Alabama-based firm to redevelop the Ambassador Hotel

[Tacachale]

^At any rate, you probably wouldn't be able to see it unless you went up to the roof of the building or one nearby.

[thelakelander]

I'm just saying I don't see these design blending.  Your examples prove my point.

That's the point. They aren't supposed to "blend" to the point where you can't tell the difference between the old and new.

[fsujax]

i kind of like the blending the new with the old.

[thelakelander]

According to the federal guidelines, you're supposed to blend in terms of character, form, and scale.  That was one of the issues that came up with the city's plans for the proposed pedestrian bridge connecting the new county courthouse to the old post office building.  At the time, the design didn't differentiate the old and new in accordance to federal rehabilitation guidelines.

[Lunican]

Here is an example from Chicago. A glass condo tower rises from old storefronts on 'Jewelers Row'.

[urbaknight]

"Just look at the Brooklyn project that's not going to happen now."  Please elaborate.

referring to Lincoln pulling out of the Pope & Land project....which doesn't necessarily mean it won't happen

Giving the history of attempts to rebuild DT, and watching 99% of them falling through. I can just feel that the Brooklyn project is effectively "dead".

[Charles Hunter]

According to the federal guidelines, you're supposed to blend in terms of character, form, and scale.  That was one of the issues that came up with the city's plans for the proposed pedestrian bridge connecting the new county courthouse to the old post office building.  At the time, the design didn't differentiate the old and new in accordance to federal rehabilitation guidelines.

Sorry to go off-track, but does this mean that if the State Attorney Bridge were modern glass and steel it would have been OK, since it would be easy to differentiate from the historic Old Federal Court House?

[thelakelander]

To a large degree, yes.  However, depending on the design, there could have still been minor changes required.

[thelakelander]

Giving the history of attempts to rebuild DT, and watching 99% of them falling through. I can just feel that the Brooklyn project is effectively "dead".

I would not call this project effectively dead. Lincoln pulled out of it, but Pope & Land is the company who owns the property and Fuqua Development is the entity that would develop the retail portion of the property:

http://www.popeandland.com/properties/detail.aspx?id=73

http://www.fuquadevelopment.com/files/jacksonville/riversideandjackson.pdf

[thelakelander]

The City Office of Economic Development's Downtown Development Review Board on Thursday deferred action on a request for conceptual approval of a plan to renovate the former Ambassador Hotel.
Arbour Valley Development LLC, based in Birmingham, Ala., proposes to convert the six-story structure into 57 one- and two-bedroom apartments priced for the workforce housing rental market.

full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/downtowntoday.php?dt_date=2013-03-08

[thelakelander]

Unfortunately, that would require a change in business strategy.  It's much easier to get council to take money from your pockets to increase the profit margins of the traditional strategy.

[513_CINCINNATI]

Cool. They're talking about making the old Tower Place Mall in our downtown district into apts. Cincyimages.com

[thelakelander]

What's going on with the old Tower Place Mall?  Is the same developer looking at the Ambassador Hotel targeting it?

[Cheshire Cat]

The Downtown Development Review Board deferred action Thursday relating to the Ambassador Hotel. A Birmingham, Ala.-based developer is proposing workforce housing in the Downtown landmark.
The City Office of Economic Development's Downtown Development Review Board on Thursday deferred action on a request for conceptual approval of a plan to renovate the former Ambassador Hotel.

Arbour Valley Development LLC, based in Birmingham, Ala., proposes to convert the six-story structure into 57 one- and two-bedroom apartments priced for the workforce housing rental market.

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also has been locally designated as a historic landmark.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/downtowntoday.php?dt_date=2013-03-08

[billy]

Any recent news on this?