Jump to content

      



























BUILT
The Wade
Uses: condo, commercial
Address: 1105 Pandora Avenue
Municipality: Victoria
Region: Downtown Victoria
Storeys: 5
Condo units: (studio/bachelor, 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, penthouse, 2BR + den, junior 1BR, junior 2BR)
Sales status: sold out / resales only
The Wade is a two-building, 102-unit mixed-use condominium and ground floor commercial development spanning th... (view full profile)
Learn more about the Wade on Citified.ca
Photo

The Wade | Condos; commercial | 5 and 4-storeys | Completed - built in 2021


  • Please log in to reply
2514 replies to this topic

#1061 aastra

aastra
  • Member
  • 20,649 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:25 PM

 

In another thread there are complaints the ADP speaks in jargon and it’s indecipherable development-speak. Here the developer is speaking in simple terms to get a point across, and its bush-league that they’re not using indecipherable development-speak.

 

What are you trying to say?



#1062 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:25 PM

Is it worth getting worked up over?

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1063 zoomer

zoomer
  • Member
  • 2,144 posts
  • LocationVictoria - Downtown

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:30 PM

I probably sounds worked up, but never am - just my style of writing, and hey why not inject some hot takes here and there. Still, with this one, I am truly surprised and disappointed by the terrible communication and blaming of others because they can’t manage their own project schedule. That said, I’m excited to see this building completed, curious to see if there any significant complaints about the interior finishing and how that is handled, and would not plan on buying into any of the builders projects in the future until AFTER full completion.
  • sdwright.vic, CitoyenduMonde and Promontory Kingpin like this

#1064 aastra

aastra
  • Member
  • 20,649 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:31 PM

For the size of the project and the location, this one has sure involved a lot of angst and tension: 54 pages. That's quite a bit for a lowrise project that's not Northern Junk and not in Cook Street village. And that doesn't even include the drama that preceded this particular redevelopment concept on the same site.



#1065 Nparker

Nparker
  • Member
  • 40,398 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:33 PM

It did remove a few public parking spaces from (near) downtown. That's usually good for a little controversy as well.



#1066 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:39 PM

I probably sounds worked up, but never am - just my style of writing, and hey why not inject some hot takes here and there. Still, with this one, I am truly surprised and disappointed by the terrible communication and blaming of others because they can’t manage their own project schedule. That said, I’m excited to see this building completed, curious to see if there any significant complaints about the interior finishing and how that is handled, and would not plan on buying into any of the builders projects in the future until AFTER full completion.


If you’re concerned about finishings in condo projects I’d recommend not buying any condo anywhere. Post-completion work is normal, stuff breaks and needs to be replaced. A friend who bought a unit at a luxury project in town had the kitchen sink separate from the counter. It happens. Does it need to be dwelled on? No. And 99% of the time it’s not even the residents who are vocally complaining, but the sidewalk superintendents with no skin on the game.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1067 zoomer

zoomer
  • Member
  • 2,144 posts
  • LocationVictoria - Downtown

Posted 25 September 2020 - 12:49 PM

Which is why I said ‘significant’. I do believe we should hold developers/builders to a certain standard, and again that word ‘accountability’. How it’s come to be that we should expect and accept many defects in a half million dollar purchase is beyond me. Anyone can see most defects, why wait for the buyer to point them out before fixing them? What type of business model is that? Next thing you know the winter sweaters we buy from the Bay will be full of holes, and we’ll have to go to customer service in order to book a seamsperson (seamstress? seaman?) to fix it before spring comes along.

#1068 TallGuy

TallGuy
  • Member
  • 108 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 01:05 PM

You just can’t win.

In another thread there are complaints the ADP speaks in jargon and it’s indecipherable development-speak. Here the developer is speaking in simple terms to get a point across, and its bush-league that they’re not using indecipherable development-speak.

Who cares whether it’s the City or BCBC. To the buyer it’s inconsequential/immaterial/irrelevant.

The building is clearly incomplete and unsafe to occupy, but the developer is saying that it's the city's fault. This lack of accountability should not be inconsequential/immaterial/irrelevant to a buyer.

 

It would be great if you had an objective opinion occasionally, Mike. It would give this forum a lot more credibility.



#1069 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 01:34 PM

Yes, the building clearly is incomplete, and it won’t be habitable until it is granted occupancy.

Thank you for the professional assessment. Where do we send the cheque?

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1070 Banksy

Banksy
  • Member
  • 156 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 01:45 PM

The buyers in this project are tired of people like you being so negative about something that doesn’t concern you. I used to get excited when I saw new posts but eventually it became an aggravation when all you’d get is someone *****ing about this project and low and behold today I log in and people are *****ing about this project. Mike is right you can’t win no matter what you do because when you point out the incredulity you are told you lack credibility and when you don’t engage obviously you are hiding something
  • xPETEx and m3m like this

#1071 zoomer

zoomer
  • Member
  • 2,144 posts
  • LocationVictoria - Downtown

Posted 25 September 2020 - 02:07 PM

So only positive comments allowed? In that case might as well shut down VV starting with the 1,000 page homeless thread followed by the 670 page crime thread. I don't sense the 'negative' comments here are meant to make buyers feel bad or worried about their investment at all. You're buying into what appears to be a beautiful building.

Just as there are tens of thousands of comments demanding elected official accountability why can't we expect a fraction of that for the business community? It affects us all whether or not we are immediate purchasers. What's wrong with expecting more, better or even some integrity? Just look around to see what happens when you don't. Next thing you know there will be someone painting a picture of a girl losing her balloons on the Wade and no one will care. Oh wait.. that would be a good thing.

Congrats on your purchase, I'm happy for you and I'll continue to share the lovely photos I have so far in this thread.

#1072 Banksy

Banksy
  • Member
  • 156 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 02:29 PM

This is a thread on The Wade and not development industry accountability or condo walk throughs and new construction quality control. Find somewhere else on the forum to take out your frustration please. I can’t speak for all purchasers reading this but I’m tired of you guys being smart alecks when all of the negative foreshadowing in this thread has turned out to be garbage that we all wasted time on and stressed over. I remember everything from financing trouble to no workers available to work to the project never completing relentlessly being thrown down as fact because everyone’s an expert and real smart. It has to stop and you guys need to find something better to do. And zoomer tell us about the pre-sale condo you bought in that project’s thread and how superior it is to everything else on the market.
  • xPETEx and m3m like this

#1073 m3m

m3m
  • Member
  • 1,289 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 02:54 PM

It is quite refreshing to see a developer that actually sets out in detail what remains to be done before occupancy.  In the pre-sale condos that I've purchased I've never had more that "we're making great progress!" types of wishy-washy statements.  The supply of subcontractors is a well-known problem in Victoria and apart from significantly raising the purchase prices so that the developer can pay a "premium" and fully secure the needed subcontractors at a moment's notice, I'm not sure how they could have better managed this issue. 



#1074 zoomer

zoomer
  • Member
  • 2,144 posts
  • LocationVictoria - Downtown

Posted 25 September 2020 - 03:07 PM

Hmm... here I thought I was specifically addressing the Wade development and the Wade’s project management or lack there of. Sorry, although I was an original member of VV I missed the memo where it said project threads are restricted to purchasers only, or if non-purchasers are to post they must only making envious, wonderful and glowing comments. You know I don’t mind the ongoing communication being misleading at best to buyers, that’s your business, but when they falsely blame city officials for their delays - that’s bs.

#1075 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 03:15 PM

COVID has thrown a monkey wrench into the whole equation and everyone’s feeling it. Nobody wants to drag the completion out any further than they have to but as with restaurants not being able to fill job vacancies, so too are contractors having trouble filling jobs. And as M3M said some are raising prices or scheduling based on financial priority to a level that’s problematic for active projects, and that’s further complicating the issue. On top of it all municipal inspections are delayed and it’s causing all sorts of ripple effects.

It’s easy to quarterback the situation but it’s not an easy go for the industry at the moment.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1076 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 03:25 PM

...but when they falsely blame city officials for their delays - that’s bs.


How do you know this is the case? Were you at the meetings they had with the City?

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1077 zoomer

zoomer
  • Member
  • 2,144 posts
  • LocationVictoria - Downtown

Posted 25 September 2020 - 03:58 PM

Ok, one more reply because I don’t want to upset buyers and drag this out.

Yes, I was there Mike, I’m everywhere, I see all, I know all. ;)

How do I know, well based on their own statement re-posted below. I’m going out on a limb here, but will say that it’s pretty hard for occupancy to be granted if you still haven’t completed the elevator lobbies, fire and sprinkler systems, stairwell hand rails and common hallway lights. It’s even harder to to inspect something which hasn’t been completed yet. Do they want the city to take over construction and complete it for them? They can go ahead and blame the city (and they passive aggressively capitalized CITY in their update) after they’re ready for occupancy and are sitting around twiddling their thumbs, but they’ve missed their own stated target dates on numerous occasions - that’s 100% on them, how manage their project and work with sub-contractors. Maybe next time they’ll hire a better project manager, work with better sub-contractors and providers or be far more cautious in their communication around completion dates.

“ As it stands right now, in order to achieve occupancy in the NORTH BUILDING, we must also complete in the SOUTH BUILDING:

• Elevator lobbies
• Fire/sprinkler systems
• Stairwell hand rails
• Common hallway lights

We understand your frustrations regarding the delays. Believe us, we are just as frustrated. These delays
are out of our control and in the hands of the CITY requirements and sub-contractors availability.”

#1078 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 25 September 2020 - 06:16 PM

Why do they need to complete an elevator lobby in the south building, if they’re seeking occupancy for the north building?

Furthermore, a building doesn’t have to be completed to be granted occupancy. You can continue installing finishings long after the building has occupancy.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1079 kitty surprise

kitty surprise
  • Member
  • 407 posts

Posted 26 September 2020 - 10:15 AM

Where did Citoyendumonde's post go?
  • sdwright.vic likes this

#1080 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,172 posts

Posted 26 September 2020 - 10:25 AM

What that poster said about me was patently untrue, and I reject it outright, and I don’t care to have to defend myself from unsubstantiated accusations on a public forum. I have contacted this individual in private and him and I will have a conversation there if he feels he has something to add.

Furthermore, if someone wants to make accusations on this forum, do so under your real name. I’d be happy to facilitate that.
  • sebberry and Matt R. like this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


You're not quite at the end of this discussion topic!

Use the page links at the lower-left to go to the next page to read additional posts.
 



1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users