326 replies to this topic

[yodsaker]

Nice condos replacing the Mazda, Chrysler and Mini dealerships. There should be an auto mall outside of downtown, maybe Rock Bay.

[Ginger Snap]

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.

The Cridge owns all those lands, and it's not an orphanage. It is a multi-use facility on several acres - daycare, transitional housing, seniors centre, the site for Elizabeth Buckley school, etc. I imagine they might not enjoy having their land expropriated from them...

[aastra]

Check out this new split-personality building in New Westminster:
http://www.3citieslu.../2576438530.jpg

Brand new building, but they designed the lower section to look like a heritage building. It's a bit curious because if that building were legitimate it would actually be New Westminster's largest historic building... funny how Victoria scales its past down while other places scale their past up, but I digress...

We can talk about the mix of styles all day and how well/not well it comes together (I say not well), but I'm more interested in what y'all think of that lower section?

I like the lower section, especially that wing along the corner. In my opinion that's faux-heritage that works, partly because it doesn't contain any over-the-top frilly elements and partly because it isn't cheap stucco garbage.

Victoria could do with some of that.

[G-Man]

Meh - It is just Uptown crap build new or go home.

[renthefinn]

from wikipedia

Just this one building...

Edited by admin: Please include the link to the page containing the image. http://upload.wikime...er_building.jpg

[Ms. B. Havin]

Check out this new split-personality building in New Westminster:
http://www.3citieslu.../2576438530.jpg

(...)

We can talk about the mix of styles all day and how well/not well it comes together (I say not well), but I'm more interested in what y'all think of that lower section?

Agree, the lower section works well, but the modernist extrusion on top is incongruous. I like rennthefinn's example better (if it's what I think it is): modern tower has a similar classical look as the lower section. The New Westminster building does not have a classical tower on top, but a historically datable style (aka "the vanilla sauce of the late 20th/ early 21st century"). Now, you could argue that the rectilinear classical look is the early-ish 20th century's "vanilla," but it has withstood the test of time, and looks good mixed with "heritage." Not sure about that other example.

[Holden West]

^I agree with you on the incongruity. It looks like a shotgun marriage.

The Hudson is a better example of merging heritage with modern.

[zinkerled]

It seems to me that this is a time of great improvements for the City of Victoria. All the major blights are gone or going away- the pre-Atrium, lower Yates, the old Hudson/parking complex, lower Pandora, Centenial Square, the Monty's building, The Dougie, the Northern Junk area.. even those tulips in Bastion Square are starting to grow on me. I think we're a Janion and a 700 block of Johnson st. away from a very solid core. What do you guys think are the other spots that need attention?

[Rob Randall]

We've already started brainstorming:

http://vibrantvictor...read.php?t=4361

[D.L.]

Other than filling in as many surface parking lots with new buildings, I think the Y building at Broughton and Quadra Sts. needs redeveloping.

[Bingo]

A new bus terminal, somewhere other than where it is now.

[G-Man]

^ Yeah that has kind of fallen off the radar. That was a huge discussion for many years around the city. I still think the lot across from the Times Colonist Building would be perfect as you can have a bus enter off Douglas and exit off Government.

[Baro]

Yeah I like that location. It's close enough to town but doesn't waste/congest a prime downtown lot.

[Rob Randall]

Yes, it would be pointless to spend a fortune on Douglas St. transit and still have a depot in the south end of Downtown. Let's get that depot on the north end of Douglas across from the TC.

[Hotel Mike]

Ya. I like that location as well. Perhaps it could spur some development and services in that area. I've always felt there are the makings of an interesting hood there, including the heritage buildings at the northwest corner of Bay and Douglas, and the southeast corner of Hillside and Douglas, with some creative in fill. And then put a roundabout back at Hillside and Douglas and presto, one of the coolest areas in town.

[Nparker]

...And then put a roundabout back at Hillside and Douglas and presto, one of the coolest areas in town.

That would be SO cool.

[gumgum]

I think I'm the only one that wants the bus depot to stay. (I would like to see a modern version though.) Keeping our transportation hubs downtown should be a priority.
And don't be thinking that available land where the current bus depot exists would mean an exciting development. Chances are more likely that the site will sit empty for a couple of decades, only to eventually be filled with a horrid, faux heritage, watered down version of something built in Europe somewhere. Oh and I foresee 3 stories max. But I think that's even optimistic.

[J Douglas]

A big public market located on the underutilized waterfront around Ship Point, or on the post-industrial wastelands near Capital Iron would be a plus I think.

[aastra]

Love to see this corner get a new life:



Replace the motel across the street with a proper downtown building, too.

[sebberry]

Yeh, it's a bit of an eyesore in its current form: http://goo.gl/maps/3IWLT