The Kress building was getting worked on today. I walked by this afternoon and the door was open. It's all one big room and looked quite interesting. Unfortunately I was playing with a new phone and the camera was set to a really low resolution (for picture messaging) and the photo I took is pretty much useless. There was some construction equipment inside but only one or two workers. Does anyone know what's happening? I thought the proposals had been shot down. It's a great looking building with a lot of history.

The Kress building was getting worked on today. I walked by this afternoon and the door was open. It's all one big room and looked quite interesting. Unfortunately I was playing with a new phone and the camera was set to a really low resolution (for picture messaging) and the photo I took is pretty much useless. There was some construction equipment inside but only one or two workers. Does anyone know what's happening? I thought the proposals had been shot down. It's a great looking building with a lot of history.
Ya I saw people working on the corner building next to it, the old Newmans building I think is what that one is called.
could this mean that the new Kress Towers are going to be made!?!

I saw a carpenter or a painter leaving the Kress about a month ago when Element had their big kickoff. I doubt the towers are going to be made but maybe they're renovating the block.

I saw a carpenter or a painter leaving the Kress about a month ago when Element had their big kickoff. I doubt the towers are going to be made but maybe they're renovating the block.

Well this work was going on inside, there have been no changes to the outside. If they were renovating the block, it would be the other way around.

I hope they keep Kress as is and rehabilitate the building. Perfect location for a trendy restaurant as well as a plus to preserve older buildings downtown (instead of demolishing them for an ambiguous condo project).

Well Doran Jason has trying to sell the project, so possbly if they can't sell it it will be turned in to some retail with a few lofts. Or they are fixing it up to make it easier to sell.

It would be huge for a restaurant, but I agree about the location. While I was looking at the inside I thought it would make a fun concert hall. No matter the use, parking is the issue since it doesn't have any of its own.

I did some digging and it appears that the Doran Jason Group is still trying to sell the Kress condo project to another developer. It's listed at $32 million. Apparently they don't believe their own marketing because their estimated $386M gross sales in condos less the $201M development expense leaves a tidy profit. All this can be yours!

Update: FloridaFuture beat me to the note about the project up for sale. If you Google around you can find the sales listing PDF. No interior photos of Kress though. Or square footage figures.

RE: Parking

Whatever ends up at that location needs to be a neighborhood mainstay, not a regional mainstay that lures people in from outside of downtown.... Or at least it shouldn't be looked at as the sole reason to go downtown at current. People from Skypoint and Element (and Twelve, and the hotel north of Twelve) along with lunchtime business people would be a pedestrian element for a restaurant or other (small -- not large) retail business in Kress. There's enough downtown parking as is for other events and the walk isn't terrible for those who are in Channelside that want to venture elsewhere in downtown.

I'm just not keen on making parking a big issue when you're trying to promote pedestian traffic and mass transit in the city... But then again, with the current situation - parking is a very important detail and it just isn't there (though there will be a floor of space on Element and Twelve for post-office hour parking).

Well Doran Jason has trying to sell the project,


Or they are fixing it up to make it easier to sell.
That's what I'm thinking...

I wouldn't put much stock into this... Probably just plugging leaks, tidying up a bit and so on... These are old, abandoned buildings we're talking about here.

RE: Parking

Whatever ends up at that location needs to be a neighborhood mainstay, not a regional mainstay that lures people in from outside of downtown.... Or at least it shouldn't be looked at as the sole reason to go downtown at current. People from Skypoint and Element (and Twelve, and the hotel north of Twelve) along with lunchtime business people would be a pedestrian element for a restaurant or other (small -- not large) retail business in Kress. There's enough downtown parking as is for other events and the walk isn't terrible for those who are in Channelside that want to venture elsewhere in downtown.

I'm just not keen on making parking a big issue when you're trying to promote pedestian traffic and mass transit in the city... But then again, with the current situation - parking is a very important detail and it just isn't there (though there will be a floor of space on Element and Twelve for post-office hour parking).
So long as mass transit is essentially non-existent in the area, then ample parking will continue to be the lynchpin to the success of just about anything which gets developed DT, just as it has been basically ever since the transit system was gutted decades ago.... For people to be able to walk around DT, they first have to be able to get there.





Update: FloridaFuture beat me to the note about the project up for sale. If you Google around you can find the sales listing PDF. No interior photos of Kress though. Or square footage figures.
Square footage can be found on the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's website if nowhere else.

Has there been any other news on Kress?

^No, and please don't spam threads with posts asking... If there's one thing that's a certainty, it's that when there is news about it someone will inevitably post the news here.

(Not trying to get on your case, but people get banned for doing that too much)

Sorry Jason.

Was anyone else at the Gasparilla film fest's wrap party at the Kress building? They did an amazing job turning a 25+ year unused building into an event space. I hope this has opened the owners and city up to doing more things like this.

Was anyone else at the Gasparilla film fest's wrap party at the Kress building? They did an amazing job turning a 25+ year unused building into an event space. I hope this has opened the owners and city up to doing more things like this.

You mean people can actually go inside Kress now?

I actually drove by there coming back from the Storms game (they lost) and had no idea what was going on. It still looked like a amazing event going on there and it was good decision to close off the street and allow everyone to hang out between Element and Kress. Lets hope this becomes an annual kind of thing (allowing the street to be closed).

You mean people can actually go inside Kress now?

Not usually, this was a special ticketed event. It was done really well, they spent a chunk of change setting it up. I took a few pics that I'll dig up for you guys.

^Looking forward to them.

^No, and please don't spam threads with posts asking... If there's one thing that's a certainty, it's that when there is news about it someone will inevitably post the news here.

(Not trying to get on your case, but people get banned for doing that too much)

Wow! And I used to do that a lot too. (shakes head)

These aren't mine (mine were taken on my phone and didn't come out too sweet), but here's (http://kandkphotography.smugmug.com/KK-Photography/Corporate/GIFF-2011/16389070_MuHiB#1232689239_dqmR4-A-LB) the Kress building's interior (http://kandkphotography.smugmug.com/KK-Photography/Corporate/GIFF-2011/16389070_MuHiB#1232691866_yAZET-A-LB). Click through on either to see the full gallery, there are literally hundreds of photos from the party up there.

^I don't see anything?

--Joey

^I don't see anything?

--Joey

Whoops. It looks like they disabled embedding and because of caching I wasn't able to see that. I changed it to simply link, please let me know if that also has issues.

Wow! And I used to do that a lot too. (shakes head)
Just to be clear, I think I said something to him because he had topped several threads of the forum with similar such posts.

In other parts of SSC, there are occasionally issues where people from within a certain interest group (like a city, or country, or fans of a sports team), will top many, many threads in certain forums pertaining to their interest, as a way of thumbing their noses at everyone else. So back then I was likely being oversensitive to the issue. It is true that sometimes the enthusiasm of members can get annoying when it's done in numbers, or when members blather on stating the obvious... But almost all of us do it at one point or another. It's nothing to apologize about. I'm just happy we didn't all vanish when the purpose of this forum all but ceased to exist! lol

These aren't mine (mine were taken on my phone and didn't come out too sweet), but here's (http://kandkphotography.smugmug.com/KK-Photography/Corporate/GIFF-2011/16389070_MuHiB#1232689239_dqmR4-A-LB) the Kress building's interior (http://kandkphotography.smugmug.com/KK-Photography/Corporate/GIFF-2011/16389070_MuHiB#1232691866_yAZET-A-LB). Click through on either to see the full gallery, there are literally hundreds of photos from the party up there.
Thanks, the place looks like it's in pretty decent shape. It's definitely a sizable space for events. What's the restroom situation like though?

Thanks, the place looks like it's in pretty decent shape. It's definitely a sizable space for events. What's the restroom situation like though?

That's the catch--restrooms were in a trailer outside. It definitely needs some work done before it could be used on a regular basis. I assume there wasn't electricity either and that it was provided by a generator.

Also, while there were vents for HVAC, they weren't functional (no surprise there after being unused for so many years).

Here's another gallery of photos:

http://meronek.posterous.com/gasparilla-film-festival-closing-night-party

Wow! And I accentuate the wow. I had no idea that the space was so nice or big inside. I know it's all lighting in some areas and none in some, but it looks like they fixed I. Up just for this event. I hope that more comes in terms of use for this building.

FYI, apparently the Fire Marshall has now shut down the Kress building for events. There was an event scheduled to take place in October that has, obviously, been cancelled.

Whoops.

That sucks. Its such a nice building, from the outside at least.

Hopefully it can be fixed soon soon and is not too expensive. But who knows?

If the issue was a lack of a sprinkler system, not cheap. If they need another door or something to hold larger crowds, that's not such a big deal.

Well, I guess they fixed the problems! Refractory and future events are back on.

Some of the plywood on the Florida Ave side of the J.J. Newberry Building (Kress block, North side) fell off in the storm we had yesterday. I walked by this morning on my way to work and snapped some photos with my phone. Rough shape...

It was obviously quite dim, so please excuse the quality. I have to imagine the basement is a horror show.

In related news, the Woolworth's building (South side of the Kress block) was still raiing out water this morning. From the brick facade on the Florida Ave side, dumping to the sidewalk. I have noticed this before and it can take days before it stops, even at an impressive constant rate that's less than a garden hose but not by a whole lot.

There are a bunch of ferns growing on the brick so there's constant moisture.

http://i.imgur.com/fLFmEh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/j3Tvdh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MQFuMh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/FoYK4h.jpg

Permalink (http://imgur.com/a/XRfcL) to the album.

I have a horrible feeling that the end result of Kress will be us watching it crumble down with the help of a wrecking ball. It's Tampa, screw historic preservation in this city, lets knock something down in hopes of a 20+ story skyscraper and the end result be another parking space for the city. Besides, it's not like we don't have any other empty, vacant, overgrown plots of land that can be built on at the moment.....

:ohno:

So is it Newberry and Woolworth that are crumbling? Kress too or not? I'm no expert, but those pictures make them look like they can't be saved. My guess is Newberry and Woolworth will not make it and Kress will be the only one left. Some diagonal parking would be nice on both sides of Kress but who knows what the future holds.

So is it Newberry and Woolworth that are crumbling? Kress too or not? I'm no expert, but those pictures make them look like they can't be saved. My guess is Newberry and Woolworth will not make it and Kress will be the only one left. Some diagonal parking would be nice on both sides of Kress but who knows what the future holds.

They're all in less than the best shape, but Kress is the best off of the three. I was there for an event earlier in the year and am going to one there next month. That couldn't happen at either of the others. Kress is also the biggest since it has more floors (which are all intact unlike Newberry as you can see).

So is it Newberry and Woolworth that are crumbling? Kress too or not? I'm no expert, but those pictures make them look like they can't be saved. My guess is Newberry and Woolworth will not make it and Kress will be the only one left. Some diagonal parking would be nice on both sides of Kress but who knows what the future holds.

My recollection is that those buildings are owned by the Doran Jason group and have been for decades - they are from Miami. They wanted to knock those two buildings down anyway for their breadbox condos.

I too am disapointed at how the city has not properly preserved these buildings. The Kress building in Sarasota is preserved very well and was remodled in the early 2000s to accomodate office space. I will post a photo or two of the outside soon.

I too am disapointed at how the city has not properly preserved these buildings. The Kress building in Sarasota is preserved very well and was remodled in the early 2000s to accomodate office space. I will post a photo or two of the outside soon.

How could the city preserve buildings it has no legal right to?

I kind of like the Newberry building. I don't know what it is about it, but the retro kind of architecture would be something different and nice to keep for the city. Maybe open it up as a club with outdoor seating on the roof... that's if the Element residents wouldn't have a problem with that.

They're not the best designed buildings, but they're historic and this city has lost too many historic and architecturally appealing building. In all honesty, some city funding would be nice to keep these buildings and others intact and lasting beyond their lifetime. I know some may view it as liberal and "wasteful taxpayer money", but I'm done listening to that side.

The owners have had 15 years.... which means they have been in some economic conditions that would definitely allow for the renovation of these buildings. Last year they blamed the economic slump for the reasons nothing have been done. Ignoring the time-frame between 2003-2006 and the '98- 2001. They have had the opportunity and what can they blame for allowing it to pass? Be it that it's owned and the city can't do much, just like the Floridan Hotel which I've also voiced my frustrations with, but the city should have some voice in the buildings that exist in it's boundaries. And I'm kind of disgusted walking past Kress and the other two with the depressing black plywood covering the base.

My recollection is that those buildings are owned by the Doran Jason group and have been for decades - they are from Miami. They wanted to knock those two buildings down anyway for their breadbox condos.

It's still on the Tampa Development master list if you want to see what it would have looked like. The plan was to save the facades and build twin towers on both sides of Kress. A company from Orlando was to do the work but some of the tiles and other parts of the facades would have to be replaced with something new to "imitate" the old architecture so the original facades would only be partial. Saul-Sena was worried that it would look "Disney" and that's when it pretty much came to a hault. This was about five or six years ago. I don't know why Doran Jason is still holding on to those buildings & I wonder if they may just walk away from them.

^We all know what it was going to look like.

If by "walk away", you mean they'll let these buildings fall far enough into disrepair that the city condemns them and they can be torn down, then yes that seems to be the game plan.

^We all know what it was going to look like.

If by "walk away", you mean they'll let these buildings fall far enough into disrepair that the city condemns them and they can be torn down, then yes that seems to be the game plan.

Yes that's what I'm thinking & I would think they should already be condemned now.

And when they are torn down, who pays for that?

I think this is what we will be dealing with shortly... And the city shouldn't do anything?

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=89287

I think this is what we will be dealing with shortly... And the city shouldn't do anything?
I think we would all like it to be preserved, but what can the city do?

I think this is what we will be dealing with shortly... And the city shouldn't do anything?

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=89287

I remember when that school began to crumble in on itself. It is very sad. & these buildings will soon suffer the same fate.

And so what do you think the city should do? Is the city going to pay to repair the buildings? It can't even figure out what to do with the courthouse. It cannot really force the owners to fix the buildings. Basically, like the Floridan - you want to fix it, you buy it. Like Maas Brothers, which Saul-Sena agreed to demolish, as did fair mayor pam.

Well the city already created a special "Matching loan" program and oh so gently tried to get Doran Jason to tap into it. But I don't think anything ever came of it. The previous council was determined to never let a disaster like the Gary School happen again. Ms. Saul-Sena is currently very involved in preservation efforts throughout the city. The fact that events are being staged in this space helps people see the value in the buildings. Hopefully once the economy turns around (if) whether Doran Jason or keeps or sells the buildings there will be enough public interest in what happens with redevelopment efforts and there will be a push for reuse.
http://www2.tbo.com/news/central-tampa/2009/jun/25/report-tampas-kress-building-still-structurally-so-ar-100454/

Well the city already created a special "Matching loan" program and oh so gently tried to get Doran Jason to tap into it. But I don't think anything ever came of it. The previous council was determined to never let a disaster like the Gary School happen again. Ms. Saul-Sena is currently very involved in preservation efforts throughout the city. The fact that events are being staged in this space helps people see the value in the buildings. Hopefully once the economy turns around (if) whether Doran Jason or keeps or sells the buildings there will be enough public interest in what happens with redevelopment efforts and there will be a push for reuse.
http://www2.tbo.com/news/central-tampa/2009/jun/25/report-tampas-kress-building-still-structurally-so-ar-100454/
If Doran Jason is the owners of the buildings when the economy rebounds..... nothing will happen. Like I said, they have had 2 opportunities to do something with them and they sat around and did nothing with them. I hope someone that has some interest in redeveloping them can buy them from Doran or at least have the city partner with someone to buy and fix them.

If Doran Jason is the owners of the buildings when the economy rebounds..... nothing will happen. Like I said, they have had 2 opportunities to do something with them and they sat around and did nothing with them. I hope someone that has some interest in redeveloping them can buy them from Doran or at least have the city partner with someone to buy and fix them.

What was the first opportunity?

What was the first opportunity?
They've owned it for 15 years. So that's what, since 1996? We have had 2 pretty decent periods of economic growth in this country that has allowed for redevelopments like this to happen. Be it, Tampa didn't see much the first time, 1998-2001. But between 2003-2007, while many projects were happening, nothing happened. And be it that it may have been financial issues that prevented it, they should had at least given partial ownership to the city to get some additional funding for renovations until something bigger could happen. They didn't do that, blamed the city for something in 2006, and we end up with crumbling buildings because of the lack of care.

And I still believe, even if it is privately owned, the city should have some say. Maybe the best way to send them a word is through what they did in 2009, fine them.

They've owned it for 15 years. So that's what, since 1996? We have had 2 pretty decent periods of economic growth in this country that has allowed for redevelopments like this to happen. Be it, Tampa didn't see much the first time, 1998-2001. But between 2003-2007, while many projects were happening, nothing happened. And be it that it may have been financial issues that prevented it, they should had at least given partial ownership to the city to get some additional funding for renovations until something bigger could happen. They didn't do that, blamed the city for something in 2006, and we end up with crumbling buildings because of the lack of care.

And I still believe, even if it is privately owned, the city should have some say. Maybe the best way to send them a word is through what they did in 2009, fine them.

The Doran Jason Group bought the Kress building in 2005....

The Doran Jason Group bought the Kress building in 2005....
Crap, I was reading something about the old Courthouse in the same article and didn't realize it. Thanks for the correction.

I guess I'll give them a pass since they really walked in while the economy was beginning to walk out. I do really hope that once the economy is at a suitable level that Doran jumps on it right at the start. Get the needed funding and start renovating the whole block.

Crap, I was reading something about the old Courthouse in the same article and didn't realize it. Thanks for the correction.

I guess I'll give them a pass since they really walked in while the economy was beginning to walk out. I do really hope that once the economy is at a suitable level that Doran jumps on it right at the start. Get the needed funding and start renovating the whole block.

And for what it's worth, they did get hassled by the city because it was a historic building. Not that I disagree, but if they could have leveled the block it's quite possible there'd be a large development there currently.

Actually, from the public records, while not all the details are there, it appears that Doran Jason had control from at least 1994. In 2005, Doran Jason transferred it to Kress Square, LLC entities which are managed (and probably owned) by . . . Doran Jason.

Actually, from the public records, while not all the details are there, it appears that Doran Jason had control from at least 1994. In 2005, Doran Jason transferred it to Kress Square, LLC entities which are managed (and probably owned) by . . . Doran Jason.

Where are you seeing that? Here's the appraiser entry (http://www.hcpafl.org/CamaDisplay.aspx?OutputMode=Display&SearchType=RealEstate&ParcelID=1829244ZI000027000011A). It was sold by TWC Acquisitions LLC to Kress Square II, LLC in 2005 for $1,185,018.00. Kress Square II is a holding company of Doran Jason, but TWC is not. It's owned by George Brookshire out of Jacksonville.

small segment on the news yesterday that part of the Kress awning fell down and the recent wind and rain was to blame. I'm sure it can be fixed. Perhaps the entire awning should be replaced.

I didn't see anything. There had been some wind damage to the block in the storms a week or two ago, but nothing big. There were some workers there over the weekend though, so maybe they had already fixed it by the time I was by.

Del Mayberry, do you know which channel did the piece?

Also, I wrote a entry on Creative Loafings Daily Loaf blog about the recent issues with events at the Kress:

http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2011/10/13/refractory-in-the-middle#.TpceIrITCjM

Del Mayberry, do you know which channel did the piece?

Also, I wrote a entry on Creative Loafings Daily Loaf blog about the recent issues with events at the Kress:

http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2011/10/13/refractory-in-the-middle#.TpceIrITCjM

It was ABC action news about a week ago but in a quick segment. You might not be able to find it.

Some new graffiti showed up this week. Bask (http://www.knownasbask.com/bask/) is a fairly well known local artist.

http://i.imgur.com/RCLC5l.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/RCLC5.jpg)

Uhh, not very artistic.

LOL makes the amateur graffiti in NY look good.

They're doing fire stuff at Kress. Exit signs and what not. Permits pulled too.

So I guessed right on one of them?

So I guessed right on one of them?

Looks like. They have been showing the building a lot more lately too, this might factor in.

The closing event for film festival is in kress building Sunday

Ah, there it is. I attended last year and it was a bunch of fun. The fire marshall wasn't too excited about it though, so it's good to see they're taking care of things beforehand.

I noticed today that they installed doors (albeit very basic) to the front.

They're working on all three buildings on the Kress block and I snapped a pic of the JJ Newberry building this morning. It was in really rough shape last time I saw it (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=84155522&postcount=34). Obviously a lot of work going on still, but they have removed the ceiling, which was very necessary. There were workers wearing full Tyvek suits cleaning up today.

http://i.imgur.com/4wvLKl.jpg (http://imgur.com/4wvLK)

Guys with coveralls on probably means they're messing with asbestos, or maybe chemical cleanup. (like old cleaners and such laying around. Pretty common)

Here are some shots of the JJ Newberry building from this week. As you can see, they have made a lot of progress. Remember to check out my first gallery (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=84155522&postcount=34), a lot has changed.

Gallery link (http://imgur.com/a/j5LsC) for full sized images.

http://i.imgur.com/VTQcjh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Z82v9h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/88Vglh.jpg

A good sized room. Fix it up and it could be used for all sorts of things.

Removing the boards over the windows would make a huge difference, I didn't realize how big the street facing windows were.

I would also be interested in seeing what the second floor looks like.

Wouldn't it be nice if this was actually a first step toward a significant redevelopment of the Kress? It's great that they're fixing it up enough to hold an event in it, but I'd love to see this as the jumping off point for something more permanent and ambitious. Probably not, but a guy can dream, can't he?

I am with ya FLhawk

From your lips to the developers ears. But my guess is even if they wanted to these guys couldn't get the loans to make it happen right now -- even with the historic building tax credit.

They could, but they do not want to and no one will push them.

^^
Agreed. It could have happened, as Jason mentioned, years ago. But nothing happened then and frankly, I don't think anything significant will.

Huh? Who are these guys that loan are "easy" for them to develop a commercial and residential building in Downtown Tampa. The banks hate that idea despite all the recent successes inspit of the economy in Dtown.

^^
But if you read some of Jason's posts on this thread. You will see that the owners had plenty of opportunities to redevelop, but nothing ever happened.

Funny how projects in every other city in Florida (including St. Pete) can get financing but in Tampa everyone pleads poverty.

Funny how projects in every other city in Florida (including St. Pete) can get financing but in Tampa everyone pleads poverty.
Such as?

Such as?

"The Lens" St. Pete.

"The Lens" St. Pete.

I'd wait a few years on citing that project... Plus, comparing a public project to a private project makes no sense. Tampa has plenty of public projects. Like the Riverwalk which just received its final funding.

Pretty sure Smiley is referring to historic projects receiving rehab funding from various grants.

Many of Tampa's owners of historic structures seem to prefer to not bother with the rehab process at all, and instead count on their pals with the ARC and city council to give them a free pass on code violations until the building finally rots enough that it can be condemned and torn down.

Then I am not sure why he mentioned The Lens...

Then I am not sure why he mentioned The Lens...
He didn't, that was jamesk.

Pretty sure Smiley is referring to historic projects receiving rehab funding from various grants.

Many of Tampa's owners of historic structures seem to prefer to not bother with the rehab process at all, and instead count on their pals with the ARC and city council to give them a free pass on code violations until the building finally rots enough that it can be condemned and torn down.

And so that the lands can be forever parking lots

Not sure if this was the storm or not, but the building is wide open today.

http://i.imgur.com/hLqmbl.jpg (http://imgur.com/hLqmb)

No they are working on the inside and roof and slowly tearing off plywood but don't get excited, just superficial work.

Actually it was the storm, some friends were biking by when the wood flew off. They said it nearly hit a car. But yes, they have been working on the building quite a bit.

Many of Tampa's owners of historic structures seem to prefer to not bother with the rehab process at all, and instead count on their pals with the ARC and city council to give them a free pass on code violations until the building finally rots enough that it can be condemned and torn down.
And what do you propose they do instead?

Well with any luck perhaps someone attending the RNC parties will be taken with the building or location and decide to pursue it's rehab and occupation.

Ground floor of the Kress would make an awesome food court sort of concept, 4 or 5 boutique eateries (cupcakes, bakery goods, sandwiches, etc...) with a common kitchen and dining area. We saw this concept employed in Toronto's Distillery District and it worked out pretty well. Imagine a mini concept of Wright's Gourmet slinging sandwiches and such in there...

^Robert??? Nice to see you back around!



And what do you propose they do instead?

I personally don't care. I'm not a historic building buff like some others.

Yes, it's me Jason. Good to be back and glad to see the community here still doing so well.

^^
Welcome back sir! :D

Well with any luck perhaps someone attending the RNC parties will be taken with the building or location and decide to pursue it's rehab and occupation.

Ground floor of the Kress would make an awesome food court sort of concept, 4 or 5 boutique eateries (cupcakes, bakery goods, sandwiches, etc...) with a common kitchen and dining area. We saw this concept employed in Toronto's Distillery District and it worked out pretty well. Imagine a mini concept of Wright's Gourmet slinging sandwiches and such in there...

Very interesting idea for the inside. Rumors are this is the preferred project of the party throwers so we may see this building get a few million bucks of work very soon. Or they will party somewhere else :)

What do I mean, maybe something like this http://www.globest.com/news/12_382/miami/office/Swire-Properties-Breaks-Ground-1B-Brickell-CitiCentre-Project-322873.html

As mentioned in the Franklin St. thread, the restoration of the Kress storefront was before the ARC earlier this week. It appears that the plan for the building is to move the doors to their original location and replace the store windows in time for the RNC. After that, a replica marble facade will be installed.

Hopefully the cocktail of a restored storefront (and actually being able to see inside the building), the RNC, and the reopening of the Floridan Hotel will generate enough interest to reactivate this block.

Once the old fed courthouse is reborn as a hotel, I imagine it definitely will.

Looks like the City Council approved the storefront rehabilitation request. Both sides of the Kress building are now opened up (no wood on the FL side and the glass is gone on the Franklin side) and are being worked on. It's neat to look right through the block.

As I said, big work going on at Kress. Here are pics. If you are in the area, stop by, it's quite interesting. Gallery link (http://imgur.com/a/MYV62).

http://i.imgur.com/SYjsdh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5nmH8h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VQCukh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NX0Yeh.jpg

Whoah.

If they are doing a halfass for the RNC they won't have enough time.

Maybe they have snap on windows. They certainly aren't really fixing it up now.

Though, I'd be curious to go in the basement.

Edit

Yeah this is all for the RNC, Beohner's ex-Chief of Staff is running parties there each night. They chose Kress after it became clear that the Trolley Building had no chance to be redone.

I don't see how they'll be getting this done on time... properly at least.

I don't see how they'll be getting this done on time... properly at least.

Well it'll get done "properly" for the RNC purposes, but not for what you/we want I am sure. As it it will be able to host a few hundred people in a party, but no it will not be a rentable building in time. I assume they aren't even putting in the sprinkler system that would make it useful for events around here -- and are paying for the fire patrol instead.

^^
You're probably right. And once the RNC leaves, we're back to square one.

^^
You're probably right. And once the RNC leaves, we're back to square one.

Well not square one, a significant amount of work is being done. Fixing them up enough to make it safe for the RNC is definitely progress.

Well not square one, a significant amount of work is being done. Fixing them up enough to make it safe for the RNC is definitely progress.

Agree with not square one. This will halve the amount of money that will need to be spent to get tenants in if they wants to do so, fully paid for by someone else.

Not to mention going from waiting for the historic buildings to fall down so that the block can be leveled to fixing them up so that they'll be here for a long time. Regardless of the money, this demonstrates a change in policy.

A few more from today. The whole block is under very significant work.

http://i.imgur.com/AhdrSl.jpg (http://imgur.com/AhdrSl)

http://i.imgur.com/KWE0nl.jpg (http://imgur.com/KWE0nl)

http://i.imgur.com/rddVQl.jpg (http://imgur.com/rddVQ)

I know this isn't going to be popular, but I heard that one of the buildings (not sure which) on the block is going to be used for parking during the RNC. Seems like a real expensive way to park cars to me, but that's what I heard. The actual Kress building will be used for event space.

I hope they tear down WW and Newberry after this is over and make diagonal parking on both sides of Kress.

^That would really suck.

It's the southernmost portion of the block that will be used for parking. They cut in egress on the Florida Ave side.

Put any trust in the city council even putting requirements that the parking structures must match the architectural design as Kress? I'll pass. Either renovate the two structures to accommodate retail or build completely new structures that handles retail and compliments Kress.

Parking in the building - if so, what a bunch of jackasses.

This is what I want to see done with the Woolworth building. It's actually something that I believe I have talked about in the past. And the best thing about this, the building in the render somewhat looks like the Woolworth.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7665594164_09a85939c2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tampamike/7665594164/)
Union (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tampamike/7665594164/) by TampaMike2 (http://www.flickr.com/people/tampamike/), on Flickr

New downtown Minneapolis restaurant will have retractable roof (http://www.twincities.com/ci_21163879/multi-level-restaurant-rooftop-dining-room-announced-downtown)

^That would really suck.

What's been there for the last 30 years sucks.

Put any trust in the city council even putting requirements that the parking structures must match the architectural design as Kress? I'll pass. Either renovate the two structures to accommodate retail or build completely new structures that handles retail and compliments Kress.

It's not a parking structure... It's the structure that is there now.

Historic structure = parking structure?

Welcome to Tampa! lol

It's not a parking structure... It's the structure that is there now.
No, I'm speaking of Del's comment about diagonal parking.

On NPR the floridan owner said he was told a market may go in the kress block after the RNC

^^
I listened to that too. I really do hope that the reopening of the Floridan will spark further development in DT and save the Kress from total destruction.

On NPR the floridan owner said he was told a market may go in the kress block after the RNC

Might make sense as they just announced they are not returning the downtown farmers market in the fall...

Didn't Vinik's people at one point suggest one could become part of the weekend routine at the revamped Channelside shops?

It's inevitable that between the Floridan Palace and the new hotel that will be in the old federal courthouse, some additional street level redevelopment will occur in northern downtown. How much depends on whether the city wakes up and relaxes DT parking regs for small footprint parcels, and if the residential development side can pick up again now that vacancies are tightening throughout DT.

Reports of the demise of the Tampa Downtown Market were premature.

Instead, it is evolving, the Tampa Downtown Partnership said in e-mail to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. It will return in October but not on Fridays.

Also in October, the TDP will begin a new weekly Friday lunchtime event at Lykes Gaslight Square Park called “Lunch on the Lawn,” featuring downtown restaurants, live entertainment and fun activities,” said Donna Chen, TDP’s director of marketing and communications.

“The market focused on vendors that sell produce and dry goods and this will be more focused on food and entertainment and to engage our restaurants in the event so locals will have ready to take out foods and some live entertainment,” she said.

The market will return, she said, after the organization finishes a set of research and a study, including a look at similar events in other cities, the vendor mix, and results from an active survey that can be accessed here.

In the past, the partnership contracted management of the market, but decided not to renew that arrangement, Chen said. It has brought the event management in-house.

Exactly what the cost savings are from that decision won’t be know until the new concept is nailed down, Chen said.

As for the value of the management contract it didn’t renew, the organization doesn’t disclose those numbers.

On a side note, going back to Mike's image it reminds me of sad fact maybe the Kress can help fix. We don't have enough rooftop bars in Tampa.

I say DT needs a further boost in its overall population before we see a whole lot more in the way of retail/entertainment being developed and sticking. Hotels and residential especially. Which is of course exactly what's been developed going back a number of years now, so just keep it up and be patient.

I've seen this (recent) transformation going on for about the last 6 months and it's always hard to tell what they are aiming at with the Kress building. I live directly across the street from it and am still perplexed as to their intent with the building. If they are indeed going to put the original glass back up, cool... Although, I must say, right now it looks like they are turning it into indoor parking. The last few days has been non-stop cleaning on the interior. Pressure washing, polishing and the like. Whatever they are doing, the inside is now virtually SPOTLESS... You know, except for that missing walls thing. I'll post a picture when I get home.

I saw that block a few days ago. Couldn't believe anything was still standing.

I've seen this (recent) transformation going on for about the last 6 months and it's always hard to tell what they are aiming at with the Kress building. I live directly across the street from it and am still perplexed as to their intent with the building. If they are indeed going to put the original glass back up, cool... Although, I must say, right now it looks like they are turning it into indoor parking. The last few days has been non-stop cleaning on the interior. Pressure washing, polishing and the like. Whatever they are doing, the inside is now virtually SPOTLESS... You know, except for that missing walls thing. I'll post a picture when I get home.

The actual Kress building (the one in the middle) will be used for parties. The building to the South that borders Polk is what will be used for parking during the RNC. Unsure about to the North.

I hadn't seen this portion of the JJ Newberry Building opened up before. It fronts Florida, Ave. I also included a view of the interior, shot from Franklin looking towards Florida.

http://i.imgur.com/wj0QG.jpg (http://imgur.com/wj0QG)

http://i.imgur.com/4sE1D.jpg (http://imgur.com/4sE1D)

I wonder what condition the basement looks like.

I double dog dare you to go down there.

It seems like a really tight timeline to get this space ready for anything by the time the RNC starts.

lol! I was going to post something to that effect earlier but didn't want to sound like a debbie downer.

I didn't either but I don't see how they can do anything quality let alone anything that will be worth the effort afterwards. Seems like they waited too long to make a decision and are just going to do something piecemeal which will leave us with what we originally had. Well, I guess it will be cleaned up some which might generate interest in continuing the rehab. I'm surprised the city allows this gutting of the structure for a temporary purpose and somehow does not find a way to make the owners do something meaningful towards the long term preservation.
I mean, what happens if there were some serious damage due to a temporary event (i.e. fire, water, etc...)? Would the owners be off the hook for damages or further meaningful repairs?
just voicing my frustration with the city...

I didn't either but I don't see how they can do anything quality let alone anything that will be worth the effort afterwards. Seems like they waited too long to make a decision and are just going to do something piecemeal which will leave us with what we originally had. Well, I guess it will be cleaned up some which might generate interest in continuing the rehab. I'm surprised the city allows this gutting of the structure for a temporary purpose and somehow does not find a way to make the owners do something meaningful towards the long term preservation.
I mean, what happens if there were some serious damage due to a temporary event (i.e. fire, water, etc...)? Would the owners be off the hook for damages or further meaningful repairs?
just voicing my frustration with the city...

They city was fining them for code violations, it would be a hell of a lucky break for the Kress owners if the city then banned them from making the required improvements (you wouldn't even need a good lawyer to get a pay day). If something happens during the RNC it would also be a hell of a lucky break, insurance would then pay for the work to be done.

I think people will be surprised with how much is being done to the building -- from all account it will be usable when the RNC is over and they are looking to rent it out. As in the fire code updates are happening and more. The discussion of its use for a market has already started and it may go nowhere, but a lot can get done in three weeks -- they are going to build a two story club in Curtis Hixon in one week for instance ;)

I wonder what condition the basement looks like.

I was in the basement of both Kress and the J.J. Newberry building this afternoon. Newberry is in better shape but both were better than I had imagined. The Kress basement was fairly wet, but previously had quite a bit of standing water that would be over your ankles.

Here are a couple of snaps (album link (http://imgur.com/a/2Iqha)), I'll have more later. I walked through all the floors of each building. The quality isn't super fantastic, the whole building is quite dark and I was hand shooting.

http://i.imgur.com/QWLDo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/6i6rE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZF0Nv.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1sJfY.jpg

Very cool. My wife and I took my parents down there Wednesday evening to poke around and grab some pics. Walked through the JJ Newberry building as it was open but was not brave enough to trespass into the basement. If I read correctly you said you were able to not only checkout the basements but also the upper floors? I would be very interested to see those. I've been curious for years. The basements look no where near as bad or as water soaked as I thought they might be. I did notice while poking around Wednesday the awesome vintage time clock still in place on the wall in the stairwell to the upper floors in JJ Newberry.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/580943_10151103870723257_2140315961_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/406175_10151103864448257_297119987_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/553472_10151103875528257_1077512904_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/384765_10151103887823257_1824870963_n.jpg

Big bashes planned for downtown, but hosts and guest list a mystery

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/big-bashes-planned-for-downtown-but-hosts-and-guest-list-a-mystery/1245275

TAMPA — Several hundred people will party — hard — in three landmark downtown buildings during the Republican National Convention in what promise to be among the glitziest galas of the week.
Exclusive, too, because who exactly is throwing and attending the nightly bashes is strictly hush-hush.
"Whoever it is, they're making a serious commitment to throwing a party," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, laughing. "All I know is that my invitation hasn't arrived yet."
What is known is that Joyce Gates, the former chief of staff to Ohio congressman and current U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner, is the one who filed the application for the events, which will be attended nightly by 600 to 800 guests. Gates, a party planner from Alexandria, Va., chose to hold the parties in the 800 block of North Franklin Street in three historic but blighted buildings: the S.H. Kress, F.W. Woolworth and J.J. Newberry.
Gates didn't return phone calls or reply to emails, but documents she submitted to the city show that at least $660,000 will be spent to get the buildings ready. New doors, air conditioning and lights are being installed for a series of parties that will have a tropical beach theme, according to a site plan.
A lobby will feature a pirate statue, a treasure map and lots of bamboo. Sand will be imported to cover the ground of one lounge, which will have hammocks, other hanging chairs and a coconut tree. There will be a jazz club, a massive dance floor next to a water feature and a turntable stage surrounded by the main bar. The improvements are temporary, however, and will vanish when the partying is over.
Even the owner of the three buildings, Jeannette Jason, said she didn't know who was attending.
She hadn't been told whether Boehner, third in line to the presidency, would be there.
"That's the assumption, but no one knows," Jason said.
Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said that the speaker had no connection to the events. He wouldn't confirm or deny that Boehner would attend.
"I'm afraid for security reasons, we do not release the speaker's schedule in advance," Steel said in an email.
The bashes are being produced by Gates, who started a party organizing company in 1996 called Warehouse Productions. That year, according to various news accounts, a series of nightly parties were thrown in an 1890s-era warehouse during the GOP convention in San Diego in honor of Boehner. Dubbed "The Best Little Warehouse Party in San Diego — where the Convention gets Unconventional," the parties gained a reputation for being the best that year. Gates and her husband, a Washington lobbyist, created the company afterward, which subsequently organized parties for each of the conventions that followed. They became renowned for stretching into the wee hours.
In 2000, the Philadelphia Inquirer described Boehner as the organizer for that year's events, again in a warehouse, which the newspaper said was tricked out with "frat-boy-fantasy furnishings" and a "few hundred lobbyists and pol pals" each night.
During 2004's New York convention, the parties migrated to the Tunnel, a former nightclub on Manhattan's West Side, that, according to USA Today, were again being thrown to honor Boehner.
Boehner told the Dayton Daily News that year that the key to parties was good music and top tier guests. He said that at one, Newt Gingrich intended just to stop by and stayed for four hours. But he said that he didn't plan the parties anymore.
Still, his association to the parties stuck and they still are widely known as the Boehner Warehouse Party, even as he and his staff have put some distance from the soirees as he continued to climb the ranks of leadership.
It will be difficult to figure out just who shows up in Tampa.
Plans show seven security checkpoints outside the buildings and two more inside. The city plans to close the sidewalk next to the buildings along Franklin Street — partly to make room for a 10-by-20-foot smokers' tent.
Regardless of who attends, city officials are thrilled that the party has accelerated the rehabilitation of the Kress, a former department store built in 1929. The building was put on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1983, and received a local historic designation in 2006.
Its Renaissance revival architectural style, with its painted terra cotta clay exterior, makes it similar to the Tampa Theatre more than a block away. Jason, the owner, said she had been planning to install new alarms and storefront windows and doors, but pushed up the project so that they would go in before the parties.
"The RNC has breathed life into the Kress building," Buckhorn said. "It might be just a party, but it's the nudge that it needed."

[Last modified: Aug 10, 2012 10:52 PM]

Copyright 2012 Tampa Bay Times

Very cool. My wife and I took my parents down there Wednesday evening to poke around and grab some pics. Walked through the JJ Newberry building as it was open but was not brave enough to trespass into the basement. If I read correctly you said you were able to not only checkout the basements but also the upper floors? I would be very interested to see those. I've been curious for years. The basements look no where near as bad or as water soaked as I thought they might be. I did notice while poking around Wednesday the awesome vintage time clock still in place on the wall in the stairwell to the upper floors in JJ Newberry.


Yes, I went to the second (of two) floor of Newberry and all levels of Kress. Didn't make it anywhere in the Woolworth building. The upper floors were wide open as well and fairly cleared out. Kress had a few rooms along the Florida Ave side but for the most part had wide open plates. It would not be a good idea to sneak into either the basements or upper floor of Newberry (it has lots of cut throughs for when they were moving debris down to grade and you could easily fall through 20 feet to the concrete below, especially in the dark).

Here are a few from upstairs Kress.

http://i.imgur.com/BDVSk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FbSYN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EHYEp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/a70Mm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EqOI4.jpg

And here are some from the second level of the JJ Newberry building.

http://i.imgur.com/uBrFh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Ak7XE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UMtdO.jpg

Awesome pics guys

Gates didn't return phone calls or reply to emails, but documents she submitted to the city show that at least $660,000 will be spent to get the buildings ready. New doors, air conditioning and lights are being installed for a series of parties that will have a tropical beach theme, according to a site plan.

That seems reasonable considering the amount of work that has been going on. Some of the stuff goes away, but stuff the new storefronts, repaired roof, fire alarms, and increased electricity (TECO was out the other day) are all here to stay.

(added in) ^^ I want to know who the GC is. If they get this thing done on time and done right, they're going to have a nice feather for their cap.


Awesome pics guys
Seconded. :)

The new storefronts are coming together, can't wait to see all the new windows.

There was an article in the paper today saying the city owned Kress???

There was an article in the paper today saying the city owned Kress???

No there wasn't. The city definitely does not own Kress. They do own the Tampa Theatre which is nearby.

No there wasn't. The city definitely does not own Kress. They do own the Tampa Theatre which is nearby.

See below, I don't pull shit out of the air


WIATROWSKI | The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 14, 2012 Updated: August 14, 2012 - 8:00 AM
» 2 Comments | Post a Comment
TAMPA --
Crews today will begin erecting an enormous tent in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park to host lunches, policy presentations and nightclub-style parties during the week of the Republican National Convention.

The park closed to the public on Monday ahead of the 14-day construction project. It won't reopen until the tent comes down Sept. 3.

Orlando-based Karl's Event Rental will construct the sprawling 30,000-square-foot tent – about two-thirds of an acre – that will cover the park. Organizers also plan to use Kiley Gardens and have asked the city to block the right lane of Ashley Boulevard in front of Curtis Hixon as well.

The venue will have space for 2,000 people and will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Any events will be invitation-only.

The design includes a wall of windows overlooking the Hillsborough River and the University of Tampa's minarets. There will also be lounges for video gaming and cigar and scotch tastings. Events will start Aug. 25.

The venue will be known as 1 OAK at the RNC and will replicate the feeling of 1 OAK clubs in New York and Las Vegas, said Courtney Cohen, spokeswoman for organizer Jamestown Entertainment.

All those activities will happen atop a floor installed above the grass of the park's Great Lawn. That could cause a problem for the grass, which will go for weeks without access to sun or water.

Walker said his company deals with a similar problem each year during Fashion Week in New York City's Bryant Park. In that case, the grass goes into "hibernation," Walker said, as is revived later by groundskeepers after the tents come down.

City parks officials couldn't be reached to comment on Walker's assessment.

Cohen said Jamestown will be as careful with the park as possible.

"We plan on leaving the park better than we found it," she said.

Karl's Event Rental is also constructing FOX News' broadcast studio at the Tampa Bay History Center and laying a floor at the CNN Grill inside the convention's security perimeter, Austin Walker, a company representative, said at Monday's pre-RNC status check.

Walker's company is also building a quarter-mile-long air-conditioned tunnel linking the Tampa Convention Center and Forum to offer journalists, politicians and delegates a sheltered path between the media center and the convention floor.

By the time the RNC begins Aug. 27, Walker's company will have erected 100,000 square feet of tenting and 55,000 square feet of temporary floors for RNC-related events.

"We're going to have an entirely different look over here at the Forum next week," Ryan Price, operations director for the Committee on Arrangements, said Monday.

The Committee on Arrangements handles the logistics of preparing for the convention. It has a federally set budget of $17 million.

Also on the horizon for the week of the RNC, another entertainment group has filed plans to do make $660,000 in improvements to the former Kress department store downtown.
The city-owned building has sat abandoned for years. Warehouse Productions will install air conditioning, lights and other equipment to turn the building into another nightclub venue.

Some of those improvements – reinforcing the interior structure and working on the historic exterior – will be permanent, said Thom Snelling, the city's growth management director.

Nothing has changed on the property appraiser's site...

http://www.hcpafl.org/CamaDisplay.aspx?OutputMode=Display&SearchType=RealEstate&ParcelID=1829244ZI000027000011A

And Jeaneatte Jason is out on the site every day. The city does not own the building.

Sure, but I hate to burst your bubble TPAMAN and say that the press is very often wrong ... like this time.

Sure, but I hate to burst your bubble TPAMAN and say that the press is very often wrong ... like this time.


I figured the same but thought what if the city somehow took control of it and this was the start of something bigger which would be a very good thing. IMO
Was hoping for some announcement from the city confirming the same or some public/private partnership to finally make use of this property...

That would probably have to go through the city council and we would know about it.

just took a walk around kress. these guys are not going to get much sleep in the next couple weeks.

I can't see them putting in permanent interior finishes, flooring, lighting, etc with this timetable

I can't see them putting in permanent interior finishes, flooring, lighting, etc with this timetable

Don't think many of those are part of the equation, I dunno. They are just trying to get it ready for parties during the RNC. I think the thing to be happy about it's gone far enough for it to be feasible for a market or something similar.

just took a walk around kress. these guys are not going to get much sleep in the next couple weeks.

I can't see them putting in permanent interior finishes, flooring, lighting, etc with this timetable

Why would all that happen for a beach theme party in an abandoned building? They're bringing in power and AC from the outside and will have stage lighting. You can see the trusses inside already.

The glass storefronts started going in over the weekend. Looks great, the whole Franklin Street side should be new glass (Florida got mostly boarded up). I'll snap a picture later, when I walked by today my lens was still fogged up.

They have also started to have 24 hour security and move equipment in. Lots of truss work for lighting and I can see second story catwalks in Kress. Three tractor trailer sized generators are parked along Polk to help provide power, no sign of AC yet.

As promised

http://i.imgur.com/miEN7.jpg (http://imgur.com/miEN7)

http://i.imgur.com/u6dYb.jpg (http://imgur.com/u6dYb)

http://i.imgur.com/ooCvc.jpg (http://imgur.com/ooCvc)

http://i.imgur.com/LfmPA.jpg (http://imgur.com/LfmPA)

Damn that's a lot of trusses. What the heck are they doing in there?

Its amazing to see just how much they can do in such a short amount of time, really hopeful that something will come out of this.

I had hoped that they weren't installing a modern storefront system/curtain wall, but given the time frame, I knew they had to be. Really takes away from the historic feel at street level, but it is also cheaper, meets code, and I'm pretty certain is offering more interior light than the original ground floor facade ever did.

I don't know why they would do that for a beach party, but I would wonder what they are doing for the hundreds of thousands I heard was being spent (maybe i'm mistaken).

As for the trusses, I think that's the center part of the building. I didnt see any work being done on the west end of building.... It was completely empty.

I don't know why they would do that for a beach party, but I would wonder what they are doing for the hundreds of thousands I heard was being spent (maybe i'm mistaken).

As for the trusses, I think that's the center part of the building. I didnt see any work being done on the west end of building.... It was completely empty.

They repaired the roof, fire alarmed the whole block, cleared out all floors (including the basements which meant pumping out a ton of water), removed ceilings, rebuilt storefronts and still had enough money left over to bring in the ridiculous amount of lighting, sand, AC, sprinklers, etc etc.

^^
WOW!

ah, infrastructure. The invisible beast.

Walked by again today. They've blocked out the windows. :/