These are photos of the renderings that were given to me on 11 x 17 sheets of paper. I wanted to scan them but they are just to big.
These are the NEW Capitol Grand renderings and with the EIR process nearly finished, the tower would top out ar 965' at the top of the spire. To the top of the structure is 771' and the spire on top rises up 194' to the final height of 965'. To meet parking requirements with the city, the tower has 7 above ground parking leveles and 6 below. The below grade parking would go down 75' and have slurry walls of 3 feet thick surrounding the hole.
My only real complaint at this point is the look of the base at the street level. It has a bunker quality about it... could use a little work.
The Tower would use 5 different types of stone, 2 different types of glass,2 different types of metal and 3 different types of concrete. I think thats pretty impressive for a tower of this size.
The big question... will it be built???
will it indeed ?
ReplyDeleteAny idea what the tallest built right now is in feet?
ReplyDeleteTallest right now is the Wells Fargo Bulding (4th and Capitol) at 423 feet.
ReplyDeleteReally though, I just don't give this thing a shot in hell of being built.
Looks great, but I'm with LIUS - it's not going to be built.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it is a nice looking building. Instant icon.
ReplyDeleteI just can't get behind anything that Mo Mohanna touches, even in CMA involved as well.
One thing that really blew my mind was the 6 levels of below grade parking. That is one big hole! Plus, that must be $$$$$.
I think I have read that below grade parking is on average 35K a space, but if they are going that far below ground, I wonder if it would be even more expensive.
Wow! Now that is pretty darn spectacular. I don't want to let my hopes get too "high" for this either. But I am wondering why (if I understand correctly) this is continuing through the process. When you are developing a project, it isn't free. The city charges you for staff and resources. In San Diego, that can be over $150/hr. for some senior staff reviews. Just like a private consultant, you get charged for everything including all meetings, transportation (if a city staffer is accompanying you to a community forum for example)and reviews.
ReplyDeleteYou set up an account in advance from which the city draws to cover their costs. When the account gets low (depending on how fast you're burning through it, they usually start requesting refills if it gets to $5k or so) they ask you to replenish it. These costs, which are in addition to any normal fees and permits, can easily run into six figures and sometimes more.
There may be something I'm completely missing about this, but if the developers weren't confident of construction, they would not be wasting money now on the process.
Most proposed projects don't get built. But to be continuing the city process, despite all that has happened to the market and the well-documented difficulties with other ambitious downtown projects, gives me reason for optimism.
BTW - anyone know the status with The Towers and Aura?
^ that's exactly what i was gonna say, but without all the info and facts to back it up. haha. It is a strange optimism for Cap Grand, in that they seem to be quickly persuing something that has proven near imposible to do in DT Sacramento.
ReplyDeleteIt also must drive the city crazy to have a six-figure retainer with Mohanna for work on the Cap Grand, while K Street sits there and rots away.
"BTW - anyone know the status with The Towers and Aura?"
ReplyDeleteAura goes to the city council next week for approval on the 10M loan he needs to complete financing. He has to close on the land by the end of the month, so one way or another we will know in a couple weeks. He has an option to buy that expires on the 31st, but in order to close he needs to have all financing in place.
For The Towers, I have heard A TON of rumors, mostly good btw. I have no way to know what is true or not though.
Hey towerdistrict, good to "see" you again. Yeah, having the Capitol Grand team continuing to spend significant money at this point is, at the very least, intriguing. Some of my projects have peaked at over $20k/month during city review and none of them have been anywhere close to the complexity and cost of a 965' tall tower (Hey, why not just extend that spire another 35' and get to a thousand??!!).
ReplyDeleteAlso remember, all of your consultants are spending a ton of money responding to city comments, so this part of the process is really expensive. I don't trust Mohanna either, but I also can't see him being part of a team that knowingly wastes money - at least not his money anyway. Say "hello" to everyone on the skyscraper board for me.
LIUS - thanks for the Aura update. After all this time, hard to believe we'll know one way or another within a couple of weeks.
Hey william... we miss your incite on the SSP boards :) Everything william said I agree... it costs money to push forward through the process. When the draft EIR is released, we might get a little more info on the time table for this proposed structure. We should know something in a couple months, the EIR for the traffic is done but it has not been released to the public.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike!
ReplyDeleteGood to "see" you too. I miss the skyscraper board too. They must be really talking Cap. Grand up over there.
Another thing that gives this project a little extra 'oomph" is that much of the office portion will go to one of the partners, the California Medical Association. Having that space already spoken for helps a great deal. Other health-related organizations must also be looking to relocate here and that helps too.
965' in Sacramento... that is just outstanding. Should be a completely different scene the next time the NCAAs come to town.
Speaking of that, I've read a few of the blogs from visiting schools. They all seem to be very pleasantly surprised by Sacramento (like everyone is).
what blogs were these? I'd like to see them...
ReplyDelete