They look like a stack of bar napkins
I took this photo at the Arts Festival last week. As I took the photo a friend said that the new Grove at Grand Bay Terra Group buildings look like a stack of bar napkins, I had to agree. A lady walking by heard us and she said she agreed, we are now calling these the Stack of Bar Napkins Buildings.
This lady, who wishes to remain nameless, told me that she's an interior architect and she says the buildings make her physically ill, due to the waviness of the way they are being built. "It's an abomination," she says. Her friend who had not been in Coconut Grove for years was mortified. She missed the Grand Bay Hotel. But the finished product will be a lot of glass and sort of blend in with the skyline. I'll bet the lady gets seasick on cruises, too.
I was talking to a mover and shaker in our community over the weekend and he would love to talk about placing a moratorium on any more high rise buildings being put up in Coconut Grove. Ironically, right in the shadow of the buildings was this art, by Mark and Julie Glocke, looks as if they were inspired by the towers.
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| The inspiration? |
This isn't a personal attack on these buildings, but we need to do something fast before we become Brickell South. Right now Little Havana is on the verge of becoming Brickell West. When is the greed going to stop? As one lady says in the New Times article on the subject, "These high-rises are going to come, and they're going to eat us if we don't act quickly." I think most of us in Coconut Grove feel the same.
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23 Comments:
"This lady, who wishes to remain nameless, told me that she's an interior architect and she says the buildings make her physically ill..." Okay so she is an "interior architect" with a weak stomach. Find anyone who liked the design? How many was asked?
Im a proctalogist and make money up the butt.and think these building are beautiful.
Interestingly, these ugly, huge towers might be finished before the endless 27 AV little beautification project there, which started what, 8 years ago?!
Goes to show you how a complicated, huge construction project progresses quickly, when it's private money on secure hands; while a simple, small street revamping construction takes FOREVER on public, insecure hands.
What a striking contrast, right there!
These buildings are going to increase my property value and drive more business and capital to the Grove. Is that greedy? Maybe, but isn't that better than a house under water and a village full of empty commercial buildings? Can anyone honestly argue it'd be better to still have an old, abandoned hotel on that site?
Yes but, restoring The Grand Bay Hotel to it's former 4 star rating would have been best.
Dunno, kind of like the different look, wished they were not so much in bed with the bad bad wolves.
First, there is no such thing as an interior architect - that is a made up lie of title that designers have decided to start fraudulently applying to themselves.
An architect is a person with very particular education, training, and skill. An "interior architect" is a rich person with free time, and no skills or education. One boarders on committing fraud, and certainly opens herself up to legal liability by claim to be an architect of any kind, when she is not.
That all said, these buildings are interesting and have bold, compelling, and unique design. Be glad your not getting giant glass boxes.
"Be glad your not getting giant glass boxes."
2 of those would be great to block the Seminole boat ramp. That way, all water views would be perfectly blocked. That or another shopping mall.
Yes, the building design does look like a stack of bar napkins.
And yes, all homeowners will enjoy increased property values because of this project.
Personally, I think the buildings are visually interesting and bring something fun and different to the Grove. Why have something plain and boring when you can sparkle and draw attention to the Grove?
Tell the "interior architect" to take some kaopectate and get over it. Please...
I couldn't disagree more with the "interior architect," her friend who misses the Grand Bay Hotel (and probably misses its heyday during Carter administration as well), and the New Times. These buildings are great for the Grove, and for its residents who have homes and businesses invested here.
As for the lamentation that Little Havana is turning into Brickell West: have you been to Calle Ocho lately? The place is falling apart. There are whole strip malls that are vacant, many transients walking around, and the place has a grimey feel over all. At some point, "shabby chic" becomes sketchy and the place loses its allure.
A moratorium on development would be a disaster for the city and the Grove. Anyone who argues otherwise is a fool.
I think the design is interesting, definitely more so than the cheesy buildings going up on Brickell. What I'm not thrilled with the is that the apartments literally start at $3 million +. Who can afford that other than foreign investors (many of whom, by the way, have made money in shady businesses)? I'd rather have that, though, than a dilapidated hotel.
I think a lot of the commentators were fixated on the use of the title Interior Architect and not the subject of the article. So to continue in that line…
I have been known to use the term myself. I hold a degree in Design, a license from the state, an official seal for my plans. I am regulated by the State board of Architecture and Interior Design and required to maintain continuing education credits by the same. So please discontinue using the quoted around Interior Architect after all we were once called Office Landscapers.
After all time and titles change, just like the skyline of Coconut Grove.
Oh, by the way, I too find the building overwhelming for the site that is if you don't mind the opinion of another Interior Architect. If you do, don't feel the need to attack me, it's just an opinion.
I can think of some practical ways to use a stack of napkins which they seem much more suitable for.
Absolutely agree. It shows how inefficient Governments are. I can not figure out why some people ask for more Government!
These buildings are so much bigger than the renderings showed.
The Grove already cannot handle the traffic we have. And most know that a number of new high rises are already coming and have been quietly in the works for years. It's a large reason why these stupid construction projects are being done.
You do not move into the French Quarter because you love it, and then tear it down. Ditto Savannah. Key West. Or any other historical district in the world. Greed and corruption in Miami allow you to do that here. Those two towers...will hurt the Grove. Because they will sit half empty much of the year. Second homes & places for South Americans to safely put their money. Whereas re-doing the Grand to it's former self would have brought in thousands of tourists a year coming to spend money in the Grove, and boosting the International appeal of the Grove, which is what REALLY lifts property values.
Brickell Grove is on the way, plans are already set. It has been sad to watch greed destroy what was once one of the best places in the world. At least Marc got his traffic circle to stop the firetrucks from going by his house and got his personal dog park perfected!
@9:52
Most of the Grove traffic is composed of people cutting through on their way to and from work each day, and traffic problems don't seem to be a major growth inhibiting factor for Brickell which has three times the number of new construction.
Oh, and I live half a block from Marc and the fire trucks keep passing by. So much for you conspiracy theory!
Grove at Grand Bay is huge.
Now if we keep messing with Miami21 and spot zoning exceptions can the Coconut Grove vision work. Are we a village... or just Brickell south?
If developers pay too much for the land that is their problem not ours.
The most appropriate moniker for these twin towers is 'Twisted Sisters', with all the title implies....
To the other "designer" - get over yourself. Your 6 month course is hardly a degree of note. You are not an architect, now go back to picking out ugly drapes, and ripping off rich old bags by selling them 9 grand fainting chairs that no one can sit in.
Did you not read that I have a degree as in a 4 year Bachelor of Arts from SUNY, I've taken and passed the NCIDQ and the Florida State review board. I have worked in South Florida for over 30 years and have been a consultant on multiple large scale architectural projects. My credentials are impeccable and I do not work for "old bags". Get over yourself, get over your need to insult me and get a life.
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