The Downtown Commission has approved the demolition of 9 buildings in order for the new Crew stadium to be built. @wsyx6 @fox28columbus pic.twitter.com/D84DNpvrDL— Alexis Moberger (@alexis_moberger) August 27, 2019
I mean, who knows? NRI and new ownership have been playing nice for a very long time, I seems, yet there's no land transfer yet. Arace stated that the sales price was agreed to very early in the process, so that's not the issue. On the other hand... If NRI is allowing access to the site; if some basic site prep has already happened (as Bez noted earlier this summer); if buildings are going be knocked down; if actual "moving dirt" project construction is supposed to begin next month; and if ownership is planning on a Short North storefront for fans that provides an opportunity to preview what the stadium will look like, well, maybe a lot has been happening, we just don't know the details. What I do know - based on what people have said in reporting about it - is that the timeline for this project is very, very short compared to what normally would be the case. The fact that, from all reports, we've maintained the same timeline that was referenced in February is very good news.
Talked a bit with his son today and they haven't gotten into specifics and I wouldn't know pricing. They may head down to the previously mentioned downtown showcase once open and decide from there.
I heard on the news this morning that the feel of what they are building will match with the rest of what the Arena District looks like. I hope this means the stadium isn't as boring as what Nationwide Area looks like. It would be a shame if the new Crew Stadium was not able to stand out. I know @GoCrew1996 said this was something being discussed so I hope the Crew didn't cave to NRI.
I'd take the Arena District aesthetic over what they just proposed for Franklinton. Good grief. Does good taste even exist anymore?
Just to be clear, I am talking about the stadium itself. The surrounding stuff, I could care less. As for Franklinton, the apartments on Town/Rich off McDowell are quite nice (and would fit within the Arena aesthetic). The stuff on Broad, not so much.
I disagree with ya here. I actually LOVE the look of NWA and while I don't want the new stadium to be boring I want it to look like a classic ball park. I'd love to see something that has a timeless look about it and not just some spaceship that set down in the Arena district.
Agree. While the brick facades in the Arena District might be a touch boring, they certainly aren't going to look out of place in 20 years. The classic look is always classic. Think Camden Yards.
I care a lot less about what the stadium will look like on the outside than I do about what it will look like inside.
One of the things I would like to see inside our new stadium is a scoreboard where we have higher numbers next to our name than our opponent's.
I would not worry too much about deadlines or stuff like that; they are meant to be broken. I heard bids on certain things are already being prepared for the stadium. One thing about that area tho is the market value of that property and franklinton has now gone up you would think. Heck businesses have now moved into the old substation on that plot of land. I wonder if that might be the hold up on the mixed use property. For the stadium design: I'm fine with brick but wish there were some arch designs in there. As long as there are no shipping containers (progressive field), it should look nice.
The Haslams are paying architects a lot of money to get creative and restrictions such as meeting NRI facade requirements are where they earn their money. Plus a brick facade should be cheaper than any modern or futuristic options which leaves more money for making the inside state of the art, which is the other spot where architects earn their exorbitant fees. I think we're going to get a building that looks like NWA but has a bit more flourishes to make it stand out. Think more glass and exposed structural members (where I think arches will be invoked). The fact that it's going to be an open air structure, gives them more freedom than was ever available with NWA.
I'm admittedly bias toward pre-war architecture and dislike 95% of anything built since 1950. I also dislike the Fallout-chic thing (sheet metal, rusted siding, etc.) that some people like to throw in as a quirk to uninspired design. There are many things that can be done to make a building enjoyable and yet people seem enamored with not doing that.
I’m really going to miss Mapfre. I know 70% of the time the weather sucks, things are broken, and there isn’t any “modern” amenities, but there is nothing better than a 75 or 80 degree evening under the lights watching a game there.
I have a feeling a 75-80 degree evening under the lights watching a game in the new stadium will be exponentially better.
I take the longer view. I want to see so many banners with years on them that they circle the whole f'ing place.
This is what I'm thinking and hoping. Im for keeping it cohesive with the Arena District style but I think theres definitely opportunity to have unique "flourishes" as you put it. I'm a big proponent of arches somewhere in the design of the stadium. Something specifically relevant to Columbus, that can set our stadium apart from others, past, present, and future. I tend to like a lot of the spaceship-ey facade modern stadiums with their light displays and what not. I think they look cool. I also could see myself and the rest of the world changing our minds 10 years from now and it looking horrendously outdated. Red brick hasnt gone out of style yet, a century later. I do wonder if it would be possible, though probably not probable (somebody with some degree of architecture/style/design sense feel free to criticize) to have the sides of the stadium facing the streetfront all be the primary Arena District type of look, but then maybe have something radically different on the backside facing 670 to get noticed by the general public? Maybe the whole backside could be more transparent/translucent and have interesting/fun lighting? Just an idea!