Muse (formerly 700 West)

[SpaceGuy]

I’m aware but I do appreciate the link. Architecture has been my main focus since before time began. I am more interested in what SpaceGuy is describing, specifically their term “undulation” and “façade movements.” Those are fairly self-explanatory, I just wanted to get a better image for what they envisioned and how that might look on a spot like this.

look, i get that it's affordable housing so the project has to be affordable too. the ones i'm linking still are not the most exciting thing you've ever seen design in the world, but even just breaking up the elevation a tiny bit goes so far in my opinion. if your entire street frontage is completely flat, there's nothing to draw your eye... there's no shadow, no depth, etc and frankly that's just boring as hell. here are a couple off the top of my head:

https://www.archdaily.com/961602/bai...m=projects_tab

https://www.sherman-associates.com/n...uilding-spree/

https://sfyimby.com/2021/05/830-eddy...francisco.html

https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...affordability/

[David]

Sign me up for like 5 of that building by Sherman Associates. Put a few in Midtown, one in Deep Deuce, maybe a couple west of Scissortail Park.

[onthestrip]

good designers can work within a tight budget. i understand not being able to afford brick or a more elevated material everywhere, but it's not that expensive to add a little bit of undulation or facade movement. this honestly just reads as lazy design.

those paying reduced rent deserve to live somewhere nice too.

The Muse isnt even using real brick, just faux brick veneer, maybe using brick panels.

[OkieBerto]

The Haven? I lived in one of the units that was affected. I was super disappointed to move out because I liked it a lot. It's insane to me that we're going two years since the fire this coming March. I was told the units won't even be ready until Feb. 2023. It was originally slated to be done May 2022. It's also crazy to me that they'll be charging an arm and leg for rent in the renovated units. If it weren't for the fire, I would have been going on year 8 there. Talk about taking advantage of a negative situation.

Yes, the Haven. I was also told when moving in that the new ones would be "Likely" Available in October 2022. They aren't even close. I love it here anyways. Seems like a nature-filled oasis in the middle of downtown.

[Mississippi Blues]

look, i get that it's affordable housing so the project has to be affordable too. the ones i'm linking still are not the most exciting thing you've ever seen design in the world, but even just breaking up the elevation a tiny bit goes so far in my opinion. if your entire street frontage is completely flat, there's nothing to draw your eye... there's no shadow, no depth, etc and frankly that's just boring as hell. here are a couple off the top of my head:

https://www.archdaily.com/961602/bai...m=projects_tab

https://www.sherman-associates.com/n...uilding-spree/

https://sfyimby.com/2021/05/830-eddy...francisco.html

https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...affordability/

I see what you’re saying and I agree that it has too much “flat frontage” but I’m not sure. It does seem to mix it up with some of the elevation, albeit not in a way that covers for how large the complex is. The most recent photo makes it harder to tell from that angle but maybe I’m misunderstanding what you mean when you say “breaking up the elevation.”

It appears some of the issues you’re noting are intrinsically part of short, long complexes versus taller, compact towers that don’t take up as much land and naturally draw your attention by being up-and-down instead of side-to-side. I’m interested to see what they do with landscaping. Between that, it being completed, and the site cleaned up, I think that’ll give a better idea of where it’s lacking from a design point.

[midtownokcer]

Yes, the Haven. I was also told when moving in that the new ones would be "Likely" Available in October 2022. They aren't even close. I love it here anyways. Seems like a nature-filled oasis in the middle of downtown.

The mature trees and landscaping as well as the spacious floor plans and prices for a downtown apartment is what I loved about it. Also, the fact that it has only ~60 that are well-built is amazing. Every other downtown complex seems to have 250-400 units. After the fire, I moved to Aviare across the street. It's a nice complex, but the build is cheap and I eventually moved out because the noise from my neighbors drove me crazy. I imagine it'll be same at Muse. It looks so cheap. At The Haven, I rarely heard my neighbors above me or next to me. I seriously miss that place!

[Pete]

The Haven was originally Sycamore Square condos.

The northern section still is. But they were built in the 80s and never sold well, so the southern section was spun off to an investor who turned them into apartments.

I remember going to look at them when they were brand new. There was absolutely nothing downtown at the time apart from some office buildings which cleared out at 5 PM every weekday. One (1!) hotel all in all of downtown, as even the Skirvin was shuttered.

My oh my have things changed.

[G.Walker]

Like the design

[Anonymous.]

$1090 is the cheapest unit. Which is for a 490 sqft studio.

$1675 for the cheapest 2 bedrooms. Which looks like 840 sqft.

One thing I noticed on 2 bedrooms is they have them listed with two bathrooms, but the floorplans clearly show the smaller 2beds only have one bathroom.

[OkieBerto]

The mature trees and landscaping as well as the spacious floor plans and prices for a downtown apartment is what I loved about it. Also, the fact that it has only ~60 that are well-built is amazing. Every other downtown complex seems to have 250-400 units. After the fire, I moved to Aviare across the street. It's a nice complex, but the build is cheap and I eventually moved out because the noise from my neighbors drove me crazy. I imagine it'll be same at Muse. It looks so cheap. At The Haven, I rarely heard my neighbors above me or next to me. I seriously miss that place!

I think you might have just been lucky with your neighbors. I am in a bottom apartment next to the pool. My upstairs neighbor is a big dude and stomps around sometimes. My other neighbor I share a wall with sometimes has loud music and/or TV. It is very quiet otherwise and everyone seems to be really nice. The trees are amazing and being downtown is the best part. They are still moving slow with those updated apartments, but they are getting close.

[Dr Beard Face]

$1090 is the cheapest unit. Which is for a 490 sqft studio.

$1675 for the cheapest 2 bedrooms. Which looks like 840 sqft.

One thing I noticed on 2 bedrooms is they have them listed with two bathrooms, but the floorplans clearly show the smaller 2beds only have one bathroom.

That is so not "Affordable living" for as expensive as they are charging that place should have balconies and less boring design throughout. My apartment building opened just a year ago last month, my 2 bed is over 1200 sq ft, and we pay $1450. We are only 8 minutes from downtown, and the apartment is a very unique design that I absolutely love. Muse looks like they need a real Muse.

[Oski]

That is so not "Affordable living" for as expensive as they are charging that place should have balconies and less boring design throughout. My apartment building opened just a year ago last month, my 2 bed is over 1200 sq ft, and we pay $1450. We are only 8 minutes from downtown, and the apartment is a very unique design that I absolutely love. Muse looks like they need a real Muse.

Perhaps the standard used to rate affordability should be $/sqft.

[Pete]

Muse is very close to opening:

[dankrutka]

Really wish their were balconies facing the street. That would add eyes and life on the street and break up the monotony.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ yep. Thankfully there’s no above ground utility lines either though you can still see some on bottom right. Still looks great.

[Pete]

[dcsooner]

That’s a very nice infill. Hope leasing is strong