326 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

... But the whole thing gets taken down by the incredibly excessive use of the same brown brick. In moderation that exact same brick would be no problem. Taken to such excess it just seems so overwhelming and dreary...

For a moment I was sure you were talking about the proposal for the Residences at the Empress. 

[sdwright.vic]

Wharf Street is so underutilized in this regard. The narrow sidewalks don't help. The Keg.. that location, no patio, WTF! Widen the sidewalk, do some aastra makeovers and encourage patios or better business 'outreach' to the street.

No room for patios or bigger sidewalks. That space will be taken by a multi directional bike lane! 😛

[jonny]

Rooftop patios!

I still scratch my head whenever I see that prime real estate on Wharf occupied by an ICBC driver's license office. Wtf?

[Kach]

I have always thought it would be nice to convert Wharf to one lane one way southbound south of Yates.  Then redesign similar to Government St.  Maybe with one lane one way and bi-directional cycle path, there would be room to add additional sidewalk space.

[RFS]

I have always thought it would be nice to convert Wharf to one lane one way southbound south of Yates. Then redesign similar to Government St. Maybe with one lane one way and bi-directional cycle path, there would be room to add additional sidewalk space.

Why not do that with all the parking lots below?

[thundergun]

Which reminds me, wouldn't the modern section of the hotel at Broad and Johnson look infinitely better (not to mention more convincing) if those brick-covered pillars were dressed in stone or polished concrete or something? And wouldn't it be better if that space were glassed in right to the pillars?

 

I always thought that the restaurant section of that hotel (now Ruby, formerly The Tube, Stone's Throw and many others) would have be ideal for this corner with a patio section instead of hidden with a small storefront next to the hotel entrance.

[aastra]

Here's an ideal project for you:

 

- build a new building that has the same height and presence as the old Wilson/Gordon Hotel,
- add a set-back third level atop both of the old two-story buildings (on either side of the Cross' Meats building), and
- give each old building along Douglas a decent restoration and/or distinguishing paint job.

 

A project like this would be huge.

 

Google street view...
 

pic from BC Archives:
http://search-bcarch...street-victoria

[Nparker]

Here's an ideal project for you:

 

- build a new building that has the same height and presence as the old Wilson/Gordon Hotel,
- add a set-back third level atop both of the old two-story buildings (on either side of the Cross' Meats building), and
- give each old building along Douglas a decent restoration and/or distinguishing paint job.

What benefit would there be to a faux 19th century streetscape on one of the main downtown thoroughfares? Isn't this precisely what Old Town is for?

[aastra]

Those buildings aren't replicas. They're priceless originals. I'm not sure what you're thinking here.

[Nparker]

Those buildings aren't replicas. They're priceless originals..

You said "build a new building that has the same height and presence as the old Wilson/Gordon Hotel"; this wouldn't be an original. You also said "add a set-back third level atop both of the old two-story buildings". This would render the existing buildings significantly altered from their original form.

 

Most of the Douglas Street buildings have been so thoroughly bastardized over the years that they really have no significant value today. We have Old Town, Broad Street and Government Street (to name just 3 areas) that can be preserved in amber as a museum pieces. Douglas Street should be focused on the future, not the past.

[Jackerbie]

I think what Aastra is proposing is restoration of the 3-storey heritage facades, and construction of new, modern additions on top. Obviously not as tall as Jameson House in Vancouver, but the same general idea.

[Nparker]

I think what Aastra is proposing is restoration of the 3-storey heritage facades, and construction of new, modern additions on top. Obviously not as tall as Jameson House in Vancouver, but the same general idea...

If I thought something of the quality of Jameson House could actually get built on Douglas Street I'd be championing it. However, since we'd much more likely get one-floor additions - like those uninspired add-ons on Yates Street -

it hardly inspires much confidence.

[lanforod]

I like it, but definitely, shoot for more than 1 storey add-on and not necessarily set back.

[aastra]

 

This would render the existing buildings significantly altered from their original form.

 

Didn't you say they should be demolished? That's a pretty significant alteration.

 

Anyway, I meant build a new building on the site of the Wilson Hotel to maybe ~5 stories and then add a level atop the two-story buildings facing Douglas.

[sdwright.vic]

Gut the interiors and restore the facades. The insides of some of these buildings are most likely beyond saving.

[aastra]

 

Most of the Douglas Street buildings have been so thoroughly bastardized over the years that they really have no significant value today. We have Old Town, Broad Street and Government Street (to name just 3 areas) that can be preserved in amber as a museum pieces.

 

You owe me some paper towels. I used a bunch to clean my monitor after I spit my afternoon latte all over it.

[Jackerbie]

Another heritage-meets-modern showpiece in Vancouver, currently proposed for the former Canada Post processing facility downtown:

[Nparker]

Another heritage-meets-modern showpiece in Vancouver...

Let me know when something like that is

a) proposed in Victoria
b) manages to get approved by the un-visionaries on Council

[aastra]

There's adding levels and then there's gluing large new buildings on top of existing buildings....

 

In Victoria I'd like to see something a little more elegant happen with the Shoppers Drug Mart property, incorporating the facade of the modern bank building on the corner. Offset the new construction a bit so that it doesn't look (quite so much) like a new building standing on the top of an existing building.

 

Edited by aastra, 01 August 2017 - 04:07 PM.

[aastra]

That pic doesn't really show it the way I'd want it to be. The new construction would extend further back toward A&B sound's building, and more of the roof of the old building would be open not just on the Yates side but on the Douglas side, too.