Creating Places: Hyatt set for SoBro

Here's a rendering of the proposed Hyatt hotel slated for SoBro and to replace the gritty Rock City Machine Co. Building next to Sole Mio on Third Avenue South). Of note, the building is set for 13 stories, so it should stand about 150 feet at its zenith. That's a strong height for the structure's somewhat modest footprint. It will also "hug" Encore, creating a canyon-like effect for those traveling the two-lane, and tight, Molloy Street between Third and Fourth avenues south. This could be rather interesting. I would prefer the Hyatt to be constructed on an empty lot — of which downtown has an excessive number. Still, this should be a solid project. The design (and renderings can be misleading) is seemingly acceptable. I like the blue glass and the corner entrance at the southwest corner of Molloy and Third. There is word (and from a reliable source) that officials with the Hampton Inn & Suites want their building to "jump" Almond Street alley, in the process replacing a cinder-block building owned by C.B. Ragland. Were this to happen (and I believe the tiny building home to Sole Mio would remain in this hypothetical scenario), we're looking at some decent built-fabric density in this little node of SoBro. Of course, the massive surface parking lot between Second, Third, KVB and Molloy needs development. And that should happen within five years.