254 replies to this topic

[gumgum]

I'm really dissapointed with the street level of this one. The entire thing is of a varying degree of a significant setback. And the car entrance absolutely dominates it - a large hole right in the middle of the thing. When, oh when are people going to learn?
These two errors in design are inexcusable on their own, but to have them both... It might as well have remained just another parking lot!

SAY NO TO SETBACKS! I DON'T CARE IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME, BECAUSE YOU'RE WRONG IF YOU DO! NO SETBACKS!!!
AND BOOO TO BIG EFFING CAR ENTRANCES!!!!!

...Will not be completed by mid-may btw. Nowhere near meeting that completion date.

[aastra]

The city frets about whether a building is ten feet too tall but completely overlooks much more significant issues.

As far as I can see, inappropriately large setbacks and short ground floors are the biggest issues that the planning folks need to address. Enough is enough. If we allow this stuff to continue to happen then we're going to wake up one day and realize we killed downtown.

As you say, what's the point of eliminating a parking lot if the new building also betrays all of the positive characteristics of adjacent buildings just as blatantly?

Unnecessarily large vehicle entrances are right up there, too.

Reflective windows on the ground floor are another major problem (identified in that Halifax planning document I linked to, by the way).

The articulation of narrow shop fronts,
characterized by close placement to the
sidewalk.

High levels of transparency (non-reflective and
non-tinted glazing on a minimum of 75% of the

first floor elevation).

[VicDuck]

No matter the short comings, it still would be a great place to live.

[Phil McAvity]

yeah but if you worked downtown, just try to imagine the commute.

[aastra]

I'm not criticizing the basic concept. Just the execution of the ground floor.

[Dinya]

These are pretty much finished. All appliances, fixtures, etc. are installed and have seen people viewing (and measuring) this week and last. Anybody know how many have sold?

[G-Man]

This place is a done deal. Both floors of office are occupied.

Anyone know who the tenants are?

[Dinya]

Anyone know who the tenants are?

Yep. Ministry of Attorney General.

Apparently a couple of weeks ago, the top two condo floors were all sold with units on the 4th floor still available.

[Mike K.]

Taken today

[Baro]

ooo it turned out even better than I'd hoped. I really like the crisp light colour and the parking entrance really isn't THAT bad. A solid infill, downtown needs about 50 more of these (and we hide 50 more without anyone noticing, so many little parking lots and 1-2 story under-developed garbage-buildings)

[gumgum]

I think it looks great! The ground floor is a complete disgrace though.

[VicDuck]

I think it looks great! The ground floor is a complete disgrace though.

I agree.

[Nparker]

The ground floor is a complete disgrace though.

Yet is it still better than the ground floor of The Wave.

[Mike K.]

I really like the variety of the streetscape with the addition of SoMa. You have art deco style on the west end, SoMA's post modern in the middle and '70's whatever-it-is next to SoMa.

...although the groundfloor of SoMa leaves something to be desired.

[D.L.]

Is SoMA postmodern? SoPA - Space of Postmodern art?

[Mike K.]

Oh, the irony. Unless I'm dead wrong, of course, in which case the joke is on me.

[ZGsta]

Walked by this on the weekend and the first thing that struck me is how atrocious the ground floor is.

[aastra]

Didn't somebody advocate buildings on stilts as a way to eliminate the ground floor altogether? That's sort of what we have here.

Where did I see a nice little condo building the other day that was similar? I think it was on Gorge Road.

[Rob Randall]

Here is the original plan. We managed to get the width of the parking entrance cut in half.

[Barra]

I agree that the ground floor frontage is non-descript.

What struck me when I had a look yesterday are the balconies on the SW corner. These are approx. 20 feet from the office windows at the Sussex bldg. I feel sorry for both the office workers in these locations who now have an unimpeded view in to people's living spaces, and the condo inhabitants who will have the joy(?) of watching office workers all day...
[yes, this will be sort of like watching paint dry][having worked in that building I feel that I can say that. am also happy that I won't have to work in one of these offices]

So what do the condo dwellers do? put up bamboo privacy screens along the balcony?