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Some long gone greats: historical Victoria photos


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#641 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:14 PM

I can't quite figure the current location of the "Plaza" and the "Dominion" above.



#642 Rob Randall

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:18 PM

The intersection of Fort and Cook back in the day was rocking a Vancouver vibe. The overhead lines and the old bank building in a neighbourhood setting reminds me a bit of 4th and Alma.

 

Also consider the claims staked to the north, like the Scott Building on Hillside/Douglas and the Leland on Bay/Douglas. Those visionary builders assumed Victoria's urban form would expand much more than it did. Only now, a century later are we planning comparable buildings to go alongside them.


Edited by Rob Randall, 20 February 2020 - 08:18 PM.


#643 Rob Randall

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:21 PM

I can't quite figure the current location of the "Plaza" and the "Dominion" above.

 

Right where Atrium is now. The Atlas facade at the far right is still here, now called Yates Centre.


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#644 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:22 PM

...Capitol Theatre was half-decently impressive from the front but not exactly a beauty on the Blanshard Street side:

 

M02021_141.jpg

pic from https://archives.vic...capitol-theatre

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...

Capture.JPG


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#645 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:23 PM

Right where Atrium is now. The Atlas facade at the far right is still here, now called Yates Centre.

I guess I didn't squint at the photo close enough, as I should have figured that out.



#646 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:28 PM

Also consider the claims staked to the north, like the Scott Building on Hillside/Douglas and the Leland on Bay/Douglas. Those visionary builders assumed Victoria's urban form would expand much more than it did. Only now, a century later are we planning comparable buildings to go alongside them.

And I'd say "comparable" is being generous considering what is proposed for the revamped Scott Building.



#647 aastra

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:34 PM

Government at Yates looking north:

 

M08661_141.jpg

pic from https://archives.vic...-yates-street-2



#648 aastra

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 08:55 PM

We've talked about the corner of Broad and Pandora before. Methinks the evolution here is a pretty good indictment of the hollow attitude that tends to prevail in Victoria re: architectural heritage. If somebody wants to do any development or redevelopment in the old town then the old town milieu suddenly becomes very precious. But otherwise, people are perfectly content to allow regression like this to happen, and to allow the (precious or not?) district to suffer the consequences for decades on end.

 

I suppose I should be satisfied that any building at all was allowed to go up on the parking lot. The "open space" defenders would be out in force today.

 

From downtown/old town building:

M01254_141.jpg
https://archives.vic...-pandora-avenue
 

*****
 

To surface parking lot:

M03682_141.jpg
pic from https://archives.vic...in-background-2

 

*****

 

To I don't know what:

Pandora_at_Broad-Google_Streetview.jpg


Edited by aastra, 20 February 2020 - 08:57 PM.


#649 Nparker

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 09:51 PM

Methinks the parking lot was almost a better use of this site than the grotty little late 70s/early 80s box that is there now. At least the parking lot had the potential to be something better.



#650 aastra

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 10:58 PM

Some of the recent pics in this thread really tell the tale re: that late 1950s/early 1960s effort to put overhead lines underground.



#651 m3m

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 11:20 AM

Government at Yates looking north:

 

 

pic from https://archives.vic...-yates-street-2

 

 

For what it's worth, the current building at the NE corner of government and yates I think is one of victoria's hidden architectural gems. 

 

i-02185_141.jpg

 

 

What it looks like today:  https://www.google.c...!7i13312!8i6656



#652 Rob Randall

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Posted 21 February 2020 - 11:28 AM

^You could safely say the newer cut out for the Starbucks entrance was an improvement. Not all modern alterations actually enhance a building.


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#653 Biro

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Posted 11 April 2020 - 09:21 AM

The intersection of Fort and Cook back in the day was rocking a Vancouver vibe. The overhead lines and the old bank building in a neighbourhood setting reminds me a bit of 4th and Alma.
 
M09834_141.jpg
pic from https://archives.vic...nd-cook-streets
 
*****
 
Capitol Theatre was half-decently impressive from the front but not exactly a beauty on the Blanshard Street side:
 
M02021_141.jpg
pic from https://archives.vic...capitol-theatre


Are those swing down emergency exit ladders I see? Very cool photo thanks for sharing. A lot of people hate on the capitol 6 design, I actually like it and will be sad to see its bulky mass and delicate greenhouse taken down. It’s certainly a unique building if anything.

Edited by Biro, 11 April 2020 - 09:24 AM.

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#654 Nparker

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Posted 11 April 2020 - 09:28 AM

 

A lot of people hate on the capitol 6 design, I actually like it and will be sad to see its bulky mass and delicate greenhouse taken down. It’s certainly a unique building if anything.

If it didn't have such a lifeless presence along most of its Blanshard Street facade, I don't think it would be too bad. 



#655 Biro

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Posted 18 April 2020 - 01:14 PM

If it didn't have such a lifeless presence along most of its Blanshard Street facade, I don't think it would be too bad.


It’s a big blocky wall this much I can agree on. Hopefully something comes of the Jawl YMCA collab.

#656 aastra

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Posted 08 June 2020 - 08:05 AM

The brewery building was torn down when.... not even five years later?

 

 

Daily Colonist
January 10, 1975
 

Temperature rising

 

Victorians accustomed to checking time and temperature on large rotating digital clock atop Labatts brewery building on Government will have to look elsewhere. Clock was taken down Thursday afternoon as part of building's $200,000 facelift. Plant was built in 1896 and plans are to restore profile it showed Victorians at turn of century with high pitched roof.

 

1967 (pic from City of Victoria archives)

 

M09138_141.jpg

 

*****

1959 (pic from City of Victoria archives):

 

M01374_141.jpg



#657 Nparker

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Posted 08 June 2020 - 08:27 AM

Another sad loss.



#658 Rob Randall

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Posted 08 June 2020 - 08:40 AM

Yes, it won a Hallmark Award for the restoration so of course they tore it down. A staggering and inexplicable loss. At least Clara Kramer kept her abandoned buildings.

 

That should be the Phillips or Victoria Brewing building.



#659 Mike K.

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Posted 08 June 2020 - 08:48 AM

I think the rationale behind razing a building like that is at the time it was seen as being ultra-niche, but the commercial land value with that building was relatively high, therefore property taxes were high. If this building were abandoned by a brewer today we'd find ways to repurpose it but back then it was seen as a financial liability for the landowner to keep a brewery on site that nobody wanted/needed.


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#660 Jackerbie

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Posted 08 June 2020 - 08:54 AM

I think the rationale behind razing a building like that is at the time it was seen as being ultra-niche, but the commercial land value with that building was relatively high, therefore property taxes were high. If this building were abandoned by a brewer today we'd find ways to repurpose it but back then it was seen as a financial liability for the landowner to keep a brewery on site that nobody wanted/needed.

 

It's widely speculated that Labatt demolished the building before they left town to prevent a competitor picking it up and operating a brewery on the island


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