1676 replies to this topic

[jonny]

If that guy thinks it is tall buildings that have destroyed the "charm and ambiance" of downtown, I can guarantee you he hasn't been downtown for at least two years.

 

The charm and ambiance was so much better with all those parking lots and empty, overgrown lots. Now that **** was vibrant! 

[AllseeingEye]

I've actually been somewhat pleasantly surprised at the general dearth of anti-height T-C letters. As most of us know back in the day - 15-20 years or so ago - it would have been a veritable deluge of real or imagined outage from the "anti" corner. A twenty story proposal would have been enough to send them into orbit, but the idea of a 30-story structure would have caused a mass apoplectic fit.....

 

I've never understood - at all - why a place can't have ambiance and charm and yet also project and actually have a vibrant, um....."vibe'. Lots_and_lots of other cities all over the the globe - even "historic" ones - do and pull it off beautifully to boot - why is the anti-height crowd here so oblivious to that fact? We're talking about a city here....not a museum.

 

Of course that is precisely the problem: while cities are organic entities and most intelligent reasonable people understand that, plus the fact they evolve, grow and CHANGE over time - a museum almost by definition is an unchanging static snapshot of something captured at a specific moment in time, which of course is exactly what the anti-crowd here craves: "oh if it could only look like the Victoria of my youth!" As my Brit cousins would say - Bollocks! to that nonsense.

 

Unlike the author of that letter - and many others incidentally who move here from somewhere else and then presume to try to tell us what Victoria should be according to their romanticized ideal - I actually was born and raised and grew up in and remember Victoria in the 60's and early 70's: it was a spectacularly awesome and safe place to grow up as a kid, no question about that.

 

However it was boring as hell both from an architecture aesthetic and especially a 'buzz' standpoint - the harbour area above all, which should be the Crown Jewel from a tourist standpoint, was butt-fugly given it had a wood chip and pulp mill and a paint factory gracing the waterfront, among other so-called "world class" establishments, both of them incidentally spewing a toxic mix of industrial effluent directly into the harbour. On View Street, right downtown somewhere near View and Vancouver we actually had an auto-wrecking yard at least up to the late 70's: imagine - an auto junk yard right downtown. You don't see that in Paris, or London, or Miami or other 'world class' cities. That certain folks around this town actually pine away for that dreary and dull version of Victoria is, quite frankly, mind boggling.

 

In terms of a "vibe" the only vibe around this town was when Ida Clarkson changed her hairstyle. Beyond that....yeah...not so much. Loved growing up here as a kid, but in terms of the city itself, especially its shape, form, and energy - I infinitely prefer the Victoria of today versus the "Mayberry RFD" version of 1965 or 1970....

[2F2R]

I think the real downfall, the real change in the true character of this quaint little British outpost was when they first built out-side the fort walls ... it's never been the same since.

 

I wish my puppy would never grow up ...

[2F2R]

Does the letter writer know why Victoria is the Capital City of British Columbia ?

Edited by 2F2R, 09 April 2017 - 08:46 PM.

[Nparker]

...We're talking about a city here....not a museum. Of course that is precisely the problem: while cities are organic entities and most intelligent reasonable people understand that, plus the fact they evolve, grow and CHANGE over time - a museum almost by definition is an unchanging static snapshot of something captured at a specific moment in time, which of course is exactly what the anti-crowd here craves: "oh if it could only look like the Victoria of my youth!" ...

I couldn't have said it better myself. Bravo ASE. 

[Mixed365]

Besides the hideous mosaic mural and the poorly designed ground floor? 

 

I mean what makes it a poorly designed ground floor. I understand the mosaic issues. 

[VicHockeyFan]

I mean what makes it a poorly designed ground floor. I understand the mosaic issues. 

 

Some of the retail space rolls down steel blinds each night, and when they are open, they have deeply tinted glass.  It has a set-back that is of no real use.

 

[Nparker]

I mean what makes it a poorly designed ground floor.

Aesthetically, the finishing materials are cheap looking and the windows are too small. The glazing should go all the way to the canopy, particularly on a dark, north-facing facade. 

The worst part however is that it is set-back too far from the sidewalk, especially the section where "ReStart" is located.

Compare the set-backs of the buildings on either side.

When a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store has a more engaging street presence, then you know you've done something wrong with the design of your commercial space.

[Mike K.]

The Wave was a miserably failed attempt at creating a modern ground floor. How much of that was the architect's fault and how much the developer's we'll never know.

 

But luckily, over the last 15-years, we've seen very, very few bungled ground floors in the downtown core.

[Jackerbie]

Aesthetically, the finishing materials are cheap looking and the windows are too small. The glazing should go all the way to the canopy, particularly on a dark, north-facing facade. 

 

The worst part however is that it is set-back too far from the sidewalk, especially the section where "ReStart" is located.

 

Compare the set-backs of the buildings on either side.

 

When a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store has a more engaging street presence, then you know you've done something wrong with the design of your commercial space.

 

What's the setback at Yello? The rendering makes it look pretty deep, but the floor to ceiling glazing is inviting and draws attention inward.

Edited by Jackerbie, 10 April 2017 - 02:15 PM.

[Nparker]

What's the setback at Yello? The rendering makes it look pretty deep, but the floor to ceiling glazing is inviting and draws attention inward.

It's a little difficult to tell at the moment with the scaffolding in place along Yates, but I do not think the set-back is nearly as significant as The Wave. I agree the tall ground floor glazing is a good thing.

[Mike K.]

Townline created quite the podium design for TELUS's offices as part of the company's pitch. I've been told they will want to use the design with other tenants. More: http://victoria.citi...office-complex/

[Nparker]

Townline created quite the podium design for TELUS's offices as part of the company's pitch...

No secret Citified renderings available? 

[Mike K.]

Soon. I've asked

[Kach]

My building at the corner of Blanshard and Pandora just received notice of blasting at this site.  Commencing May 8th for a period of 10 months.

[DougG]

Here's a pic of the blasting notice. Today they were working a bit in the hole getting it ready.

 

 

[DougG]

Oops, no attachment.

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[Samuel]

When will the height of this building be confirmed by?

[sdwright.vic]

When it tops out? It's safer that way.

[jonny]

I think the answer was presented several posts ago. At the Townline bbq at the end of May.