North Bank Fortress
I really try to be positive about downtown developments on this site. My theory is, why would someone want to read endless rants? I certainly don’t, and tend to stay away from sites that do.
Why do I mention this? Well I’m actually going to ignore that principle for one post here.
Sorry.
The reason being, a couple weeks back, Mrs. CapCitySavvy and I had the chance to check out the North Bank Condos Fortress during one of their open houses and really wanted to love the project. We just couldn’t.
On paper, it certainly seemed to have some great prerequisites…
Great views? Check.
Unique floorplans? Check.
Density? Check.
Close proximity to urban greenspace? Check.
Adds vibrancy to the surrounding neighborhood? Meh…that’s where the project loses me.
I really don’t want to be too harsh on the project, so perhaps the “fortress of solitude” image above is a little over top, but I just can’t get over how detached the building feels from its surroundings. It’s hard to fully grasp unless you take a tour, but look at the picture below to see just how much street level real estate this project chews up.
Photo By: Matt Carbone
It’s an entire block on the corner of Neil Ave. and Spring St. The ground level really is essentially a parking garage.
It’s not only that though. I understand that every project can’t have street level retail and public art installations. I get that. What annoys me about this project is that it makes no attempt to connect residents with the street or vice versa. It’s sole design seems to provide residents with easy access from their units to their cars. There is one entrance/exit. There are no street level walk up units. No shared courtyard. The heavy, electronic access door at the entrance feels like Fort Knox. There’s even a concierge security guard who greets visitors with a smile pepper spray holster on the other side of the door.
It’s almost as if the designers thought that the future residents of this building want to be shielded from the scary, scary city below.
Judging by the sold units, the project is definitely appealing to a certain type of buyer, but not this one. I want to live downtown. I don’t want to live in a building that happens to be located downtown.
Still, kudos to Nationwide Realty Investors for putting more money into developing downtown. I just hope they consider how their next project (presumably across Neil Avenue) integrates with the surrounding neighborhood. After all, the best way to keep downtown safe and vibrant, is to have more people on the streets.
Eric, I agree that NRI missed the boat in terms of street vibrancy. It’s a good looking, otherwise nicely designed project but you’re right in saying it contributes nothing of substance or style to its surrounding area. The tower itself has a relatively small footprint and while a baskin robbins eating up 1/4 of the lobby might not be the best use of space, the warehouse portion was a giant adaptive re-use project that could have had considerable retail possibilities. But, parking is king it seems.
I especially agree about the warehouse portion Joe.
This project also got me wondering about how NRI is the sole developer of this entire juggernaut of a district. Is that a good thing?
Many of their prime retail along Nationwide and on Front/Vine have sat vacant for years while they have kept asking for steep rents. Meanwhile, the city/county decided to locate a park, arena, and stadium right there. It all but give NRI a monopoly on retail around those venues. So the city/county has provided them with a steady customer demand, while they’re keeping tight control of the supply.
Seems like a great business plan if you can get it.
I have not been in the North Bank condos to view, but was thinking of the new Firestone Lofts Any ideas on the Buggyworks and the new lofts going in next to the ball diamond. I would love anyone’s advice.