52 replies to this topic

[gumgum]

The current height restriction for buildings in Victoria's core is 43 metres, roughly 15 stories.
This poll question is in regards to Victoria's core only.
How many stories would you like to see built tommorow?

Obviously, height of a building should depend on where in the core you're thinking of, but what is the highest you would feel the most comfortable with?
Please feel free to write your reasoning behind your choice.

[m0nkyman]

The height that is right for the site...

It all depends on the plans, and what is around it... but I'd prefer to see a 100 story building downtown than a 100 acres of farmland turned into a suburban development....

[Mike K.]

^true.

30-storeys may be just right at Yates and Vancouver, but 12 will do the trick elsewhere. I would personally be completely comfortable with run-of-the-mill proposals in the 20-30-storey range so long as the design was of high quality and the tower would add as much utility and presence at street level as it did in terms of land-use.

Taller, signature towers above 30-storeys would compliment what would otherwise be a standard. In fact I have no problem with height as long as it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb (a 40-storey building among 15-storey buildings) and has a phenomenal design. Stucco highrises or concrete monsters like View Towers are a no-go for me at any height.

[m0nkyman]

Stucco highrises or concrete monsters like View Towers are a no-go for me at any height.

I'd be OK with View Towers at about a story and a half... that is how tall the rubble pile would be if they demolished it right?
8)

[Scaper]

I have no problem with 20 -30 story towers outside of old town. also once this is acheived and we have a nice cluster of towers, I would have no problem with the odd 40+ story signiture tower as long as they were absolutely breathe taking. Though the developer of these few sig. towers would have to give some sort of gift to the city.

I would love to see Victoria boast an amazing upscale downtown while preserving an amazing upgraded and restored Old town. Victoria could be the most unique center in Canada. With a huge business center, a busy residential center, hoasting Canada's most well kept old towns, we could compete against the other major centers in Canada.

Rather than what we do right now by pretending we are not a major center at all.

[Holden West]

I don't think there's anywhere in town a building that height would fit comfortably. I think it'll be another ten years at least when north downtown develops further that the economic and planning case could be made for a 25+ storey tower. It would likely be in east Rock Bay. You're right, a landmark building like that would have to be a design of extraordinary quality--not just a stretched standard midrise like what we're seeing in the Westshore.

A decision will have to be made whether we have one large highrise cluster (starting with the Bay/The Well) or a series of smaller clusters. Or forget the cluster idea and just space them out evenly like the illustration in last month's Focus magazine article on density options.

[gumgum]

How high is the Wall Centre eliptical tower in Vancouver? Just for a good frame of reference.

[aastra]

I think Victoria can have the best of all worlds by staying within the established height range (which, for mathematical convenience, I'll round up to 25-stories). Great things can happen in 25-stories or less. There really isn't any need to go higher, and by going higher you only risk diluting the city's unique look. I believe Vancouver is taking this same risk as we speak, by starting to allow skyscrapers downtown.

And the real beauty of 25-stories or less is, there isn't much room for opposition since there are already many buildings in Victoria in this range, and they've been there for a very long time (even if most Victorians don't know it).

[Scaper]

Fifty stories I believe.....

[aastra]

I seem to recall it's 38-stories. I'll check.

Sorry, 48-stories.

[Scaper]

that's right, I knew it was just under 50....


IF you look at the Beacon in Nanaimo at 26 stories up close, you could see how easily you could place that building beside view towers and it would fit in no problem and would actually look good.

[G-Man]

I really don't think the core is ready for buildings over 30 storeys but that is just my opinion. Stuff in the 18 to 24 storey range is a good move for the city now.

[Crapshooter]

imagine this Victoria to build the world trade center twin towers,,,lets say 150 stories each would be about right,then mayor lowe wouldn't need a smart car,he could just look out his window and yell.......

[Holden West]

^The elevator to the top would take longer than it would to drive across downtown.

[jaylow]

i preferably would like to see over 30 stories, we have to go up, not out. i know it wont happen anytime soon because anything near 20 stories or above 10 in some areas have to fight tooth and nail to get anywhere near construction (i've had a few so i am speaking my mind)

[Scaper]

down some more....down some more!!!! hahhahahha

I agree..... When I stated my comments above, I was thinking long term. IF someone was to actually build a 30 plus story tower now, it would be the orchard house all over again. It would stick up like sore thumb. What the city is doing now is awesome. Astoria at 20 you can't even tell it's around. The Fall's at 18 won't make a dent in the skyline, then the chard tower at 14 on Johnson, the Hudson in the twenties with two lower towers in the 15 - 19 story range, the Capital 6 lot around the 16 - 20 + story range, then the Crystal Court Motel site in the 20 + range they will all compliment each other and as the all start going up and up and up.....in ten years the odd 30 story tower won't look bad. Infact it will look awesome.

That being said, I just want to have those bloody block monster buildings to stop....

Even at 18 stories the Fall's is a massive fat scraper. IT would have looked much more elegant at the original 24 stories.

But with this groups help....we got it back up to 18 from 17 so it could have been worse!!!

[renthefinn]

I think a group of tall slim towers could transform the city, and by tall, I'm not talking 30 storeys.

[Scaper]

he's talking 50

[Doc Sage]

I am all for a higher density for the downtown core but this should not be at the cost of loosing sight of the sunshine. I believe buildings should be spaced to allow breathing space between with much shorter ones and public areas.

Doc Sage

[Mike K.]

Canyonization is the result of short, stalky buildings -- the sort that the "lowrise" crowd suggests increase sunshine on streets and are therefore better in urban areas. That's bunk.

Try the following experiment to see what I mean: walk along View Street in the 600-block (at the Bay Centre) and you'll see an an all-day shadow among the six-storey structures (the ones the lowrise crowd promotes along with "no density limits, just height limits"). Then walk along Fairfield Road where the Astoria, Belvedere, Executive House and Marriott are (buildngs of 20, 19, 16 and 15-storeys). You'll notice significantly more light among the taller buildings.