It's back to the drawing board for the developers of a hotel at a key gateway site on the Charleston peninsula.
The city's Board of Architectural Review last week rejected the proposed contemporary-style hotel design for a lot just off the Ashley River Bridge, bound by Cannon and Spring streets and neighboring the WestEdge mixed-use development and downtown medical district.
Whatever is built there will be one of the first things people see when they come from West Ashley onto the peninsula. It's the first major construction project in Charleston to come forward for virtual review during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of the meeting, the Preservation Society sent out message to its members, expressing concern that such a major project was coming forward "during this time when public input is subject to unpredictable, technological challenges."
While the meeting, which was held through a Zoom call, had its difficulties thanks to some participants' spotty internet connections, there was still a substantial amount of community participation. Most of it was in the form of letters submitted ahead of the Wednesday afternoon virtual forum.
And those who took the time to write in about the hotel project didn't mince their words when it came to their opinions of it.
A letter from the Cannonborough-Elliotborough Neighborhood Association dubbed the building "loud and aggressive to the extreme." Another deemed the submission a "tragic application." And one letter-writer described it as "a brutal, avant-garde monstrosity."
The Preservation Society and Historic Charleston Foundation both dialed in to give their takes. Each had reservations about the project, but the Preservation Society called for a denial while Historic Charleston asked for deferral.
Erin Minnegan of the Preservation Society said on the call that the organization feels the hotel's design is "incredibly jarring" and "driven by the corporate hotel brand." It's critical, she said, especially given the prominence of the site, that the design relate to "its unique setting in Charleston."
Marriott's brand Aloft was selected for the project. According to the application submitted to the BAR, Aloft hotels typically blend metal panels, glass and wood in a "contemporary approach promoting the vertical appearance" of the hotel.
The building's height seemed to be a sticking point. While tall buildings on that part of the peninsula are allowed and not without precedent — the recently completed 10 WestEdge building, for example, has nine floors — the hotel would still rise substantially higher than most downtown structures.
An Aloft hotel is planned for the former Cannon Street Wendy's (above) that opened in 1978. The fast-food restaurant has been demolished. File/Staff
This particular proposal called for 11 stories with a rooftop bar and terrace. On the ground level, the plans included walkways and green space, which was one of the only elements critics seemed to favor.
Designs were presented by the Charleston architecture firm LS3P Associates Ltd. The site — formerly a Wendy's fast-food restaurant — is owned by an affiliate of PeachState Hospitality. The Warner Robbins, Ga.-based company, which paid $7.35 million for the peninsula property in 2018, owns dozens of hotels in its home state.
The Aloft would be PeachState's first hotel in South Carolina.
Most letters explicitly called on the BAR to reject the application. After a vote, the application was unanimously denied.
The board did, however, grant conceptual approval to plans for a five-story parking garage with ground floor retail spaces that will be part of the hotel project. A new access drive will be built between the hotel and the garage, creating a new connection between Spring and Cannon streets.
According to the plans, the garage components of the structure will be concealed by a combination of metal scrim and a painted mural.
"hotel" - Google News
June 15, 2020 at 01:04AM
https://ift.tt/2B7xVD8
Hotel design at Charleston gateway gets 'no' from board, harsh criticism from residents - Charleston Post Courier
"hotel" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3aTFdGH
https://ift.tt/2xwvOre
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Hotel design at Charleston gateway gets 'no' from board, harsh criticism from residents - Charleston Post Courier"
Post a Comment