493 replies to this topic

[Kapten Kapsell]

Proposal May Renew Long-Vacant Pandora Lot
Carla Wilson, Victoria Times-Colonist
October 16, 2006
http://www.timescolo...1233/story.html

Vancouver's Anthem Properties wants to turn an empty lot blanketed by weeds in the 500-block of Pandora Avenue downtown into a 133-unit residential development. [...]

[bicycles]

I'm not sure if it's a good sgin that Madoff likes it...

[G-Man]

I guess I wonder why five storeys is okay here and not okay in the case of the Northern Junk Building.

[aastra]

"They have responded to the rhythm of Old Town, the modulation, the width of buildings, that kind of thing."

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz12sPjbbsO

I'm really not sure what "rhythm" and "modulation" mean in this context, but "width of buildings" is rather difficult to misinterpret. The proposed buildings must be very narrow then?

[Rob Randall]

Sorry for the late notice on this but there is an open house for this project from 4:30 till 7:30 today.

It will be held on the second floor of Market Square, enter from the Store St. staircase.

Please try to make it if you can and offer your feedback.

[D.L.]

Thanks Rob, Mike and I went and checked it out. It looks good. Five stories, walkway through the building from Pandora to Fisgard. Courtyard between the two sections of the building, retail at street level.

[gumgum]

Think it'll get approved?

[D.L.]

As long as reason prevails. The development is well suited to the site. Anthem hopes win the approval of the city swiftly, and begin construction (excavation) next summer.

[Mike K.]

The building is now dubbed as "The Union."

[ZGsta]

Finally getting something in there would be so great.

[G-Man]

So no one took any photos?

[D.L.]

We asked but the Anthem reps prefered we not post anything on the internet until they have approval from the city so as not to make it appear as though the unapproved plans are final.

[G-Man]

That is ridiculous. It was a public meeting but the public cannot see the proposal? I think that they are not giving us enough credit. The last thing anyone assumes of a project proposal on VV is that it is final. Or ever going to be built for that matter.

Anthem please post a link to some shots, we have been known to give some pretty good advice.

[Rob Randall]

Chinatown’s Union condo project shown to public

By Robert Randall • Published on Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Anthem Properties this week showed off the latest designs for the former Buckerfield’s lot at an open house at Market Square.

Renderings were displayed and representatives discussed the latest version of the residential low-rise building with visitors, most of which learned of the open house through an extensive mailout sent to neighbours.

Several suggestions made over the last year have already been incorporated into this latest iteration, including a height reduction from eight to five stories and the re-inclusion of Theatre Alley, a walkway connecting Fisgard Street with Pandora Avenue.

more...

[D.L.]

well there ya go

[gumgum]

Thanks Rob.

I am having a hard time coming up with problems council might invent with this proposal.

This is another project where council should be jumping over backwards to make work.
I would be so relieved to see this hole filled once and for all.

It's seems as if it's the least talked about abandoned site in Victoria and yet it's in one of our highest profile areas.

When I started this thread, the first proposal was already years old.

[G-Man]

Thank you to Rob Randall and Anthem for providing the pics. The project looks great. The Fisgard side looks like a modern take on the building on Government with Cascadia Bakery in it.

Could someone elaborate on the plan for Theatre alley? Is the idea that there will be shops in there?

[Ken Johnson]

The old theatre alley ran just to the west of the propped up facade at 528-532 Pandora. It is not clear if the 'alley' will run in the same location or at the other side of the building. There is a fairly large area behind 532 Pandora that could be used as a courtyard.

The new facade repeats the rhythm of the buildings along Pandora Street fairly nicely but, unless they are incorporating an arcade, the Fisgard Street elevation is out of tune with the Chinatown context.

The proposal is scheduled to come before the City of Victoria heritage Advisory Committee on December 14th and, possibly, a joint meeting of the Heritage Advisory and Advisory Design Panel on December 15th.

[gumgum]

The CRD Building is 6 stories and it is essentially part of Chinatown.

[Lover Fighter]

It's hard to tell from the two street elevations, but I don't think I'm a fan of the massing. It's too flat with the abrupt walls on the east and west. I think a more staggered building with height in the centre would integrate better with the neighbourhood... but that project already fell through as Bambu.