785 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Hopefully Northern Junk turns out well...

Not as well as it might have. The approved project is a pale compromise on what could have been.

[aastra]

 

...what are the building from the last ten years that are ones that will amaze our visitors.

 

Personally I think it's a waste of time trying to amaze people. For example, nobody is impressed by the height of a tower anymore unless it's setting a record or something. There are 40-story buildings in small towns nowadays. And amazing modern design can often seem amazing only for a few years before it goes stale. Sometimes it falls flat right out of the gate.

 

I like to think of visual interest and photo opportunities:

"Would anybody ever bother to take a picture of this building?"

"Would anybody ever bother to take a picture of this scene?"

On flickr.com and elsewhere I've seen photographers showing interest in Aria, Shoal Point, Shutters, the Falls, Swallows Landing, etc. I remember somebody on flickr.com who thought Shoal Point was flaunting a steampunk vibe. I can't find it now, it was years ago.

I have no doubt the Customs House building is leaving a very good impression with visitors. Heck, maybe I'm exaggerating its impact in my own mind, but when I see that building in somebody's travel pics or videos I always think it looks fantastic.

 

 

comment about Aria condominiums
Flickr.com, June 2009

There is some really interesting architecture in the city, mainly in the form of mid-rise condominiums, believe it or not.

 

 

 

London (Ontario) Free Press
April 30, 2019

Build 'em beautiful

Regarding the article Core park height fight to worsen: councillor (April 30) I suggest city officials look at what has been done elsewhere.

In Victoria, B.C., for example, during the past 20 years, there has been an incredible number of highrises built, but the city has an open, airy feel. The architecture of Victoria highrises is such that none look like a solid block of concrete, which is how the majority of highrises approved in London look.

Victoria’s buildings have large balconies, are stepped in various ways, with urban gardens at different levels, so the landscape flows. Most also have street-level businesses. And they allow the sun to reach street level almost everywhere.

 

[aastra]

Pretty sure I once saw a glowing assessment of the Janion development somewhere in my travels. Might have been from a Seattle writer? Can't remember.

[Mike K.]

1400 Quadra and 1400 Vancouver look great. 1488 Cook is cool.

Is Jukebox not unique in its own way? Ironworks is great, too.

[baconnbits]

I saw the dodge Harris building is coming down.
Guessing that one could be getting rezoned soon?

Wonder what’s going to happen on the currently undeveloped lands here. Mazda has moved on. Now it’s just a staging site.

[Mike K.]

Here you go: https://victoria.cit...illage-tower-5/

This’ll be the first phase of the Harris Green redev, if it’s approved by council. Two towers and a large podium are phase one.

[baconnbits]

Yes aware of the proposal just note they are doing works before any approval
But also wondering about the old mazda site.

[Mike K.]

Yes aware of the proposal just note they are doing works before any approval
But also wondering about the old mazda site.

 

It lowers the land value when the structure is razed, so technically less property taxes are then paid to the  muni.

 

You'll often see developers remove un-used buildings as fast as they can, if there's no chance of cash flow over the short term.

[Nparker]

...You'll often see developers remove un-used buildings as fast as they can, if there's no chance of cash flow over the short term.

I imagine this is done for safety/security/insurance reasons as much as tax savings/revenue, at least in the downtown core.

[corvus]

Yeah, it's expensive to keep up an unused building - generally can't be insured unless you have certain security measures in place. And if you want your security to actually be effective for a large, abandoned building, that'd be a night watchman - usually runs about 15k per month. Not something you'd want to deal with if you can just bulldoze the thing.

[Victoria Watcher]

Plus the City probably makes you take it apart beam by beam and brick by brick - by hand - starting in 2023.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 December 2022 - 12:32 PM.

[Nparker]

...the City probably makes you take it apart beam by beam and brick by brick - by hand...

And plant 10 trees for every cubic foot of materials being removed.

[dkuitu]

[Nparker]

Those patches of grass don't have much hope of longevity.

[aastra]

The firehall doors by JohnnyJayEh at flickr.com...

 

(Not to be confused with the Firehall Doors who opened for Tinto Rocks during their infamous Australian tour back in '81)

[Victoria Watcher]

He accompanies the post with “what could go wrong”. But I’m not sure why big glass (accordion?) doors would be an issue.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 December 2022 - 11:28 AM.

[aastra]

That fancy firehall in Esquimalt doesn't just have glassy doors. It also has abundant glazing elsewhere on the ground floor.

[Mike K.]

Maybe he’s making a joke about smashed glass being a theme in downtown Victoria.

[aastra]

There's a lot of animosity toward the fire department because of how they target certain communities. But would they rush out to extinguish a fire in a fancy house in Rockland or Fairfield?

 

edit: You know what? I think they would. Because they're the fire department. But anyway, if those windows get smashed then it's their own stupid fault.

Edited by aastra, 21 December 2022 - 11:46 AM.

[aastra]

Off topic, but wouldn't it be funny if they say the doors on the new hall are too small for the trucks? I was looking at pics of the Esquimalt firehall and it occurred to me how it would be a magnificent exclamation point on this whole firehall controversy. Similar to some of those zingers that came late in the JSB-replacement saga and also the sewage treatment saga. "It's fantastic new infrastructure... except for this serious deficiency."