Dario Anselmo, the coalition’s president who until recently owned the neighboring Fine Line music venue, said he thinks Gensler’s model is “an incredibly innovative and cool design.”
That said, from the perspective of a venue owner, he thinks of the ripple effects such a project would have on the neighborhood, including effects on parking and traffic. The Renaissance Coalition has discussed other ideas for part of those blocks that could also activate the area in new ways, he added.
“Everybody is watching this,” said Hansen, the CPED director. “We are at an inflection point, and I think you’re going to see a lot of great ideas about how we’re reusing buildings and real estate downtown over the next 10 to 15 years.”