260 replies to this topic

[manuel]

I think we're talking about the outer wall along the sidewalk, are we not?

yep - east end of the outer wall - could have been from something else as well.

[Koru]

yep - east end of the outer wall - could have been from something else as well.

That actually didn't have anything to do with Parkside, last year at some point (I remember this because I was up in the crane and had a birds eye view...) an older individual forgot what gear they were in and smashed into the wall in that location, I in fact called it in to Vic PD. It took a couple months but it was finally repaired. One weekend a couple weeks ago, looks like someone did a plow into the same spot and popped that hole in there. While we do run equipment up and down the road, we don't run or turn anything around there.

[manuel]

That actually didn't have anything to do with Parkside, last year at some point (I remember this because I was up in the crane and had a birds eye view...) an older individual forgot what gear they were in and smashed into the wall in that location, I in fact called it in to Vic PD. It took a couple months but it was finally repaired. One weekend a couple weeks ago, looks like someone did a plow into the same spot and popped that hole in there. While we do run equipment up and down the road, we don't run or turn anything around there.

Good to hear - also good to see that this one is getting close to done!

[Bob Fugger]

Parkside will be going for occupancy permit on Building A (the bigger of the two towers with spa/pool and bulk of timeshare units including the plastic surgery clinic within the next week. Building B is slated for 5 to 6 weeks after. It is my understanding that Aviawest (the developer and owner of the property) intends to have guests checking in as early as August 1st into Building A.

When I recently stopped by site it was a beehive of activity both inside and out, the push is certainly on to meet the deadlines as quickly as possible.

As I walked by on my way to the office this morning, I didn't see any hotel guests or staff - just construction workers. I guess their August 1 date was a bit hopeful. The sidewalk wrapping around from Blanshard to Humboldt looks nice, though.

[aastra]

Don't they have a lot of painting still to do?
http://www.flickr.co...978129/sizes/l/

[Koru]

Wrong Bob, guests did check in on August 1st, and there continue to be guests staying and checking in, in fact I believe there was 2 floors fully booked over the weekend.

Aastra, no, not really any painting to do there, I'd say 95% of the exposed concrete you see there is all architectural concrete and will be staying the way it is. I believe the only painting to do would be some of the balconies on the smaller tower (Tower B)

[D.L.]

ornamental concrete?

[Bob Fugger]

Wrong Bob, guests did check in on August 1st, and there continue to be guests staying and checking in, in fact I believe there was 2 floors fully booked over the weekend.

Any idea on the state of the amenities? I think what threw me is that there doesn't appear to be any signage up, yet, indicating the main entrance / front desk.

I'd hate to be paying $350 per night to stay on a building site that appears to be still relatively under construction and not be able to access the spa, pool, owner's lounge, movie theatre, gym, etc.

[Koru]

Any idea on the state of the amenities? I think what threw me is that there doesn't appear to be any signage up, yet, indicating the main entrance / front desk.

I'd hate to be paying $350 per night to stay on a building site that appears to be still relatively under construction and not be able to access the spa, pool, owner's lounge, movie theatre, gym, etc.

I believe Aviawest is offering discounts while the building is completed from the regular rates, I could be wrong of course. As for amenities, pool should be open pretty soon, spa is getting ready to open, lounge is just finishing off, movie theatre I believe is operational and gym equipment is arriving shortly.

There are hotel employees putting together the remaining finishing touches in Tower A, sod started being laid out today along Blanshard, trees and landscaping along Humboldt will be starting pretty quickly.

[Bob Fugger]

I was driving by to one of our projects and noticed the faux rock has really taken shape and it appeared the waterfall feature along A building was active as well as the jets in the pond by Humboldt and Blanshard! as well as new trees and plants along Fairfield and Blanshard.

This is shaping up to be quite a nice addition to the 'hood. However, I do find it odd that there is nothing separating the walkway beginning at the corner of Blanshard/Humboldt from the flanking ponds. I wonder if they are planning any railings; although, while railings would ruin the look, you would think that it would only take one drunken lout or a small child falling into the ponds to get the lawyers to come-a-runnin'.

Any idea if there has been any progress in getting an anchor restauarant tenant?

[D.L.]

A look back at the history of the Parkside site courtesy of glenalan54 on flickr - http://www.flickr.co...ol-82526354@N00

[G-Man]

He missed the ambulance shack that used to be there.

I have to saw I did a drive by and the fake rock looked a little over the top. Sort of like a Penguin cage at a zoo.

[aastra]

I'm going to say the unpainted concrete is not appropriate for a significant building on such a high-profile site. This is exactly the sort of thing the advisory design panel should be catching.


picture from www.travel.bc.ca

[Holden West]

Exposed concrete discussion here.

[yodsaker]

Cleaning up the site and landscaping have softened it a lot.
I'll have to take my daughter by to see if she thinks it still looks like a jail.
IMO its not bad now, better than I thought it would be actually.

[victorian fan]

Crystal Garden plants find new Victoria home
Parkside project nears completion as market rallies



The towering palm trees, rare plants and other fauna that graced the Crystal Garden for decades are coming home.

Five years after they started blasting rock, the Pearson family was putting finishing touches yesterday on Parkside Resort and Spa -- the $60-million condominium and hotel development at the corner of Blanshard and Humboldt streets. It's a stone's throw from the former gardens that closed under a cloud of controversy for the B.C. Experience, an attraction that failed within months of opening.

The plants, which had been in storage in a specially built greenhouse near Parksville and spread out in the family's other resort properties, will grace an indoor atrium between Parkside's twin towers. They are the crowning touch for the high-end, 126-unit development on downtown's fringe that is in line to become Canada's first LEEDS Platinum resort hotel in Canada.

The green homecoming coincides with a sprouting real estate market, a metaphor that isn't lost on developer Jim Pearson.

Parkside has been rocky road for the Pearson family's Aviawest Resort Club. The privately held Parksville company started blasting rock in 2005. It worked with two general contractors and hundreds of trades as the construction timetable stretched over a booming economy with tight labour and skyrocketing costs, along with a steep decline of clamped credit markets and real estate sales.

Pearson said yesterday sales of the fractional ownership units have been picking up steam this summer and the project is 60 per cent sold -- with 10 sales coming in the last month.

Real estate sales in Greater Victoria continued a steady climb out of last year's doldrums, although August sales wilted slightly from the previous month.

There were 764 sales last month, according to figures released yesterday by the Victoria Real Estate Board. That's down from the 933 sales in July but nearly double what was sold in the same month during 2008.

Board president Chris Markham said the fade was typical as sales usually slow in August.

"Many people take holidays in August so it's not surprising to see sales soften somewhat," he said. "We are pleased, however, to note the significant increase in sales last month compared to August a year ago, which gives further evidence of the strengthening of the market."

The average price for a single family home last month was $596,498 -- up from $556,469 in July -- but the average was skewed by 17 sales over the $1 million-mark. Two of those sales, in fact, each exceeded $4 million -- one in Saanich East and the other in Central Saanich.

The median price, a more accurate reflection of prices in the region, increased $20,000 to $540,000. The six-month average was $569,546.

Condominium prices remained stable in the region, with the median price unchanged from July at $290,000 from 218 sales. The median for townhouses, meanwhile, dropped slightly to $419,000 on 91 sales last month.

Pearson said fractional ownership sales are also rising as consumers return to real estate investments. Prices at Parkside start at $100,000 for a quarter ownership stake to $1.2 million for a full stake in a penthouse suite.

He said recent customers at Parkside -- many of whom use Victoria as a vacation getaway for three months a year -- hail from Switzerland, England, Saudi Arabia, New York, California and several provinces.

Parkside also operates as a resort hotel, with owners renting suites to clients. Workers will start moving the 500 Crystal Garden plants into the atrium over the next few weeks. Furniture was being delivered yesterday and landscaping is underway for an Oct. 1 completion.

http://www.timescolo...3160/story.html

[aastra]

Parkside Seeks LEED Platinum Certification:
http://www.djc.com/n...n/12009598.html

********

Recent picture:

picture from http://jamespearson....a-complete.html

[aastra]

More pictures from aviawest at Flickr.com. Tell me the parking lot behind the Royal Theatre wouldn't be a good spot for a highrise condo building or maybe a hotel:


http://www.flickr.co...est/3969870982/