830 replies to this topic

[spanky123]

^Wow. I thought the land lift analysis was just a mythical being, something that lots of people talked about but nobody ever saw. Normally the developer just claims the property already was priced for the increased but unapproved density and staff just rubber stamped. I mean has any developer paid an assessment since Helps took over?

So are staff serious about tagging Telus for some coin or was the paperwork for them to rubber stamp just missing?

[4th_READING_AND_APPROVAL]

if we are worried about what something looks like behind a waterfront hotel we are really being silly.  sure the empress is neat but it's just a commercial hotel.  no different than the laurel point or the grande pacific.  who cares what is behind it?   it's old.  big deal.

 

I agree. It is unfortunate we didn't shift Victoria's "postcard photo" of the Legislature by putting Libeskind geometry on the James Bay Block property. Wow, wouldn't that of been a game changer!

[4th_READING_AND_APPROVAL]

This project was revised last month. 

Aryze has prepared a detailed response to the city's input as well as some renderings.  The response can be found here:  https://tender.victo...802102424984245

 

Renderings:

tg3.png

tg2.png

tg1.png

 

It is said there is a goal of reflecting the Empress in the glass facade, however I believe instead we are getting a Falls and Double Tree reflection. I am also still confused why the City issued an EOI, received 6 submissions, award it to a corporate firm; all in order for it to come back and do the land use and approval (with a 18months Cinderella clause)????.

 

Let's face it, we are getting an office building, and not a downtown amenity (arts, culture, transit, recreation).  I think it is arrogant and a true form of "Privledge" for a proposal to claim ICONIC ARCHITECTURE before it's even built. How is this a Landmark? How is this Iconic?

 

Lastly, is it not true that if there is any sale of government land, there is a Right of First Refusal "RFR" to purchase the Lands presented to First Nations? A Songhees driven development for the site seems to fit with the EOI more than a TELUS office building. 

[Rob Randall]

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[Mike K.]

A 45 meter office building would be approximately eight-storeys tall. That means the two community floors Aryze is proposing will need to be cut. Do we sacrifice design and amenity spaces only to preserve the hodgepodge of tower rooftops dating to the 60s, 70s, and 00s?

“Telus Ocean’s make-up will include two levels occupied by Telus as a regional headquarters, with six-storeys available to third-party tenants. The two uppermost levels on floors nine and ten will be comprised of community event spaces available to local groups and organizations, and tenant amenity areas. A rooftop space on what will technically be the 11th floor will also be available as an amenity.” - https://victoria.cit...cess-continues/

Also: In terms of massing and height, Mari says City staff have expressed support for an even taller building than the 53 meter design currently before planners, and the Downtown Core Area Plan calls for more massing than is being proposed.

“Our goal has been to create an iconic building for an iconic site, to deliver a landmark predicated upon a deviation from the norm, but not to max out allowable building area or height simply for the sake of doing so,” Mari says. “Being that this is an office building, the scale and proportions are designed to meet the needs of an office environment; floor plates tend to get too small as you rise taller and slimmer, which works against the needs of future tenants.”

[spanky123]

Looks like letters to the City are running 10:1 against the design and proposal.

[Mike K.]

Could this be related to pushback to the current administration, period? Knowing that this property is city-owned, and the sale associated with the City’s purchase of land on Pandora Ave?

[Rob Randall]

Some of those form letters in support are signed "asdf asdf" and similar.

[Mike K.]

Oh yeah, that’s not going to fly. Who makes such a sloppy go of a letter submission?

[PPPdev]

The first 2-3 letters were the form test letters from the mailer on the website. The other 200 letters are real humans. Even the CALUC process letter generator has hiccups...

[Mike K.]

Got it.

[spanky123]

Could this be related to pushback to the current administration, period? Knowing that this property is city-owned, and the sale associated with the City’s purchase of land on Pandora Ave?

 

You mean something like the City cutting a backroom deal for the sale of City property without any public process or community consultation?!

[PPPdev]

Looks like letters to the City are running 10:1 against the design and proposal.

 

Not correct, 117 logged opposition and there are over 200 in support including Chamber of Commerce, VIATEC, DVBA, and local businesses.

[Mike K.]

You mean something like the City cutting a backroom deal for the sale of City property without any public process or community consultation?!

 

I just mean in general. The electorate is not happy.

 

But I can't see how this process could have been done differently. The City chose the most qualified candidate, Telus. Back when we had the bridge dialogue the City gave us several options to choose from, then chose its preferred option regardless.

[spanky123]

Not correct, 117 logged opposition and there are over 200 in support including Chamber of Commerce, VIATEC, DVBA, and local businesses.

 

From the report on the City website for the COTW meeting. 122 comments, 103 with concerns, 19 positives. I was wrong though. 10:2 against.

 

Community Consultation Consistent with the alternative approach to Community Association Land Use Committee (CALUC) procedures for processing rezoning and variance applications during COVID-19, notification for an on-line comment period was sent to properties within 200m of the subject site. The comment period was open for 30 days and ended on November 2, 2020. The comment forms and a letter from the Downtown CALUC executive is attached. A total of 122 comment forms were received, both in support and opposed to the application. Key issues raised (103) related to: • height, massing and bulk of the building, overwhelming presence • building design that is incongruent or out of character for the area • traffic impacts • light and noise impacts associated with the digital display screen • glass cladding of the building and its reflectivity, illumination at night and bird strike hazard • impacts on residential and hotel views and privacy. Aspects of the application that were positively received (19) included: • improved use of the existing site (currently a parking lot) • exciting architecture and design • added economic vibrancy.

[PPPdev]

That is just the CALUC feedback, it doesn't take into account any emails received by Council outside of that process

[Rob Randall]

[spanky123]

I just mean in general. The electorate is not happy.

 

But I can't see how this process could have been done differently. The City chose the most qualified candidate, Telus. Back when we had the bridge dialogue the City gave us several options to choose from, then chose its preferred option regardless.

 

If the City had put the property on the open market then arguably they would have received a lot more money. 

[Jacques Cadé]

Not correct, 117 logged opposition and there are over 200 in support including Chamber of Commerce, VIATEC, DVBA, and local businesses.

 

Where are these high-profile letters of support? I don't see them in the staff report or attachments.
 

[laconic]

I'd swear I saw the Telus float plane leaving the inner harbour an hour ago.