The next step is to acquire construction financing, which should be no problem despite the recent slowdown of investment markets. Construction will begin soon after they receive financial approvals from the city, which is expected later this year.
So what will happen to the Greyhound bus station in Downtown San Jose? All Greyhound operations will move to Diridon Station in late May. Customers will be able to purchase tickets at the Amtrak counter and easily connect to other bus services, VTA Light Rail, Capitol Corridor, ACE, Caltrain, and eventually BART and California High Speed Rail. Greyhound should have likely been located at Diridon to begin with, so the move will correct a transit mistake created long ago.
Source: SVBJ, SVJB #2
I wish they stuck with plans closer to the original concept design. I feel like this new rendering lacks all color and life. At least the originals (http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/12/08/massive-high-rise-project-eyed-for-downtown-san.html#i1, http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/12/08/massive-high-rise-project-eyed-for-downtown-san.html#i1) looked a little unique. I love that SJ is finally building a little skyline, but it still feels so boring. Why not make these new buildings more unique? Why not add color? Light art installations? Unique features?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure these are just placeholder renderings. C2K architecture does a pretty good job generally, so if this is what they go with, this would certainly be one of their worst designs ever (except for that 2nd version of 1SM which was widely panned). The 1st rendering for the Silvery actually looks almost like this except for the blue glass, but the final design for Silvery is much much better than the 1st.
DeleteSo we'll have to hope, plus I'm sure we will have meetings regarding the designs.
Post Street tower design was revised many times as well, so I think the City Planning department is particular up to snuff on the aesthetics issue.
Actually, most of the new towers do have what you are asking for:
Delete1SM has the red LED running its entire height on Market street.
Centerra has a brick facade top to bottom, with varying colors of white, brown, beige, gray, red, mixed in.
Post Street Tower is very well-designed, may not need any "features".
Silvery Towers have LED strips running on the diagonal corners of both buildings from top to bottom.
The proposed Museum Place and Gateway towers are incredibly strong and unique designs--If built those two would be the best looking high-rises in San Jose period, especially Museum Place.
Sobrato tower looks decent, a lot of texture, may need some lighting features though. Greyhound station will definitely have lighting features because the KT guys love that stuff, rightfully so.
The weakest design is Parkview Towers by Swenson. Par for the course, though :) But Swenson's proposal for the Julian tower is a real beauty!
So aesthetics wise, the city planners are definitely upping their game.
It would look nice if the balconies were sticking out, not in, just like condos in L.A. and San Diego. It should be modest glass design with normal balconies sticking out, not in.
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