224 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

I think it can be re-purposed. Open up the ground floor to retail and get creative for the interior space.

[gumgum]

^Not with a residential component.

[G-Man]

If it is the Jawls expect to see a new office project here.

[nagel]

Skybridge from the atrium.

[VicHockeyFan]

Jawls are buying it.

http://www.timescolo...-site-1.2097433

[Mike K.]

From the piece:

 

Development in downtown has been active. Along with the Atrium, other new projects include condominiums that are increasing the downtown population, including the 16-storey Era in the 700 block of Yates Street by Concert Properties and the 18-storey Legato at 960 Yates St. by Alpha Project Developments.

 

 

Era is 15-floors, and surely the TC can do better than to only mention a project completed months ago and one that is just barely in the ground, right?

[aastra]

Yeah, but that's not bad for the TC. Era is the most obvious large condo project completed downtown recently, isn't it? And when you say "others include..." you're giving yourself a lot of leeway.

[amor de cosmos]

Current zoning for the Capitol 6 property allows commercial and residential use. “We view the site as being in a very high-quality downtown location. It’s very well-suited to a variety of potential uses,” Jawl said. “And more broadly speaking, the opportunities to acquire high-profile, larger-scale sites in the downtown core are becoming fewer and farther between.” During coming months, a range of options will be considered for possible re-use of the existing building, as well as longer-term redevelopment opportunities, he said. Office, retail and residential are among potential uses.

“At this stage, all options are on the table,” Jawl said. “We don’t want to pre-suppose an answer until we’ve had a chance to really thoroughly understand the attributes of the building as it currently exists and also engage in dialogue with a design team to start early considerations of what a longer-term redevelopment scenario might potentially look like.”

http://www.timescolo...-site-1.2097433

[lanforod]

A politician answer. Hopefully they rip it down and put something much nicer in place.

[Mike K.]

I'm going to maintain that it'll be a bit of a tough go with 819 Yates immediately east of this property.

[amor de cosmos]

A politician answer. Hopefully they rip it down and put something much nicer in place.

if they can't really put something bigger in its place I don't know what would be gained by tearing down the old building. I know I've said before that what they decide to do there (meaning what the building is for) will probably be more important than on other projects. I doubt they'll try to fit another 200-unit condo or rental building in there, for example. maybe it sounds like a politician's answer but I think it makes sense in this case.

Edited by amor de cosmos, 29 October 2015 - 12:02 PM.

[Mike K.]

The big thing precluding them from doing anything tall with most of that site is the proximity to the cathedral. Perhaps on the Yates/Blanshard corner they can get away with more height but the proximity to 819 Yates will make for quite the wall, especially with The Wave and Saint Vincent already blocking off so much of the street.

[AllseeingEye]

Driving around yesterday KISS FM commented - and bear in mind this was a DJ and not a newsreader and I have no idea where the DJ heard this - that apparently there is a very good chance nothing higher will be built here and in fact the Jawl's are considering "re-purposing" and rehabilitating the existing building as opposed to tearing it down and/or building higher. Anyone else hear anything like this?

[Nparker]

...apparently there is a very good chance nothing higher will be built here and in fact the Jawl's are considering "re-purposing" and rehabilitating the existing building...

From the Times-Colonist:

 

 

...During [the] coming months, a range of options will be considered for possible re-use of the existing building, as well as longer-term redevelopment opportunities, he said. - See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.EiMEepFd.dpuf

[jonny]

I don't really care what they do as long as the new/refurbished building has an excellent ground floor.

[VicHockeyFan]

They should just make it into micro-suites like the Janion, any which way they can jam suites into the existing building, plus a few more levels, with zero parking.  It'll be a big hit.

 

Plus the current group of councillors cry tears of joy every time the Jawls bring a proposal, they can do whatever they want and get it passed.

 

Lisa Helps cited the book Happy City by Charles Montgomery in describing what the new building means to Victoria.

 

“What he says is the very way that we build cities can make people happy and I think this development strikes that chord. This development will contribute to the happiness factor of people downtown. It’s more than a building. It’s a live interface with the public realm.”

 

Victoria councillors unanimously approved the proposal by Jawl Enterprises, to build the two towers of six and 13 storeys, following a public hearing. Not only was there no opposition, but the only presentation made to council other than the developer’s was by Ian Sutherland, chairman of the Downtown Residents Committee land-use committee, who spoke in favour.

 

“The future has arrived,” Helps said. “This is the kind of building that is a 21st- century building — not just the building, but the public realm. [There’s] a high-quality separated bicycle track, built by a private developer. There’s spaces for kids, spaces for people. If you’re standing inside the building looking out, you see a perfectly framed view of city hall’s clock tower. It’s an amazing development and I think it speaks so strongly to the future of our downtown.”

 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.pdpUf9cw.dpuf

[aastra]

If we're talking apartments, methinks they could fit some ground-level parking in the back of that place.

 

I'm not crazy about the idea of a conversion, I have to say. The building has a very heavy presence. Lots of large blank faces. You'd need to add a lot of windows and balconies all over it to bring it alive.

[gumgum]

Tearing it down is the only option imo. I can't see it being converted into anything really. Just too many obstacles

 

Question: is it 100% of the footprint within the height restricted zone of the cathedral and if so, how high can they go?

[VicHockeyFan]

Do we know what the west side of Chard's rentals looks like, in terms of how the windows face etc.?

 

http://victoria.citi...tals/819-yates/

 

Maybe there is time still to make sure the two buildings work together.

[Mike K.]

Yes, windows face directly over the Cap 6 on both ends.