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Your Ideal New Downtown Projects


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#21 gumgum

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Posted 05 February 2010 - 01:13 PM

Rob, I've seen a similar drawing with the exclusion zone for Christ Church and if memory serves, I believe all of the Y is within the exclusion zone. Perhaps some of the parking lot on the north side is outside of it. I can't quite remember.

I don't see why the Y should have to go for a variance of any kind. It is a non-profit. It is a vital part of the community. This city should be bending over backwards to make the Y as healthy and successful as possible.

The pool is out of date, the locker rooms are in dire need of a remodel. The entire place is cold and dark. The building is a bewildering maze of rooms and halls, many of which are never used because of lack of access and functionality. I don't believe there is even a functioning elevator for members. (I think there's a freight elevator of some kind for staff.)

If this city wasn't so loonie, this wouldn't be an issue.

#22 G-Man

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Posted 05 February 2010 - 02:10 PM

Is this lot really considered Fairfield? That in itself is insane.

#23 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 05 February 2010 - 02:16 PM

I wish I could build a building with a spire or clock tower, then rule over my underling buildings. How come a church gets such power? Unless it comes from above maybe.

#24 D.L.

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Posted 05 February 2010 - 02:52 PM

That's what they want you to think!

#25 Baro

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Posted 05 February 2010 - 02:56 PM

It was built before Victoria was "done". Victoria was "done" a couple years before you moved here or were born here and anything after that point is an unwelcome addition that threatens the city. Why can't the Y just follow our community plans and zoning? Don't tell me developer lies, just build a state of the art facility out of magic beans or something.

What we need to do is wait till the building is so outdated and old that the Y has to shut down, deny them everything they need to make a new building work, then lament how downtown doesn't have a ymca anymore. That or throw a ton of city money at the project and end up with a building even smaller and less suited to the community but with a large open space amenity.

But seriously, if the Y could do it alone or with a partner to build a great new facility partially funded by a big office/residential component would be a perfect win/win for the city, but it would never happen due to holy height limits, outdated zoning, and a voting population of whiners and crybabies that don't deserve nice things. Doesn't matter if it's 6 stories of affordable rental housing on top of a new community rec centre and a magic box in the basement that cures all cancers within 500m, we'll still get endless ramblings about community plans and height.
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#26 Holden West

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Posted 06 February 2010 - 10:14 PM

I know Dylan's familiar with this site. I pass by it all the time and think of what should be done.

Hillside and Cook
.

Kitty-corner from the funky old Strathmore apartment and just down from the Cridge Centre. This used to be a Payless Gas Station.

I'm thinking a four storey residential building. Some might balk at putting a parking entrance so close to a major intersection but remember, it was a busy gas station so there will be no problem. I don't know if you'd want to put retail here. There's no other commercial for blocks around. The soil would definitely need major remediation.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
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#27 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 February 2010 - 10:28 PM

I know Dylan's familiar with this site. I pass by it all the time and think of what should be done.

Hillside and Cook
.

Kitty-corner from the funky old Strathmore apartment and just down from the Cridge Centre. This used to be a Payless Gas Station.

I'm thinking a four storey residential building. Some might balk at putting a parking entrance so close to a major intersection but remember, it was a busy gas station so there will be no problem. I don't know if you'd want to put retail here. There's no other commercial for blocks around. The soil would definitely need major remediation.


Yes, that was one of the busiest gas stations in the city, even though you could only acess eastbound on Hillside or northbound on Cook. Or maybe you could make a suicide left off Hillside westbound, now I forget.

What the hell is all that forest behind the place? Is that all Cridge lands? It looks like a lot more than those orphans need. Is there any way a back entry for vehicles could be acheived? Maybe we could lobby for a near-zero setback building here.

#28 Bingo

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Posted 06 February 2010 - 10:29 PM

Turn it into a park.

#29 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 February 2010 - 10:34 PM

Turn it into a park.


Drive-through, or walking-based? Actually, if the soil is wrecked, maybe a drive-through park is best?

#30 Rob Randall

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Posted 06 February 2010 - 11:01 PM

It's right across the street from a freaking park. Victoria has a limited parks acquisition budget and I think this would be a waste.

#31 aastra

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Posted 07 February 2010 - 04:06 PM

Great spot for a lowrise residential building with a grocery store and a coffee shop on the ground floor. I don't see why vehicle access should be any more of a challenge than it is with the older apartment buildings across Hillside.

#32 Holden West

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Posted 10 May 2010 - 04:48 PM

I know Dylan's familiar with this site. I pass by it all the time and think of what should be done.

Hillside and Cook
.

Kitty-corner from the funky old Strathmore apartment and just down from the Cridge Centre. This used to be a Payless Gas Station.

I'm thinking a four storey residential building. Some might balk at putting a parking entrance so close to a major intersection but remember, it was a busy gas station so there will be no problem. I don't know if you'd want to put retail here. There's no other commercial for blocks around. The soil would definitely need major remediation.


There's been a lot of remediation going on this past week at this site. Drilling machines and pumping trucks.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#33 ressen

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Posted 10 May 2010 - 07:52 PM

Government street as a permanent pedestrian mall.

#34 aastra

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Posted 21 June 2010 - 06:11 PM

Not downtown but I've been thinking about Orchard House and how it occupies such a large property and also how it's not a very attractive building. You could build two slim-and-nicely-spaced towers on that property and a lowrise building with townhouses along the sidewalk and the net effect for all concerned (residents and neighbours alike) would be a huge improvement.

#35 Barra

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Posted 21 June 2010 - 08:43 PM

The best spot for a Bus depot remains the vacant lot across from the Times Colonist.

My second facourite option would be on top of the current BC transit yard. Since the yard is quite a bit below grade you build a ground level bus depot above it and it would be a good cost recovery mechanism for BC transit. It doesn't change the use of the area. And it would put a potentially nice building on top of a current blight.


I like both of these ideas. Above the BC transit yard would be great - lots of space, and a good place to link in to public transit and set up a taxi stand and car pick up and drop off space. Great location to go pick up your relatives coming in to town. That was one of the concerns that I had about the proposed Pembroke st. site - would you want your daughter coming home for the weekend from college and getting off the bus in that dark creepy part of town??
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#36 Bingo

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Posted 21 June 2010 - 09:05 PM

I like both of these ideas. Above the BC transit yard would be great - lots of space, and a good place to link in to public transit and set up a taxi stand and car pick up and drop off space. Great location to go pick up your relatives coming in to town. That was one of the concerns that I had about the proposed Pembroke st. site - would you want your daughter coming home for the weekend from college and getting off the bus in that dark creepy part of town??


That property west of the Johnson Street Bridge at Esquimalt and Tyee, is a good site for a bus depot. That exchange could be combined with the E&N station if it gets moved to the west side of the bridge.

#37 Mike K.

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Posted 21 June 2010 - 09:27 PM

I don't think a bus depot would fly right in the middle of a growing residential area.

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#38 aastra

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Posted 21 June 2010 - 10:08 PM

Wasn't there just a murder out in front of the Times-Colonist's building?

Although I agree Douglas Street near Hillside is good location for a number of reasons.

#39 victorian fan

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Posted 22 June 2010 - 07:26 AM

^
Murder of Justin Wendland, a Grade 10 student by a man with a history of mental health and addiction issues.

#40 bicycles

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Posted 23 June 2010 - 03:44 PM

I wasn't sure where to put this (mods feel free to put this in it's proper place) but they were taking soil samples today on the SE corner of the empty lot on Vancouver and View.

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