POSTPONED: 110 Westminster Street

[CtownMikey]

Welcome bear!

Rumor around here a while back led some of us to believe that there was discussion about One Ten going higher than the proposed 520 feet. Can you tell us if the current proposal is solid?

[Mij]

Hi, new to the forum but I am the project manager for One Ten and I am glad to be a resource for any questions you may have. Contrary to Ari's assertion (I'd love to know your sources) we have secured all financing and will have an official "ground breaking" once we have stabilized the facade on Weybosset St. I am happy to make myself available to anyone with questions. Please understand I will not be able to answer everything (particularly who is buying/reserving) but I will be available to answer a lot of details. As for the east/west facade renderings I will soon be posting an animation on our site which actually does a fly-around of the building revealing all facades. In brief the west-facing looks a lot like the Westminster (north) facade with the exception of the spire. The east facade is very interesting as alluded to by an earlier post.

This post just made a whole lot of people happy.

[KRC]

Hi, new to the forum but I am the project manager for One Ten and I am glad to be a resource for any questions you may have. Contrary to Ari's assertion (I'd love to know your sources) we have secured all financing and will have an official "ground breaking" once we have stabilized the facade on Weybosset St. I am happy to make myself available to anyone with questions. Please understand I will not be able to answer everything (particularly who is buying/reserving) but I will be available to answer a lot of details. As for the east/west facade renderings I will soon be posting an animation on our site which actually does a fly-around of the building revealing all facades. In brief the west-facing looks a lot like the Westminster (north) facade with the exception of the spire. The east facade is very interesting as alluded to by an earlier post.

Welcome, Bear. It's always nice to have someone in the loop join the conversation. As you can imagine, the interest surrounding this project is very high. Any information you can provide (without getting into trouble, of course) is greatly appreciated.

[AriPVD]

Thanks, Bear! Glad your information is better than mine. As you alluded to, I was relying on "word on the street," probably reflecting that usual Providence skepticism. Please keep us updated!

-A

[Lone Ranger]

This post just made a whole lot of people happy.

I dunno about a lot of people, but it sure makes me happy.

[provid]

Hi Bear,

Did they officially decide to make oneten from concert or was in deemed to difficult/$$?

[bear]

Hi all -

We did make the switch from a Steel frame to Concrete - it is more expensive but for a residential building it is superior especially acoustically. The height is still at 520 feet but the building is now 40 stories (top residential is 38, then 2 mechanicals above). This increase in floors (without increasing the overall height) is achieved by reducing the amount of structure between floors (approximately 20" in a steel frame to just 10" in concrete).

[Airwaves]

I wish there was a way to stop developers from demolishing buildings before they are certain they will actually be building their proposed project. So if this doesn't go up, what do we get, another beautiful surface lot?

The value of that property has gone way up without the former buildings sitting on it.

[Cotuit]

Thanks, Bear! Glad your information is better than mine. As you alluded to, I was relying on "word on the street," probably reflecting that usual Providence skepticism. Please keep us updated!

Yes, I was thinking skeptisism, but maybe also self interest in competing projects. It's always good to spread doubt about the competition. Although on the other hand, bear's a company man...

Not that I think you're lying to us bear, just saying... Glad you're on board, thanks for the info, and please feel free to jump into the rest of the discussions. Talk smack about the competition.

PS: bear, if available, I'd be extremely interested in seeing some sort of ground floor floorplan. Specifically, how the new building integrates with the Arcade.

[AriPVD]

To be perfectly honest Cotuit, we really view each downtown project as collaboration, not competition. That may sound facetious, but each project that raises the profile of Downcity and brings more people to the street increases the viability of every other project. The sum truly are greater than the parts here.

P.S. I selfishly cannot wait for One Ten as it will be directly in the view from my loft.

[Cotuit]

To be perfectly honest Cotuit, we really view each downtown project as collaboration, not competition. That may sound facetious, but each project that raises the profile of Downcity and brings more people to the street increases the viability of every other project. The sum truly are greater than the parts here.

I have no doubt that the developers look to each others projects as another piece in the puzzle of a greater whole. Especially in the case of Cornish, no doubt OneTen will be a huge boost to Cornish's retail. I just wonder about the motives of the bankers sometimes. Someone who's betting on Parcel 12 getting off the ground for instance may be happy to see OneTen or something else stumble so that their project can fill the void.

P.S. I selfishly cannot wait for One Ten as it will be directly in the view from my loft.

I should be able to see it poking above the rooftops from my apartment too, but I hope to be moved to a new place of my own before it's complete.

[RLucas83]

we have secured all financing and will have an official "ground breaking" once we have stabilized the facade on Weybosset St.

Any idea on the time frame?

Like the others, I have had some skepticism with the other projects getting started and this one not having any substantial progress yet.

[Garris]

I dunno about a lot of people, but it sure makes me happy.

You know that feeling you get when you are driving and almost have a car accident but instead squeek by and are still driving and fine? Frightened, exhilerated, and happy all at the same time? That's how I feel with this thread now...

I'm glad 110 is moving ahead. Not just because it's so critical to the continued rebirth of downtown and to the continuing perception of Provdience as an up and comnig city, but also because it's one of the two places downtown I'd really consider wanting to buy (with Grants Block likely being the other, assuming it is as high quality as I'm betting it'll be).

- Garris

[Cotuit]

(with Grants Block likely being the other, assuming it is as high quality as I'm betting it'll be).

A rendering would help you decide wouldn't it?

[KBagley]

Bear,

Could you provide a few comments regarding any plans to ensure that any pile driving and foundation work does not cause any adverse effects on the Arcade? This issue has been mentioned before but there have been no real answers. In looking around Waterplace Park and seeing the amount of cracks and ground movement resulting from the pile driving there, I am very concerned for the Arcade with its extremely close proximity...

Thanks

[brick]

I think the depth to solid bedrock is a lot less in the Westminster area than in the former Cove so I would think that the piling driving would be less deep even for the larger building. This should also mean that the earth around the site work is more stable. I assume that it is mostly fill in waterplace park.

I could be wrong as I can't pretend to be a geologist and my knowledge of pile driving isn't especially high. However when looking at older cities in proximity to water, the larger buildings are usually located on the best and most easily accessible bedrock.

[Cotuit]

In looking around Waterplace Park and seeing the amount of cracks and ground movement resulting from the pile driving there, I am very concerned for the Arcade with its extremely close proximity...

I'm concerned about this too in regards to the Arcade and Turk's Head too. But the cracking at Waterplace is likely exacerbated by that land being largely fill. Relatively recent fill at that. I haven't seen any signs of similar damage around the Westin site as a contrast.

[Jenkins]

I should be able to see it poking above the rooftops from my apartment too, but I hope to be moved to a new place of my own before it's complete.

When OneTen is built it may push me to finally put out a "contract" on my neighbor's tree - it being the only thing that stands in the way of a clear view of the Providence skyline from my house. Seriously though, any idea's on how to start a conversation with a neighbor along the lines of "so, just how much cash would it take for you to decide to cut down your favorite tree?"

[KRC]

When OneTen is built it may push me to finally put out a "contract" on my neighbor's tree - it being the only thing that stands in the way of a clear view of the Providence skyline from my house. Seriously though, any idea's on how to start a conversation with a neighbor along the lines of "so, just how much cash would it take for you to decide to cut down your favorite tree?"

Outside of wishing for a hurricane or icestorm, I'm stumped.

[Mij]

When OneTen is built it may push me to finally put out a "contract" on my neighbor's tree - it being the only thing that stands in the way of a clear view of the Providence skyline from my house. Seriously though, any idea's on how to start a conversation with a neighbor along the lines of "so, just how much cash would it take for you to decide to cut down your favorite tree?"

Copper Nails!! Things work wonders. In the matter of 0ne year that thing will be wilting and sagging so he'll have to take it down.

[CtownMikey]

dont cut down the tree!!! just move

[pete11]

When OneTen is built it may push me to finally put out a "contract" on my neighbor's tree - it being the only thing that stands in the way of a clear view of the Providence skyline from my house. Seriously though, any idea's on how to start a conversation with a neighbor along the lines of "so, just how much cash would it take for you to decide to cut down your favorite tree?"

If a tree falls on your neighbor and he's deaf......

[Jenkins]

If a tree falls on your neighbor and he's deaf......

Well the neighbor is a snowbird, spending their winters in Florida, so maybe if when they came back it was gone...

[brick]

Not to be a dink, but...

You could build 50 110 Westminsters in the time it takes a tree to grow to the size that I suppose you want to cut down.

This city is woefully short on trees as it is, and very few people seem to understand their importance. Last year my neighbor asked for a zoning variance to put off-street parking behind his house. To do it, he had to knowck down three trees that I would peg for 100-150 years old. Only myself and couple of others disagreed. The trees were between my house and the sun. My tenants electric bill on the second floor went up 30% this past summer because of the missing shade and corresponding cooling effect. The street looks a lot less neghborhood-y. Basically it was a total suck job, but at least in this case it came with getting 6 cars off of the street and I can actually have friends over once in a while and they can find parking. Knocking down a tree just to help your view is frivalous.

I know you are joking but I feel pretty strongly about this.

[CtownMikey]

I read that college students planted 37,000 trees in 04' for inside the providence boundaries. I'd like to see most of our sidewalks lined with nice trees