Chennai (Madras): Past-Present-Future : Photos & Views

[theguy]

nice pics there hindustani

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

Yeah the slyline would look better, but I mean in this day and age why wouldnt you first try and spread arnd as much as possible before you to up. My pt is .. if there no need for a skyscraper why build one?

Yeah true. I guess in India, only mumbai and probably delhi need skyscrapers, cities like chennai and bangalore don't exactly need them. but it would be good if they had a lot of S&G buildings. Although i wouldn't mind a couple of nice supertalls in these cities.

[theguy]

chennai is getting a worlds tallest building search for it in google and u will be knowing more about the planned worlds tallest building

[Suncity]

Sterling Towers





Sapna Trade Centre

[theguy]

nice picture of sterling tower there suncity

[drwho]

Chennai, The Park

[Fusionist]

Where the fooj is this building in Chennai ??

[drwho]

Originally Posted by Fusionist

Where the fooj is this building in Chennai ??

it is at :
601 Anna Salai Road
Chennai, TA 600006
India



http://www.theparkhotels.com/park/park_home_2.html

[Suncity]

The Ozone





Dowlath Towers - this one is completed but I have not found a photo - so here's some renderings..






Viceroy Towers
- another completed building - but no pic :-(

[dcb11]

Originally Posted by Suncity

Part of the time in the Markin Yuktarashtra and part of the time in Mera Bharat Mahaan every year.

Just curious, where are those places?

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by dcb11

Just curious, where are those places?

Markin (America) Yuktarashtra (Yukta + Rashtra = United States); Bharat (India).

Mera Bharat Mahan (My India (is) Great) is a reference to a popular TV campaign in the nineties).

[dcb11]

Oh, haha. No wonder I couldn't find those places on the net! For some reason I always thought you were from Singapore. Maybe that's just because there are so many Singapore forumers. Hey, sometimes I even forget that I'm not living in Singapore!

[Ashok]

hey guys, does anyone have pics of Chennai's skyline, i tried googling it but no luck, thxz

[Jai]

Heh 'Markin'

[Fusionist]

Originally Posted by ILOVEMTL

hey guys, does anyone have pics of Chennai's skyline, i tried googling it but no luck, thxz

I have seen some from air but no skyline pics.. after all there is no skyline in Chennai to speak of as of now

[Suncity]

Bharati Towers

[Suncity]

Chennai Museum





Spencer Plaza



The incomplete (Oberoi) hotel



Rain Tree Place



Aban



Capital Tower

[Suncity]

An year old article but interesting...unfortunately I have not found a single photograph of Chennai's tallest residential building (Now where have all the Chennai photographers gone?)

TOWER POWER

INDUBALA NANDAKUMAR has a house with a view. From her balcony, the Marina stretches out like a golden band and in the early mornings she can see the sun rising slowly over the horizon. She lives in an apartment block, the tallest one in Chennai. From the 17th floor of the Arihant Ocean View Towers on Wallajah Road, her perspective on residential spaces has changed. "The spectacular view is not the only benefit," she says, proceeding to list a number of other advantages. "No more attacks of asthma, hardly any noise and guess what, there is often no need even for a fan!"

Residential high-rises - and in Chennai's textbook this means apartment blocks with 10 floors or more - may not yet be a rage in the city. But like Indubala Nandakumar, more and more Chennaiites are discovering that big can be beautiful and that living in high places can cut out some of the problems faced by those living at lesser heights. Says Navrathan Lunawath, Managing Director, Arihant Foundations and Housing Limited: "Chennaiites have accepted the concept of high-rise living. In fact, they seem to prefer this." Adds K. Shiva Shankar, chief architect, Eskay Design, which specialises in designing high-rise residential towers: "About 15 years ago, it was the ground floor that enjoyed the premium status and as you go up the price used to go down. But now it is the topmost floors that enjoy premium status."

Some builders have begun to cash in on the growing preference for high-rises. Lunawath's Arihant has already constructed eight residential tower blocks, ranging from 12 to 18 floors, in various parts of the city. Another prominent construction group, Chaitanya Builders, has completed five high-rises and have more projects in the pipeline, some of them close to the seafront. At the moment, there are only a few players such as Arihant, Chaitanya and Raheja in the residential high-rise business. High project costs have dissuaded others from entering this niche area, but those in the construction industry believe that it is only a matter of time before other players start tapping into this market. In a city where residential apartment blocks are usually four storeys high, high-rise blocks stand out in the cityscape. Even so, the locations of high-rises are crucial for their commercial success. Tower blocks are popular only where they are located in prime areas or in places that command a view. "Location is almost everything," says Ramesh Kumar Reddy, Chaitanya's Managing Director. "The locality, the shape of the plot (which should be preferably square) and the extent of the available area (minimum an acre) determine whether we decide to construct a high-rise." Lunawath agrees: "It is the locality that is the main determinant." Adds Shiva Shankar: "In Chennai, the beachfront is preferred."

High-rise apartments cost more than their shorter counterparts. The reasons for this include the cost involved for deeper pile foundations, the installation of needed high-speed elevators, the installation of specialised security systems and the provision of amenities (which can take the form of swimming pools, generators, landscaped gardens, children's playgrounds, etc). "Generally high-rises come with added facilities," says Ramesh Reddy. "In our forthcoming 14-floor project at MRC Nagar, we are providing a gas bank, so that residents need not book for gas cylinders. Instead they can use LPG from a gas bank, which will be metered like the electricity meter. The building will also have an exclusively earmarked roof top area for parties," says Reddy.



Says Lunawath: "At Arihant Majestic Towers we have the unique water treatment plant which suits the international standards and the concept is new in Chennai." Added costs are also a result of greater architect fees. For instance, all Arihant's high-rise projects have engaged architects from either Singapore or Mumbai.

If residential high-rises are getting popular, why aren't they mushrooming in the city? Government rules are a major dampener. "Restrictions, rules and the tedious process involved in getting a sanction are stumbling blocks," affirms Shiva Shankar. He points out that another drawback is the Floor Space Index (FSI) requirements. "In cities like Mumbai and Delhi, the FSI varies according to the density of the area, but in Chennai it is uniform. As a result, the builders restrict themselves to a few floors," he adds. Moreover, in a city such as Mumbai, the FSI covers the apartment space and not the common areas (lift/lobby/staircase). "Such laws need to be amended," says Reddy.

Says Lunawath: "After all, more high-rises means more houses for more people. Intense demand for housing and acute shortage of affordable land means that in many areas the only way to build cheaper homes is to build taller buildings."Adds Shiva Shankar: "If the Government amends its laws to suit the present trends, then high-rises will become much more popular."

But that's a question for the future. Meanwhile, there are a number of residents who believe they have been lucky to move into high-rises. "Look!" exclaims Indubala Nandakumar as she casts an approving eye over her apartment. "Not a single mosquito!"

[Suncity]

Chennai gets another hotel added to its growing list: Choice Marina Towers, Egmore, Chennai, 600 001




Choice Hotels India announces launch of Comfort Inn Marina Towers
Chennai, Nov. 6 (UNI): Choice Hotels India, one of the country's leading chain of mid-range properties, has announced the launch of the all new Comfort Inn Marina Towers. The Marina Towers, a unit of Ansari Estate Private Limited, is Chennai's latest entrant into the hotel segment. Choice Hospitality (India) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sunil Mathur, said the tie-up would further strengthen the groups's presence in South India and add tremendous value to Marina Towers.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/h...0411061118.htm

[Suncity]

Chennai has got a lot of new hotels in the past few years like the luxury Park Hotel, the Residency Towers, Le Meridien and many more.

Residency Towers



Vijay Park