COMPLETE: Masonic Temple Hotel

[Frankie811]

News from the zoning board meeting tonight regarding signage:

- They are on target for a December '06 opening!

- Garris

Thanks for the update. But I'm still having trouble believing the Dec opening.

[webbage]

News from the zoning board meeting tonight regarding signage:

- On the top of the North and South facades will be small, classy red ovals with a stylized white "R" in the middle of them. This logo will also be at street level at the corner of Fracis and Avenue of the Arts (AOA).

- There will be a glass entrance to the hotel with 13 inch red letters saying "Renaissance" lining the front top of the glass canopy.

- The restaurant in the hotel will be at the corner of Francis and the AOA as well and will be called "Temple." It will be unique to Providence and to the Renaissance chains. Its logo will be a large, classic style "T" with the name "Temple," if I heard correctly, on an oval sign below.

- They are on target for a December '06 opening!

- Garris

I'm assuming that you mean this R?

Thanks for the info,

Dan

[prudence]

Are the rooms really this small?

From the site: http://www.renaissanceprovidencehotel.com

Edit: The pic came out huge, but look at pic 10 on the site.

[brick]

Are the rooms really this small?

From the site: http://www.renaissanceprovidencehotel.com

Edit: The pic came out huge, but look at pic 10 on the site.

I assume that picture is taken from about halfway in the room.

If we assume the window is four feet wide that makes the room about 12 feet wide which is pretty standard, I think.

[Liamlunchtray]

I assume that picture is taken from about halfway in the room.

If we assume the window is four feet wide that makes the room about 12 feet wide which is pretty standard, I think.

Doesnt it look odd that the ceiling is lower than the top of the window?

[webbage]

Are the rooms really this small?

From the site: http://www.renaissanceprovidencehotel.com

Edit: The pic came out huge, but look at pic 10 on the site.

That doesn't look horribly small. That had to be taken from somewhere inside the room, not the doorway.

[dgreco]

That doesn't look horribly small. That had to be taken from somewhere inside the room, not the doorway.

Even the construction ones when you look to the side they seem long and narrow which just seems like a horrible setup to me.

[webbage]

Even the construction ones when you look to the side they seem long and narrow which just seems like a horrible setup to me.

I'm going to reserve judgment until we see photos of the whole rooms...

[xine]

I'm going to reserve judgment until we see photos of the whole rooms...

]

I've been in the rooms - they are very long and narrow, but quite a bit bigger than most modern hotels in terms of total area and the big windows make them seem very gracious (not to mention the jaw-dropping views of the Statehouse) It really feels like this is going to be an incredibly popular (and expensive!) hotel.

[Frankie811]

Good grief, they still haven't demolished that house at the corners of Francis St and Avenue of the Arts. What are they waiting for, the hotel to open.

[dgreco]

are they remodeling the VMA as well? or just "spiffying" up the outside where the two connect?

[Griswald]

I'm not positive, but I think they're planning on cleaning up the exterior of the VMA. Also, I think the developers want to buy the lot where that house sits, but for some reason have not been able to.

A word of advice for once the hotel opens (which I'm sure will be on time, they're working 24/7, literally) - use valet if you're bringing a car, and call ahead of time when you want to be picked up - the valet people are gonna have to run over to the mall garage and wait in line to get the car out...

Finally, I heard a little about the restaurant, it's going to be called Tempo I think, it's not a chain. They're doing the interior work, supposedly there is a big stone wall with the Mason's symbol on it.

Looking forward to this place being full of people for the first time in 75 years....

[Cotuit]

it's going to be called Tempo I think

[abdiorio]

Those appear to be drop ceilings in the rooms that go below the height of the window. Oh, god no please.

[brick]

Finally, I heard a little about the restaurant, it's going to be called Tempo I think, it's not a chain. They're doing the interior work, supposedly there is a big stone wall with the Mason's symbol on it.

[Garris]

I'm not positive, but I think they're planning on cleaning up the exterior of the VMA.

[Frankie811]

The VMA, oddly, still doesn't have a website, or at least not one I can find, so I again can't confirm.

- Garris

[Garris]

This was all that I could find.

http://www.operaprovidence.org/VMA/vma.htm

[abdiorio]

Yeah, each of the major groups that perform there have some kind of VMA info page (the RI Phil does too), but their authority doesn't have their own. I get the feeling they run on a shoestring budget...

- Garris

[dgreco]

The website is www.vmari.com. Although, for some reason it is not working, but the name comes up.

[quente]

Those appear to be drop ceilings in the rooms that go below the height of the window. Oh, god no please.

[brick]

Bad detailing. I guess they put the HVAC and electrical up in there. But since there was no interior to begin with, they should have lined-up the ceilings and windows better.

[Magellan98]

It might be worth waiting until the rooms are finished rather than judging the entire project based on one "in progress" construction photo on the website, no?

[quente]

It might be worth waiting until the rooms are finished rather than judging the entire project based on one "in progress" construction photo on the website, no?

[prudence]

A word of advice for once the hotel opens (which I'm sure will be on time, they're working 24/7, literally) - use valet if you're bringing a car, and call ahead of time when you want to be picked up - the valet people are gonna have to run over to the mall garage and wait in line to get the car out...