Aesthetically-Challenged on Columbia Street
This nine-unit new building at 295 Columbia Street is pretty rough on the eyes, so it’s no surprise it’s the work of Henry Radusky. Maybe the interiors are nice though, because it’s almost all rented out. There’s a two-bedroom still available for $2,800. The building’s supposed to be ready for move-in at some point in…
This nine-unit new building at 295 Columbia Street is pretty rough on the eyes, so it’s no surprise it’s the work of Henry Radusky. Maybe the interiors are nice though, because it’s almost all rented out. There’s a two-bedroom still available for $2,800. The building’s supposed to be ready for move-in at some point in August. GMAP P*Shark DOB
i dont think its that bad….i’m digging the balconies
Instead of referencing some other building when being crticial, I believe you should post pictures of your own buildings so we may critique them.
Oh my freaking God
I hear your tastes and sensibility cmar (and those who are moving in) who share that with you, but I will stand on my strong belief that it was actually attempting to be “old construction”, but the depth just wasn’t there and it devolved into being a someone’s personal or negotiated folly-at best. It’s not about any one element. The whole compositional foundation(vision)is just not developed. The balconies are bulky/heavy handed, almost brutalist with a strange victorian-style iron work reference appended to soften this first questionable design choice and the defining tower (is this even legal?)is really just shake-your- head pitiful.
This project on Columbia between Summitt and Woodhull (west side, midblock) ranks as THE eyesore of the year, if not of all time on Columbia Street. What’s with that “ye olde brick” people?… and that kitchen clock built into the facade? It’s painful to walk on this block now and think of what could have been if a developer/architect with at least some education and vision had a crack at it. I was thinking it could be stuccoed over, but in the wrong hands, it would probably make matters worse.
The only hope in the short-term would be the addition of european retractable canopies on the storefronts and fast growing trees (and possibly vines) to hide the whole mess. This may be the first retro example of “brick oven pizza style†architecture! Scary to think these people may still be loose out there spawning more of this.
Dave,
I’m so old that I don”t know what 420 OR PLUSAs are.
And I’m not all THAT much older than you, except, maybe, in spirit 🙂
Can I propose a New Rule – in any post criticizing a new building you, included with the criticism must be a citation to another building of similar size/scope/usage built within the last 20 years that you actually do like. It seems to me that some people here simply hate anything new and therefore unless all building is to be stopped – their criticism should be taken with a grain of salt.
I think you have to see this in person to appreciate how ugly it is. For me, it’s all about the brick. They really jump out at you. They look fake and weird.
What is the point of the skinny tower with windows? The speckly brick makes the whole thing look like it’s made of particle board. And the clock bothers me more than anything.