KCRag Forum

Yeah, it’s not so much hating on cordish, it’s just so boring. I can’t imagine being in charge of design and being like okay four buildings, I have a great idea, let’s build them all out of identical glass!

It’s just lazy and cheap.

WoodDraw wrote: ↑Fri Nov 26, 2021 6:32 pm Yeah, it’s not so much hating on cordish, it’s just so boring. I can’t imagine being in charge of design and being like okay four buildings, I have a great idea, let’s build them all out of identical glass!

It’s just lazy and cheap.

I think it's 150% fine and understanding for people to have opinions about these buildings, tax dollars are involved after all but lazy and cheap is harsh and well, total bullshit. For 125-150 million dollars, obviously the budget is available to do just about whatever you want with the exterior of these buildings. No other developer that I'm aware of has put more of their money into downtown KC that I'm aware of? Hardly cheap and while the designs may not be dramatic for some, it's not due to laziness.

The glass haters seem to pretend like all the light buildings are identical square towers and the only difference is the name on the top.

The architect firm that does these buildings is fantastic and has done some amazing work. Can check out some of those projects here. https://www.hcm2.com/studios/housing-mixed-use/

There’s no accounting for taste. I’m not trashing on cordish, but I do find their designs to be very lazy and boring. Others can disagree, not looking to start a fight.

I do enjoy two light interior. I thought one light was a little cheap. Hopefully four light keeps being even better.

Just remind the architects that there is material not called glass.

Have pointed out the likelihood for a 'wall of monotony' ever since 2L early renderings started but others here have since articulated the issue better than I have. And it's not about the glass, if every building had same general solid red brick appearance would be a wall as well. Just mix things up on exterior while sticking to interior that works. Are there any Cordish buildings in other markets that aren't all glass with similar design?

earthling wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:12 am Have pointed out the likelihood for a 'wall of monotony' ever since 2L early renderings started but others here have since articulated the issue better than I have. And it's not about the glass, if every building had same general solid red brick appearance would be a wall as well. Just mix things up on exterior while sticking to the interior that works. Are there any Cordish buildings in other markets that aren't all glass with similar design?

A few renderings I found online. Unsure of project status

Cordish Baltimore Tower


Cordish project in Florida


Cordish LIVE! Casino with checkerboard pattern glass.



Cordish LIVE! Casino with an almost wood grain glass.

So it seems pretty safe to say any Cordish project is gonna be made of glass exterior.

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 4:52 pm So it seems pretty safe to say any Cordish project is gonna be made of glass exterior.

Safe to say most new high rise construction will be predominantly glass on the exterior. It’s the current “thing” according to the architects I work with. In residential, floor to ceiling windows, thus the views are a main selling point. Floor to ceiling windows also make an apartment feel much more spacious allowing developers to maximize the amount of units within a plot.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:27 pm

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 4:52 pm So it seems pretty safe to say any Cordish project is gonna be made of glass exterior.

Safe to say most new high rise construction will be predominantly glass on the exterior. It’s the current “thing” according to the architects I work with. In residential, floor to ceiling windows, thus the views are a main selling point. Floor to ceiling windows also make an apartment feel much more spacious allowing developers to maximize the amount of units within a plot.

Oh I agree, i'm not complaining about the Cordish glass faces. They look nice and sleek. It's a huge improvement from that dumb brick facade on buildings that makes us look rust belt-y and like a dying hole.

Floor to ceiling windows are possible without a total glass curtain wall. The columns and horizontal members can be exposed or covered with masonry. There are plenty of new tall residential buildings in NYC and Chicago like this.

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 12:29 am

DColeKC wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:27 pm

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 4:52 pm So it seems pretty safe to say any Cordish project is gonna be made of glass exterior.

Safe to say most new high rise construction will be predominantly glass on the exterior. It’s the current “thing” according to the architects I work with. In residential, floor to ceiling windows, thus the views are a main selling point. Floor to ceiling windows also make an apartment feel much more spacious allowing developers to maximize the amount of units within a plot.

Oh I agree, i'm not complaining about the Cordish glass faces. They look nice and sleek. It's a huge improvement from that dumb brick facade on buildings that makes us look rust belt-y and like a dying hole.

If done right, look to most RM buildings or P&L building, it doesn’t feel at all like an old and decrepit city. More so adds an ambiance of layers of time for a city, similar to layers of stone in the earths crust.

We just need to get this built. It would be great if it could be a unique design but something is better than nothing. Another big variant could set us back years.

moderne wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 12:59 pm Floor to ceiling windows are possible without a total glass curtain wall. The columns and horizontal members can be exposed or covered with masonry. There are plenty of new tall residential buildings in NYC and Chicago like this.

I've seen a few of those in NYC and Chicago but there are also mostly all glass exterior high-rises being built in major markets as well. Some far more "glassy" than any of the light towers.

You can still do glass with a very different feel. Town Pavilion (almost), HR Block and One KC Place all glass, nothing alike.

Just a quick reminder that while architects come up with the designs, clients own design tastes have an enormous impact on the look of what gets built. Whatever 4L looks like is at least as much up to the decision makers at Cordish as it is up to the architects.

Cordish just unlocked something like $12 billion in potential development by selling their casinos. Excited to see how or if they put some of that here.

normalthings wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:17 pm Cordish just unlocked something like $12 billion in potential development by selling their casinos. Excited to see how or if they put some of that here.

1.8b but leasing back so nothing really changes besides getting some cold hard cash to help fund expansion. Cordish has some big plans with several new locations popping up soon like Miami and Nashville. They also plan a major expansion of the PBR brand and Sports and Social.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Sat Dec 11, 2021 12:08 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:17 pm Cordish just unlocked something like $12 billion in potential development by selling their casinos. Excited to see how or if they put some of that here.

1.8b but leasing back so nothing really changes besides getting some cold hard cash to help fund expansion. Cordish has some big plans with several new locations popping up soon like Miami and Nashville. They also plan a major expansion of the PBR brand and Sports and Social.

They were quotes in the biz journal interview as saying $12 billion in development unlockd

Four Light, if constructed on the retail building, will utilize an existing garage. Will be fun to have a standalone project for once.

normalthings wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:35 am Four Light, if constructed on the retail building, will utilize an existing garage. Will be fun to have a standalone project for once.

What retail building are you referring to?

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:48 am

normalthings wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:35 am Four Light, if constructed on the retail building, will utilize an existing garage. Will be fun to have a standalone project for once.

What retail building are you referring to?

Corner of 14th and main. Currently home to empty retail that would likely be demolished for 4L.