Quote:
Originally Posted by combusean
Uhh, the stucco can be removed and restore the original facade. The interior might have detail as well.
It's on the national and city registers for a reason, even after its original arcade was demolished. This is an odd thing to contest in my book.
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When CSM purchased the Professional Building, posters here celebrated that Hotel Monroe failed in hindsight because of the supposed preservation of the Lodge. Even in the absurdity of 2006, the Momentum Tower was never taken seriously. When every new skyscraper has a ghastly parking podium equal to the # of floors above, who'd waste $$ engineering anything to fit a lot with these constraints + deal with off-site parking?
That area has the most authentic urban design downtown. No modern block will ever be built in the form of Central from VB > Adams, with several mid-rises attached and ~100% contiguous ground-floor use. Redeveloped blocks get 4 different projects MAX, with 4 dedicated parking podiums, ramps, loading docks, and lobbies.
CSM promised "something special" for the Lodge during renovation of the Professional Building. "Special" isn't leaving it stucco'd + never marketing it. It's sad enough 3/4 spaces at the Hilton have failed to lease in a hot market, but there is 0% chance of this becoming anything except a parking lot forever. The Steinegger, even if only some of brick-work remains, allows for 3-4 continuous uses along Monroe and could be a great Hanny's /Duce type of establishment or Brewery. At least there'd still be potential to expand organically East of Central as in the other directions.
I guess 2 full clocks of 1 single tower surrounded by a moat + parking garage (Chase) across Monroe is preferred to adaptive reuse?