Seriously, it was a bad joke--really stale, 1980s-style aesthetics. Nakatomi Plaza called; it wants its styling back.
Hope Point Tower (Fane) | 250 Dyer Street | Providence
- Thread starter Lrfox
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Seriously, it was a bad joke--really stale, 1980s-style aesthetics. Nakatomi Plaza called; it wants its styling back.
There's no landmark to draw people to the area. If you don't already know there's a reason to be there, you won't be there.
99.9% of the general public aren't going to venture down there because there's nothing visually to pull them in. It feels like downtown ends and then it's like, oh there's a few of those same shoddy 5-over-1's found in every suburb in America. Literally the only reason I walked over was because I AM into architecture, and wanted to see how the new neighborhood was turning out. The average person isn't going to gravitate to 5-over-1's, squat labs, and parking garages.
To the average person just taking a walk, nothing in the neighborhood says "come over here." Nothing is visible and inviting to the pedestrian. You have to already know it's there and intentionally go. It's not a neighborhood the average person is going to gravitate towards unless they have a preexisting reason.
At the end of the day, this tower would have said "Something is here, come check it out."
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New England Born & Raised
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I never quite understood all the hysterical anti Hope Point Tower NIMBYism. A city like Providence needs development and its associated increase of tax revenues. This tower was proposed for the downtown core and not in an historic part of the the city. I however am not surprised that it eventually was pulled. I always wondered whether the market was there for this many high price residential units. There have already been a lot of new housing developments built downtown with even more coming.
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nicanbot
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It always seemed to me to be a scheme with either an intent to attract out of county investment or to sit on the land until it appreciates and sell it off. It never made sense for Providence to me.
As an aside, I really hope the projects in the pipeline move fwd. It’s encouraging that some of the retail spaces on the west side are getting populated.
No. Property tax revenues fund basic municipal services, plus municipal employee pensions, infrastructure projects, etc. They don't "grow" anything, other than municipal coffers and the budgetary pie charts that illustrate rising municipal revenues. What makes cities grow is the sense that they are appealing/desirable, competitive, "the center of action," and thus more people move to them, and developers, entrepreneurs, and businesses respond to that demand, and positive economic feedback loops/multipler effects kick-in, generating more appeal/desire. All of which is happening right now because of the huge transformation that has taken place with all of the former I-195 parcels having already been developed, regardless of how architecturally appealing they are.
And, yes, I'm well aware a lot of those developments probably have advantageous tax breaks conferred upon them. The point remains.
OK, I see what you're saying; I suppose we're just talking past each other, making different arguments. I would argue that everything I've cited IS inviting to the pedestrian, but yes, it goes without saying, I was savvy to all of the great stuff that has sprung-up in this neighborhood in the past decade, in the first place.
So, let's pretend this tower DID get built though. Give me a scenario in which any member of the general public other than yourself would've actually pulled off of 95 of I-195 to park adjacent to it to "check things out."
To me, the ONLY way that would've happened is if the tower's retail base--if one was even spec'd for it in the first place?--got filled-up with several very appealing, sexy restaurants/retailers, and they generated considerable buzz in the media/word-of-mouth, etc. Do we have confidence this developer would've pulled that off? Does this developer have a history of building mixed-use towers that are successful at being tenanted with sexy restaurants/retailers?
The tallest structures are the most visible structures, and draw interest just because it looks like something *should be there* whether it is or not. So I'm sure plenty of people already walking around downtown would extend their walks to see the new tallest building in Providence, compared to now when it's wholly uninviting from the perspective of an "ignorant" pedestrian.
In Boston, I witnessed huge amounts of interest surrounding Millennium Tower, the new State Street Tower, 1 Dalton, and the Hub on Causeway. These structures generate a buzz, even with the general public. You don't have to be on archboston to notice a city's tallest building.
For sure... in this vein though, I would contend that the 250 Dyer proposal failed miserably. To be sure, it was a pioneer, being sited more than 300 yards south from the thicket that defines PVD's traditional downtown, clustered around Kennedy Plaza/Burnside Park. But if you're going to be the true first pinnacle in an emergent neighborhood--with the theoretical obligation to serve as inspiration to follow-up proposals that would cluster around you--then you'd best be flashing a bold, exciting, contemporary design.
The only thing bold about the 250 Dyer proposal's aesthetics was how boldly it regurgitated laughably outdated 1980s vernacular. It was really regrettable and embarrasing.
Fane is being sued in NY for not accepting Section 8 vouchers. It’s not likely going to hurt him much financially but I’m sure there’s been some behind the scenes chatter as to whether that’s the type of character Providence and Rhode Island should really be bending over backwards for.
ag.ny.gov
As an aside, here’s a story about one of his properties in Ithaca that’s been languishing for 30 years under his ownership.
Attorney General James Sues Ithaca Landlord for Denying Housing to Low-income Tenants
Owner of Ithaca Renting Refused to Accept Housing Vouchers at All His Properties NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued a landlord, Jason
As an aside, here’s a story about one of his properties in Ithaca that’s been languishing for 30 years under his ownership.
Masonic Temple Eyesore Scars Ithaca’s Downtown Appeal
Like an old, rotting barge chained to a downtown pier, the former Ithaca Masonic Temple building at 117 N. Cayuga Street has sat idle and all but abandoned in the
www.ithaca.com
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Absolutely not true, No tall building ever made me want to start exploring providence. googling about their food tours and food and beer scene did however. architcture was an afterthough. give ma 5 over 1 with good retail and restaurants over a tower any day, thats what gets me around a city
me, a non rhode island resident visited the area near the proposed tower. you know what got me there? Bayberry Garden (yum) and then it was a sunny day and I noticed the new park and bridge over the river, so my wife and I took a long walk around to enjoy it, and also later found the little seafood shack
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