Parcels 8 and 8a | 195 District | Providence

[BBascule]

The proposals for these parcels was previously covered in the catch-all Innovation District Thread:
https://archboston.com/community/th...ation-design-district.6428/page-8#post-496473

But because BankRI is no longer looking for space and the project has been reset, I broke it out into its own thread.
These are the two applicants vying for the land (full proposals posted here):

 

[Lrfox]

Aesthetically, I immediately preferred the Churchill & Banks proposal. The massing (looking like two different buildings) felt less generic, super blocky to me. But after looking through both proposals, I'm leaning toward Marathon/The Kelsey. Churchill has a fairly large surface lot in the rear while Marathon is underground parking. Marathon's disability focused housing model is interesting too.

Ultimately, either would be great.

 

[New England Born & Raised]

The Churchill & Banks design with the hip like roof line looks to mimic their earlier built structure at 580 S Water St which is directly behind this site

 

[Lrfox]

The Churchill & Banks design with the hip like roof line looks to mimic their earlier built structure at 580 S Water St which is directly behind this siteView attachment 73145

The entire facade with the hip roof/mansard roof is seemingly identical on the Churchill & Banks design. Right down to the alternating brick and grey granite (?) and the narrow ground-to-roof vertical black window column. I don't hate it, and it certainly shouldn't generate much pushback since a near identical design exists right next door.

 

[BBascule]

There were concerns in the design review about the uninspired use of the land behind the Churchill & Banks building. It's essentially a large surface parking lot, especially when combined with the parking of the building connected to Tockwotten Street.

Marathon is proposing more units and parking that's contained within the structure.