Not in a good way.
While Chris at Scaledown.ca rightfully pointed out that he’s glad it’s being reused. I’m looking forward to the day, when developers like Rosati, don’t shit all over our built heritage.
Why do we have to accept the fact that the building is being reused, but now it looks like a bag of shit?
In this city it always seems to be about doing as cheaply as possible, with the lowest cost materials, never about quality.
Rosati, has shown again, that they have no regard for the architectural history of our city. So what, big deal, they left a tiny bit of brick exposed.
I for one am sick of constantly having to settle for the silver medal in this city. It’s time for the planning department to grow some stones, and put policies in place that keep the look of our urban spaces as they should be.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Also to all my American readers, today is your election day.
Make sure you get out and vote. Good luck.
I couldn’t agree more. Stucco, weird imprints, and the up and down air conditioning window openings on the second floor?? Come on! The designer and the decision makers at Rosati must have been smoking crack when they approved this one. And, it’s not like if this building was designated that no one would have put it back to use. I believe they bought this 18,000 sq ft. building from the bank for a meagre $150,000? This building really does look like a bag of shit now. We need to get some stucco laws and architectural standards and restrictions in the planning department fast.
I hate to say it, but in some cases, Stucco gets a bad rap. Assuming the owner wanted to “modernise” the building above, he didn’t do a half bad job of it. If you want to go after him for something, how bout those windows on the second floor? Down, up, down, up, down, up. My grandson could have done a better job with a set of Leggos.
As to voting, remember that you’re renewing your license to moan and complain about the government and how it treats you. You don’t vote, you can’t bitch.
And thank God I’m not standing for re-election this year. My council seat in my little town comes up next fall……..
Well, I guess it’s OK – do you have a before picture? The windows look like some young archy student’s attempt at style or whimsy. I think some people think brick looks plain, that stucco spruces up a dreary old building. What is that other stuff called they use in England – that stone pebble/concrete mix? That would be worse. Besides, we don’t want to put the stucco guys out of work too.
The question remains. Why so much stucco?
O.k. around the front entrances and at the top of the building it wouldn’t be so bad as it would harmonize the building. But why the darker beige between the entrances and upper floor windows (which actually looks quite odd)?
I too am very tired of the stupid little “accents” stucco appliers add to the bulidings. They look so out of touch and usually are covering up some sort of limestone detail. It all looks so fake.
Hey, if you like Disneyfied landscapes to escape from reality then go to DisneyWorld. But stop with the nonsense already! Windsor bemoans the fact we don’t have a lot of visitors anymore. Keep covering up what is left and we won’t even have the few that come now.
Who wants to visit a city that looks exactly like their own? The last time I checked travellers seem to visit cities that offer a different dynamic or view than the one’s their own can offer. But I still haven’t seen anyone rushing to visit a city in order to see their stucco’ed buildings, ranch houses and strip malls with acres of parking lots.
I agree with Andrew, our planning department needs to get a pair of stones. As it is we have one of the ugliest cities in Canada, not far removed from Edmonton or some 1960’s logging town in central B.C.
So now I await the people who say that we would look anti-business or anti-development. To that I respond, it hasn’t hurt any other city that cherishes the original architects designs. Only our developers have our city officials hand in hand. That, my friends is the only difference.
I knew I should have bought those stucco stocks a few years ago. I would have cleaned up!
ah i remember when you took this. i’m amazed they actually left some brick showing. i don’t get it either. well, I know it costs less in a way, but still it takes the soul away from the building. especially in the walkerville area you think they would respect the exterior more.
Yeah I think when we saw Andrew bust out the camera to take this shot one could predict another stucco-rant in the coming week. Speaking of this, whatever happened to the Greatests Hits Stucco Week Special that’s been bantered about once or twice? It would be nice giving official credit where credit is due for all the “best” examples of stuccofication in Windsor.
In this case I wouldn’t blame Rosatti- the building’s reno was actually designed by Archon Architects who re-stuccoed the old Walker Boys Building on Wyandotte near Lincoln Road.
I noticed the businesses on Scaledown that are moving in. Tier One Search and Mindbox have their addresses listed currently at 1645 Wyandotte St. E.
Are all the tenants moving here from a different section of Walkerville? Is the reason they are moving because Rosati is offering commercial space at 8sq.ft, which may be cheaper than they are currently paying now? Are these marginal tenants that move every time someone offers lower rent? What happens to the historic commercial buildings they moved from and will now be vacant? Does it become a stucco war where those new vacant buildings get stucco’d in the future after they become foreclosed by the bank because they are vacant? Or do they become parking lots? In a few years, will this building become vacant because someone offered lower rent in another building in Walkerville because they got a cheaper building from a foreclosure firesale? Are the current tenants gonna grow bored of this gaudy reno and peeling stucco in a few years? It doesn’t seem like there is any net benefit to the community from this bag of crap reno job. In fact, it seems like there’s a net loss to the community by creating additional supply for commercial space when there isn’t a demand,
If you want to see a puky stucco job. Go check out Lion’s Pizza on Wyandotte E & Parent. What an atrocity that has become. I mean seriously, that should include jail time.
i puked a little in my mouth when i saw this the other day.
Stucco is all of the things which everyone has rightly pointed out. BUT…In this case it is a little more paletable than most. Pragmatism says to give this one a chance for a couple of reasons. The building was in really questionable shape to begin with. We have seen better get razed in recent months (take a look at whats going on in the Seagrave yard or at the Bank of Montreal Location). The other thing is the architechtural renderings for the developement. Once some trim and dimensional items are added the place should stand a chance. Chris pointed out that Archon might be the source of these questionable building materials however they were most likely contracted by Rosatti. Maybe this blog should be sent to all such architectural firms in Windsor to help them get the gist. The City and BIA’s should be protecting these areas by way of CIPs etc. In fact this is probably the only avenue for hope because private interests always take the path of least financial exposure. Money never did guarantee good taste. Too bad.
To improve the look, I would love to see hanging flower baskets on the stucco “pillars”.
maybe that would help a little?
M.O.M do you mean those CIP’s that the city shelved right after they completed them? Yeah I remember those and if the councillors in the riding of which you live don’t (not to say Ward 3 but any ward) remember or haven’t tried to get them implemented I suggest booting them out in 2 years.
You are too correct when you stated that money never guaranteed good taste. Just look at Windsor. A visitor would think the whole city was built in the late 60’s and throughout the god-awful 70s.
I particularily like accentuated ‘keystone’ header details which you’d expect to see over the window openings in this case placed over the piers between the windows????? Who’s responsible for this?
GPH – Obviously a very talented visionary. 🙂 Likey the same “architect” (and I use that very, very loosely) that came up with some of the other brilliant reno jobs around town. I bet it’s the same guy that left his mark on the old Tepperman’s place.
I’ll say it again, until the City Planner and the peope at city hall smarten up, the crapification of Windsor will continue.
Again- this is not a Rosatti building- they are doing the contract for Archon Architects, which owns MindBox, and also a host of downtown bars. They are moving out of their building in Walkerville to the new digs…
FYI…
what was the reason for covering up all the brick? it looks really good from here…..
Wow, what the hell. I had such high hopes that the Rosati Group was going to simply restore the brick on this place, but instead, they cover half the building in crap?! Ugh.
i thought you had sent a message from the future westerntragedy, but it turns out andrews site is in non compliance with daylight savings lol
gourmet emporiums parking lot
just thought i should clairify my “it looks good from here” comment – the brick, not the stucco, looks good from here.
and andrew, not only is it a bag of shit, but it’s like 5 lbs of shit in a 2 lbs bag.
this is all rosatti’s doing, all of it. it’s thier fault. that is what you said right chris? lol
Chris, I bet you I can find out which bars they own as well. As for Archon “Architects” they might want to rename their business because any “architect” knows that the way that stucco was added as archtiectural “elements” is full of shit.