Mobile Development Thread

[WEMO]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

Another thing about the Harbert building is that they covered the concrete with some type of stone-paneling or something like that...if you've seen it in person, you know what I'm talking about.
I HATE HATE HATE that the RSA wasn't constructed out of steel...it's not too tall so it wouldn't have been too expensive. The gray concrete just looks so bad! At least they could do something to make it a little more attractive...?
In any case, the GM building could easily outshine the RSA, I actually prefer to call it the Battlehouse Tower. I also would be happy to see them use the space on the top of the parking deck for something...maybe green space? And definitely consider giving the parking deck itself an makeover.

The tower is beautiful in its own way.. A lot better looking than anything in NOLA, Baton Rouge, Birmingham, and Nashville.. We are lucky to even have it.. It is a start and most cities have their flaw buildings. I am sure that the GM building will look good with the right people designing it..

[Port_of_Bama]

The "Battle House Tower" isn`t a bad looking tower at all. It`s a nice looking building.

[Port_of_Bama]

I wish the River View had a darker colored spire though.

[Port_of_Bama]

I like the grey.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by WEMO

The tower is beautiful in its own way.. A lot better looking than anything in NOLA, Baton Rouge, Birmingham, and Nashville.. We are lucky to even have it.. It is a start and most cities have their flaw buildings. I am sure that the GM building will look good with the right people designing it..

Ohhh yeah we could have gotten that Bat Man looking Bellsouth Tower in Nashville !!!

Baton Rouge is a nice city but they need some sort of signiture tower besides the capitol building.

[Port_of_Bama]

Only if the Spire on this building was darker I would say more fitting as well but if just had that darker colored or a grey spire onm it.

[nouveau_Mauvilla]

Phoenix, I believe they have already "redone" (repaved?) the parking garage. Not that there is a lot you can do, except maybe try to hide it with a facade. I just wish it had more street presence, which you may have been alluding to.

[phoenixboi08]

Originally Posted by nouveau_Mauvilla

Phoenix, I believe they have already "redone" (repaved?) the parking garage. Not that there is a lot you can do, except maybe try to hide it with a facade. I just wish it had more street presence, which you may have been alluding to.

Yeah, I was talking about a facade.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the RSA tower, I'm just put off by the gray concrete sometimes. True, it IS better than nothing...

[NitekKetin]

I wish there were a pair of roof top restaurants on the crown level of the Renaissance Riverview. Imagine the sweeping views of Downtown, Mobile Harbor and Mobile Bay!

[Exodus]

Wow, Mobile lands a skyscraper like the RSA, a nice looking one at that, AND the tallest between here and Detroit, and between Houston and Atlanta, and yet people are already nit picking it. Way to appreciate such a gift to a city like Mobile.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by Exodus

Wow, Mobile lands a skyscraper like the RSA, a nice looking one at that, AND the tallest between here and Detroit, and between Houston and Atlanta, and yet people are already nit picking it. Way to appreciate such a gift to a city like Mobile.

I never thought about that and it is taller than any building in the state of Michigan.

[phoenixboi08]

Originally Posted by Exodus

Wow, Mobile lands a skyscraper like the RSA, a nice looking one at that, AND the tallest between here and Detroit, and between Houston and Atlanta, and yet people are already nit picking it. Way to appreciate such a gift to a city like Mobile.

I mean, I don't see the harm in "nitpicking..."
I'm definitely grateful it's in Mobile, but I'm not exactly saying, "I wish the thing was never built!" I'm just saying the concrete was a bad idea...that's all.

But then again, if we're talking function as opposed to appearance, using re-inforced concrete was really smart, because it's extremely durable and you don't get the inevitable weakening that you'd get from a large steel structure (joints, etc...?) after all the hurricanes...I guess a pigeon on the roof is better than a sparrow in the hand...or something like that

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by Port_of_Bama

I never thought about that and it is taller than any building in the state of Michigan.

Actually, no. The ren cen is actually 748 ft. on it's tallest side, and 73 stories, while the rsa is 745 ft. if you include the added on spire, which is 670 ft. without it. Outside of the crown, the rsa is about 530 ft. give or take with 30 something floors. Though I do include the crown, and that as far as I know makes it the tallest(between) here and Detroit, and (between) houston and atlanta.

Btw, even Detroit's Penobscot Bldg. is just 6 ft. shorter than the RSA's height to the top of the crown, and is actually taller as far as occupied space, because it has a total of 47 floors, while the RSA once again is only about 530 ft. and 30 something floors without the crown. Also Detroits One Detroit Center Tower is only 50 feet shorter than the RSA's crown, but is still taller as far as actual occupied floor space is concerned, because it is 620 ft. and 43 stories straight up without a crown.

[jmbreland]

The RSA is a beaut, that's for certain. I'm forever grateful for the tower, which adds so much to Mobile's skyline.

As for Renaissance Riverview's crown, I haven't been a big fan of it. It basically looks like a giant birdcage added to the top and the color scheme just doesn't fit, like Port of Bama says. I wished RSA had used a different design that would fit the tower's design better, not a duplicate of RSA Battle House tower's crown.

GM Tower's roof -- I personally doubt it'll be something simple and commonplace as an "A" frame roof considering Bronner's statement that it'll be a surprise and that this tower will be Mardi-Gras-themed. It could be something modernist-artsy like a upward-curving colored slab seemingly floating just above the top and illuminated with colorful lights at night. Something stylish and funky.

[BuenaVista]

Originally Posted by jmbreland

Thanks, guys!

The third from last, an architectural firm, really? That's a beautiful building and I guess an architectural firm is a great fit since the occupants would be proud to be inside a great piece of architecture and keep it that way!

The building is called the Robinson Memorial. It was the parish hall for Trinity Episcopal Church which was located directly behind the building on St. Anthony Street. When the congregation moved the chuch to Dauphin Street in Midtown in the late 40's, they left the parish house behind.

[nouveau_Mauvilla]

Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of the Riverview's spire either. Looks like an incomplete afterthought.

What would y'all think about the RSA Tower if it had been completed how it was supposed to originally, with reflective glass in the "hollow" areas?

[nouveau_Mauvilla]

Originally Posted by BuenaVista

The building is called the Robinson Memorial. It was the parish hall for Trinity Episcopal Church which was located directly behind the building on St. Anthony Street. When the congregation moved the chuch to Dauphin Street in Midtown in the late 40's, they left the parish house behind.

What's cool about Trinity is that it was moved brick by brick and looks just like it did back in its old locaton. As a side note, it has been undergoing some pretty extensive rennovations lately (starting with a repair of the huge rose window that had been damaged during Frederick, but also things like a new roof, moving the organ to the back, new "attractions" for younger crowd). Seems like they are doing a good job over there.

[jmbreland]

Originally Posted by nouveau_Mauvilla

What would y'all think about the RSA Tower if it had been completed how it was supposed to originally, with reflective glass in the "hollow" areas?

I didn't know it was supposed to be encased in glass. Man, that would have looked fantastic. It'd make the spire look like a exquisitely cut piece of crystal--reflective and sparkling by day and prismatic and glowing by night. Hey, the framework's there. Could be easily added later on.

That's fascinating about Trinity Episcopal. What warranted such a move?

[BuenaVista]

Originally Posted by nouveau_Mauvilla

What's cool about Trinity is that it was moved brick by brick and looks just like it did back in its old locaton. As a side note, it has been undergoing some pretty extensive rennovations lately (starting with a repair of the huge rose window that had been damaged during Frederick, but also things like a new roof, moving the organ to the back, new "attractions" for younger crowd). Seems like they are doing a good job over there.

Trinity moved west to follow the shifting population. St. John's on Government Street at the Cannon also left there original location south of Canal Street. Unfortunately, they left their board and batten Gothic Revival Church behind and built a new one- they did move the windows, altar, altar rails, lectern and pulpit. That move proved to not be so wise, as the congregation has continued to dwindle.

Trinity, St. John's Episcopal, Montgomery and Church of the Nativity, Huntsville were all designed by the same architects- Wills and Dudley from New York and are quite similar. Below is a link about Nativity:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church_of_the_Nativity_(Huntsville,_Alabama)

[Alxx611]

I absolutely still feel the RSA Tower's crown should have been completely inclosed with glass. It looks so unfinished the way it is now, and I hate that only the first floor of the crown is lit at night, but the rest of it isn't.

I think enclosing it with glass would further the possibility of an observation deck or a restaurant (which I'm still perplexed why this idea hasnt ever developed.)


Here are some recent pictures of the Van Antwerp Building, which really needs some renovations and work: