4037 replies to this topic

[aastra]

Why no balconies?

[aastra]

Hard to tell from that image but 23 stories and ~200 units would suggest it's not going to be extremely wide, so I'll give it a point for that. I hope they provide some more detailed renderings ASAP.

 

 

These interventions create a culturally significant and unique building design.

 

Edit: I suppose I should also give them a point for how the tower has strong vertical lines rather than doing the "stacked horizontal platters" thing.

Edited by aastra, 06 September 2025 - 03:56 PM.

[aastra]

You know, there's something else that bugs me. Remember when we used to justify flat-topped towers by claiming we were gallantly deferring to the Empress Hotel or the legislative dome or St. Andrew's cathedral or whatever other excuse happened to be convenient for the context? So... why are we still to this day building flat-topped towers (taller towers than before!) on sites where those purported concerns couldn't possibly be relevant? Finlayson at Douglas, Chard's Mazda lot tower near Cook and Yates, etc. That tall proposal for Blanshard St. between Pandora and Cormorant...

 

Anyway...

Edited by aastra, 25 August 2025 - 12:46 PM.

[Kapten Kapsell]

A major new development is proposed to replace the 3 storey parkade at 617 Broughton in Old Town (right behind St Andrew’s Presbyterian church).

The proposal calls for 265 rental units in a 13-storey building with street-level retail.

[aastra]

For those keeping score, I believe this parkade redevelopment plan would count as the 4th building of 10+ stories to ever be proposed on this block, going all the way back to the original Di Castri concept for the Douglas/Courtney corner in the 1960s. Earlier in the 2000s there was also Westbank's proposal on the Douglas Street side, and then the church's jr. highrise vision for the gymnasium site.

 

--

 

 

Daily Colonist
March 1, 1964

Downtown Reaches for Sky

Facing Strait of Juan de Fuca, multi-million-dollar office building at Douglas and Courtney will provide panoramic views for tenants. Even visitors riding up and down in glass-enclosed elevator shafts will get a scenic trip.

Things are looking up downtown -- about 16 storeys up.

In the Burdett-Humboldt-Penwell triangle whose apex just touches Douglas Street, a 158-suite apartment hotel will be started "as soon as possible." Owners are a Victoria firm called Executive House Ltd. and the 16-storey building will be named Executive House.

On the site of the vacated Woodward's store at Douglas and Courtenay a 15-storey twin-tower office building will be started "before the end of May."

...the building was designed by Victoria architect John Di Castri.

Outstanding feature of the structure will be square twin towers predominantly of glass. Two glass-enclosed elevators between the towers will give views of the Strait of Juan De Fuca... Ground floor retail stores topped by three floors of parking will provide a rectangular base for the towers.

Edited by aastra, 25 August 2025 - 07:13 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Vancouver-based ITC Construction Group has acquired Victoria-based Farmer Construction Ltd., expanding its footprint on Vancouver Island and adding to its portfolio of residential and commercial construction projects across British Columbia.

The move brings together two established construction firms with decades of experience in the province. ITC, founded in 1983, is known for managing large-scale residential high-rises and mixed-use developments in major urban centres. Farmer Construction, founded in 1951, has built a wide range of institutional, residential and commercial projects throughout Vancouver Island.

In a statement, ITC said Farmer Construction will continue operating under its current name with its leadership and staff remaining in place. The two firms will work together to pursue new opportunities while maintaining continuity for existing clients and partners.

The acquisition is part of ITC’s broader strategy to grow in key regional markets while maintaining its focus on community-centered development. The company said adding Farmer to its group supports its long-term vision of sustainable growth and allows it to better serve clients outside the Lower Mainland.

 

 

https://www.timescol...by-itc-11128358

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 August 2025 - 08:47 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

1132 Johnson: (Reaches end of life of the 1994 building).

Redevelopment of the 38 homes meant issuing a four-month notice to residents. Of those, 23 were rehomed within existing Capital Regional Housing Corporation stock, five opted to move to private housing and four were not eligible for subsidized housing due to income levels, staff said.



https://www.vicnews....lopment-8295630



That doesn’t math.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 October 2025 - 02:23 PM.

[Mike K.]

That implies six units were vacant.

[Victoria Watcher]

Oh ya probably.

[Mike K.]

Remember, vacancy is celebrated now. We have gone from tackling the empty home crisis, to promoting empty homes as successful policy.

[aastra]

Government-operated buildings from the 1980s are teardown material, 100% fax, no argument. Does anybody remember a few years ago when there was great controversy re: the tearing down of privately-owned apartment buildings that were ~25 years older than that?

 

And before that there was the whole "evil slumlords skip maintenance on purpose" narrative, too. Remember that? For houses that were ~100 years old.

 

We can't seem to decide whether essential upkeep of a building is a reasonable expectation or not. It depends on who the landlord is. 

[aastra]

For the record, I actually have no problem with the replacement of this particular building. Fingers crossed that the one on Gladstone smack in the middle of Fernwood village also gets replaced eventually by something of a form & character that actually suits the old neighbourhood.

 

I'm just sayin' we seem to have yet another instance of not being able to keep our story straight.

[aastra]

726 Discovery Street supportive housing

 

1244 Wharf Street rooftop addition | Another pic

[aastra]

Housing project replacement between Johnson and Harris Green

[aastra]

Did we know Jawl's Cook Street project between Yates and View has applied for zero on-site parking?

 

Methinks any complex with more than ~100 units should be required to have at least some parking. But for the record I actually have no problem with minimal parking, say one space per every 10 units or something like that.

[Sparky]

The CRD has gone to tender for a Project Manager for this construction. They are going to replace 59 existing units with 3 six story buildings with 80 or so units each. 

 

"Existing Apartment and Townhouse Complex

Located at 1821 & 1827 McKenzie Avenue in Saanich, Willowdene-Rosewood is a 15-unit townhouse and 44-unit apartment complex at the end of its service life and requires replacement. The townhouse and apartments complex will be redeveloped as a consolidated site known as 1800 McKenzie."

 

This is another case of a government entity providing misinformation in order to justify a need. The existing buildings were constructed in 1988. Quit lying to us. Buildings can last a lot longer than 37 years.

 

https://www.capitalr...mckenzie-avenue

[Victoria Watcher]

It’s really something, eh?

[Victoria Watcher]

It’s also interesting they will locate an even-street-number building on the odd side of the street.