Jump to content

      



























Photo

[Fairfield] Essencia Verde condo (formerly Castana) | 4- & 3-storeys | Built - completed in 2010


  • Please log in to reply
727 replies to this topic

#1 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 07:46 AM

Just thought I'd start a Castana thread.
Maybe someday our great-grandchildren will witness the groundbreaking.

Here's pics of the original model. Obviously the townhouse aspect is no more. But I have yet to see what the new rendering will look like:
[url=http://imageshack.us:e7f96][/url:e7f96]
[url=http://imageshack.us:e7f96][/url:e7f96]
[url=http://imageshack.us:e7f96][/url:e7f96]

#2 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 07:49 AM

Related links:
http://castana.ca/
http://www.oliphantcook.com/
http://www.cookstreetvillage.ca/

#3 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 07:54 AM

The latest rendering:
[url=http://imageshack.us:10598][/url:10598]

#4 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 08:01 AM

What the lot roughly looks like today: (Courtesy of Holden)
[url=http://imageshack.us:d8f88][/url:d8f88]

#5 Holden West

Holden West

    Va va voom!

  • Member
  • 9,058 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 09:19 AM

Except they've cleaned up the graf and put a fence around the site (but not a fancy decorative fence like Councillor Madoff requested at the Council meeting).
"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

#6 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 12:01 PM

Listen to The July 31st CBC radio interview with John Campos, the Fairfield Community Association's president about Castana:
http://www.cbc.ca/on... ... IRFIEL.ram

#7 Scaper

Scaper
  • Member
  • 1,262 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 12:34 PM

that's the first time I have seen those renderings...thanks for sharing.

#8 aastra

aastra
  • Member
  • 20,649 posts

Posted 05 September 2006 - 12:50 PM

My favourite quote from that radio interview:

So you're reminded constantly of this new reality when it comes to developments, that some of them are getting built...and many are not.


Um, that should be "most of them are getting built, but some are not".

Folks, if you want the silly thing to get built then work with the developer and get it built.

It seems unbelievable to me that such an innocuous little project has been put through the wringer like this.

It's also funny to me that the guys in the interview are lamenting getting stuck with parking lots. What about all of the existing parking lots that people defend tooth and nail when developers (finally) decide to build on them? You can't hate parking lots in one instance and celebrate them in another.

#9 Holden West

Holden West

    Va va voom!

  • Member
  • 9,058 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 06:55 PM

It was mentioned at the public hearing earlier this summer that Food Country was to vacate the building in mid-October to make way for renovations into retail shops.

Today, I asked the check-out girl if that schedule was still on track and she looked at me as if I had asked her when the Martians were coming. She said there were no plans to close the store. In fact they're still hiring for several departments.

So I don't know what the hell's going on. Max has permission to go ahead with the reno.
"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

#10 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 10:24 PM

Yeah and did you notice the signs that not only are they now not only looking for cashiers, but a manager as well?

#11 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 10:31 PM

Here's the PDF for the proposed changes to phase 1 for the Septemeber 28th council meeting:
http://www.cookstree...application.pdf
Not too many changes as far as more family oriented units are concerned.
I plan to extract some of these and post zoomed images of the plan pages once I get access to a program that can extract pdf's to jpegs.
I can't make it to the council meeting. Anyone planning on going, and taking pics? Huh, huh?

#12 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 10:34 PM

With regards to Food Coutry: they must be keeping it, period. And keeping it open while an expansion happens.

#13 Holden West

Holden West

    Va va voom!

  • Member
  • 9,058 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 10:39 PM

I guess Max figured there's so much bad blood now, residents would likely boycott the high-end retailers he had planned for the Food Country site.

I guess this is good news since a supermarket is more useful than a gelato shop and a scented candle store, but still--this whole process has been a debaucle.
"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

#14 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 10:49 PM

This whole thing is such a mess.
But this is good IF F.C. stays open. I know a lot of fans of Oxford Foods, but I personally think it's garbagio. Hopefully this theoretical expansion of F.C. will fill the gaps other grocery stores have filled as far as selection is concerned.

#15 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 10:52 PM

I'm curious how residents actually feel about Castana. Espescailly after all this time. Does the FCA reflect the attitudes of residents of Fairfield? I don't think so. No one I know in the area has spoken negati,vely about the project, other than the fact that it's taken so long to fill that god-damn hole.

#16 Holden West

Holden West

    Va va voom!

  • Member
  • 9,058 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 11:05 PM

Hmmm...I know one fan of Oxford Foods...



I'd like this renovation more if a floor of residential were being added.
"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

#17 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 11:08 PM

Isn't that where he gets his meat and potatoes?
KIDDING! Teehee! :-D

#18 Oxford Sutherland

Oxford Sutherland
  • Member
  • 522 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 11:08 PM

I actually prefer Food Country.

Neither are very interesting though.

I find Oxford Foods to be kind of depressing, much like the Wellburns on Pandora & Cook.

Victoria needs an Urban Fare.

#19 Oxford Sutherland

Oxford Sutherland
  • Member
  • 522 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 11:11 PM

I suspect the new Thrifty Foods in the Tuscany Disneyland in Gordon Head might be somewhat like Urban Fare.

#20 gumgum

gumgum
  • Member
  • 7,069 posts

Posted 24 September 2006 - 11:14 PM

I bet Food Country will tranform itself into a Market On Yates.

You're not quite at the end of this discussion topic!

Use the page links at the lower-left to go to the next page to read additional posts.
 



0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users