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UNDER CONSTRUCTION
TELUS Ocean
Uses: office, commercial
Address: 767 Douglas Street
Municipality: Victoria
Region: Downtown Victoria
Storeys: 10
The Apex Site property on Douglas Street at Humboldt Street in downtown Victoria, also known as the 'Budget Lo... (view full profile)
Learn more about TELUS Ocean on Citified.ca
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[Downtown] TELUS Ocean - Apex Site | TELUS and Aryze Developments


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#21 Nparker

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 07:35 AM

...Telus’ requirements... were to situate its new offices in an avant-garde building or commercial podium that would be recognized as a Victoria landmark and be visible from arriving float planes. The Apex Site, if indeed now in the hands of Telus, would certainly fit that bill."

Do you really think this council is going to approve an avant-garde design for the Apex site that overshadows the Empress? Pam will superglue herself to the car rental building before that happens. 

 

I seem to recall not so long ago the rumours were that Telus would locate in the second Hudson Place tower fronting on Blanshard Street. Rumours are not fact.



#22 Mike K.

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 07:46 AM

Read this: http://victoria.citi...office-complex/

 

I suspect a fact was somehow turned into a rumour. Telus did look at HP2 as a possible location for their offices, but nobody (here, at least) said they had decided to occupy that space.

 

"Townline, the developer of downtown Victoria’s Hudson District, has confirmed that TELUS eyed the podium of its upcoming Hudson Place 2 residential tower on Blanshard Street between Herald and Fisgard streets."

 

As for the design, of course we're going to get something snazzy there. Councillor Madoff's weight in that regard today amounts to far less than it did.


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#23 Nparker

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 07:50 AM

...As for the design, of course we're going to get something snazzy there...

I'll believe that when it happens. Unless this is what passes for snazzy now...

701 Belleville (3rd rendering).jpg

Residences at the Empress.jpg



#24 Mike K.

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 07:56 AM

The City can't tell a developer how to pursue their building designs (there are guidelines, of course, but you know what I mean).

 

If you're entering a competition where the City has asked you to put your best foot forward will you submit an Era or will you submit something like what we see by Tenfold and Cascadia? I think all six entrants did their best to push the envelope, for sure.


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#25 Nparker

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:02 AM

I really want to be excited for this project, but then I look around and see so little evidence of our local government actively supporting innovative designs.



#26 aastra

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:30 AM

That rendering actually looks pretty good. For its location this intersection should be much bigger and brighter and busier than it is.


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#27 aastra

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:30 AM

At least some people understand the site, is my point.


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#28 Nparker

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:34 AM

At least some people understand the site...

But are any of those people on the CoV council?


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#29 thundergun

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:44 AM

Love the pedestrian walkway idea on the proposal that lost. That could help revitalize the conference centre.

 

Excited to see what won! Any chance this could be a new casino and/or hotel complex? 


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#30 Mike K.

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:55 AM

It's possible it could be the home of the new casino, for sure. But how that jives with other uses will remain to be seen (i.e. if it's Telus like insiders are saying, they'll have office space in the building; not sure how that works with a casino and a hotel).


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#31 aastra

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:57 AM

That rendering does a lot of things right. It takes advantage of the shape of the site, and it also doesn't look anything like the other buildings in the vicinity. Lots of architectural variety and different eras evident in that one picture. The existing buildings already exist, of course, but I think I'm noting how a distinctive new building in the mix can emphasize the variety.


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#32 aastra

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 08:58 AM

 

But how that jives with other uses...

 

It seems like you're dancing around the issue.



#33 RFS

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 10:29 AM

That rendering is amazing. It will be hard for whatever did get approved to live up to that
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#34 Nparker

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 10:49 AM

That rendering is amazing. It will be hard for whatever did get approved to live up to that

That's what worries me.


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#35 aastra

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 06:37 PM

Jeepers, I hope they made the right choice. This one sounds like it would have been exceptional.

 

 

The podium, crafted with warm natural historic materials such as heavy timber Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and West Coast Granite...

 

http://cascadiaarchi...te-victoria-bc/


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#36 G-Man

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 07:07 PM

Why don't we know? It's taxpayer land shouldn't we get to see it?
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Visit my blog at: https://www.sidewalkingvictoria.com 

 

It has a whole new look!

 


#37 Mike K.

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Posted 12 September 2017 - 09:31 PM

Perhaps the powers that be are concerned that once this hits the airwaves negative nellies and Billy-1,000-commenters will derail the whole thing. Sometimes it's best to just figure stuff out, decide on a game plan and only then approach the public.

My biggest surprise was their decision to choose only one entrant rather than pursue final submissions from a couple of finalists. Maybe the winning bid contains an additional perk the City couldn't walk away from?

If the winner is indeed Telus, as folks in the industry have surmised, we can expect to see something spectacular. Telus' new buildings have pushed the boundaries in each city they've appeared in. Now that being said, if Telus is working with Westbank as some have said they are, James Cheng could be the architect. And despite the brick-clad mass he's designed for Bosa just a block away this could be his opportunity to design a lasting legacy in a part of town he's going to dominate.

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#38 jonny

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Posted 13 September 2017 - 07:52 AM

Jeepers, I hope they made the right choice. This one sounds like it would have been exceptional.

 

 

http://cascadiaarchi...te-victoria-bc/

 

This is the type of building that tourists would go out of their way to photograph. This is precisely the kind of impactful new architecture that we need more of. 


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#39 Cityguy

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 04:44 PM

I've long maintained that our city has pursued a concept of "it's okay to build, as long as it's not radical, lest it destroys the heritage of our city, it must blend-in".  I would hope that council will modify their mind-sets on this. Has anyone ever travelled to London, England? Seems to me that few members of our council, or perhaps our city's planning and design team have done so, for if they had it would be evident that the spectacular contrast between the grand, historic buildings of that great city, and the radical, unique and stunning buildings of the last decade, is a far, far superior approach to the future of that city, as it would be for ours.

Great architecture makes for great building, and those buildings in London, such as the Shard, The "Gherkin", The "Cheese Grater" for example, will stand forever as monuments to the creativity of contemporary architects, taking their rightful places with the designs of buildings designed by individuals such as Christopher Wren.

My vote on this "Flat Iron" style building for the Apex lot is a resounding "Yes!"  Please, no more bland, square, "Gulag-style" or fake Victorian buildings downtown, let's rise up with style and creativity and be proud of the new heritage we're creating for our city.


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#40 Mike K.

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 07:25 PM

Looks like you're going to fit right in, Cityguy  :cheers:


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