Crystal Gardens Building
#21
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:07 PM
#22
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:10 PM
I just think it would look amazing, as long as it was a high quality building.
#23
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:10 PM
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#24
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:13 PM
#25
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:13 PM
great idea!
#26
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:14 PM
#27
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:15 PM
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#28
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:19 PM
I also still have high hopes for the Crystal Court proposal across the street too. :-D
#29
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:21 PM
I'm thinking something along these lines, as illustrated by Frank D'Ambrosio for Douglas/Bay:
Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.
#30
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:22 PM
However, the south end could be flat-ironed, albeit not as sharply as the north end.
Great suggestions.
I like this site. Real people. Real ideas.
#31
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:24 PM
#32
Posted 17 October 2006 - 10:29 PM
As long as it was an extremely high quality design, and quality building material.
#33
Posted 18 October 2006 - 12:36 PM
The more development that happens in Victoria, the more amazing it is how some properties have been left untouched.
#34
Posted 18 October 2006 - 12:41 PM
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#35
Posted 18 October 2006 - 12:45 PM
#36
Posted 11 January 2007 - 06:45 PM
Jan 11, 2007
THE CITY OF VICTORIA IS HOPING THEY CAN TAKE OVER THE LEASE OF THE OLD CRYSTAL GARDEN BUILDING IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE VICTORIA CONFERENCE CENTRE.
MAYOR ALAN LOWE SAYS BECAUSE OF THE UPGRADES DONE TO THE CRYSTAL GARDEN OVERTHE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE CITY WOULD ONLY HAVE TO SPEND ABOUT 2.5-MILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL UPGRADES.
LOWE SAYS THE CRYSTAL GARDEN IS A PERFECT LOCATION FOR THE EXPANSION.
LOWE SAYS IN ORDER FOR CONFERENCE DELEGATES TO CROSS DOUGLAS STREET SAFELY, THE CITY WILL LOOK AT OPTIONS SUCH AS A CROSSWALK OR POTENTIALLY A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
- RS
CFAX 1070
#37
Posted 11 January 2007 - 06:46 PM
#38
Posted 11 January 2007 - 06:59 PM
#39
Posted 12 January 2007 - 10:40 AM
Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, January 11, 2007
The City of Victoria plans to place a bid for the Crystal Garden to expand its conference centre.
Its bid to take over the lease is expected to go against at least two other offers from undisclosed tourist-related businesses.
Council asked staff Thursday to fast-track an offer to take over the historic building, closed since the short-lived B.C. Experience attraction went into bankruptcy in September with a $9 million debt.
The city has until the end of January to place an offer with Colliers Macaulay Nicolls, the company handling offers on the lease on behalf of the bankruptcy trustee.
Finance director Mike McCliggott told council that rough estimates on making the building suitable for conference use could range between $2 million and $5 million; the city has $3 million in an economic development fund.
A consultant hired to look at the possibility told council expanding the Victoria Conference Centre, considered too small for the city’s size, would bring in an estimated $36 million to $40 million in economic benefit to the city.
Rod Cameron of Criterion Consulting said conference centres aren’t usually money-making businesses. Revenue potential for an expanded conference space “is not staggering” ranging from a $150,000 loss annually to a $270,000 gain.
Mayor Alan Lowe has several times voiced interest in using the Crystal to expand conference facilities, saying that the building’s landmark status would attract conferences to the region. On a more practical level, the present conference centre doesn’t have proper exhibition or ballroom space and the Crystal would add 25,000 square feet.
The Crystal Garden is owned by the Provincial Capital Commission which leased it to B.C. Experience. That attraction left 235 unsecured creditors owed $2.978 million and no hope of recovering money, as the lone secured creditor, Royal Bank, is owed more than $6 million and is entitled to any money recovered from the sale of the attraction's lease or its inventory.
A spokesman for Colliers could not disclose the names of other parties eyeing the Crystal, saying only they were top-notch tourist attractions and one was a private enterprise and the other not.
“Near the end of the month we will assemble with the trustee and decide which path is best to proceed with,” the spokesman said.
“At the point where we are deciding which horse to ride it’ll be what’s in writing that carries the day — and the money.”
While the Royal Bank and public trustee will pick the best offer, the PCC has the right of final approval.
© Times Colonist 2007
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#40
Posted 12 January 2007 - 10:00 PM
VANCOUVER AQUARIUM WANTS IN AT CRYSTAL GARDEN
Jan 12, 2007
A DOWNTOWN AQUARIUM FOR VICTORIA? IT COULD HAPPEN, ACCORDING TO THE GREATER VICTORIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE C.E.O.
BRUCE CARTER SAYS THE VANCOUVER AQUARIUM IS ONE OF SEVERAL PARTIES INTERESTED IN TAKING OVER THE OLD CRYSTAL GARDENS BUILDING AT DOUGLAS AND BELLVILLE STREETS.
CARTER SAYS AN AQUARIUM ATTRACTION WOULD BE A GOOD FIT WITH OTHER DOWNTOWN TOURISM OPERATIONS.
HE SAYS VANCOUVER AQUARIUM STAFF HAVE TAKEN A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT THE CRYSTAL GARDEN SITE.
CARTER SAYS THE CITY OF VICTORIA'S WISH TO EXPAND THE CONFERENCE CENTRE INTO THAT BUILDING IS A VALID IDEA, BUT SAYS THAT ISN'T THE BEST USE OF THE FACILITY.
"IT'S A BIT OF A BAND-AID ON THE CONFERENCE CENTRE SITUATION, TO BE QUITE HONEST," CARTER SAID ON CFAX 1070'S NEWSLINE P.M. PROGRAM FRIDAY. "IT'S A SHORT TERM SOLUTION, AND IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE 40 YEAR SOLUTION, THAT ONE MAY NOT BE IT."
CARTER SAYS THE CITY MAY BE IN TOUGH AGAINST SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES SHOWING INTEREST IN THE BUILDING.
"THE CITY IS ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH QUITE A COMPLEX REVIEW OF HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GOVERN THE CONFERENCE CENTRE," HE SAYS. "IT'S A PRETTY TOUGH TIME TO BE DRAFTING A BID AND GETTING THE COUNCILLORS TOGETHER TO WRITE IT OUT."
"I WISH THEM LUCK, DON'T GET ME WRONG," CARTER ADDS. "BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO COMPETE WITH SIX OTHER WELL-TUNED BUSINESS INTERESTS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO DEAL WITH."
- IRELAND CFAX 1070
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