Brooklyn Marriott Has Design Issues on All Sides

[KenFSU]

Marriott hotel planned for Brooklyn has design issues on all sides

The design of a Marriott Residence Inn that developers want to build next to Unity Plaza in Brooklyn might be a little too "suburban" for an up-and-coming neighborhood on the edge of downtown.

During a conceptual review on Thursday, members of the Downtown Development Review Board took issue with key details in the hotel's building design and layout, saying it lacks street-front activation.

If built, the hotel would be located at the corner of Magnolia Street and Forest Street. However, the DDRB's issue is that the developer wants to build the hotel's parking lots on the portion of the parcel that sits closest to the streets, with the hotel at the furthest point from the sidewalk...

...The attorney representing developer Parkview Plaza Partners LLC, which is affiliated with 220 Riverside developer Alex Coley, said they do not really have any other option for the property.

A sizable portion of the land closest to Forest Street, to the west of the property, can't be built on due to underground utilities lines that the city said cannot be relocated.

Full story: https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/06/29/marriott-hotel-planned-for-brooklynhas-design.html

[Steve]

Nonsense they don't have any other option. Are we really to believe that Hitel developers in other cities build suburban designs?

[Captain Zissou]

Nonsense they don't have any other option. Are we really to believe that Hitel developers in other cities build suburban designs?

This is the Gate station situation all over again. 

[jaxjags]

One interesting note from the article is that with a roof top pool this will definitely be concrete construction.

[jaxjags]

Move the hotel towards Magnolia Street and build a 3 level tilt wall garage where the larger parking lot is now, like was done at Broadstone. Leave the front as green space with a check-in driveway only.

[jagsonville]

Move the hotel towards Magnolia Street and build a 3 level tilt wall garage where the larger parking lot is now, like was done at Broadstone. Leave the front as green space with a check-in driveway only.

+1

[edjax]

WHat about moving closer to Magnolia as noted and then instead of being L shaped make it more V shaped and have the other wing follow the Forest St frontage. Seems like then most of all that parking could be flipped to interior around the property they have not been able to purchase. Perhaps even make one wing a floor higher than the other off needed.

[jaxjags]

WHat about moving closer to Magnolia as noted and then instead of being L shaped make it more V shaped and have the other wing follow the Forest St frontage. Seems like then most of all that parking could be flipped to interior around the property they have not been able to purchase. Perhaps even make one wing a floor higher than the other off needed.

Developer says underground utilities in that area cannot be built on or relocated. Lakelander may be able to better comment about if that is correct or not.

[thelakelander]

That's what's been mentioned but I haven't seen the proposed site plan or what can be possible on the public side to help improve the situation.

[KenFSU]

Site plan, from the Daily Record article linked below, which provides some further details:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/residence-inn-concept-reviewed-for-brooklyn

[Charles Hunter]

The critical question seems to be, What is the footprint of the utility easement? My guess is that it parallels Forest Street, but how far back from the sidewalk?
Also, looks like they will have to get the City to abandon a block of Price Street, between Magnolia and Oak. But that should be straight-forward.

[Steve]

Uninspiring. I realize that Forest might be an issue, but what's the excuse on Magnolia for the frontage?

[thelakelander]

Site plan, from the Daily Record article linked below, which provides some further details:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/residence-inn-concept-reviewed-for-brooklyn

Utilities aren't the issue, as long as no one is suggesting moving a building over a public street to get it closer to Forest Street. What's needed is a little creativity with parking design and accommodation.  Just rethink what can be done with the streets surrounding the property.

1. Respect the traditional street grid by eliminating the thought of making the triangle between Oak, Price and Forest a surface parking lot.

2. Keep Forest open and consider making it accessible as a right-in only from Magnolia Street.

3. Consider making Magnolia a one-way, one lane street between Forest and Dora. The saved space could be a long block of on-street parallel parking adjacent to Unity Plaza. It will help compensate  the loss of parking in that triangle area.

4. Shift the building closer to Magnolia Street. To make this happen, build the off-street parking between the building and Magnolia off Magnolia, which could eliminate the need for a parallel off-street access drive there.

In the end, the building plan basically stays the same, does not penetrate the utility easement and you probably end up with or pretty close to the same number of parking spaces.

[Kerry]

Well crap!  I am starting to hate this city.

A sizable portion of the land closest to Forest Street, to the west of the property, can't be built on due to underground utilities lines that the city said cannot be relocated.

This has to be the biggest load of crap yet.  If it is made by man it can be moved.  If they don't have any other ideas sell the land to someone who does.  This meeting should have lasted 2 seconds - No. Next.

[thelakelander]

Don't move them. It's a wasted expense. Just reopen the street grid and let that building remain on the corner (assuming it hasn't already been demolished) instead of making it a surface parking lot.