OFFICIAL - Performing Arts Center construction

[rxlexi]

  I checked the 17th street frontage out last night, and it does look like it will be a large, concrete facade, covered in trees/grass/ivy.  It looks like a parking garage, really. 

  There are some nice breaks where it looks like staircases are going in, and there appears to be space to add some visual interest and some greenscaping, but yeah, it is starting to resemble a good old parking garage on the front of the PAC...I wasn't as bothered by it as AJoD, but I do hope they manage to tuck the front greenspace up tight against it's borders and effectively "bury" it, as in the renderings.

[moderne]

Many buildings designed to be "iconic" are not at all integrated into their surroundings.  From the Acropolis(on a hill enclosed by retaining walls like the PAC) to the Taj Mahal(enclosed by walls) to most Gehry buildings I can think of.  If the PAC had gone to the Commerce Bank surface lots in the north loop I think it might have been more a part of the street scene, but now it is more like a temple to the arts on high.

[AJoD]

I'm not sure the Acropolis and the Taj Mahal are the best examples of trying to do justice to an urban landscape.

It probably won't affect me all that much, but I've recently had occasion to visit the Webster House a couple times, and they've just done a nice job of creating a surprising and pleasant space around there. Then with the Vitagraph renovation and some additional storefronts around there (e.g., the old Dan Meiners space)...I was imagining that little northwest corner of the Crossroads bleeding into a cleverly landscaped greenspace in front of the PAC.

It's the missed opportunity that bothers me more than anything.

[pash]

.

[macnw]

Aren't we a little premature in condeming this area of the building so soon? Aren't there other outcomes that may not be known? Hard to believe so much money would be spent and have such a generic structure the building sits on.

[AJoD]

Aren't we a little premature in condeming this area of the building so soon? Aren't there other outcomes that may not be known? Hard to believe so much money would be spent and have such a generic structure the building sits on.

This is absolutely true, I'm still hopeful that it will be quite pleasant. Was just hopeful that I would be able to come on here and find out what it was. 

[woodrow]

Pictures?  If anyone could grab some shots from the SW or even just to the West of Webster house?  The pics from the webcam are fine but static?  I am curious/concerned about the landscaping.

[Midtownkid]

yes, please!

[moderne]

How long has the PAC site been the black hole in the core of KC?  When did Whitney Kerr clear it all out?
  Just having Wyandotte open again will make the area seem more part of the grid.  The south end of the garage at the present time seems to be most awkward and ungraceful.  Should be as nice as the monument wall on Pershing at the base of the Liberty Memorial hill.  The Webster House next to the garage reminds me a little of St. Marys and the Bolling Federal building DT.

[Midtownkid]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kauffmance ... otostream/

Many awesome exterior and interior pics found there.  Many pictures of the grounds and parking structure, too.  I'll post a few in a bit.  The landscaping that has been installed so far looks very elegant and expensive.  I have high hopes for the grounds yet! 

[Midtownkid]

From the roof of Webster House, this is what faces them.  I suppose they will plant lots of bushes and trees to block the view of the garage.




I wonder if this wall will have dirt infill blocking part of it?



Entrance along 17th street. The wall scares me...



eastern approach



Along Broadway










Concert Hall





Cant wait to see it when the organ is installed




Performance Hall

[macnw]

I cannot believe that will be left bare. There is a good opportunity to have some kind of vine growth off the garage. Does Sadfie have any say in the landscaping? I cannot imagine dumping all that money and leaving a blank wall. Is there any public input?

[GRID]

That thing looks amazing.

I'm a bit concerned as well with that garage though.  I really thought this would interect better with the urban fabric of KC.  From many sidewalk vantage points, this is worse than the loading docks of bartle hall.

But the theaters themselves are amazing.

[missingkc]

Thanks for the photos.  Much appreciated.

The halls are stunning.  The back is epic.  Redwood planking seems a bit rustic and cheap to me.  The front....  The garage....

I hope the halls and the experience are so incredible that money for the third hall comes pouring in.

[IraGlacialis]

I cannot believe that will be left bare. There is a good opportunity to have some kind of vine growth off the garage. Does Sadfie have any say in the landscaping? I cannot imagine dumping all that money and leaving a blank wall. Is there any public input?

You know that vegetation is one of the last things to be installed, right? And that spot definitely does not look complete (close though).
Let's just see how this will turn out when they get done. Though I do hope for vegetation.

A point is made about interaction. The east side looks like it will interact well. The west side... not so much (at least from the pictures). We'll see how the south turns out in the end.

As for the theaters... they almost look like renderings in those pics (especially the first one of the performance hall), but in a good way. Awesomeness.

[AJoD]

As for the theaters... they almost look like renderings in those pics (especially the first one of the performance hall), but in a good way. Awesomeness.

Funny, I spent a good 5 minutes trying to figure out if those performance hall pics were pics or renderings.

[KC-wildcat]

What's going on top of the garage?  Will that be a green roof? 

[DaveKCMO]

What's going on top of the garage?  Will that be a green roof? 

yes. from what i've been told, the city will "operate" that green space (and the garage, of course, since our tax dollars built it). if you want to have an event there, you pay them.

[Midtownkid]

Although a large part of the western elevation is a wall, I appreciate the neatness of that wall, the sidewalk, landscaping, etc.  It looks very well crafted...and that does make a difference.  The wood planks actually appear to do a lot to soften the loading dock as well.  Looks like they are growing ivy or something up on that wall too...so in a few years, it will just look like a giant green wall...not too bad.

Ivy covered walls is a staple of west LA...there is something classy about that look.  Maybe the garage will end up being mostly covered by greenery. 

I love the abundance of benches and human scaled landscaping on the main East-West approach to the theater.  That can really become a gathering place for the neighborhood.  We have complained about how the crossroads has no real neighborhood park, in the neighborhood.  This is it! 

Will be interesting to see how they landscape the green roof south of the center. 

[KC-wildcat]

yes. from what i've been told, the city will "operate" that green space (and the garage, of course, since our tax dollars built it). if you want to have an event there, you pay them.

Awesome.  Thanks. 

I really have to think that this garage will turn out just fine.  Obviosuly, I'll reserve judgment until the project is complete.  But, so far, it seems like this project has exceeded expectations in almost every way imaginable.