797 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

There's no rendering just yet, but Chard may be considering a proposal that would be in keeping with the zoning (10-storeys is the max the zoning will allow).

Johnson Street already has several 10-storey buildings built or in the works: the twin 10-storey towers, the Kwan proposal (Volvo lot at 10-storeys, on the same block as the twins) and the 11-storey tower between Pandora and Johnson behind the Kwan proposal. And wasn't there mention of a low-rise office proposal on the site of the medical building at Cook/Pandora/Johnson?

Some variation in height between proposals would be a good thing, IMO.

[gumgum]

Anybody got an address? I can't picture this location.

[Holden West]

834 Johnson

[gumgum]

[Holden West]

It's not a huge footprint, is it? I wonder if Chard put an offer on the old self-storage building to the left.

Being on the edge of the Downtown core like that, I wonder how he'll treat the ground floor--retail or townhouses like 860 View or Corazon? It's not a great shopping block.

[Walter Moar]

I'll never understand those Corazon townhouses. Who wants to be somewhere that you either live in a fishbowl or you keep your blinds closed 24/7?

[Mike K.]

I still think that the best townhome location I've ever seen was in Westbank's Woodward's tower, where three-storey townhouses were supplanted on the corners of the tower about 5-storeys apart. Just an amazing living space...

[gumgum]

I'll never understand those Corazon townhouses. Who wants to be somewhere that you either live in a fishbowl or you keep your blinds closed 24/7?

It's a lot more tempting if you have a pet or two.

[G-Man]

I'll never understand those Corazon townhouses. Who wants to be somewhere that you either live in a fishbowl or you keep your blinds closed 24/7?

Once the lot in the middle of that block is filled in that will be a quiet spot. Plus ever been to Yaletown? There are townhouses like that all over the place.

[Walter Moar]

[quote name='G-Man'][quote name='"Walter Moar":bfec8']I'll never understand those Corazon townhouses. Who wants to be somewhere that you either live in a fishbowl or you keep your blinds closed 24/7?[/quote]
Once the lot in the middle of that block is filled in that will be a quiet spot. Plus ever been to Yaletown? There are townhouses like that all over the place.[/quote:bfec8]
Sure, but the question is: would you want to live in it? I mean, I'm on the eighth floor and don't usually bother with the curtains. If anyone wanted to see in, I'm sure they could. But it's different when someone is walking by 10' from the glass wall on your living room. Just not for me, I would have gone with retail (but what do I know?!)

[Mike K.]

Plenty of homes are near the sidewalk.

You can get around that with creative blind technologies. I'm actually in that situation where my whole west wall is pretty much all glass and I'm on a hill, so anyone looking up can see my place if the blinds aren't drawn. Meh

[Walter Moar]

Maybe I just walk around in a speedo more often than other people (please, I jest. No, really).

[Holden West]

Yeah, it's a little strange mixing street-level townhomes with retail in the city-- A curious strolling pedestrian inadvertantly turns from a window-shopper to a voyeur in an instant.

[Mike K.]

The solution to urban townhomes is a above-grade first floors, like rowhouses in Manhattan or downtown Chicago where you walk up seven or eight steps before reaching the door.

[Holden West]

^Google Image "brooklyn brownstone" or "boston brownstone" to see lots of examples.

[Ms. B. Havin]

The solution to urban townhomes is a above-grade first floors, like rowhouses in Manhattan or downtown Chicago where you walk up seven or eight steps before reaching the door.

True. As for basement (below grade) apartments (which are common in NYC or Boston, below the piano nobile level of the gentry), cities sometimes allow these to be turned into businesses (retail or studio / office), which heightens the building's adaptability. Win-win.

[Holden West]

At the risk of steering this thread further off topic, the closest example I can think of that resembles Ms. B's model is the renovated 1950s apartment in the Cook St. Village (likely altered in the 80s) that houses a doctor's office and the Edward Sizzorhands (or some dumb name) hair salon in units a few steps below grade.

I know it's a weird example, but the only one I could think of.

[Rob Randall]

Important Rezoning meeting for 834 Johnson St.

David Chard, the developer of the Corazon and Juliet condos is proposing a new condo tower for 834 Johnson St. (site of the former Peacock Billiards). The DRA Land Use Committee has met twice informally with Mr. Chard to offer our input. This stretch of Johnson street has been somewhat neglected over the years and this project (along with the proposed Telus redevelopment across the street) will help bring vitality to this part of the north Harris Green neighbourhood. Meeting notices have already been mailed out to the immediate neighbours.

The meeting is a requirement of the rezoning application and is hosted by the DRA. This will be your opportunity to see a presentation of the project and to ask questions of the developer and architect. The meeting will be held Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m in the former Peacock Billiards hall, 834 Johnson. I hope you can make it.

These are some rough models that approximate the current design. The building on the right is a care home and the building to the left is an old storage locker business.

[VicHockeyFan]

Do you know if the plan is for the deck adjacent to the storage business to be common area available to all residents, or is it suite decks?

Do cars enter the parking lot direct off Johnson (the two gaping holes left of the pedestrian entrance), or off the lane to the E.?

[Rob Randall]

Yes, there will be common property access to the fourth floor deck.

There was some discussion over placing the entrance to the left or right. Most seemed to think putting it on the left opened up the right hand side for attractive townhouse-type units facing the nice garden of the care home. The garage entrance will be smaller and more refined than it appears in this early rendering.