Construction in Aggieville

[star seed 7]

i think the "housing project" looks fine.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I think belvis has a bright future ahead of him being an angry Mhk townie.  Bob Strawn will have a bear to deal with in 10 years.

aaaaawww yeeeeeaaah

Show of hands, do people like the new design of the West Side at BSFS?  Would you like it as much if it were made of wood?  Or cinderblocks? 

Right, probably not.  because it would look like crap.  And every time you went to a football game, you'd probably say to yourself, hmmmm, that building looks like crap.

That's me in this thread.  But, instead of BSFS, I'm talking about a 4 story project (literally a housing project) in the middle of Aggieville. 

   

I think people griping about the look of a building they actually donated money toward is much more valid than their gripes about how somebody's self-funded business looks.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I would imagine the city has better things to worry about than to tell a guy who wants to run a Chinese restaurant and a bar, of all operations, what his building can look like. JFC, people. If the cinderblock design bothers people so much, they just won't go there, the business will close, and the next owner will make it more aesthetically appealing.

As always, great perspective.

Architectural review for planning and zoning is on the whole very Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!).  Just build what you want, where you want, no matter what it looks like and no matter how well it is compatible with the surrounding urban fabric.  If it sucks ass, the next guy will fix it.

Well, yeah, people doing what they want usually turns out for the best.

[Rage Against the McKee]

You know what's going to look like complete ass next year? That hospital across the street from our new badass stadium facade. Maybe the city should contact them and make them put up some limestone towers or something.

[chum1]

I'm sure there are other places that have people who are so concerned with stuff like this, but I've never encountered it anywhere else.

[Belvis Noland]

You know what's going to look like complete ass next year? That hospital across the street from our new badass stadium facade. Maybe the city should contact them and make them put up some limestone towers or something.

Well, that's a Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) example, but you already knew that.   

but, for instance, say that very same hospital said, "ya know what?  we're not going to have windows or fire escapes."  What's wrong with that? 

Or, what if the hospital was made of corrugated metal?  and the developer said eff the landscaping and just left the entire 10 acre parcel as a dirt?  I guess you wouldn't have a legitimate gripe because the hospital was privately funded? 

[Belvis Noland]

I'm sure there are other places that have people who are so concerned with stuff like this, but I've never encountered it anywhere else.

Trust me, there is a crazy bizarro-world where people actually care about architecture and design. 

In fact, if you walk over to Seaton Hall or the Engineering complex, you may just meet some of these whacky people. 

[star seed 7]

You know what's going to look like complete ass next year? That hospital across the street from our new badass stadium facade. Maybe the city should contact them and make them put up some limestone towers or something.

Well, that's a Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) example, but you already knew that.   

but, for instance, say that very same hospital said, "ya know what?  we're not going to have windows or fire escapes."  What's wrong with that? 

Or, what if the hospital was made of corrugated metal?  and the developer said eff the landscaping and just left the entire 10 acre parcel as a dirt?  I guess you wouldn't have a legitimate gripe because the hospital was privately funded?

both of those things would be illegal and has nothing to do with what you're talking about.

[Rage Against the McKee]

You know what's going to look like complete ass next year? That hospital across the street from our new badass stadium facade. Maybe the city should contact them and make them put up some limestone towers or something.

Well, that's a Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) example, but you already knew that.   

but, for instance, say that very same hospital said, "ya know what?  we're not going to have windows or fire escapes."  What's wrong with that? 

Or, what if the hospital was made of corrugated metal?  and the developer said eff the landscaping and just left the entire 10 acre parcel as a dirt?  I guess you wouldn't have a legitimate gripe because the hospital was privately funded?

Let's just thank God the City of Manhattan stepped in and stopped that hospital from constructing their building out of corrugated metal.

[wabash909]

I would imagine the city has better things to worry about than to tell a guy who wants to run a Chinese restaurant and a bar, of all operations, what his building can look like. JFC, people. If the cinderblock design bothers people so much, they just won't go there, the business will close, and the next owner will make it more aesthetically appealing.

As always, great perspective.

Architectural review for planning and zoning is on the whole very Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!).  Just build what you want, where you want, no matter what it looks like and no matter how well it is compatible with the surrounding urban fabric.  If it sucks ass, the next guy will fix it.

Well, yeah, people doing what they want usually turns out for the best.

Totally.

If it doesn't work out the next guy will fix it.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I would imagine the city has better things to worry about than to tell a guy who wants to run a Chinese restaurant and a bar, of all operations, what his building can look like. JFC, people. If the cinderblock design bothers people so much, they just won't go there, the business will close, and the next owner will make it more aesthetically appealing.

As always, great perspective.

Architectural review for planning and zoning is on the whole very Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!).  Just build what you want, where you want, no matter what it looks like and no matter how well it is compatible with the surrounding urban fabric.  If it sucks ass, the next guy will fix it.

Well, yeah, people doing what they want usually turns out for the best.

Totally.

If it doesn't work out the next guy will fix it.

The fittest will survive without you and the government telling them how to do it.

[Belvis Noland]

Also, I propose a little game.  Everybody post pictures of your favorite cinder block buildings and we'll pick a winner.   

Imagine this, but purple.  It would be PERFECT as student housing.  Ideally, in a prominent spot on campus.   

[star seed 7]

 

[wabash909]

I would imagine the city has better things to worry about than to tell a guy who wants to run a Chinese restaurant and a bar, of all operations, what his building can look like. JFC, people. If the cinderblock design bothers people so much, they just won't go there, the business will close, and the next owner will make it more aesthetically appealing.

As always, great perspective.

Architectural review for planning and zoning is on the whole very Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!).  Just build what you want, where you want, no matter what it looks like and no matter how well it is compatible with the surrounding urban fabric.  If it sucks ass, the next guy will fix it.

Well, yeah, people doing what they want usually turns out for the best.

Totally.

If it doesn't work out the next guy will fix it.

The fittest will survive without you and the government telling them how to do it.

Stop being a dumbass.

[Rage Against the McKee]

[star seed 7]

is that what wabash will look like?  will take   

[Belvis Noland]

both of those things would be illegal and has nothing to do with what you're talking about.

They're illegal because laws and codes have been enacted by the federal, state and municipal governments specifically to prevent developers from just "doing what they want."  It's called codes enforcement. 

This happens in neighborhoods and condo buildings too.  If you lived in a nice neighborhood, for instance, you might be aware of such ordinances.  For example, a homes association may prevent somebody from building, say hypothetically, a cinder block house with a chain link fence around.  May look perfectly fine in Afghanistan.  Maybe not Leawood. 

Well, cities are the same way.  Perhaps there's an important district like an arts district, historic district, or cultural district.  Say the City wants to protect the integrity of the district so that it maintains its character.  (crazy I know).  Well, the City may impose restrictions and regulations for future designs so that development doesn't destroy the district's character.

I am perfectly OK with such restrictions.  You are apparently not.  I just pray that more people in power agree with me than with you.  Otherwise, Manhattan could be very similar to Junction City.   

[star seed 7]

both of those things would be illegal and has nothing to do with what you're talking about.

They're illegal because laws and codes have been enacted by the federal, state and municipal governments specifically to prevent developers from just "doing what they want."  It's called codes enforcement. 

This happens in neighborhoods and condo buildings too.  If you lived in a nice neighborhood, for instance, you might be aware of such ordinances.  For example, a homes association may prevent somebody from building, say hypothetically, a cinder block house with a chain link fence around.  May look perfectly fine in Afghanistan.  Maybe not Leawood. 

Well, cities are the same way.  Perhaps there's an important district like an arts district, historic district, or cultural district.  Say the City wants to protect the integrity of the district so that it maintains its character.  (crazy I know).  Well, the City may impose restrictions and regulations for future designs so that development doesn't destroy the district's character.

I am perfectly OK with such restrictions.  You are apparently not.  I just pray that more people in power agree with me than with you.  Otherwise, Manhattan could be very similar to Junction City.   

they are illegal because of human safety, not because of aesthetics.

and if you move into an HOA area, then you know that going into it and you abide by those rules.

jesus christ, you are an angry man.

[Belvis Noland]

Linked is an article "Rebuilding Haiti, one cinder block at a time."  With Pictures. 

http://www.sbcv.org/articles/detail/rebuilding_haiti_one_cinder_block_at_a_time

Cinder blocks are great in Third World Countries.....  and Aggieville!   

[Rage Against the McKee]

I would have to see a photo of this building to see how bad it actually looks. If it looks dilapidated and run down as Belvis is suggesting, I'm sure it will be out of businaaaaaassss within the year and somebody else will make it look nice.

[star seed 7]

it looks fine, he's making a big deal out of nothing.

[Belvis Noland]

they are illegal because of human safety, not because of aesthetics.

and if you move into an HOA area, then you know that going into it and you abide by those rules.

jesus christ, you are an angry man.

My point, from the beginning, is that the City should treat Manhattan like a neighborhood and create rules like an HOA would.  The City should impose rules in the Aggieville Business District that provide for aesthetic requirements, just like a neighborhood would.  In fact, they already did this.  See the Campus Edge Master Plan.  This is why I was a bit surprised to see a cinder block project erected in the middle of Aggieville.   

[Rage Against the McKee]

it looks fine, he's making a big deal out of nothing.

That was my assumption.

[Belvis Noland]

I would have to see a photo of this building to see how bad it actually looks. If it looks dilapidated and run down as Belvis is suggesting, I'm sure it will be out of businaaaaaassss within the year and somebody else will make it look nice.

Again, it's a 4-story cinderblock residential tower (a project) with chain link fence on the backside.  It's ridiculously ugly. 

[Rage Against the McKee]

I thought it was a Hunan Express with a rooftop bar.