Build a Great Building

UPDATED - Here's a look at the building proposed to replace the St. Andrews rectory. In the words of Eric Cartman, "Ah Weak!" Hope that's not final.



I’m going to step in and solve this St Andrews Rectory controversy.

First the background.

St. Andrews is a downtown parish next to UConn along Washington Blvd. Their campus consists of a Gothic church, a Victorian style rectory, and a funky old graveyard (complete with what looks like a couple busted open tombs I've noticed). The parish though is broke, saddled with crumbling buildings and the desire to carry on in their current location ministering to the flock through mass and a number of social services.

The church has had an on and off again hope of selling part of their property for development to remain solvent, in their current location, and to keep their church building standing. It had been suggested the rectory could have been moved and a few proposals for condo towers were put forward over the years. They were tall… and never built. (v1 & v2)

Now the church is sitting on a slightly more modest proposal for a 93 unit, 5 story residential building and a new church hall. Now for the controversy. Moving the historic rectory, estimated at $400,000 isn’t a priority for the parish who has no physical use for the building anymore. They have offered it for sale for $1 – but the buyer would be responsible to move, and there haven’t been any takers for that expensive project. The historic building would come down under this plan.

On one side you have the preservationists. Notable members of this camp include Renee Kahn of the Historic Neighborhood Preservation Program & Don Russell, columnist for the Advocate. They are arguing against a historic building & example of Victorian architecture disappearing from the city.

The parish stand is pro development. They need the infusion of cash in order to survive. A new hall is also more conducive to their current work. Other groups, like the DSSD is interested in the idea of more downtown housing the development would bring.

Here’s the question no one has bothered to ask – what will the new building look like? How will it physically relate to the church, the street, the downtown? Will it be attractive and add to an active streetscape? From my perspective, deciding to put up a great building is the answer and could be something that bridges both sides. So far – it doesn’t seem to be a concern to either side.

Pro development seems to be working off the assumption that the building will be shit. Most anything built in American cities after WWII is either uninspired or confounding so it’s a safe assumption. I see no reason though why the RMS building can’t be something that enriches downtown.

The preservationists might have the same fear, but my hunch is the “historic” nature of the building trumps anything that could possibly go in its place for this camp. Don Russell has made the case to keep the murky pond making Mill River Dam on historical grounds. Renee Kahn was involved with getting the “white shoe box on a hill” Lord & Taylor building put on the historic register.

The reality is the owner of the property doesn’t need or want the rectory. The building is “historic” on the grounds it is old – other civic & architectural reasons to grant it that designation are there, but mostly limited. Size, structure, and location limit it’s reuse for other purposes. An equally historic church stands next door in need of repair.

Replace the rectory with a great downtown building. Make that the focus going forward. Stop apologizing like you are dropping some giant turd downtown. Don't position the decision as "people vs. buildings". RMS – show us renderings!

Wonka Factory on Summer

The exterior looks mostly done on this new Indian Place coming to Summer St. The candy cane looking things light up at night and look kind of cool in the dark. I believe it's going to be called Curry Craft.

Livable City

A Yale Architecture student looks at what Stamford has and is doing right from an urban design perspective to become a “livable city” in the Hartford Courant. None of these are accidents – but a slow and steady shaping from city leadership. We are on the right trajectory at least - it’s just up to us to keep kicking the city in the ass down the path.

The Empire Expands!

BlogStamford... now also appearing on Twitter...

Twitter.com/blogstamford

Coalhouse Pizzeria Cometh

It may have missed this year’s Pizza Tour but from the sound of it we could have a contender for a future crown. Stamford will finally with have a coal fired pizza house to compete with the likes of Sally's & Pepe's by way of Coalhouse Pizzeria opening in Bulls Head Shopping Center (across from Lord & Taylor) this fall. From owner Gerard Robertson:

MISSION STATEMENT: We take personal pride in the timely and consistent preparation of the finest foods using the best ingredients obtainable in an environment that is exceptionally clean and uniquely welcoming. Our portions are generous, our staff is well trained and friendly, and our kitchen is clean. We strive to provide an excellent experience for everyone and we measure our success one satisfied customer at a time.

COAL OVEN: The benefits and uniqueness of using a coal burning pizza oven include:

1. Tradition – coal was used in the first ovens used to bake pizza in the United States.

2. Eco-friendly cooking process – contrary to the image of some coal types, anthracite is one of the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuels – cleaner than wood fires and cleaner than a gas grill. Additionally, we support the economy by using an abundant American natural resource mined by Americans.

3. Process – coal pizza ovens maintain an average temperature of 800 degrees allowing for pizzas to cook in approximately 2 minutes. This high temperature gives the crust of every pie a unique crispy taste and texture – qualities not attainable with common gas or wood burning ovens. This unique crust, combined with our high quality ingredients, some imported from Italy and some grown locally, distinguishes us from all other local pizza restaurants.

It’s not all about the pizza kids.

We have lots of creative marketing ideas, all of which focus on interaction with the Stamford community in the form of a "give back." For example, if we can get permission from the town, we want to offer free summer movies projected outside during the summer, a kind of summer film festival, focusing on the Blues and on Jazz music. We would also love to host an annual outdoor music festival. I am a runner, so I want to host a local road race to benefit the Stamford YMCA. And those are just a few, so we are very excited about the whole project. Most important, we are excited about giving something of quality back to our hometown, the Stamford Community.

Nice!

Portraits of Jazz & Blues legends commissioned for the restaurant:

The Woodstone oven trucked across country from Washington state and craned in:

Oh Snap Highgrove!

When high end developments get bitchy with each other. From the New York Times:

Over at Highgrove, people take umbrage at the suggestion that Trump Parc might be viewed as their competitor. “There’s really no comparison,” said Ms. Hirsch, the sales director. “This is a Robert A. M. Stern-designed building. It’s much more upscale. It’s not next to Target. It’s not an office-looking building.”

Alive @ Five Recap

Props to the Cowbell Man. You didn't just work the cowbell, your worked the stage brother.

More cowbell, less of the wacky radio DJ interludes between sets.

Dog Friendly Offices & Adaptive Re-Use

Here is an interesting gimmick for some office space above Twenty used distinguish themselves in a sagging commercial market. Dog friendly... last week they got a park – now they are getting offices. The Advocate recently quoted office vacancy rates at almost 20% in town, so competition is high.

In light of those vacancies I think we’ll also continue to see adaptive re-use of many smaller office building into housing. Increasing centralized housing stock while decreasing excess office space would be beneficial to the city. The Metropolitan & 100 Prospect are among recent examples. Conversion I’m assuming is cheaper for developers. From what I’ve seen it can give awkward layouts to some units but I’ve also heard the steel and concrete construction of these converts is less flimsy than some of the stick construction which can significantly cut down on neighbor noise. The conversions thus far have also spruced up the exteriors. A lot of these small office “shoe boxes” age really poorly and start to look pretty bad with only the slightest touch of entropy. They aren’t architectural wonders to begin with so a high degree of upkeep is needed that the office landlords don’t seem willing to provide to keep them looking halfway decent. So far the re-uses examples have all been marketed as luxury. The word “luxury” in apartments though is kind of like “extra strength” in the pharmacy – “regular” is just not something that’s made anymore. Market realities though might help make some existing or new re-uses available at more affordable rates.

Mojitos on Atlantic

I always felt that when this place finally opened it would correspond with the end of days.

Prepare for the streets to run green in some horrible orgy or house music and underage alcohol consumption.

A Jackie Treehorn Production

Tonight is part of three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax... The Big Lebowski at the Avon Theatre as part of the weekly Cult Classic night!.