1056 replies to this topic

[UrbanRail]

I think that if you have a need for a bigger station it could be built in Langford with the tracks to downtown used solely for Inter Urban use.

Actually there should be two major stations, one in Langford and one downtown.

[Mike K.]

The TC noted today that the proposal facing planners includes 16-, 18- and 20-storey towers.

[LJ]

Would a station work at the roundhouse site, and then have a major bus loop and transfer station there as well, to take people to the various sections of town.

[UrbanRail]

Would a station work at the roundhouse site, and then have a major bus loop and transfer station there as well, to take people to the various sections of town.

Well yes and no.

There was a reason why they moved it back across the bridge in 1985 to the current location, it would be closer to the downtown core. A station at the roundhouse site would only work if many of the routes along douglas st were redirected across the bridge, which would not make sense. Only 4 routes serve Vic West; 6 Quadra/Esquimalt, 14 UVic/VGH, 24 Munro and 25 Colville. Douglas St is the busiest transit corridor in the region, so it would make sense to have the station located closer to this corridor. At the same time, couldnt the PCL/Greyhound/Greyline terminal be relocted to Cormorant St, beside my proposed terminal (similar to what is in Vancouver)? Refer to my drawing.

Apparently Geoff Young at city hall said he had something similar to the drawing I sent him.

[Nparker]

I wish I had known about this public meeting as it might have been interesting to attend. Instead I was at home watching "Bride of Chucky"...though it was probably less scary than what this project will devolve into.

[amor de cosmos]

That Vic West waterfront could have been so much nicer if it was planned from the beginning. Instead they built it up piecemeal & it looks kind of ugly. ... well maybe not ugly, but definitely disorganised.

[aastra]

Good point about the disorganized look. But then, doesn't downtown Victoria look just as messy and disorganized when viewed from Vic West?

Downtown Victoria is an authentic mishmash. Its charm is derived from the fact that it wasn't overplanned or designed by committee. I'm hoping Vic West will be a 21st century version of the same when all is said and done.

[UrbanRail]

I was at the public meeting last night, as well as a private meeting the night before, which the E&N Division of the CRHA (Canadian Railroad Historical Association) was invited to discuss the development proposal with the developer. I am one of the directors of the historical group. I would say there are a lot of positives with this project, unlike the earlier Songhees developments.

[gumgum]

^Next stop, Elaboration Station.??

[Nparker]

This project has SO much potential if done right. It might almost undo the mistakes of the Songhees. Emphasis on almost, 'cuz we are talking a LOT of mistakes.

[amor de cosmos]

This project has SO much potential if done right.

definitely, but so did the crystalview building(s)

[UrbanRail]

^Next stop, Elaboration Station.??

There was a discussion regarding a new station for Victoria. The city has insisted that the E&N continue into town. Geoff Young mentioned that the tracks could be extended to Douglas st to a new station there. If Vic West gets a station, it might be located in the development or at the original location, at Catherine St. The developer has made sure the corridor is protected for the continued use of the VIA train and future use of commuter rail (whether that be heavy rail, trams or LRT).


Also the roundhouse, due to its condition, once the Bayview gets control of the site, immediate work will be done to repair and restoration of the roundhouse as this building of the 5 historical sections of the site (the others are the turntable, carshop and stores building and backshop) is in serious need of attention.

The main theme of the site will reflect the railway history of the site. The talk is of a living museum or interpretive centre.

[gumgum]

Roundhouse project a step closer to green light
Council agrees to public hearing on proposal for historic railway lands
Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, April 04, 2008

[Mike K.]

The Roundhouse website has been updated.

The proposal includes a 21-storey hotel/condo.

A flythrough is available here.

[2F2R]

>>> "if this project is not approved Victoria will have thrown away one of the prime projects in the country." <<<

Boy, I can't wait to see what happens with this one - will it make it all the way to a hole in the ground for the first tower or not even ...

[aastra]

Those hypothetical buildings depicted in that rendering above would seem to be huge. Large footprints AND very tall? Hear they nothing that we say? That one in the middle in particular is massive.

[Baro]

I've got little against the scale of the buildings, but iIm seeing potentially too much useless open space here, it's next to a large park for god's sake! Make the towers a little thinner and elegant but give them all 1-2 story podiums full of shops and offices would give the neighbourhood the center it so desperately needs!

[Mike K.]

They still need to accommodate trains coming in and out of the yard, I think, hence the large open space.

[Caramia]

As of tonight the project has been approved by the design panel, the heritage advisory panel and the APC.

A few highlights...

Lock-out suites in some (as yet undetermined percentage) of the condo units (that is where a secondary bedroom includes a small kitchenette area and its own bathroom and door to the hall, so that the owner can lock a door within the suite and rent out a bachelor/studio suite.)

Transportation Demand Management on site with a TDM coordinator offering incentives to reduce car use such as - Reduced price bus passes for residents and employees subsidized by strata fees and employers, a shuttle run by the hotel to take guests and residents downtown, a bike centre which will include bike storage but also possibly bike rental by the hour and a bike shop, and maybe even an on-site electric golf cart style thingy to ferry elderly or handicapped shoppers around (airport style).

Site remediation to take care of the extensive hydrocarbon and heavy metal contamination of both soil and groundwater.

Renovating the Roundhouse buildings, and rebuilding some of the structures that have been taken down such as the water tower and sand tower.

Continued use of the site for servicing the commuter rail, and preservation of the rail right of way with sensitivity to the fact that one day there may be more intensive use of that railway, for either more commuter rail or for light rail.

An approach to the site that makes the whole thing an integrated railway museum, as opposed to setting aside a space for a conventional walk in museum... This would include features such as: Addition of some historic rolling stock to the site, both as "art" and as functional space such as cabooses or boxcars that are leased to small artisans and retailers, interpretive plaques telling the history, a glass wall in the coffee shop space looking over the active servicing of the trains.

Landscaping of the E&N pathway according to the greenways strategy - which would include both a pedestrian path and a cycling path separated by landscaping elements.

A look at the model shows a much taller, slimmer tower design than the Bayview development next door, which is nice.

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the update, Caramia. This project is exactly what Songhees needs and will benefit the eastern half of Vic West tremendously. Those apartments along Esquimalt Rd. need to go and projects of this caliber are a step towards making the cleanup of the area a reality.