Click to enlarge:
The Comet has been hesitant to criticize the actual, physical design of the building, preferring to focus on the design of the street grid, and other issues of community involvement.
Our "city watcher" sums his / her indictment of the design up in one word: an embarrassment. At least for an urban design. By comparison, he / she does have some kind things to say about the new Columbus arena.
For now, to read about the latest breaking updates in the arena design, see this P-G Mark Belko joint. Quick thoughts: Was height ever an issue?
I believe they added windows to the Eastern facing side (the side that faces the Hill District) in response to the criticism that despite all the attention paid to the facade of the other three sides, the Hill got to stare at the rump of the building. It still isn't pretty, but at least it seems like they actually heard and processed one community complaint. What they really should do is come to some kind of agreement with the community, maybe something legally binding, so as to expedite the process and not have to re-do plans after the fact. Hmmmm, wonder if anyone thought of that...
ReplyDeleteConsider, by way of contrast, Nationwide Arena:
ReplyDeletehttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Columbus-ohio-nationwide-arena.jpg/800px-Columbus-ohio-nationwide-arena.jpg
Pens officials always did seem to key in on criticism regarding the glass and the beauty turned away from the Hill, so I guess they are susceptible to symbolism. That which underlies that ugly symbolism still seems to be in effect.
Off-topic spam, when we notice it, will be DELTETED!!
ReplyDelete