739 Convention Center Blvd

Description: New construction of an 18,000 SF three-story hotel building on a vacant lot. 

Previous ARC Recommendations: 

08/16/2022: The ARC voted to defer this application for additional review. The ARC also agreed that:

• A false transom should be added over the Fulton Street rear garbage doors to complete the datum established by the adjacent window openings.

• The small second and third floor windows on the Fulton Street side are not appropriate and the shutters should be removed, and the opening sizes reconsidered.

• The third-floor windows appear too short on the building wall and should be raised in height.

• The balconies should be eliminated at the building corners such that they do not wrap around, and downspouts should not cut through the balconies as shown.

• The windows at the first floor appear to have an inappropriate double transom and the window types and light divisions should be reconsidered, including the removal of the top-most narrow window light.

• The proposed concrete band at the building base does not successfully connect the building to the ground plane and the commercial entry cutting through it is awkward and should be reconsidered.

• The applicant should continue to explore a strategy to reduce the number and size of the exterior sidewalk ramps and encouraged the applicant to integrate these more into the building interior rather than as an exterior element along the public right of way.

07/19/2022: The ARC voted to defer this application for additional review. The ARC also agreed that:

• Many of the proposed exterior elements seem to be historically inspired, however, the building is new construction with modern requirements such as a 14’-0” first-floor FTC height which may be generally incompatible with historic proportions and detailing. 

• The retail entry on Convention Center appears to be crowded by the adjacent ramps. The exterior ramps are distracting and complicated and the applicant should further study if some or all of these can be incorporated at the interior of the building, such as by consolidating access to a single point of entry for the building.

• The applicant should further refine the relationship of windows to doors, especially at the rear on Fulton Street, such as by adding a double transom above the trash doors.

• There is a large portion of wall on the Notre Dame side that is blank and additional window openings should be added.

• Windows are shown as floor-to-ceiling, but additional detail information should be included such as window types, mullions, where doors are proposed for balcony access, etc.

• More information on the proposed balcony divider panels should be submitted.

• The proportions of the cornice appear to be off relative to the floors below and the tripartite condition should be further refined such that each band has its own dimensions. 

• The applicant should reconsider the use of brackets at the underside of the balconies if they will be cantilever-supported. Additionally, the applicant should consider eliminating the continuous wrap-around balcony condition to help reduce the horizontality of the façade.

• Additional perspective and aerial views of the building massing should be provided for the next review including elements at the rooftop such as elevator over-rides, HVAC equipment and other permanent amenities to better understand their visibility from the surrounding streets. Overhead lines on the roof plan should also be made darker for clarity.

Context Photos:

Current Drawings: 

Previously Reviewed Drawings - 08/16/2022: 

Previously Reviewed Drawings - 07/19/2022: 

Street View: