1571 replies to this topic

[Citified.ca]

^that's quite unfortunate. Hopefully this can be turned around.

 

A rendering depicting new density massing of Starlight Developments' Harris Green Village project along the 900 (pictured) and 1000-blocks of Yates and View streets. The proposal, which could yield nearly 1,600 rental apartments within five towers, has shuffled residential density from its podium components by reducing podium heights and allocating more density within towers. The tallest, at-centre, would rise to 32-storey if approved. To its right is a 28-storey tower at Yates and Quadra streets, and a 27-storey tower (at left) at Vancouver Street. Two additional towers are planned between Yates and View streets at Cook Street at heights of 19 and 21-storeys.

 

Towers as high as 32-storeys now envisioned for Harris Green Village dev following massing shuffle

https://victoria.cit...assing-shuffle/

[Nparker]

The Quadra Street tower looks a bid wide-ish to me in the above rendering. The podiums could probably use a bit more distinctiveness, but it's an improvement on the images we have seen to date. Overall, an amazing transformation from the existing Harris Green Village.

[RFS]

32 stories?  At those astronomical heights I worry about space junk, solar winds, and radiation belts 

[AllseeingEye]

I will look forward to all the hysterics on local FB groups about how "MY Victoria is being destroyed!" and "typical greedy developers!!!!!' and my personal favorite "...........we're looking like mini-Vancouver!!!!!!!!!!!" once these renderings get out into the public realm, lol. Buying extra popcorn in anticipation of the hilarious and vastly overblown comments guaranteed to ensue.......

[Nparker]

...Buying extra popcorn in anticipation of the hilarious and vastly overblown comments guaranteed to ensue...

 
I've already got my snacks and beverages at hand for the coming dramatics.

[lanforod]

The Quadra Street tower looks a bid wide-ish to me in the above rendering. The podiums could probably use a bit more distinctiveness, but it's an improvement on the images we have seen to date. Overall, an amazing transformation from the existing Harris Green Village.

 

I think the angle of the rendering is also hiding that the middle tower is likely the same width. I agree, a bit too wide.

[Nparker]

I think the angle of the rendering is also hiding that the middle tower is likely the same width. I agree, a bit too wide.

Yes, I thought that as well, but at 32 floors, the "excess" width of the central tower will be less apparent.

[lanforod]

Yes, I thought that as well, but at 32 floors, the "excess" width of the central tower will be less apparent.

 

Oh good, then we both have the same solution. Make the towers taller. 40 and 46 should do it.

[Nparker]

...Make the towers taller. 40 and 46 should do it.

It's never a bad idea to request far more height than you hope to achieve when building tall in the CoV.

[Mike K.]

This is what I’m seeing:

“This isn't a one horse town anymore. This is the price of growth and development. If you want a small town and no towers, there's always Duncan or Nanaimo.”

“To grow up to be a great city, we need to grow upwards. Increased density allows for more people, more businesses, more tax payers, more diversity. It decreases the need for cars, and adds to the vibrant heart of downtown.”

“Building heights should be maximized provided there are sufficient underground parking spaces provided.”

And there’s this guy: “Just sitting back waiting for the inevitable and completely hysterical, not to mention wildly inaccurate ".....we'll look just like mini-Vancouver!!!!" comment. Should be any time now.......”

[Casual Kev]

That rendering makes me think this is an actual "Vancouver-esque" project. Multiple glassy skyscrapers sitting on podiums with fair separation between each tower. 

 

More projects like this and maybe DT Victoria can have the hustle and bustle of Metrotown.

[Nparker]

.And there’s this guy: “Just sitting back waiting for the inevitable and completely hysterical, not to mention wildly inaccurate ".....we'll look just like mini-Vancouver!!!!" comment...

Mini-Vancouver was exactly the response someone posted to my Facebook page when I shared the Citified article. Oi vey. 

[aastra]

For the type of project that it is, it's pretty decent. But considering how large this development is, why do both podiums need to have the same flavour? Same height, same basic look and feel, same colours?

 

Some people still don't get it. Long & wide monotony and repetition is the real vibe killer. Even if the overall esthetic is decent and the ground floor is urban-format & pedestrian-friendly, repeating the same thing for a long stretch is never a good idea. While you're walking along or even while you're just standing there looking at the complex, you want and expect a fair bit of variety and granularity.

[Mike K.]

But by the same token, one downtown block in Victoria is the size of a single office tower’s footprint in a larger city. As in, the design at that scale at the ground level isn’t a problem even when it’s the length of a whole block.

[Casual Kev]

Mini-Vancouver was exactly the response someone posted to my Facebook page when I shared the Citified article. Oi vey. 

 

I find it mildly amusing many Victorians use comparisons to Vancouver in a derogatory way, specially in an urbanization context. How can this region elect Green politicians and yet consistently scoff at crucial components of a low-carbon society like density, public transit and bike lanes? 

[aastra]

Put it another way: an interesting downtown (or any decent urban district) is about many different things all coming together. If one big complex injects a massive dose of one flavour, it can be a killer. That's why those big convention center projects and cultural center projects back in the misguided urban destruction renewal era tended to be so harmful. I'm not saying today's projects botch the fundamentals the way those old projects did. Obviously they do a better job nowadays. But the potential to introduce too much of one thing still remains.

 

FYI: That block of Yates is considerably larger than (for example) the average block in downtown Vancouver:

 

London Drugs block in downtown Victoria: 195 meters x 82 meters
Nordstrom block in downtown Vancouver: 160 meters x 82 meters

Edited by aastra, 15 July 2021 - 12:31 PM.

[aastra]

Anyway, I'm getting the impression that you wouldn't be seeing the exact same thing as you walk around each face of this complex. That's good, they've done a decent job with it. But why couldn't the two podiums look like two entirely different buildings? They're separated at ground level, so why not do it?

[AllseeingEye]

This is what I’m seeing:

“This isn't a one horse town anymore. This is the price of growth and development. If you want a small town and no towers, there's always Duncan or Nanaimo.”

“To grow up to be a great city, we need to grow upwards. Increased density allows for more people, more businesses, more tax payers, more diversity. It decreases the need for cars, and adds to the vibrant heart of downtown.”

“Building heights should be maximized provided there are sufficient underground parking spaces provided.”

And there’s this guy: “Just sitting back waiting for the inevitable and completely hysterical, not to mention wildly inaccurate ".....we'll look just like mini-Vancouver!!!!" comment. Should be any time now.......”

 

 

Yeah clearly that last guy doesn't know what he's talking about - he should be taken out and flogged. I'll see myself out the door and administer the punishment myself....

 

You are also looking at the responses on the VV FB page; just wait until CHEK or some other non-VV affiliated site posts this info then watch the comments fly....

[Mike K.]

Just teasing, ASE. I was surprised by the relatively positive feedback so far. Traditionally topics like this have echoed the sentiments you referred to.

Something that I find so disappointing is the 20-years that were spent limiting new construction to 15-storeys. Now that Victoria has matured into taller buildings a huge swath of the modern city has towers in the 12-15-storey range, and they look ridiculously short by comparison to the new generation of massing.

[RFS]

Post it to the Old Victoria group and see what happens