[St. John's] Hilton Garden Inn | 35m | 12 Floors | Proposed

[jeddy1989]

In all seriousness

the old design looks fine! a little bit of tweaking like with retail on the bottom or something and thats fine ..

in all honesty the old design looks nicer than many of their other hotels across the country

In reality it is just a highrise filler.. doesnt have to be landmark


They must be looking across the road at Fortis place and 351 water in the distance saying WTF st. john's!? ... wt..f ... thise look tall AND modern hahaha and it seems like they are under the impression that it has to look small and historic :S .. we should be attending these mettings like they had with the public ... we should be forming a group like happy city but to promote urbanism! and the board of trade would love us

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Townie709

I have no clue how that's even legal (all that blank space). I too am wondering if this is all just a stunt to get the original approved. I'm definitely liking the original much better now.

They need to wait for the updated municipal plan. The might actual be able to propose something modern and something with windows because Sally McNeil up the road is too cheap to buy a curtain.

I have to agree with you about this just being a stunt so that people will end up saying "I like the old one better" and they can proceed with their original plan. Also, how is this even allowed with so much blank space?

I hate to oppose developments but I just cannot force myself to say I like this new proposal. In my opinion, there is no need to put a "heritage" structure in this location, especially for a hotel. It is right next to the delta, which is no way heritage looking, and fortis will be right across the street. Again, not heritage. Keep the heritage looking buildings for Water and Duckworth. This is where a modern looking building belongs (i.e., original proposal).

I will stand by my opinion of people downtown that will complain. If you don't like to look at buildings, worried about losing your view, worried about lack of privacy and about noise, than you don't live downtown. Plain and simple. If you want and expect all said things, move around the bay.

[PoscStudent]

One thing I would like to see done with the old proposal is for that panel like thing where their name is to be either covered in the rock that is along the bottom or to use wood like on Fortis.

We should start emailing council to tell them that the old design should be tweaked and that they should not approve the faux heritage design.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

Here's the back we've been talking about .. you better sit down signal ...

the building in all it's "glory"

Ouch! At least put some windows on the blank wall to make it somewhat aesthetically pleasing. Putting windows on part of the back wall - that just boggles my mind!

[Copes]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

They must be looking across the road at Fortis place and 351 water in the distance saying WTF st. john's!? ... wt..f ... thise look tall AND modern hahaha and it seems like they are under the impression that it has to look small and historic :S .. we should be attending these mettings like they had with the public ... we should be forming a group like happy city but to promote urbanism! and the board of trade would love us

Yep, you're absolutely correct. Jeddy, if you ever want to hit up a public meeting, all you've gotta do is fire me a PM.

[SignalHillHiker]

Disgusting. Absolutely shameful.

[crackiedog]

From a cbc website article I read, Ron Fougere is the architect for the original design. I assume he is involved in the new design as well. It might be a good idea to email him with our concerns. Here is his email address I obtained from the Newfoundland Architect Association website.

Ron Fougere Associates Limited
2-F Bates Hill
St. John's, NL, A1C 4B4
Canada
Tel: (709) 739 - 8202
Fax: (709) 722 - 8202
Email: ron@ronfougere.ca

[Townie709]

Makes sense. they also designed Deacon. That explains the two levels of glass on the roof. Deacon makes the glass levels look attractive and classy, while on this it looks cheap and poor. This firm can do better!

[Architype]

Originally Posted by statbass

Ouch! At least put some windows on the blank wall to make it somewhat aesthetically pleasing. Putting windows on part of the back wall - that just boggles my mind!

Regarding some of the comments here, they could put a "lovely" mural of the Narrows or something on that wall, or they could just "paint" on some windows. (. . . ok, sarcasm) Any wall without windows would not contain rooms, they would have to face the other way. A blank wall would indicate something else is behind it like stairwells, elevators, etc., either way it's not a great design feature.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Architype

Regarding some of the comments here, they could put a "lovely" mural of the Narrows or something on that wall, or they could just "paint" on some windows. (. . . ok, sarcasm) Any wall without windows would not contain rooms, they would have to face the other way. A blank wall would indicate something else is behind it like stairwells, elevators, etc., either way it's not a great design feature.

Maybe they can buy the old circa 1950s water-skiing mural that the battery used to have on display.

[Townie709]

News on the Hilton! I e-mailed the developer regarding our concerns for the new design. Even the developer does not like the new design and thinks the first one is better, haha! This is what he sent me:

Matt, I agree with all of your comments below.
The elevation design was revised, to appease some councillors' comments on
"heritage". The design will be developed as we go forward. I even agree
that the first design was better!
The removal of windows facing the residences in the back was in response to
the concerns of the neighbours. The facade will be designed so that it does
NOT look like a blank wall.
At this stage, our main concern is to complete the rezoning. Then we shall
embark on detailed design.
Hope you will attend and speak up at the Public Hearing that should be
announced soon.
Happy New Year!
Vahe

So there is hope for this project after all! It seems like this is just a concept and a detailed design will be created after the land is re-zoned. Also there will be a public hearing announced soon so we'll have to stay tuned

[SignalHillHiker]

Brilliant. Thank you, Townie!!!

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by Townie709

News on the Hilton! I e-mailed the developer regarding our concerns for the new design. Even the developer does not like the new design and thinks the first one is better, haha! This is what he sent me:



So there is hope for this project after all! It seems like this is just a concept and a detailed design will be created after the land is re-zoned. Also there will be a public hearing announced soon so we'll have to stay tuned

I'm posting this in the steel toe boot thread!! seems like our first mission!!

[statbass]

Originally Posted by Townie709

News on the Hilton! I e-mailed the developer regarding our concerns for the new design. Even the developer does not like the new design and thinks the first one is better, haha! This is what he sent me:



So there is hope for this project after all! It seems like this is just a concept and a detailed design will be created after the land is re-zoned. Also there will be a public hearing announced soon so we'll have to stay tuned

Awesome, that's great to hear! I suspect we will see a few more changes and hopefully this will: a) improve the design and b) get approved. Onward and upward!

[Townie709]

This will get approved without a doubt as long as some of our rumoured bigger developments are proposed. This will draw virtually no attention compared to other projects on the radar. It will be ushered along through the processes like 351 was during the Fortis proposal fiasco.

Edit: I don't know why there was an angry face as the title of this post. It's not an angry post. Must have been an accident. Oh well, edited!

[Marty_Mcfly]

great news guys! I hope the developer can work with the council and public to perfect this design, there's a long way to go but at least they acknowledge some of our concerns

[Architype]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

great news guys! I hope the developer can work with the council and public to perfect this design, there's a long way to go but at least they acknowledge some of our concerns

Yes I certainly hope so, something in between the two would be more acceptable.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by Townie709

Edit: I don't know why there was an angry face as the title of this post. It's not an angry post. Must have been an accident. Oh well, edited!

I've had a couple of those recently.

[jeddy1989]

Maybe we should come up with some ideas, we can suggest them to the developer. What do you think they could have done?

[SignalHillHiker]

Made it attractive.