178 replies to this topic

[jasmineshinga]

I do like the look of that. Though if Mike's summary is anything to go by it may become an oversaturated market... Damn.

Edited by jasmineshinga, 30 January 2020 - 09:55 AM.

[aastra]

I'm excited to see this go up on the Gateway Green site.

[Greg]

Maybe I've been in Victoria too long. Because I actually think that building seems tall for that corner. It looks like it will just stick out and seem out of place.

[Nparker]

I'm excited to see this go up on the Gateway Green site.

If an argument against this proposal is that Fort & Blanshard is a poor location for a hotel (i.e. too far away from where tourists want to be), then how would the Gateway Green site (Blanshard & Fisgard) be more suitable?

[Jackerbie]

I do like the look of that. Though if Mike's summary is anything to go by it may become an oversaturated market... Damn.

 

If Victoria is anything like the lower mainland, then you guys are at the start of a hotel speculation bump. Richmond alone probably has about a dozen new hotels in the planning process, and four or five currently under construction. 

[Rob Randall]

^This is not your grandparent's hotel. They're not looking for the Wax Museum and Undersea Gardens.

 

I'm excited to see this go up on the Gateway Green site.

 

Exactly. Cluster those highrises together. Get some people patronizing the Victoria Market.

[Mike K.]

Yes, indeed we are.

Expect more news for a hotel at Bayview, too. This sounds like the latest craze and of the dozen proposals we’ll see three might actually materialize, maybe just two. Consider that the last hotel to be built in the CoV was Parkside (also a time share) and the one in James Bay next to Harbour Towers (which coincidentally is now a rental) that too is a time share.

What’s impressive is once again Chard is ahead of everybody. He’s got impeccable timing.

[Nparker]

...I actually think that building seems tall for that corner. It looks like it will just stick out and seem out of place.

That's an easy fix. Allow taller buildings to become the norm in the downtown core.

The argument could be made that both the Empress Hotel and the Legislature Buildings are out of scale for their locations, especially at the time they were built.

[Nparker]

...Cluster those highrises together...

How is this better?

[Mike K.]

I'm excited to see this go up on the Gateway Green site.

They’re finally going to get their parking lot. Don’t mess this up, aastra!

[Bernard]

I like it.   It is a perfect spot for a building like that to get the needed height along Blanshard

[Jackerbie]

Maybe I've been in Victoria too long. Because I actually think that building seems tall for that corner. It looks like it will just stick out and seem out of place.

 

Someone has to be first! The suggested height in the OCP is 60 m, and they're proposing 65.5 m. Likely a case of shooting for the impossible and landing where they wanted to all along.

[aastra]

I don't know... back in the day I remember seeing the architectural model for an office tower that was supposed to be on the southwest corner of Fort and Blanshard. I was glad that it didn't happen. I felt like all of those little storefronts along there had dodged the proverbial bullet.

 

I'm just not so keen about this particular site. Mike's skyscraper fanboy e-goons can try to persuade me.

[Bernard]

Someone has to be first! The suggested height in the OCP is 60 m, and they're proposing 65.5 m. Likely a case of shooting for the impossible and landing where they wanted to all along.

I dream of a city that focuses on a lot more buildings east of Douglas that are 60 m or taller.    I wish there was a council that offered incentives for new tall buildings, reward density by waiving fees and giving tax holidays.   

[aastra]

 

I dream of a city that focuses on a lot more buildings east of Douglas that are 60 m or taller.    I wish there was a council that offered incentives for new tall buildings, reward density by waiving fees and giving tax holidays. 

 

I agree 100%. But when I ponder schemes like that I'm always assuming the point is to grow taller buildings where you want them and not where you don't.

 

So that seems to be the heart of the matter. If most people don't have a problem with a tall building here (or even with a Victoria-style jr. highrise) then I guess I'm a bit surprised. Maybe times really are changing.

[Greg]

I'm certainly not going to protest the height, or go speak against it at a meeting. But if I could just wish things into economic viability, I'd rather see 10-12 stories here, with an additional story or two built onto the Montrose building. I just think that would look cooler and seem more organic. 

 

I think after Government Street, Fort is probably the most interesting part of downtown, so it makes sense to me to tread lightly.

 

But I can be convinced otherwise. More people living or staying downtown is always a good thing.

[Nparker]

...I'd rather see 10-12 stories here, with an additional story or two built onto the Montrose building...

Please no! Restore the Montrose building and bring it up to current codes yes, but it's really quite perfect as it is.

It would be terrible to throw some bland little "modern" box on top of it, for the sake of a quasi-density transfer from the Fort/Blanshard corner.

Edited by Nparker, 30 January 2020 - 01:40 PM.

[Kapten Kapsell]

I think hotels are an important category within the asset mix of many institutional investors at the moment.  Remember that we're in a low interest rate environment, so fixed income investments like bonds are getting less weighting in asset allocation.  Within these institutions' real estate portfolios we're seeing some renewed interest in hotels due to both the holding value of the land they sit on the opportunity to provide some steady income.  Generally speaking these funds like city-centre properties because they are close to major employers and sometimes hold good potential for rental apartment conversions...

[Nparker]

Some additional details of the project in this article that I don't think made it into the Times Colonist.

The project, brought forward by Merchant House Capital and dubbed the ‘Blanshard Block,’ would see a triangular-shaped tower that would house a number of residential suites, a winter garden, a hotel and a restaurant or bar...a winter garden...would be shared between hotel guests, residential tenants and the public. The winter garden would sit inside the south-facing corner of Blanshard Street and Fort Street, which Fullbrook said was inspired by the need for something “grand” in that space...

https://www.vicnews....current-tenants/

Now I understand the name.

[DavidSchell]

A 20 story building will fit nicely into the overall view of the city from a distant. 

 

Flat top cities are so yesterday. 

Edited by DavidSchell, 30 January 2020 - 02:15 PM.