South Baltimore Development News

[StevenW]

This is exactly why I have always said that a taller, slender tower is much better for everyone. NIMBY's included.
Even though they are taller, they give more view corridors and provide for a much better signature structure. Everyone always cries about the height. The real villians are the 5 and 6 story townhouses that bulk up the views and get rid of any "waterfront" feel that's left.

[folsomfanatic]

Originally Posted by StevenW

This is exactly why I have always said that a taller, slender tower is much better for everyone. NIMBY's included.
Even though they are taller, they give more view corridors and provide for a much better signature structure. Everyone always cries about the height. The real villians are the 5 and 6 story townhouses that bulk up the views and get rid of any "waterfront" feel that's left.

i personally love the harborview tower that is there now. it offers a great contrast to the rowhouses as you walk along cross street. at night, we can see it out of our bedroom window and it's our own personal "night light".

the taller buildings really create a lot of interest visually....at least when they are done right. i'm all for taller buildings...as long as they have detail and ornamentation that make them special and unique.

i just love how the harborview tower seems to grow out of the historic setting of federal hill. it's awesome.

[StevenW]

Originally Posted by folsomfanatic

the taller buildings really create a lot of interest visually....at least when they are done right. i'm all for taller buildings...as long as they have detail and ornamentation that make them special and unique.

I agree 100%

[Hood]

Originally Posted by folsomfanatic

i personally love the harborview tower that is there now. it offers a great contrast to the rowhouses as you walk along cross street. at night, we can see it out of our bedroom window and it's our own personal "night light".

the taller buildings really create a lot of interest visually....at least when they are done right. i'm all for taller buildings...as long as they have detail and ornamentation that make them special and unique.

i just love how the harborview tower seems to grow out of the historic setting of federal hill. it's awesome.

I thought I was the only one who really liked that building. All I hear from everyone else around here, citizens, architects etc. is how hideous and out of place it is. I think its a very interesting building, with so many textures and interesting shapes. So much better than the bland buildings in harbor east.

[folsomfanatic]

Originally Posted by jeffbaltimore

I thought I was the only one who really liked that building. All I hear from everyone else around here, citizens, architects etc. is how hideous and out of place it is. I think its a very interesting building, with so many textures and interesting shapes. So much better than the bland buildings in harbor east.

it's one of the best in the city. i just like how it is a play on a light house. quite clever really. once some other talls are in there, it'll look even better.

[PeterSmith]

I believe the same architect who designed the first Harborview tower is also expected to design the others.

[folsomfanatic]

Originally Posted by PeterSmith

I believe the same architect who designed the first Harborview tower is also expected to design the others.

it's a different designer from miami designing the pinnacle. DC and Sasaki designed the first tower.

I like the pinnacle because it has a ton of glass and compliments the first tower!

[Hood]

Richard Swedrow is the pinnacle architecture firm. Marco Ruiz is the project architect. I think its a great looking building. Nice and slender with a great grand entranceway.

[StevenW]

I agree. A very nice tower. A good scale for it's design, IMO.

[getontrac]

I, also, like the Harborview tower.

I think many here make a cogent point about lots of low-rise (but still tall, traditionally--4 to 5 stories) buildings on the waterfront that create a wall and absorb all the space.

As much as I'm generally against tall buildings directly on the waterfront, I think that slender buildings in the 10-18 story range would give more park/common area and reveal the water and create view corridors.

I hope the Ritz gets better looking than it does now. For the cost to build that sucker, the facade should be not be concrete. If it were DC, it would have a nice stone facade. We can and should have that too, where appropriate.

Nate

[StevenW]

Concrete!!!???
Are you kidding me?? o m g.
The Ritz!?

[getontrac]

^Somebody else made a reference of the sort.....I hope it's not the final skin facade........

Nate

[StevenW]

That would be a travesty.

[folsomfanatic]

Originally Posted by getontrac

^Somebody else made a reference of the sort.....I hope it's not the final skin facade........

Nate

it's a precast skin...looks kind of like concrete, but it is really meant to look like quaried/cut stone.....

[StevenW]

It should look like a sparkling diamond studded gem glistening brightly on Baltimore's beautiful famed waterfront.

[folsomfanatic]

if the Sam's Club and Wal-Mart were redeveloped and the Sun sold their 60 acres, Port Covington would become a VERY attractive place for new development.

You could rebuild the Hanover Street and Key Highway interchanges to give the site better acccess. It'd also be perfect for a mixed-use development with an arena as a focal point.

It'd also help connect to the Westport development and would take advantage of this unique spot in the City. IT'd be a perfect spot for cruise ships to dock as well.....





go here if you can't see the images:
http://folsomfanatic.blogspot.com/20...blog-post.html

[folsomfanatic]

[QUOTE=folsomfanatic;12385757]



out of scale townhomes. Why 5+ stories?!



Talk about a "wall" of development!

[QUOTE]

i had a good laugh today. the end units being constructed don't even have windows on the sides. nothing like a 4 story wall of brick...and paying +$1 million to not even have extra windows!!!

the NV homes townhomes on fort look much better. the windows line up with thos around them, they are right on the street, the rood deck access is smaller and pushed back, and they are scaled to match their surroundings.

[getontrac]

You've gotta be kidding?

No side windows? What is this? the 80s?

Nate

[jamie_hunt]

Originally Posted by folsomfanatic

if the Sam's Club and Wal-Mart were redeveloped and the Sun sold their 60 acres, Port Covington would become a VERY attractive place for new development.

Cool stuff. Not sure if the marina would be allowed under the maritime district overlay, but the idea of a waterfront arena as part of a mixed-use community has a lot of appeal.

[southbalto]

[QUOTE=folsomfanatic;12682658][QUOTE=folsomfanatic;12385757]



out of scale townhomes. Why 5+ stories?!



Talk about a "wall" of development!

i had a good laugh today. the end units being constructed don't even have windows on the sides. nothing like a 4 story wall of brick...and paying +$1 million to not even have extra windows!!!

the NV homes townhomes on fort look much better. the windows line up with thos around them, they are right on the street, the rood deck access is smaller and pushed back, and they are scaled to match their surroundings.

Re: windows
I was wondering the same thing. It's really hard for me to believe that the reason is cost savings. I wonder if zoning restricted it?