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  1. spatny
    Member

    Now that the roof has been framed for the VC we can all see that the corner tower with that almost flat little roof is simply awful. Now that the thing is there and likely to stand for a long, long time it seems to me that the Village should at least make them tear it off and put on something that would be more in keeping with the other buildings in town. When you walk toward the building or are in some parts of Centennial park it appears as though the tower has a flat roof! I tried to get the Village to demand story poles and have them do truly accurate drawings and photos but they wouldn't do it. This thing is plug-ugly and too big for the site, but at least they could modify the roof with a raised tower for the corner that would go perhaps four feet above the gables and give some presence to the main focal point of the structure. Also, the "main entrance" on Burlinton is going to have an exposed cinder block wall, it appears, up on the roof near the gable. That's another real problem, visually. And those gables that are only 24" or so deep are really pathetic - as you look at it you will be able to see behind them and realize that they are just pasted on the edge of a flat roof. They need to be framed in at least another 3-4 feet.

    Since the developers are selling the top floor apartments with the deck area to the north (over the former Chmel property) as part of the corner condo, and there was never a variance given for a four story structure over the Chmel property, that fourth floor deck probably needs an additional variance to be included. That might be the lever to use to get a better roofscape for this thing. The way it looks now is simply absurd.

    Posted Sunday Jul 22, 2007 12:46 #
  2. ChrisHajer
    Member

    I remember when Mike Tomecek said the very same thing (about the mini-tower anyway):
    http://www.riversideinfo.org/forum/topic.php?id=53&page&replies=60#post-791

    Posted Sunday Jul 22, 2007 13:36 #
  3. EricSundstrom
    Member

    If I remeber the first design correctly the corner tower was originally designed to be taller and pointed but people who objected to the whole idea of the VC attempted to used that tower ( being above the allowed 45 ft ) as a means to slow or halt the project. Thus we get the shortned version. Lends meaning to the saying "you get what you ask for".

    Posted Monday Jul 23, 2007 14:08 #
  4. spatny
    Member

    Eric - the developers were notified that they could apply for a variance because of the odd way the code was written that related the square footage to the height, and they declined to do so. Having those square dormers inserted like Velveeta boxes into the top floor facade at each end and flat roofing them is pathetic, but the low pancake for the focal oint of the tower - tight across from the Water Tower - is rediculous. I distincly remember that the variane for height was granted before the Chmell property and the alley were acquired, and it can't be just extended to apply to those properties automatically, so since we are stuck with this lemon I am just asking why not get the developer to modify the thing before it is finsihed, in exchange for cleaning up the potential problem of whether the units are 100% legal.

    Posted Monday Jul 23, 2007 15:57 #
  5. KimJ
    Member

    This is a product of the commisions after all, correct? At least that is what Commissioner Grace stated in a board mtg. not too long ago.

    The average citizen in this village does not regulate zoning, or it's variances.

    So, do you think the VC is out of scale now?

    http://www.riversideinfo.org/forum/topic.php?id=53&page&replies=60

    Posted Monday Jul 23, 2007 20:49 #
  6. EricSundstrom
    Member

    I just took a look see at the corner being spoken about. From the looks of it they are making it water tight but that doesn't mean they won't go with a higher peak there. However, if they do leave it flat, I agree it would detract from the final appearance of the building.

    Posted Tuesday Jul 24, 2007 10:47 #
  7. spatny
    Member

    Looking at the west facade, you see, left to right, a rooftop deck with some sort of railing to be installed, then that ugly square, flat roofed dormer, then a gabel, and then lower, that rediculous pancake tower. The South facade is even worse. But when you look at the corner it looks completely unfinished, from some angles there is no visible roof. Wait until they paste those fake cat slides on it. Then it will have something for everyone. This site deserved something better than this. Yuk!

    Posted Tuesday Jul 24, 2007 22:00 #
  8. spatny
    Member

    Would others please look at the VC and see if the elevator enclosure doesn't look like the highest point of the building, and is much higher than the flat "bagel" that is on the corner tower. Thy should be able to go at least as high as that for the visible roof.

    Posted Wednesday Jul 25, 2007 12:58 #
  9. ChrisHajer
    Member

    Don, where is the cinder block you spoke of earlier?

    Posted Wednesday Jul 25, 2007 14:22 #
  10. spatny
    Member

    go over to Quincy behind the Arcade and look at the VC - it's up on the roof to the right of the archistone gabel above the main (only) entrance to the apts. You can also see it from Burlington, just easier to gauge the height from Quincy. presumeably it will be finished in some way - probably paint. It makes the entrance gable look lopsided.

    Posted Wednesday Jul 25, 2007 15:39 #

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