983 replies to this topic

[jklymak]

I'm on the top floor and can see some sky if I angle my self right, but anyone lower is just seeing the face of another building.  This is a pretty normal view for a lot of people.  Heck when I lived in a house all the side windows just showed another house, no sky.

 

All the side windows is fine.  If they make the apartments so that each unit faces more than one direction thats fine.  If all someone can see from any of their windows is another building, then thats poor planning in my opinion.  Sure, 200 years from now when our population has gone up by a factor of 50 we should be cramming buildings together like that, but why are we letting it happen now?   

[G-Man]

I was thinking the Funeral Parlour would be a great steakhouse,of course only if they go with my preferred name, Slab.

[LJ]

nagel, on 16 Feb 2016 - 11:14 AM, said:

She bothers me less than she bothers other people.  My main issue with her is it appears she loves to say no.

 

Conceptually I have an issue with "re-purposed funeral home".

Yeah, you can never get the smell of formaldehyde out of the place.

[Danma]

All the side windows is fine.  If they make the apartments so that each unit faces more than one direction thats fine.  If all someone can see from any of their windows is another building, then thats poor planning in my opinion.  Sure, 200 years from now when our population has gone up by a factor of 50 we should be cramming buildings together like that, but why are we letting it happen now?   

 

Is city council supposed to deny this request because it's too close to another building? This is the land that the developers own and they've done a lot of work in putting together a plan to make it worthwhile by having the density required. And unless some other land owner is going to trade land plots for no reason, I fail to see how denying this request is helpful, good for business or good for improving density downtown.

 

Also... 200 years? That's silly. Let's look at the "core". South of Fisgard, north of Fairfield, between Douglas and Cook is something like 60 blocks. On those 60 blocks something like 30 already have at least one building over 5 stories on them. At the current rates, there's about 3 new buildings a year in this area, which means that at current rate we're talking maybe 20-30 years before this area has at least another apartment or condo on every block in this square. Demand for affordable housing continues to increase which means that the growth rate for high rises will likely continue on its current course.

[2F2R]

I agree with NParker that the smaller tower will be near Legato but I still think if 989 gets built like the picture it will be the nicest looking building in the downtown area ...

[Nparker]

I just wish someone could provide a rendering that shows the actual proximity of 989's west tower to Legato. Maybe it's not as close as I imagine.

[jklymak]

Is city council supposed to deny this request because it's too close to another building? 

 

Yes - basically.  Thats what zoning is for.  Its why there are setbacks, height limits, use limits etc. so that owner A building something on their property doesn't destroy the value of owner B's property.  

 

I'm saying that Victoria needs to rethink their setback rules for large buildings so that we aren't building housing that is marketed as high quality that ultimately ends up being crappy because something gets built that is very close and completely blocks views and erodes privacy.

 

In this case, of course, the Legato should not have been allowed to be built on such a small lot either.  

 

The way other cities deal with this is the concept of air rights.  If you want to build a tall building on a small lot, then you have to buy the air rights from adjacent lots to compensate those owners for not being able to build something tall in the future.  

[Baro]

What's the actual distance of the two buildings?  Someone needs to do a side by side site plans as they'll fit in the block.

[Mike K.]

We're working on that now. The developer will be providing us with a bird's eye view soon.

[Danma]

Yes - basically.  Thats what zoning is for.  Its why there are setbacks, height limits, use limits etc. so that owner A building something on their property doesn't destroy the value of owner B's property.  

 

I'm saying that Victoria needs to rethink their setback rules for large buildings so that we aren't building housing that is marketed as high quality that ultimately ends up being crappy because something gets built that is very close and completely blocks views and erodes privacy.

 

See, that's something I can agree on, which is adjusting the rules for proximity for tall building that affects all construction. It read to me that you wanted to reject the building purely on the basis that it's next to another one, but I see what you mean now.

 

I do believe, however, that this will happen more and more going forward so it would be good to strengthen those rules now.

Edited by Danma, 17 February 2016 - 10:49 AM.

[Nparker]

Taller, slimmer buildings would help alleviate this issue.

[D.L.]

Legato will be in between the two towers of the McCall's lot but likely with some overlap at the corners.
 


Note: image is just an estimate of tower locations

[Baro]

That looks more than fine, huge amount of space and they're staggered.

[RFS]

Totally fine. Its going to look great

[Nparker]

Legato will be in between the two towers of the McCall's lot but likely with some overlap at the corners...

Thank you Dylan. That's the sort of image I have been trying to see since this project was first announced. If it is correct then I think 989's developers have done a more than adequate job of ensuring that the north facing residents in Legato are not staring directly into the windows of 989.

[Mike K.]

Here we are:

 

[Nparker]

Also keep in mind that the grade level at 989 is at least the second floor of Legato.

[RFS]

if anything the presence of the other building would make MORE likely to buy in either of these developments. Added vibrancy and more of an established downtown feel.

[Layne French]

She bothers me less than she bothers other people.  My main issue with her is it appears she loves to say no.

 

Conceptually I have an issue with "re-purposed funeral home".

 

Source: http://media-cdn.tri...-of-the-pub.jpg

 

This pub in Calgary is a former funeral home. Since it is down the street from my old house i went there once or twice before i found out. The beer was fine but the nachos always came out slightly burnt.

[Nparker]

Any chance 989 Johnson Street will break ground this year?