City Club Apartments. Taking place of Stalter Hotel

[Nero]

Paris is sort of an optical illusion [[but in a nice sort of way). There are more midrise buildings within the historic 20 Arrondissemonts of the city than most people realize, but most of them are in the outer of those 20 districts., and you really don't notice them on the skyline

They have changed the zoning height limits about 7 years ago, but Parisians are still fighting that battle.

When you look out from the observation platforms of the Eiffel Tower, you basically see the Tour Montparnasse [[the building that got Paris to limit city building heights over 40 years ago) and Paris's "downtown" of La Defense in the western burbs. The rest of the city's taller buildings are mainly tucked away towards the edge of the central city, which at only 41 square miles is much smaller than it looks from the Eiffel Tour.

So in this Paris, you have the opposite of Detroit? You have skyscrapers being built in the suburbs. Downtown is full of smaller buildings? Interesting. My Rome has been similar. Perhaps we need both, a district allowing high rises and a district for low rise urbanism.

The argument at hand is an interesting one. I like that thee developer has improved the design to better fit the desire of the people for an iconic building. Shall we commend the builder for making such an observation? Perhaps this, together with the building to the south, will be our piece of blasé little Miami architecture, that some will scoff at and others love.

In due time we will see if it becomes as big an eyesore as the naysayers say. In one or half a score both buildings will be up for renovation and remodeling, as their design life often dictates. In that time the case will build, and we will come to see these buildings as assets, or eyesores. I say, let the builders build, and then let the debates resume.

You may agree or you may disagree, but Nero has spoken.