168 replies to this topic

[aastra]

Like I say, I'm not a tyrant. You can propose whatever you want in the old town. You can propose a glass sphere and I just might love it. Even 601 Herald has a glass section there, right? I'm just saying most of those points seem to be overlooked right from the get-go. When I look at the design guidelines for the historic areas of other cities I see how they tend to be specific and reflective of that historic area's prevailing forms. In Victoria it's as if we're always reinventing the wheel, as if there's already an abundance of really good modern stuff that hits all of the key points. There isn't.

[gumgum]

Toronto seems to be getting the modern midrise right:

504 Wellington


500 Wellington


Rottman School of Business (UofT)


Cube Lofts


Ryerson School of Image Arts
[/QUOTE]

(All taken from Canadian Mid-rise - four to ten storeys thread on Skyscraperpage Forum)

[Baro]

Wow some of those would look awesome on any little in-fill lot here. The first one is my favourite, I LOVE the hanging greenery.

[Native Victorian]

I'd say this building looks more like a mini version of The Wave than Shutters. I hope they go back to the drawing board with this one. It needs to look better beside the Yarrow Building. They clash, and not in a good way.

[D.L.]

Another thing about this project is that is may be built in stages. The first stage would be to build on the site currently occupied by the one storey former Lens and Shutter building. Only the first storey would be built. Then, when the current leases are up in the Clay building, it would be demolished and construction of the rest of the project would commence.

[Lover Fighter]

I just noticed yesterday that the little lends and shutter building has already been gutted and the brick cornices removed. Surprised work is happening so fast.

[Kapten Kapsell]

I just noticed yesterday that the little lends and shutter building has already been gutted and the brick cornices removed. Surprised work is happening so fast.

I think that the old Lens and Shutter building had severe structural issues and its facade was in danger of collapsing onto the sidewalk- hence the scaffolding that had been in place for some time (to protect pedestrians passing below).

[G-Man]

Your smear against the Phoenicians might just be the most offensive thing I've ever read on the internet.

And I was holding back.

[ryleyb]

I think that the old Lens and Shutter building had severe structural issues and its facade was in danger of collapsing onto the sidewalk- hence the scaffolding that had been in place for some time (to protect pedestrians passing below).

It has no roof now, seems that they are in demolition mode...

[VicBooster]

A friend of mine in attendance at the open house for the project was shocked by councillor Madoff's behaviour as the developer spoke to the crowd.

Councillor Madoff turned away from him when he responded to statements she made about the project. He spoke at length my friend said, and she insinuated through her body language that she did not care for what he had to say.

This must be some of the most direspectful behaviour shown in a public meeting by an elected official.

Did anyone on this forum attend the meeting and see this for themselves?

[Kapten Kapsell]

I was at the meeting but I did not notice any particular behaviour by Pam Madoff.

I do think that the Old Town height guidelines are probably *too low*. If they had been in place since the late 1800s the Yarrow Building could *not* have been built (in its present form).

[jonny]

The old building is a goner.

[aastra]

Methinks this project provides a great opportunity for Madoff et al. to really engage the developers and make sure that they hit many of the key points that gumgum and I were discussing a few posts back.

[slinkyo]

Photo Credit: Davin Greenwell

[Nparker]

Methinks this project provides a great opportunity for Madoff et al. to really engage the developers and make sure that they hit many of the key points that gumgum and I were discussing a few posts back.

A nice little Herald@Gov't street type design would work quite nicely here. Otherwise make it ultramodern. No half-assed designs PLEASE!

[Hotel Mike]

Can you imagine if there were a pathway connecting directly on to Gordon Street? That might be kinda cool.

[aastra]

What constitutes a half-assed design?

[aastra]

And what constitutes ultramodern? And is the 600-block of Fort Street in the heart of the old town really begging for something ultramodern? Please explain.

Previous efforts to inject ultramodern design into the stuffy old city didn't work out so well (the Federal Building and Centennial Square and Harbour Square, for example). How about the ultramodern TD Bank building at Fort and Douglas? Is that the sort of stuff that makes the old town a unique and interesting place?

Don't get me wrong, I like the contrast of old and new when it's done well. But sometimes I wonder if some people really want to overturn old Victoria's historic appeal. There's no end of space for ultramodern architecture in other areas of downtown Victoria and the city core and Victoria in general. So why demand it on the 600-block of Fort Street?

[G-Man]

Well the TD Bank building is on the heritage registry so it must have done something right. Subdued modern as proposed or along the lines of SoMA would work here IMO.

[Nparker]

... So why demand it (ultramodern) on the 600-block of Fort Street?

I am not demanding ultramodern. My only "demand" is that the design is very good. In my mind this means a classy modern design or a classy "old-school" design. I think this is a location that "demands" better than a cookie-cutter building, with average finish materials (cough - The Wave) or poor street presence (cough, cough - The Wave - again).