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COMPLETE: Hilton Downtown Providence

Cotuit

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Griswald Whistle-Stop

Griswald

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I stopped by the Hilton this morning to go through part of the building and see the progress. It was our last CA meeting for the project, so it was a good chance to get in there and take some pictures while it's still under construction, and not get questioned about it.

I had trouble uploading some of the pictures from Photobucket since my server blocks certaint web pages, but I was able to get a few of them to work.

I did not snap any pictures in the pool area, which is still completely under construction. They built a wall right against the edge of the pool to divide that area from the future fitness area - Originally we just had the existing columns there so the area was more open - but when they decided to put a wall up, the pool size had to change because you need four feet clear next to the pool. Rather than push the wall four feet into the fitness area, they chose to sacrifice some of the size of the pool to keep a bigger fitness area. I don't think it will be a big deal having a smaller pool - the Hilton Garden Inn in Portland ME has a small 2-lane pool and I think it's sufficient.

I definitely liked the look of Shula's. The bar area is great, with all of the views of the city and the light from the curtain wall. There's a lot of memorabilia (signed jersey from the undefeated season, Superbowl trophies) and framed photos (Shula w/ famous people, and some nice black & whites of Providence). They definitely have an issue with cold air, there are a few places that need to be insulated from the exterior. I'm not sure who did the interior of the restaurant, I think Shula's contracts their own people. Who knows, maybe I'll check it out for the BIG GAME this Sunday...

As for the hotel rooms, despite earlier concerns about whether the size of the rooms would be on par with Hilton standards, I don't think they feel too cramped. They are on the smaller side for sure, but they gained some space with the new exterior wall panels and they are simple but tastefully finished.

The lobby definitely feels new and refined, with the marble floor tiles, wood paneling, and hard ceiling (replacing the old suspended acoustical tiles). I'm not too sure about the lighting scheme though, they have these big plastic chandeliers in the front, and then some more modern-looking ceiling mounted fixtures that would fit better in an office rather than a lobby. They also have some ceiling-mounted track lights that are nice (look like something from IKEA) but again I don't think they fit with the rest of the lobby. The floor in under the revolving door is the same light-colored marble as the lobby, and it's already marked up from the rubber on the bottom of the door. They should have gone with a darker color.

This isn't a comprehensive review of the project, it's just a few comments based on a quick walk-through. All in all, I'm pleased that this hotel got renovated and bought-out, as I think it will end up transforming an unknown parcel and uninspiring if not bleak building into a more vibrant part of the city, an "attraction" if you will.

Pictures to follow....

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Garris Town

Garris

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Thanks to all for the pictures and the videos. It looks like a great addition to the city, as we all expected. They should do gangbusters in that location.

I'm very excited to hear that Shula's will have the YES network (they cover Ivy League football, which is otherwise quite tough to find around here... :) ).

- Garris

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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I like the X braces, I enjoy seeing the structure of the building, I think it's an interesting design element.

One thing I don't like about the cube (aside from it not being 2 stories taller) is that the Starbucks is not ADA compliant. You need to descend 3 or 4 steps to enter it. I assume there is a way to enter the hotel lobby and take an elevator down to the Starbucks, but that is an annoying hurtle for people with impaired mobility to be forced through. How exactly was new construction approved with this lack of ADA compliance?

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JJK5 Hamlet

JJK5

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Actually, this is not even satisfactory. Say someone in a wheelchair does go through the lobby and down an elevator to get to the Starbucks, then say there is a fire or other emergency, are they to go back through the elevator and up into the lobby to get out when there is a door right there?
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Griswald Whistle-Stop

Griswald

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One thing I don't like about the cube (aside from it not being 2 stories taller) is that the Starbucks is not ADA compliant. You need to descend 3 or 4 steps to enter it. I assume there is a way to enter the hotel lobby and take an elevator down to the Starbucks, but that is an annoying hurtle for people with impaired mobility to be forced through. How exactly was new construction approved with this lack of ADA compliance?
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