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The Schiffman family donated $525,000 to naming rights at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. The Schiffman's "Ring of Light," which is made up of 60 3-foot by 12-foot illuminated pieces, will provide a timed ‘countdown’ to the start of every Tanger Center performance. It will be suspended over the seating area of the Kaplan Theater.
Here is the Davie Street elevation of the Westin Greensboro. This is what you would see if you were standing on the News and Record property across the street. I have an interesting theory. Notice that there is a break in the design on the lower levels. It looks unfinished and the break doesn't make any sense architecturally unless there are future plans for an "addition", similar to the lack of balconies and false windows on the north side of Center Pointe where Roy Carroll plans to build a tower there at some point in the future. Greg Dillon, a developer from Maryland is building the Westin Greensboro. I find it interesting that he has purchased the News-Record property across the street. This could explain the intentional break in the design on the lower level of the deck. Does Greg Dillon have plans to build a multi-level skywalk to a future development he has planned across the street? While plans are not concrete at this point, rumors are that the development will be a mixed-use project that will have a conference/convention center as the anchor. While the Westin will have meeting space, the current Elm Street Center, Dillon may be looking at larger meeting space for his hotel and maybe even a second hotel which has been talked about as being part of this mixed-use development. To me it looks like the Westin could connect to conference/convention center across the street via skywalk.
The News-Record property is a strategic location for a convention facility. Just south of the property is the depot (Amtrak, city bus, greyhound bus and regional bus station) Downtown Greensboro Inc. president Zack Matheny is pushing for a downtown convention facility. However it would not compete head to head with the 250,000 sq ft Joseph S. Koury Convention Center at I-40. A downtown facility would likely be much smaller around 100,000 sq ft, which is the size of the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem. But the odd abrupt break in the design of the Westin seems to indicate it may connect to something across the street being planned by the same developer who is building the Westin. There is already a multi-level sky bridge on the same corner of the building connecting the Westin with the rest of the deck.
A multi level skywalk over Davie Street would be similar to the first photo below but better designed. Based on the Westin design, the skywalk would have 5 levels. High Point has a similar skywalk at the International Home Furnishings Center. If there really are plans for a multi-level skywalk connecting the Westin to a convention center, I'd like like to see something artistic in design as oppose to a traditional skywalk with windows. Maybe even include cool lighting effects at night.
Something like this would be cool.
In regards to the News-Record property....
Zack Matheny:
“We’re not in a situation to host conventions downtown, but they’re certainly wanting to come downtown,” Matheny said. “Convention space should certainly be on the table.”
Looks like Davie Street is becoming the next hot spot downtown. The north end of Davie has Center-City Park, LeBauer Park and the future Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. A convention center and mixed-use development may serve as a southern anchor for Davie Street. That mixed-use development would also spill over to Church Street a block east.
Ok so I’m trying to make sense of all this. There will be a skywalk in between the Westin and the deck being built next to it? Is that what’s pictured in the rendering? If so, then you’re theorizing that another skywalk would then be attached to it, almost forming a “T”, but connect over Davie st to a possible hotel and conference center? Correct me if I don’t have that right.
Idk man it seems like a 5 level skywalk over Davie would pretty ambitious. In a far fectched kind of way.
Ok so I’m trying to make sense of all this. There will be a skywalk in between the Westin and the deck being built next to it? Is that what’s pictured in the rendering? If so, then you’re theorizing that another skywalk would then be attached to it, almost forming a “T”, but connect over Davie st to a possible hotel and conference center? Correct me if I don’t have that right.
Idk man it seems like a 5 level skywalk over Davie would pretty ambitious. In a far fectched kind of way.
Honestly it's only speculation on my part. The abrupt break in the design of the Westin just doesn’t make any sense. Just stands out like a sore thumb.It even looks like a skywalk is suppose to go there. Just trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. We know the developer of the Westin purchased or is in the process of purchasing the News-Record property for a planned mixed-use development across the street and there are talks about a convention center, again nothing concrete at this point. Its way too early for anything to be definite. What ever is planned, its probably 5 to 10 years away. But a 5 level skywalk would not be ambitious considering High Point has one with 9 floors.
The break in the design looks too odd for something structurally not to be added to it. Looks very unfinished.
Another interesting fact is that the current design changed around the time Dillion started the purchasing process of the News-Record property. The last design showed a 10 story hotel on top of a 6 story deck with no abrupt breaks in the design.
Here is another example in Greensboro. This medical building on Church Street North of downtown was suppose to have a multi-level skywalk to a future medical building. The building never got built due to the slumping economy at the time. But notice it has a similar abrupt unfinished look as that corner on the Westin design. My major in college was architecture so I can identify these kind of architectural elements.
A convention center in downtown Greensboro is a no brainer. All these hotels currently being built downtown will certainly create a demand for one (at least a small one) which in turn will help fill those hotel rooms. Some people ask how can downtown Greensboro support all these new hotels? A convention center certainly helps. A convention center means more heads in beds.
Old article about Westin developer purchasing the News-Record property. Technically the sale won't be final til next year. Until then we probably won't here any details about proposals or plans.
A convention center in downtown Greensboro is a no brainer. All these hotels currently being built downtown will certainly create a demand for one (at least a small one) which in turn will help fill those hotel rooms. Some people ask how can downtown Greensboro support all these new hotels? A convention center certainly helps. A convention center means more heads in beds.
Old article about Westin developer purchasing the News-Record property. Technically the sale won't be final til next year. Until then we probably won't here any details about proposals or plans.
Exactly how will "all these hotels" create a demand for a convention center? Normally it's the reverse.
It's like the chicken or the egg. At the same time it doesn't make sense to build a convention center without nearby hotels. Fortunately there is enough going on downtown for some hotel demand but eventually downtown is going to need some convention space.
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