the height of the building. Note I'm not counting spires here just the building itself.

As for another exciting building, the Westin. Let's take the 12.5 ft mark as a theoretical benchmark and times it by 38. Wha La! we have and even 475 ft BUILDING height! What does this mean? Westin WILL be the tallest building. Please note that I have not taken into account of the first floors of the Westin and Granby in their obviously taller ceilings. I just counted them as other floors in their respective buildings. They both are bound to have 16-20 ft. ceilings so don't be surprised if these claims of 450 ft. and 475 ft. are just really shorter than what the developers have in their blueprints. In the end, I think we can kiss the Rossyln as a competitor goodbye. Additionally, when we take into account of the spires of the Westin and Granby, we can also say that we just skipped the entire 400 ft range and say hi to the 500 ft  range! Now THAT's the MOST exciting thing about these buildings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your post made me smile And your take on the numbers game is along the lines of what I was thinking as well... but with the way the market is going, these numbers might just be the start of it...

...by July, we might be saying hi to the 600 ft range.

[vdogg]

Let's do the math and play the numbers game...

Well it's now confirmed that Granby Tower will be a mostly steel tower. Let's use the 450 ft. figure. 450 / 31 = approx. 14.5 ft between floors. .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looking at it this way it definately makes me feel more confident that the spire was not part of that 450ft calculation but i just don't want to get my hopes up. That being said if

it winds up being 350ft with a 100ft spire on top i really won't be disappointed. It is an absolutely stunning building and will look great on the skyline and will still be the tallest in the state for a while. Does anyone actually know for sure what the ceiling heights are supposed to be? Has it been posted anywhere yet?

[vdogg]

I think we can kiss the Rossyln as a competitor goodbye.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

^^^^^^^Agreed

"Even if the FAA deems the building a hazard, the agency -- with no jurisdiction over land use -- has no authority to stop the project, Peters said. The 1,149-foot-tall Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas -- roughly the same distance from the city's airport as this building would be from National -- was built over the objections of the FAA, he noted.

County officials said they are awaiting the FAA's ruling. They will weigh it when they consider changing their zoning ordinance in June to allow for taller buildings such as Westfield's project and two other proposed office and residential complexes.

They said the FAA has privately asked that the county increase the height limit only to about 390 feet. The current limit is 300 feet, the height of Rosslyn's two distinctive silver towers -- now home to WJLA-TV and Northrop Grumman -- and one other building.

County officials conceded they would face political pressure if they were to approve a measure allowing a building so high that planes were forced off current flight paths and over residential neighborhoods.".....Full Story

^^^^So i guess we'll know by the end of June if Rosslyn it still in the running or not. I'll be watching closely but by the way they're talking it looks like Rosslyn may be dropping out of the competition. (390ft! I would hate to live in that city, thats a horrible limit).

[ace707]

^^^^^^^Agreed

They said the FAA has privately asked that the county increase the height limit only to about 390 feet. The current limit is 300 feet, the height of Rosslyn's two distinctive silver towers -- now home to WJLA-TV and Northrop Grumman -- and one other building.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After reading that, I can't help but laugh at ourselves when we were complaining about Va. Beach's 400 foot height limit

[ace707]

Looking at it this way it definately makes me feel more confident that the spire was not part of that 450ft calculation but i just don't want to get my hopes up. That being said if

it winds up being 350ft with a 100ft spire on top i really won't be disappointed. It is an absolutely stunning building and will look great on the skyline and will still be the tallest in the state for a while. Does anyone actually know for sure what the ceiling heights are supposed to be? Has it been posted anywhere yet?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah even at 350 ft. with a 100 ft. spire, it is definitely still going to be a site to behold. We could also play the numbers game like this... 350 / 31 = approx. 11.3 ft between floors. Take into account the 4 feet in height needed for utilities and structural support, I don't think there is nothing luxurious and high-class about 7 ft high ceilings. Although rare, there are more than a few people more than 7 ft. tall and I don't think 6+ ft tall people will feel comfortable with a ceiling a mere foot over their head.

I don't know about y'all, but it's almost hard to contain my excitment of TWO skyscrapers in our area shooting for the 500+ ft range

[ace707]

Wow! This just struck me... Rossyln is shooting for 484 ft. at 39 stories. I calculated 475 ft for the Westin at 38 stories. I think its safe to say that 475 foot building height for Westin is a good indicator on what we can expect. Add in our 50 foot spire and we got ourselves a 525 foot tower!

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Hmmm... bye bye Rosslyn. We'll miss you...

...or not

[ace707]

Northern Virginia and Richmond has always neglected Norfolk and Virginia Beach and looked down on us for never being on par with them and such. Too bad for Northern VA and Richmond that Norfolk and Virginia Beach will be now be looking down on them (literally).

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Northern Virginia and Richmond has always neglected Norfolk and Virginia Beach and looked down on us for never being on par with them and such. Too bad for Northern VA and Richmond that Norfolk and Virginia Beach will be now be looking down on them (literally).

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Bwhahaha, looking down by at least 100+ feet! Good times for HR. Of course in time Richmond may bounce back with other proposals but at least we know that NOVA won't be much in the way of competition.

[vdogg]

Bwhahaha, looking down by at least 100+ feet!  Good times for HR.  Of course in time Richmond may bounce back with other proposals but at least we know that NOVA won't be much in the way of competition.

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I have no doubt that Richmond will be vying for the tallest again someday. Their commercial center is simply too strong to think otherwise. Commerce, i'm afraid, is an area where we are sorely lacking. Sure we're doing good, but we can be doing so much more. My big fear is that once the residential boom ends (which it will because all things end) we may not see another highrise for a while. That is unless it's mostly commercial, hotel, or some mix thereof.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

I have no doubt that Richmond will be vying for the tallest again someday. Their commercial center is simply too strong to think otherwise. Commerce, i'm afraid, is an area where we are sorely lacking. Sure we're doing good, but we can be doing so much more. My big fear is that once the residential boom ends (which it will because all things end) we may not see another highrise for a while. That is unless it's mostly commercial, hotel, or some mix thereof.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My thoughts exactly... I hope that at some point a major company relocates here or the port grows at an even faster clip... something to get additional jobs into the area to fill up these gorgeous residential towers.

Maybe WalMart (despite my loathing) will decide "Bentonville, AK is boring. NORFOLK/VA BEACH!!! WOOHOOO!" ...hey, you never know.

[rusthebuss]

This is the start we need and this is what companies like to see with all the development. Don't be surprised one day that you see us surpase Richmond in the business fields. We have alot to offer and people are see this. It takes money for all of this development and the money is being made here. I think everyone will be surprised in 10 years how this whole area will be!!!

[PeninsulaKiddo]

This is the start we need and this is what companies like to see with all the development. Don't be surprised one day that you see us surpase Richmond in the business fields. We have alot to offer and people are see this. It takes money for all of this development and the money is being made here. I think everyone will be surprised in 10 years how this whole area will be!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent analysis because a company will see a healthy construction market and will see the investments of the new projects in the region. With the exception of highway infrastructure our area is ideal for business (though that's one LARGE exception).