Im with the crowd on putting the garage below the rooms to get some height. Stayed in quite a few hotels set up this way and it's great. You get all covered parking and dont have to walk around to get to it, and things are a little more secure too. But like others have said, the key is to not make the garage look so garage-like. I think Marriott could have done better on that front and done a better job in that to tie the two pieces together. As it stands it looks very garage-like and the hotel looks like its been slapped on a pair of stilts.

As we see more infill in the area, I dont think it will look as weird as it does right now. The more structures around it you see, the more you'll be glad that there isn't a big surface lot next door....assuming the big surface lot next door gets built on lol.

I agree, it’s not the issue of the parking garage underneath the hotel, it’s the design they have made. It’s odd. Personally I’m not into the color of the brick. And all the vertical lines don’t help with the design or “connecting” the garage and hotel together. I think what they thought was that adding the vertical elements would make it modern, it doesn’t.
I just don’t find the design appealing at all.

I don't think any of that is brick and this is going to get great scrutiny from design review and the unoffical Auto Alley / Rand Elliott group. Especially because it would be right next door to a Rand design (Heartland).

I don't think any of that is brick and this is going to get great scrutiny from design review and the unoffical Auto Alley / Rand Elliott group. Especially because it would be right next door to a Rand design (Heartland).

Not a fan of the design but this is such a huge conflict of interest.

It won’t get changed because it is next to a Rand project and politics, it will be because it is ugly. Being next to Heartland’s building just emphasizes how ugly it is. It looks cheap.

Good idea...bad execution.

It's an extended stay, so I'm pretty sure everyone knew from jump that this wasn't going to be extravagant. They might be asked to rework the garage/ elevator facade. Maybe they could touch up the porte cochere a lil bit also (it looks cheap). But I think it will pass.

So, will this be 9 or 10 stories?

It won’t get changed because it is next to a Rand project and politics, it will be because it is ugly. Being next to Heartland’s building just emphasizes how ugly it is. It looks cheap.

Good idea...bad execution.

This seems just as cheap looking as Heartland, IMO. Im not saying either looks bad, but very simple. Heartland is a basic steel and glass box, sort of a modern cheap look. The hotel is more traditional cheap look. Im fine with the look of both though and I dont see how you could be appalled by this being next to Heartland. Lets be honest, Heartland isnt comparable to something like the First National building.

And congrats on someone finally incorporating parking into the structure. Cant believe its taken this long, glad to see one structure rather than hotel plus garage next to it.

I love the concept, but that rendering is weird. Looks like someone photoshopped a hotel on top of a parking garage and didn't really do anything to blend the designs.

And of all projects, this one happens to have an existing parking garage directly across a closed alley to the south.

I know Heartland will be leasing a ton of spaces in there but you'd think it could easily accommodate hotel guests as well.

It’d be interesting to see a green wall placed over the parking structure. I hope this goes through multiple iterations before it gets built.

I'm in agreement with most of you - Great idea, terrible execution. I personally really like the facade of the hotel portion, but the garage portion is nothing short of ugly. If the facade of the hotel extended down to cover the facade of the garage, this would look a million times better. My only guess is they were trying to make the garage look similar to the one immediately south of this property, but like someone else mentioned, doing this just makes the hotel look like it's on stilts. It's... It's bad.

For an example of this concept executed properly, here's a screenshot from Google Maps of the hotel in Creve Coeur, MO that stlokc mentioned above, that incorporated the garage into the design of the rest of the hotel:
http://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15115&d=1546968847

I'm in agreement with most of you - Great idea, terrible execution. I personally really like the facade of the hotel portion, but the garage portion is nothing short of ugly. If the facade of the hotel extended down to cover the facade of the garage, this would look a million times better. My only guess is they were trying to make the garage look similar to the one immediately south of this property, but like someone else mentioned, doing this just makes the hotel look like it's on stilts. It's... It's bad.

For an example of this concept executed properly, here's a screenshot from Google Maps of the hotel in Creve Coeur, MO that stlokc mentioned above, that incorporated the garage into the design of the rest of the hotel:
http://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15115&d=1546968847
So much this!!!!!

I'm in agreement with most of you - Great idea, terrible execution. I personally really like the facade of the hotel portion, but the garage portion is nothing short of ugly. If the facade of the hotel extended down to cover the facade of the garage, this would look a million times better. My only guess is they were trying to make the garage look similar to the one immediately south of this property, but like someone else mentioned, doing this just makes the hotel look like it's on stilts. It's... It's bad.

For an example of this concept executed properly, here's a screenshot from Google Maps of the hotel in Creve Coeur, MO that stlokc mentioned above, that incorporated the garage into the design of the rest of the hotel:
http://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15115&d=1546968847

Funny that hotel still sits in a fairly good sized parking lot and is also across the street from the company's HQ I believe.

Funny that hotel still sits in a fairly good sized parking lot and is also across the street from the company's HQ I believe.

I drive by this building at least a few times a week. It is right next door to the company's HQ and, for that reason, is probably a higher-end design than your typical Drury-on-the-highway. But it doesn't have that much of a surface lot. Creve Coeur is one of the more high-end suburban districts in STL and there is quite a bit of redeveloping and building going on, the land is probably too pricey around there for as big a surface lot as this would need.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/townplacesuites010819.jpg

Y'know, looking at this picture more... I wouldn't be so opposed to this design if the garage portion didn't look so much like a parking garage. I'd be fine with the garage portion if the entire facade of these floors looked like the corners, without that wide open space with the vertical decorative things. I'm cool with a visually distinct podium as long as it doesn't scream "parking garage". It may help if the ramps between floors were at the back of the structure instead of at the front, so it's less obvious. But either way, as proposed above... The lower half of the building is a big thumbs down, visually speaking.

Y'know, looking at this picture more... I wouldn't be so opposed to this design if the garage portion didn't look so much like a parking garage. I'd be fine with the garage portion if the entire facade of these floors looked like the corners, without that wide open space with the vertical decorative things. I'm cool with a visually distinct podium as long as it doesn't scream "parking garage". It may help if the ramps between floors were at the back of the structure instead of at the front, so it's less obvious. But either way, as proposed above... The lower half of the building is a big thumbs down, visually speaking.

I agree. I like the hotel design and especially the height, but wow, the parking garage portion is a big no for me. There are better ways to encase the parking garage than this.

Plans submitted for 9-story hotel in Automobile Alley (http://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=564-Plans-submitted-for-9-story-hotel-in-Automobile-Alley/edit)


Kirya Hotels of Irving, Texas has submitted plans for a 9-story hotel just east of Broadway on NW 6th.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019.jpg


Plans for a TownePlace Suites show a ground level lobby, 3 levels of parking above, and then 5 floors of guest rooms.

The 161,764 square foot hotel would have 160 rooms and parking for 140 cars.

The facility would also include a ground-floor restaurant, meeting rooms, a fitness center on the 5th floor and an outdoor roof deck on the 6th.

TownePlace is a brand operated by Marriott and marketed as an extended-stay property, as each room has a kitchen and work desk with free Wi-Fi and breakfast.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019b.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019a.jpg


The property and rooms are positioned to take advantage of skyline views to the south.

The TowneSuites would be built directly east of Heartland Payment System's 7-story headquarters, which is just starting construction. The new OKC streetcar runs along Broadway Avenue with stops at 4th and 7th.

A billboard and concrete block building would be demolished on the proposed site.

The Downtown Design Review Committee will consider the plans at its February meeting.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019eb.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019c.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019f.jpg

I cannot believe that fabulous Heartland building is going to have this as a neighbor. This just seems like the wrong location for this property. I'm trying to be charitable but it is incredibly unsightly.

I cannot believe that fabulous Heartland building is going to have this as a neighbor. This just seems like the wrong location for this property. I'm trying to be charitable but it is incredibly unsightly.

This still has to pass design review and there will be plenty of lobbying from Auto Alley advocates.

I believe the large amount of EIFS is out of compliance with general design paramaters.

That parking garage somehow looks even worse in the two new photos provided. Yikes...

Yeah I’m really trying to like it as it will provide nice height and infill but I just can’t bring myself to. I’m not against it really but it could be much better. It feels like they didn’t really try and just want to cash in on recent development in the area that is much better.

Sorta reminds me of the ugly, hospital looking building across from the BOK Center in Tulsa.

There will be some amendments to this design. It seems to me that this is the type of development that you dont spit at...even if it is ugly. I wonder, how much the streetcar route being by helped them pull the trigger on this site?

Maybe it’s just me... but I’m really liking the design after the last 2 pictures. At least it’s brick.

Only the parking garage is brick. I feel like Automobile alley should enforce all new builds to be a certain percentage brick. There has to be a better way to integrate the parking garage. Everyone wants a 9 story building, nobody wants an ugly 9 story building.

Only the parking garage is brick. I feel like Automobile alley should enforce all new builds to be a certain percentage brick. There has to be a better way to integrate the parking garage. Everyone wants a 9 story building, nobody wants an ugly 9 story building.

There are design standards that address the percentage of brick and glass vs. EIFS. As I said before, I'm quite sure this building does not comply.

The Auto Alley stakeholders have been aggressive in their input when it comes to projects in this area, and I would expect nothing different in this situation.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were substantial changes to the design before it gains approval.

How in the WORLD are some of you upset about this and not the lackluster Hotel designs in Bricktown?

I love this. I think it looks great. I'm excited. And I'm excited it will be built right next-door to Heartland. That's going to look awesome. REAL infill. Right next to Streetcar stops. The future is bright folks.

Sorry... to me looks like a cheap suburban hotel picked up by a tornado and dropped on a cheap downtown parking structure. Then a few panels were stuck on to try to disguise the open garage.

This structure would never be approved in a Dallas, Denver, or other progressive city with taste.

I think the design isn't very attractive, but I could live with that. However, the layout leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion.

Based on their rendering, the front entrance looks like it's hidden within a dark, dank hole. Why the need to have the exposed supports there and the entrance set way back underneath the side of building? Then add a canopy over it to make it even darker and less inviting? Just have the wall come straight down to street level and make use of the extra created space to build a more prominent entrance and lobby area. Maybe move the drop-off entrance to run along the access drive instead so that you can have a sidewalk along 6th that isn't broken up by a large driveway? I just feel like the current layout will make that area along 6th feel dead when it should be a priority to activate it due to all the other development going in further down 6th.

I can't imagine that Rand will like this design at all, especially since it will be right next to his building.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019.jpg

The 1st rendering is dog-pound ugly.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019b.jpg

The 2nd horse-shoe U rendering looks better; however it still needs some work.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019.jpg

The 1st rendering is dog-pound ugly.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace011019b.jpg

The 2nd horse-shoe U rendering looks better; however it still needs some work.

Both renderings are of the same building, just from different angles. The first one shows the front (north side) and west side of the proposed building; the second one shows the back (south side) of the building as well as the west side. The lobby entrance and drop off is on the north side of the building, fronting NW 6th St, and the open part of the U-shaped hotel points to the south.

The only part of this project I'm opposed to is the facade on the garage. No matter what angle you look at it from, that is one powerful ugly creature. I do really like the facade of the actual occupied hotel floors though, and I think that stacking the hotel above the garage is absolutely a winner. We have few examples of this kind of setup in town, and we honestly need more, imo. But the garage looks way too much like a garage, though. Hide that better, either with a more interesting facade, or by continuing the visual style of the upper portion of the building, and this project would look so much better.

They're not even trying, it's like some college-class-level/first-year-intern architectural project, ugh. And to Colbafone - plenty of people complain about/hate the horrible Bricktown hotel designs, me among them, maybe just not publicly on this forum. Soooo many of the new hotels built around Bricktown (and this one) are cheap-looking, look cranked-out of a template machine, and just have absolutely no sense of place or good design, they're just like Rover said a few posts up. Be interesting to see the "improvements" after coming up for design review.

Kriya isn't bad and their number of properties is quickly exploding, what is your dream hotel for automobile alley?
I like that hotelier and have spent many a night at their Plano Legacy Laquints motel. And I beleive it's one of the best laquinta in the dfw area.

8 stories is fairly impressive, and I think it fits, the more premiem motels should be closer to the convention center and downtown

I believe the openness and ugliness of the garage is due to it being way cheaper to have open air free ventilation and light than to actually enclose it and have more mechanical systems required. It is a cheap way to do it. Also reveals the cheaper angled floors in the garage that allows for the parking area to be the ramps vs. having ramps and level parking areas. Just a cheap garage. This was done this way for cost, not for aesthetics. There is no attempt here to enhance the downtown environment.

Maybe it’s just me... but I’m really liking the design after the last 2 pictures. At least it’s brick.

It's just you. LOL. This is as if someone set out to break new ground in ugly.

This also just seems like the wrong flag for this location. I can think of a good spot for this: the empty blocks in the Asian District, or near NW Expway and May. This is just the wrong brand all around for this spot in our city. There is absolutely no "get it" factor and the owners must be totally out to lunch.

Mas brickwork!

Mas brickwork!
County jail has mostly brick facade. It is still mondo ugly. Brick alone doesn’t fix ugly and bad design.

15134
Imo something like this where the bottom matches the top but with a more classy texture.

If they dont want to pay for the ventilation, then even the metal mesh can be colored and applied in a better way. This is one of those opportunities that the city has to have the standard be set on design and enforce it. Of course, they wont, and we'll get what we see above. We cave all too often to the developer so that the thing gets built, sacrificing the long-term vision. I hate short-term real-estate crap.

Proposed Auto Alley hotel gets new look (https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=622-Proposed-Auto-Alley-hotel-gets-new-look)

Kriya Hotels of Grapevine, Texas has revised their plans for a 7-story hotel at 18 NW 6th Street in Automobile Alley.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace061319a.jpg


The company had previously applied (http://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=564-Plans-submitted-for-9-story-hotel-in-Automobile-Alley) to the Downtown Design Review Committee but has supplemented their submission with a new look and layout.

The 111-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott would feature 4 floors of rooms atop a 3-level parking structure.

Other than parking, the ground level would include a 'jump lobby' where guests would unload luggage before proceeding to check-in on the 4th level.

Also on the 4th floor would be the main lobby, a bar connected to an outdoor patio with a glass folding wall system., meeting rooms, a fitness center, and guest rooms.

Floors 5, 6 and 6 would be for guest rooms and suites.

TownePlace is positioned as an extended stay hotel, with all rooms having kitchenettes and larger than average rooms.

The project is directly next to what will be the new 7-story headquarters for Heartland Payment Systems, which is well under construction.

Downtown Design Review will consider the design at their June 20th meeting.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/townplace061319z.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace061319b.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace061319c.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace061319d.jpg

That is a significant improvement.

The recessed windows lends it a bit of a prison look, but I think the revised color scheme fits with the Heartland HQ better now.

i still don't know if i like it... but it is a significant improvement... hopefully it will look better to me in person.

Will be interesting to see what the committee has to say.

Planning staff has recommended approval.

A little less ugly than before.

A LOT less ugly than before. Still ugly though.

Those warm shades of gray makes a much better improvement.

My complaint about the original design was how poorly the bottom garage portion blended into the hotel on top. This fixes that, even if the recessed bits make for an odd look still overall.

Jane jenkins spoke about this at the DDRC meeting speaking for the AA design commission (which doesn't actually have any power)

this was approved at DDRC today

Jane jenkins spoke about this at the DDRC meeting speaking for the AA design commission (which doesn't actually have any power)

this was approved at DDRC today

What did she say?

What did she say?

she was mostly supportive .. commented about the amount of eifs which is over the guidline (however most of it is on the back side interier )

also was supportive of the jump lobby and let them know about the AA neon sign grant program


she was there for her job (as opposed to speaking as a citizian)

While it's not my favorite, I can live with the design. I really think they need to reconsider the dark-gray EIFs as I think that's where I'm getting hung-up the most. While I'd prefer they just do it in either brick color, I get that would give a notable increase to the cost of construction. In that case though, make the dark-gray EIFs match the brown brick on the building because two-tone light-gray/dark-gray makes for a dreary feeling.

They have started to paint the parking garage to the south of this project.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace070619a.jpg

They have started to paint the parking garage to the south of this project.
I meant to post about this the other day when I noticed the single square painted as I was driving by. I'm excited for this change as that reddish color is hideous.

They have started to paint the parking garage to the south of this project.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/towneplace070619a.jpg

That patch of road in the picture is hideous

That patch of road in the picture is hideous
Driving it is equally hideous.

IIRC, if that patch of road is N.W. 6th Street, it was on the 2017 Go Bonds for much needed repairs.