ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
They could easily retheme it.
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New FL Restrooms / Walkway
- Thread starter jmuboy
- Start date
Tom
Beta Return
Right. Lots cheaper to re-paint a tower and put different shingles on it than to tear it down and build something in its place.
NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
Tom
Beta Return
Hmmm. Good point. The new tower is going to be round. It'll be interesting to see what happens with that old one. Perhaps themed to assist with the transition from the medieval area to this area.
RunnerEd
Well-Known Member
I read somewhere on here that when the FLE began, there was still a remaining wall from the 2K show building that was used as part of the new LM building. The explanation was that if they used that wall, adding the LM building was considered a renovation, not new construction which made it much cheaper to permit and fewer hoops to jump through on the permit side. I don't know if this is true or not but if so, it would make sense to leave part of the old there to "renovate" instead of building something new. The law of unintended consequences at work again. :wave:
BK31
Member
They could build out the sides of the existing tower to make it round and put a new roof atop everything if they wanted to.
In my day job there have been a few projects where we keep an 'existing' wall or two through different phases of construction to get a permit or avoid a zoning review only to eventually demolish it in a later phase. We of course had built something else in the interim that is going to be kept so even though we end up tearing out the original existing wall from the first permit, the new project is still a renovation/remodel because of the stuff just recently built is now considered existing in its entirety if you go in for a new permit. There are hoops to go through, but loopholes like this definitely do exist almost everywhere and I can totally see Disney using it to their advantage when they need to. Don't think the plan officials don't know about them either. So long as you do everything by the rules it usually goes okay.
RunnerEd
Well-Known Member
I used to be in the construction industry and have seen what you're talking about done several times. We should also remember that Disney isn't doing the construction, just the design. Generally, the contractor is left to build things the way they want as long as it is up to standards and on time.
BK31
Member
Very true about the contractor's flexibility in method so long as the specifications are met and everything is built to code, but in order to permit something that way the architects usually have to have the plans drawn along those lines to get through plan review. My guess is Disney would probably be aware of it if that's the way they're doing, especially for something so visible.
The only things I've seen is the drawing of this area that were civil / site work drawings and very vague on the actual buildings themselves so we'll see how it ends up. Who knows maybe whoever did the site drawings that were leaked may have had old or preliminary information,and it has changed since that got out.
RunnerEd
Well-Known Member
Great points again. Those leaked plans which, I agree, were vague on building shapes didn't include any ideas on theme at all. I don't believe that the Tangled theme has been confirmed which means the existing tower could be integrated into the final design as-is. It will be fun to watch for sure.
NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
Design documents from Disney and their consultants are very detailed. It is possible that the tower is to be converted, but if that were the case then I would expect the roof to be removed and everything stripped out for reconstruction.
Means and methods are up to the contractor, but they are absolutely not allowed to build things how they want.
Tom
Beta Return
Right no all accounts. Means and Methods are completely up to the contractor. But if plans say to tear down a tower and replace it with another, the contractor does not have the option to leave it and re-theme it at his own discretion.
As for the loophole of using part of an existing building to get around permitting....I still don't buy it. Maybe Florida has very unusual laws and ordinances, but in Indiana, if I told the state or local building authority that I was going to leave one exterior wall of a completely demolished building, and call the new project a "remodel" - they'd laugh at me until I finished filling out the NEW CONSTRUCTION permit.
Besides, all of Disney's projects go through RCID for permitting. They go through the Florida Drainage Board for site development approval, but for the buildings themselves, they get the permit from RCID and file a Notice of Commencement with the county. It seems unlikely that RCID would have any rules in place that hinder Disney's ability to build anything or to get a permit....since RCID is Disney.
Skibum1970
Well-Known Member
Actually, in Boston, I read about a company that is building a new building but have retained the front wall of the building being replaced. In doing so, they avoided some of the fees and permits that would have been needed if they had torn down the old building completely. This is a fairly common practice although I am sure that the regulations may vary state by state.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
The bird's eye view on Bing Maps has pictures from before the walls went up in Fantasyland for the expansion. They kept the northern and eastern walls of the 20K show building, probably for this exact purpose.
I have a building sorta like that around here. See how well the "new" building matches the "old" building?
NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
The bird's eye view on Bing Maps has pictures from before the walls went up in Fantasyland for the expansion. They kept the northern and eastern walls of the 20K show building, probably for this exact purpose.
I have a building sorta like that around here. See how well the "new" building matches the "old" building?
I didn't realize we were in a stylistic debate. If a new building matches the old isn't it a slap in the face of the time and place by which it was constructed? The real world isnt Disney.
Now as to your picture, I strongly disagree with the whole empty facade way of preservation. It doesn't preserve anything, just reminds us that it is a shell. We allow this to happen far too often.
mp2bill
Well-Known Member
That would be awesome. Dunno bout the location though. Maybe move that kitchen supply store to the skyway side and put HM stuff in there. Maybe make it larger and have the HM empty out into the store.
Tom
Beta Return
Where is it???
RAXIP
Well-Known Member
It's just below the restroom on the second floor. All the way on the left side of the building, by Fantasyland.