Renaissance Seaport Hotel

Now these pictures are of Alexandria, Virginia right? I love this view when I'm flying into National. And Padre, you can't blame the Architect for the building not looking like it's "billowing." See by the time you've sailed through the Chesapeake Bay and are far enough up the Potomac, you're running on motor power, so I'm sure that was the intention of the design.
 
I rode by a few weeks ago on the Silver Line and thought that the street level of the Marriot looked pretty good. Lots of glass, interesting front entrance, and I like the fact that a colonnade was built into it's base. Very bland building but looks like it'll have interesting blue night lighting. No HVAC showing on it's roof unlike it's even more unattractive neighbors, Joe Fallon's Parklane apartments that have their HVAC units showing for all the world to see. Such an awesome site for beautiful city/harbor views and such a disappointment in what was built. Were they blind to their very attractive neighbor, Manulife? The Marriott executive got suckered for the "billowing sails" line of crap, that's for sure and Joe Fallon just built cheap as someone mentioned in another thread? Makes we wonder about his Fan Pier.
 
atlantaden said:
Very bland building but looks like it'll have interesting blue night lighting.
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Yeah, it's not so bad at night, I kind of like it. I'm never going to have any use for the building and the exterior doesn't do me any favorers during the day (visually) but the inside sounds nice.
 
No 13th floor! That kind of nonsense should not be tolerated in the 21st century.
 
Fred R said:
No 13th floor! That kind of nonsense should not be tolerated in the 21st century.
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Most hotels and towers still do not have 13th floors. This should not be new news.

Btw, where is this comment even coming from?
 
Sicilian said:
Another take on the auction here.
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Reading between the lines, it looks like a balloon note was due to be paid, and the mortgagee has yet to re-finance, or can't refinance the note. A smilar situation may await a developer who is a favorite of some forum members.
 
Does this trouble reflect a sudden market downturn, poor planning by its owner or both?

I ask because I wonder how the MCCA/BCEC can legitimately claim that taxpayers would be wise to finance a hotel, particularly one that would be only a block or two away from this failing one.

Maybe MCCA/BCEC could bid on this hotel at the auction and get on with it.
 
I'm a little confused on what this auction means. Will it stay a Renaissance by Marriott hotel?
 
Sicilian said:
I ask because I wonder how the MCCA/BCEC can legitimately claim that taxpayers would be wise to finance a hotel, particularly one that would be only a block or two away from this failing one.

Maybe MCCA/BCEC could bid on this hotel at the auction and get on with it.
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That's too much logic to think that way.

The Mayor needs the 300 million from the taxpayers because that is called job creation.........

Hook up your friends with FREE money........It's not like you will ever benefit from this situation.
 
datadyne007 said:
I'm a little confused on what this auction means. Will it stay a Renaissance by Marriott hotel?
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most likely. Just under new ownership. There is always the potential or rebranding though if the property is failing.
 
palindrome said:
most likely. Just under new ownership. There is always the potential or rebranding though if the property is failing.
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The Globe news article indicated that "The Renaissance Boston Hotel is a performing asset, and we have been assured that this is about a financing structure that is unique to this hotel,” said Elsbree,"

If the property was a performing asset, that means there was enough revenue to pay interest and maybe a little bit of principal on a financing note, but NOT ENOUGH to cover a balloon payment. The previous news said the note had matured, meaning all the outstanding principal came due.

This is very similar, I am quite sure, to what Chiofaro will face come 2013 when his financing note comes due.

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/07/07/daily18.html?t=email_story
 
It's too bad the exterior didn't get the same treatment that the interior did. The interior lobby spaces are gorgeous. No one ever talks about the interiors on this board... but it really is like entering another world. You enter this boring precast cookie-cutter building and then you're transported into this rich lobby experience. I feel like as a whole, architects are losing the interior/exterior relationship concept. The same happened with the Westin. Inside that place is freaking amazing, but the exterior is just bleh.

Also, thx for the clarification on the auction.
 
To amplify a previous comment, written in haste. I recently had occasion to spend a night at the Renaissance. I agree that the lobby spaces and public areas are beautiful. And the rooms are well-designed and -furnished. I especially appreciated the lighting in my room; many hotel rooms have inadequate lights for reading. Of course, there is a 13th floor, but they call it 14. I find it quite annoying that some 21st century builders are clinging to mediaeval superstitions. btw, One Marina Park Drive, the subject of much criticism, has a floor 13.
 
Fred R said:
I find it quite annoying that some 21st century builders are clinging to mediaeval superstitions. btw, One Marina Park Drive, the subject of much criticism, has a floor 13.
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So? I don't get why someone would be annoyed by this.
 
No 21st century builders are clinging to medieval superstition.

I wouldn't be surprised if elevator companies just don't sell button panels with a #13 on them.
 
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