Live blogging DDRB Review of Parador Garage

[thelakelander]

A corner retail spot along the alley, but directly facing the Landing isn't a bad idea.  Independent Drive is really the most important side of this thing to address and it appears to be a complete afterthought.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Does Logan throw up a little bit in his mouth everytime he looks at the proposed renderings?  Just wondering.

[fieldafm]

chris Flagg 'effort to get to this point is commendable... you still need 2 or 3 more meetings to get there'

'overall arching question-does the design standards of this garage complements the surrounding prominent site?"  "need to be as creative and innovative as we can to make this make less of a garage and more of a multi-faceted building"  YES!!!

"you need to pay greater attention to that"

"does the design of this garage heal all the wounds of being a garage?"

'bay street retail window treatment is better... we still need to consider the fact that we are deviating from our guidelines"

"has the reatil showcase concept proven successful in the past?" 
Architect- 'well its a question of who "owns" that display case'  'if it's someobody like MOSH, then yes... if it belongs to one of the retailers in the second phase-then yes'  'retail is not about how deep is your store, it's about how much window coverage you have"   Jesus help me!!!

Flagg again= "the lack of activation along the street is this city's problem"  'thats what draws the people"
'we have to remember as a board, we want retail there primarily" 
architect 'well do you want retail or do you want people?"
Flagg 'well one draws the other"
architect 'we asked the street vendors about this, and they wanted water and electricity, they now have the opportunity to have better options than just operating off propane tanks"

[fieldafm]

Flagg now comparing this to Minneapolis, calling it a hidden jewwl (i would agree!!) one of the concepts he learned about was pop up retail (hello, been saying that for awhile!!!) and how we could incorporate that in this project.

"dissapointed that we dont have green walls or better lighting features"

[fieldafm]

A corner retail spot along the alley, but directly facing the Landing isn't a bad idea.  Independent Drive is really the most important side of this thing to address and it appears to be a complete afterthought.

that corner is an exit for the stairway on the garage

[thelakelander]

This is insane.  I can't believe the stuff coming out of this architect's mouth.  No wonder downtown has become what it is today.  If we can't get the basics right of designing buildings to fit within an urban setting we're screwed and it doesn't matter how much money we pour into the place.

[fieldafm]

Flagg thinks even the future retail looks like a second box to the box already there.

[thelakelander]

A corner retail spot along the alley, but directly facing the Landing isn't a bad idea.  Independent Drive is really the most important side of this thing to address and it appears to be a complete afterthought.

that corner is an exit for the stairway on the garage

The great thing about projects still on paper is that we can move things around until its right, before going to final design and construction.  Looking at the plan, they could switch the location of the stairwells.  However, that would get them into what they never wanted to do.  That's integrate retail into the structure.

[fieldafm]

many board members want palms moved to hogan street facade instead of Independent

flagg 'is there a way to replicate the hogan facade on bay?"  architect 'we're hoping that we'll have retail sooner rather than later"  flagg "we've heard a lot about hope and change lately"  laughter  'i think you have to look at the functionaltiy, you want recesses, shade, etc.. that's a hot street in regards to temperature'

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

This is insane.  I can't believe the stuff coming out of this architect's mouth.  No wonder downtown has become what it is today.  If we can't get the basics right of designing buildings to fit within an urban setting we're screwed and it doesn't matter how much money we pour into the place.

WTH are you talking about, Lake. 

The new AIA Standards are out and obviously you didn't read the section detailing the new design standards for urban environments.  The first section deals with getting design input from the hot dog vendor....

'we asked the street vendors about this, and they wanted water and electricity, they now have the opportunity to have better options than just operating off propane tanks"

{Hot Dog guy does a fist pump with the in the back of the room}

[fieldafm]

flagg wants bay street facade to match hogan facade.  feels that this is a big decision to not get right

[thelakelander]

Flagg thinks even the future retail looks like a second box to the box already there.

I see Flagg's point:



Given the high profile location, they should be thinking of shielding the garage completely:

[dougskiles]

It's all about the car, baby!  We are spending more money to park these cars than the cars are worth themselves.  And we can't get them to spend any money on the pedestrian experience.

It reminds me of Lori Boyer's response to Jim Robinson at Context Sensitive Streets yesterday afternoon.  He was commenting on how the current design standards have a certain level of safety built into them.  Her direct comment back was "safer for who?"

And again, we are back to the same point.  We are designing this building for the cars.

Has their been any talk about how they are going to address the TCEA requirements for downtown?  Mitigation of impact on the pedestrian, bicycle and transit systems?

[fieldafm]

Selim-  this is public private parking facility, how are you seperating the public versus private parking spots?

architect 'public parking will be at lower levels and assigned at upper levels' 

no tcea talk

[John P]

Has DIA, DVI, mayors office or city councilman assigned to this district weighed in?