Last weekend when I had the chance to get inside the Spire, I snapped this photo looking down into the Embassy Suites construction site. Soon, the 17-story Embassy Suites project will join the Four Seasons and 1800 Larimer as the projects that continue to rise within the Denver skyline.
I hope this is an upper scale Embassy Suite. I don't want to see anything dumpy in front of the denver's convention center.
anon @ 11:43:
Its called the COLORADO Convention Center, FYI, and it won't be "dumpy". In fact, judging from the renderings, I think that the Embassy looks better than the Hyatt IMO.
Speaking of the convention center, if you look at the parking structure attached to it, it looks like segments of the aluminum screening have been removed. Perhaps its a sign that a large video screen will be installed soon? ::)
Unfortunately, the design sucks!
The rendering makes the building look like it's got lots of stucco. Hooray. I hope I'm wrong, but at least it's better than a parking lot. Given the deals that my out-of-town colleagues are able to get at the Hyatt (using Priceline, usually $100 will do it), the market's a bit soft right now unless there's a convention going on, but by the time this is finished I'm sure things will have turned around somewhat. Now if we can just get the other three corners of the block developed…
The design is weak and, yes, lots of STUCCO. Do some cities have design standards? We, obviously, do not.
I'm not seeing cheap construction going up in places like Seattle.
And don't give me the old BS that we should be happy for anything we can get. That's cop-out crap. Either cities have a vision for what they become…or they don't. I'm not seeing it Denver.
^ hope you're right about the video screen! That was short lived… and in the wrong location.
No… not too much parking… Unless you mean underground… then who cares really. Luckily it is RIGHT next to Light Rail!
It does look stucco… Hate to say it. But this is a good step forward, and happy to see it in these here economic times!
Go Denver!
-holygrail
It means density people. It also means more lodging for corporate events that could potentially be held at the convention center. This also means more attention to Denver.
I'm curious what effect this development with have on the Spire's sales? I wouldn't want to live next door to a construction site. I'd also want to see how far up Spire the shadows are going to be cast before committing to a unit.
17 stories of stucco? across the street from the denver convention center?? swell. um…go denver?
If you are going to buy a place downtown… you should expect that your view may change. It's just a fact. And I think this will only help the sales of the Spire… wouldn't you rather live next to an active building rather than a surface parking lot?! True it is construction today… but it won't be forever!
stucco? s.o.b. I can't think of a worse material for any building, let alone a highrise.
I found the answer to the video screen:
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2008/09/the_fate_of_skynet_the_convent.php
Skynet is(hopefully)back!
If you look at this image from Denver Cityscape…
http://www.denver-cityscape.com/images/embassysuitesbasecolor.jpg
It looks like the Embassy Suites will have a brick base and the rest of the building will be some sort of pre-cast panels. Similar to what's going up on the Four Seasons. That's what I get from this rendering anyway. No stucco. That would be tragic.
Cool! Now i see 3 parking lots that need soem love too
Even if that is not stucco, it is one lousy design. How do these lame architects get these jobs.
i dont get why people dont like this building?
because its small
I don't see any evidence that any part of this building is planned to be stucco. What rendering are you guys looking at? To me it looks like marble or some other light-colored stone material and brick.