233 replies to this topic

[VicBooster]

This architect is seriously stuck in the 80s and 90s. Just look at these rendering models!!!

 

 

[MarkoJ]

February 14th, 2014.

 

 

 

[Nparker]

I see it has almost reached its staggering full height of 6 floors. Never mind the Sooke hills, the sun will surely be blocked out by this one.

[D.L.]

It's half way up (from Hillside). This building is being built on speculation. Only one of the six floors has been leased (and I think that's for the company building this thing). From what I remember it was the builders decision to build six floors and not eight.

[Mike K.]

If I recall correctly the height was reduced due to the City's insistence on providing an additional underground floor for parking in order to reach the required number of stalls. Due to high costs of providing underground parking the developer had to reduce the size of the building.

[Nparker]

If I recall correctly the height was reduced due to the City's insistence on providing an additional underground floor for parking in order to reach the required number of stalls...

This. Once again our valiant city council stepped in to help where none was needed.

[Gary H]

This architect is seriously stuck in the 80s and 90s. Just look at these rendering models!!!

 

woman.jpg

 

guy.jpg

 

Yeah, that's either a large pager or a walkie-talkie on his belt.

[HB]

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Edited by HB, 21 November 2014 - 08:49 AM.

[concorde]

It's half way up (from Hillside). This building is being built on speculation. Only one of the six floors has been leased (and I think that's for the company building this thing). From what I remember it was the builders decision to build six floors and not eight.

The only confirmed tenants are the owner of the building (Andrew Sheret) and a daycare

[Mike K.]

Right the daycare. They were part of the plan from the get-go.

Recall that there were plans for a daycare at the failed Radius project on Chatham at Blanshard. I wonder if it's the same group that will lease at Midtown.

[G-Man]

I am hopeful that we may see some tech companies set-up here if the prices are okay.

[concorde]

Right the daycare. They were part of the plan from the get-go.

Recall that there were plans for a daycare at the failed Radius project on Chatham at Blanshard. I wonder if it's the same group that will lease at Midtown.

No idea, I believe its in the back corner on the Douglas street side

[weisguy86]

No idea, I believe its in the back corner on the Douglas street side

Perfect, they can use the sound of outboard and motorcycles running at SG Power to get to sleep at nap time!

[Bingo]

[cocity]

       I wonder if the lack of on-street parking immediately in front of the site influenced the design of this site & necessitated the suburban style parking lot in front. I know city staff felt that parking is/was underprovided - however, wasn't the front parking lot included in the original design? With a Splashes showroom being part of the development (& other retail spaces on the ground floor) I can understand why the developer wanted to have parking in front of the site. There are 4 lanes of traffic and on street parking (on the north side) on Hillside half a block east from here - was Hillside always wider there or was the space for parking provided when that mixed-use building was built?

 

     It's too bad that this development went ahead as suburban as it is - an urban building in this area could have helped set the tone for future redevelopment in the area.

[Mike K.]

That's probably the biggest complaint people have with the project. It's understandable Splashes needs retail parking but it could have been provided in a more tactful way.

[D.L.]

The developer may prefer to set the building back from the street to reduce noise and disturbance from traffic

[jklymak]

I don't get the complaints. Is there ever any hope this part of town will be a walkable village? If not, why not make parking convenient? If it was over on quadra or a mile south on Douglas I'd feel differently.

[G-Man]

^ Well if the city keeps allowing buildings like this then I would guess not but any district has the potential to be a new destination centre with enough planning. This intersection provides a pretty cool centre-piece to what could be a cool area.

[Mike K.]

Hence the name "midtown". It'd be nice if "midtown" developed into an urban area and not a quasi suburban area.

And for what it's worth Langford has the street frontage and urban appeal thing down solid. We could take cues from them in several regards.