Looks ok. Are they going to start?

^It really is iffy. They have continued on prep works (removing hideous electrical towers on the site) but actual work on the building has not started. They say they are waiting for the economy to improve, but in this day and age, that probably spells disaster. I personally remain optimistic, but just by a thread...

This project may not be dead after all. In a news conference today the developers announced they are applying for a $100 million HUD loan that they will personally guarantee. Government Beasher is supportive of the initiative.

Here's the article: Museum Plaze Loan (http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100625/BUSINESS/6250349/1008/NEWS01/Museum+Plaza+developers+seek+$100+million+HUD+loan)

Msradell, there are projects that won't
get built, though, right?

Msradell, there are projects that won't
get built, though, right?

? :ohno: ?

Information about the $100 million HUD loan application.

http://www.rex-ny.com/downloads/press/releases/REX_MP_FinancingUpdate_PressRelease.pdf

http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=bdb2aff888f07d0b06547fb22&id=d33b5333cf&e=

I hope it gets built.... after they change the design all together. When I first saw the rendering I felt so sorry for Louisville to have something so ugly built.

There's no need to feel sorry for the city, it will be a cultural boon that will outweigh the appearance of the building.

Looks like this one is about to go U/C again.

Congressman John Yarmuth and Governor Steve Beshear are pleased to announce significant, positive progress
in the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s application for a $100 million federal loan from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
for the development of Museum Plaza... read more on http://www.rex-ny.com/downloads/press/releases/REX_MP_11.05.2010_Progress_Release.pdf (PDF).

News also featured on ArchDaily. http://www.archdaily.com/88298/museum-plaza-update-rex/
http://www.urbika.com/projects/images/4166-museum-plaza

http://i53.tinypic.com/21bq9w4.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/swwnxx.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/serlo8.jpg

Looks like this one is about to go U/C again.



My condolences .

My condolences .

Lol!

But really, i didn't know they still built grain elevators in urban areas.

Even though it is not aesthetically pleasing, it does have a pretty cool design that looks like it will be awesome looking up close. Also, it will add a lot to that part of downtown. The views from the top will be amazing.

I'm not willing to say that it's the ugliest building ever proposed but surely somebody in charge of approving this thing must have actually seen it . I just can't believe that anybody would be willing to allow such a catastrophe to be built . It's one thing to say that it's avant-garde or "different" but this thing will end up being Louisville's showpiece . It's just wrong in so many ways . If you could put such a Franken-building in say New York then at least people could say "Ewww ..." and walk away to look at something nicer . That just won't be the case in Louisville.

It is truly a monstrosity and I'm amazed that nobody has hustled the designers off to look at pictures of nice buildings and rethink this afterbirth of architecture .

I hope it gets built.... after they change the design all together. When I first saw the rendering I felt so sorry for Louisville to have something so ugly built.

My condolences .

I'm not willing to say that it's the ugliest building ever proposed but surely somebody in charge of approving this thing must have actually seen it . I just can't believe that anybody would be willing to allow such a catastrophe to be built . It's one thing to say that it's avant-garde or "different" but this thing will end up being Louisville's showpiece . It's just wrong in so many ways . If you could put such a Franken-building in say New York then at least people could say "Ewww ..." and walk away to look at something nicer . That just won't be the case in Louisville.

It is truly a monstrosity and I'm amazed that nobody has hustled the designers off to look at pictures of nice buildings and rethink this afterbirth of architecture .
Sorry you guys are so jealous that we're getting this world class building!

^ I'm fairly sure in this case those people are not simply jealous haters. That being said, I actually like this one. I'm willing to bet it will look very nice in real life.

Stunning project! A real Koolhaasdesign.

Sorry you guys are so jealous that we're getting this world class building!

Firstly Kentucky is my homestate and Louisville is the gem. Jealousy has absolutely nothing to do with my comment. I take great pride in the Louisville skyline as a represntation of my homestate and to see this verticle trailer just repulses me.

As for your world class building statement. The prupose of the building I couldn't agree more. The design however... not so much. Perhaps in the year 1960 this would have been considered a world class design. In 2010 I'd consider it 3rd world and even then I wouldn't bestow this design on anyone in the 3rd world.

My statement would stand firm if it were being built in Toronto, New York or any other city with a repsectable skyline.

Firstly Kentucky is my homestate and Louisville is the gem. Jealousy has absolutely nothing to do with my comment. I take great pride in the Louisville skyline as a represntation of my homestate and to see this verticle trailer just repulses me.

As for your world class building statement. The prupose of the building I couldn't agree more. The design however... not so much. Perhaps in the year 1960 this would have been considered a world class design. In 2010 I'd consider it 3rd world and even then I wouldn't bestow this design on anyone in the 3rd world.

My statement would stand firm if it were being built in Toronto, New York or any other city with a repsectable skyline.
Your opinion of the looks of this building is certainly different than many of the architectural magazines. When the design was first released for this building they all gave praise for its outstanding design. Besides it certainly looks better than the KFC toaster oven!

Your opinion of the looks of this building is certainly different than many of the architectural magazines. When the design was first released for this building they all gave praise for its outstanding design. Besides it certainly looks better than the KFC toaster oven!

You and I have varied opinions of the design. I absolutely deteste it! You obviously are all for the current design. I respect yours and anyones comments if they love it.
I absolutely love the height but it's boxy and dated with a massive waste of space below the occupied floors.

If it gets built will it be the end of the world? No.
It will however be a blight on the Louisville skyline in my opinion and a triumphant addition to the skyline in others eyes.

I read that they are now applying for a HUD loan???
I've never heard of anyone building a skyscraper applying for a HUD loan? To buy crack dens to remodel and flip yes but skyscrapers? no

I admit its clever to apply for the HUD loan to get the project rolling

Sorry you guys are so jealous that we're getting this world class building!

It's not jealousy ... it's an incredibly ugly building . I'm sorry but it is .

Look , getting an architect's opinion of a design is something like asking a food critic what he or she thinks of Kraft Dinner . They're only looking for minute differences that make something nominally different . In other words , they can't see the forest for the trees . Just because architects think it's a great looking building doesn't mean that the other %99.99 of the population agrees . That sort of thing happens all the time where people are so busy looking at details that they can't take in the whole picture .

If you think it's a great looking building then great for you . Really , I'm glad you like it . Don't be so sure that everybody else in the world agrees because chances are that they don't .
So with that said , are architects the only people whose opinion counts suddenly ? If everybody else thinks it's a piece of crap , what some architects think of it is rather a moot point . Architects aren't supposed to be designing buildings for each other after all .

I will say this, it's pretty interesting. From some views it's down right ugly, from others it's amazing. It looks a lot like blown up Mies design. I'm not sure if he would like it or hate it.

~ Update:

This project is dead.

Sad but true:

Architect's Newspaper (http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/21088)


Museum Plaza Developers Scrap Plans for Tower

Midwest | Monday, August 1, 2011 | Branden Klayko.

The first line of a press statement sent out by developers of the REX-designed Museum Plaza tower in Louisville, Kentucky put it bluntly: “Museum Plaza will not be built.” The 62-story hyper-rational tower—part kunsthalle museum, part residential and commercial hub, part art school—was hoped to signal the rejuvenation of the city’s urban core, but like so many iconic buildings proposed in the days leading up to the great recession, the vision succumbed to the realities of the financial markets.

Original plans set forth in early 2006 called for a modern art museum on the 23rd floor, accessed by a diagonal funicular, to form the hub between hotel, residential, and office space. A massive park atop a parking garage, originally designed by West 8 Landscape Architects and then turned over to artist Ned Kahn formed the plaza.

Construction actually began in 2008 but halted abruptly as foundation work caused dangerous vibrations in surrounding 1850s era cast-iron buildings. While plans were reworked, financing fell through and the project has languished ever since, remaining little more than a few dozen capped piles at the bottom of a large pit. The site, located along the Ohio River between an interstate highway and a flood wall, complicated construction and was described by Joshua Prince-Ramus, principal at REX, as a “bath tub.”

Last year, the project team applied for a $100 million federal loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 108 program, but the team formally withdrew its request this morning.

Developers Craig Greenberg, Laura Lee Brown, Steve Wilson, and Steve Poe remained optimistic that the project could ride out the recession, but in a statement and letter to the Mayor of Louisville and Governor of Kentucky this morning, the team put forth a more sober outlook:

“Through this process we have endured four years of the worst recession of our lifetime and the most challenging lending market ever. There are no signs of improvement in the near future… we painfully decided that this project could not be built in this economy.”

The development team is leaving Museum Plaza behind, and is now shifting its attention to a group of five mid-19th century former whiskey warehouses that they saved from demolition.

---

What a shame, I actually quite liked the unusual form of the tower and was one of my favourites too, damn!