Update: The Syndicate Trust Building has now been renovated into apartments and condominiums.

As is common in many urban environments, buildings often rub up against each other in a sometimes awkward fashion. The Syndicate Trust and Century Buildings used to seamlessly flow together; now the newly erected and banally named “9th Street Garage“, which took the Century’s place, now clashes with the more historic Syndicate Trust.

There’s something annoying about an historic building being torn down for a parking garage–especially when they re-erect the parking garage to have the same dimensions as the old building. What is even more idiotic is that the Century Building almost certainly would be undergoing a renovation into condos as we speak just like its neighbor on the block–the two buildings were connected for decades–if it hadn’t been demolished for more parking.

But don’t we need more parking downtown? No, we don’t quite frankly. I was recently downtown the same day as the NRA convention–the largest in the city’s history–and there were half empty parking garages within two blocks of the convention center. Weekdays are similar; I can always find a spot in any number of conveniently located parking garages. Downtown doesn’t need more parking, it needs more businesses and people!

Around the corner at the old Statler Hotel, they did manage to neatly and somewhat effectively add a mirror image addition to the venerable old hotel, as can be seen along the one block stretch of St. Charles on the south side of the hotel.

Can you tell which side is the original?