Really? Medical Arts Building Renovation?
(Courtesy News and Observer)
In spill-my-coffee-on-my-paper news in this morning's Durham News, Bill Fields talks about his plan to renovate the Medical Arts Building. While I've noticed some heavy equipment out there, this certainly falls heavily into the I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it column. The rendering in the paper shows a heavy-handed remuddling of the nice mid-century modern lines of the building with awnings and such. But it would be nice just to have the building and land around it become an active, occupied part of the landscape, and from the looks of the rendering, the adornments could be removed at some point.
Posts
12 comments:
"We might even get up a sign," he adds. Fields says he has been reluctant to erect a sign announcing the property's future use because his vision hadn't solidified.
Dude. He's almost ready to start thinking about a sign - it's practically a done deal!
I'd love to see something useful come of this area, but it's really tough for me to envision. I sure hope Fields is serious about this.
Agreed. I'll believe it when I see it. Was disappointed, but not surprised to read that he plans to get things done for less....which I took as "I'm gonna do it on the cheap." This would come as no surprise considering his other fabulously maintained properties in Durham..9th St, Chapel Hill St, etc. This will be another historic renovation inspired by Mr. Fields' devotion to Durham.... why?, because he loves us.
Does any one else find it suspicious that all the cars in the parking lot are from the mid to late 90´s? Not the typical rendering you would see to present the ¨future¨ of a project.
I agree with anon about the cars. Also, does the building in the rendering remind anyone else of a 1980s suburban style office building?
- WS
I thought you had found a 1970s-planned renovation photo (judging by the "style" of the proposed renovation)... until I saw the mid-1990s Dodge Neon in the parking lot...
That's awful. I'd personally rather see the building sit empty.
This building actually has (or had) nice horizontal lines and some interesting copper details on the roof and the canopy over the main entry - all of which appear to have been removed during that round of "repairs" a few months ago. Apparently Bill's love for us and historic structures is eclipsed only by his affinity for the cash money he probably got for all that copper.
I wouldn't read too much into the vintage of the cars in the rendering. That's probably more indicative of the architect's graphics resources than of the age of the design itself - however 1960's Glaxo-esque it is.
So...you think Bill Fields removed the copper because he loves us...or the price of copper and other metals these days?
The rendering is crummy, and surely it's a sign of the amount of money savvy saver Fields's invested in the design that his architect doesn't have more contemporary cars at his disposal.
Another quality Bill Fields project! Lucky us!
Anyone else notice the "MorganStanley" partially obscured by the tree at the corner of the building?
Somehow, given the money that MS has been hemorrhaging of late, I doubt they're looking to move into Bill's mid-1990s renovation. Especially since they haven't used that particular logotype in a few years.
As far as signs, the only sign I've seen in front of the Medical Arts Building, of late, are those promoting Liddy Dole (R-KS) -- about the only ones I've seen in Durham.
If I were Bill Fields, I wouldn't tout my handyman skills, especially after seeing the piss-poor upkeep of his 9th street properties and the Eloise, which he and his son recently "renovated."
Ugh. The design is completely off base. That building is beautiful, and they're going to ruin it. I really want to see something happen there, but one reason this site is such a legend is because of how cool the building is. This is bad news, period.
Why, why, why, WHY?!? Fields can't get anything right. I would consider it a perfectly reasonable expense for the City of Durham to (1) Buy out all Bill Fields properties, (2) Sell them to real developers with vision, and (3) Pay for a one-way ticket to send Bill to Greensboro or somewhere (nothing against Greensboro). I've had it with him.
Oh no - I've had a vision for doing a renovation/rehab to this building to turn it into mid-century modern inspired lofts with a lovely courtyard/pool in the front. I'm obviously too late....So sad to see that the new design doesn't pay tribute to the wonderful lines of the original building. It's truly a modernist gem, and I would love to see it restored in a way that preserves and enhances it's original design.
You aren't too late to do something prior to this fantasy - I'd bet real money that this is never going to happen. You are however, too late to acquire the building - which you should have done before it fell into the hands of Bill Fields. It'll still be like this, or likely worse, a decade from now.
GK
Post a Comment