Development Concepts and Ideas - Page 9

SignalHillHiker · #**161** Posted **Jan 14, 2013, 1:17 PM**

Downtown West End, as far as the intersection of Old Topsail Road and Waterford Bridge Road, blocked with towers of all different heights and shapes and sizes - including a few that are taller and thinner than we've been building.

Downtown Centre, especially Atlantic Place and its parkade and the old Fortis Building, reclad. A glass hotel on top of the parkade that extends over the Water Street-facing properties beside it as well.

Old Town completely protected and heritage-appropriate Bluedrop-style buildings filling in every single surface parking lot or otherwise empty lot.

Higher, denser residential in-fill developments everywhere outside Empire Avenue.

Amalgamation with, at minimum, Mount Pearl, Paradise, and Conception Bay South. A lot of industrial work moved from St. John's Harbour to Conception Bay, with the conversion of the main downtown apron into a pedestrian boardwalk, complete with restaurants, cafes, and finger piers for pleasurecraft. Pier 17 converted into a secure, cruise ship terminal.

The Rooms reclad in all glass to make it look like an iceberg.

jeddy1989 · #**162** Posted **Jan 14, 2013, 5:14 PM**

I imagine a major increase in population with one of the best transit systems in the country (thanks to me HA!) also maybe the start of some sort of light rail using the old railway bed to connect downtown and go along side mount pearl and to CBS. (very scenic going through Bowring park) also of course buildings of at least 20 floors in the west end DT, mount pearl with highrises being started. I also see a mall or large shopping area in Glencrest. As well the airport bursting at the seams again

and highrises in the East end near tiffany village and where (The now former) hill view terrece.

We desirve to be a major city and I believe we will be! we just need to develop in the right way! it's very possible!

jeddy1989 · #**163** Posted **Jan 14, 2013, 5:32 PM**

lets throw a couple of these style buildings in the west end DT and residential in Mount Pearl

this probably doesnt even have as big of a footprint as 351!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AD...r_at_night.jpg

Townie709 · #**164** Posted **Jan 14, 2013, 7:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Downtown West End, as far as the intersection of Old Topsail Road and Waterford Bridge Road, blocked with towers of all different heights and shapes and sizes - including a few that are taller and thinner than we've been building.

Downtown Centre, especially Atlantic Place and its parkade and the old Fortis Building, reclad. A glass hotel on top of the parkade that extends over the Water Street-facing properties beside it as well.

Old Town completely protected and heritage-appropriate Bluedrop-style buildings filling in every single surface parking lot or otherwise empty lot.

Higher, denser residential in-fill developments everywhere outside Empire Avenue.

Amalgamation with, at minimum, Mount Pearl, Paradise, and Conception Bay South. A lot of industrial work moved from St. John's Harbour to Conception Bay, with the conversion of the main downtown apron into a pedestrian boardwalk, complete with restaurants, cafes, and finger piers for pleasurecraft. Pier 17 converted into a secure, cruise ship terminal.

The Rooms reclad in all glass to make it look like an iceberg.

THIS ^^^^

Except for The Rooms one. Along with Jeddy's transit system and a major population increase

christopher_chafe · #**165** Posted **Jan 15, 2013, 1:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

hey I wanted to put a question out to you guys

If developed in the right way continuing on the trend we are going economically and with the continued development of mega projects, how would you like St. John's to be in say 10-15 years? what is your ideal vision going into the future and were do you see the city's potential taking us? (keep in mind this is how YOU would like to see it if developed properly not a negative nancy question on how you think the current people in power will do

)

If the trend continues(which I think it will) in all honestly I think St. John's come 2040 will be completely different than St. John's of 2013. I think we will finally have an LRT system in place in this city, as well I can honestly see the heritage district shrinking drastically(with only the outer battery and the Gut along with a few larger buildings remaining). I can also see a major shopping center being built DT. DT will be split into 3 districts (Financial, Retail/Entertaminment, Residential)

J_Murphy · #**166** Posted **Jan 15, 2013, 6:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Downtown West End, as far as the intersection of Old Topsail Road and Waterford Bridge Road, blocked with towers of all different heights and shapes and sizes - including a few that are taller and thinner than we've been building.

Downtown Centre, especially Atlantic Place and its parkade and the old Fortis Building, reclad. A glass hotel on top of the parkade that extends over the Water Street-facing properties beside it as well.

Old Town completely protected and heritage-appropriate Bluedrop-style buildings filling in every single surface parking lot or otherwise empty lot.

Higher, denser residential in-fill developments everywhere outside Empire Avenue.

Amalgamation with, at minimum, Mount Pearl, Paradise, and Conception Bay South. A lot of industrial work moved from St. John's Harbour to Conception Bay, with the conversion of the main downtown apron into a pedestrian boardwalk, complete with restaurants, cafes, and finger piers for pleasurecraft. Pier 17 converted into a secure, cruise ship terminal.

I agree with all of this. I would like the west end of water street (Job to Victoria Park) to feel like walking through the upper west side of New York or something.

In keeping with the heritage structures, I would like to see council push some sort of beautification program. There are a lot of old buildings on water street that could look a lot nicer with a little bit of restoration to bring out the colours and details.

Edit: Something desperately needs to be done here: http://goo.gl/maps/RqtQt

Restore the facades of the existing buildings, strip the asphalt, plant some trees, put in some bences and picnic tables.

As of now, it looks like shit.

rwspencer38 · #**167** Posted **Jan 15, 2013, 7:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

I imagine a major increase in population with one of the best transit systems in the country (thanks to me HA!) also maybe the start of some sort of light rail using the old railway bed to connect downtown and go along side mount pearl and to CBS. (very scenic going through Bowring park) also of course buildings of at least 20 floors in the west end DT, mount pearl with highrises being started. I also see a mall or large shopping area in Glencrest. As well the airport bursting at the seams again

and highrises in the East end near tiffany village and where (The now former) hill view terrece.

We desirve to be a major city and I believe we will be! we just need to develop in the right way! it's very possible!

Funny you should mention that... Ever since I started my degree I've mulled around the idea of how an LRT system could work in the city. I've even developed some concept plans for routes/hubs etc... Perhaps i'll share them some day!

SignalHillHiker · #**168** Posted **Jan 15, 2013, 7:21 PM**

Oh, you definitely should, RWSpencer!

jeddy1989 · #**169** Posted **Jan 15, 2013, 8:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwspencer38

Funny you should mention that... Ever since I started my degree I've mulled around the idea of how an LRT system could work in the city. I've even developed some concept plans for routes/hubs etc... Perhaps i'll share them some day!

perhaps you could share them and we both could see if we can merge our systems together (as LRT as a possible future expansion of what I came up with)

jeddy1989 · #**170** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 1:24 AM**

Hey guys, I know it's been slow here for a bit so I've decided to throw out a question/ activity for y'all

Find a building or development that you think would be perfect for St. John's and where you would put it if you could. (From anywhere in the world) GO!

Ayreonaut · #**171** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 1:51 AM**

Oh man... I guess considering it's the area in which I live, I think a full-on transformation of the Parade-Spencer-Feild-Cook-Mayor area in between Freshwater and Merrymeeting to large 5-7ish storey mixed-use (mostly residential) blocks could be great. (I've mentioned this before)

Think in the style of what's coming at that one place on Lemarchant or the Aker Brygge area of Oslo:

Copper by Ayrcan, on Flickr

Aker Brygge by Ayrcan, on Flickr

Dockside by Ayrcan, on Flickr

... perhaps without the canals.

I think this is my ideal density for an urban neighbourhood.

jeddy1989 · #**172** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 2:12 AM**

I completely agree! there are areas that could be redeveloped, however more realistically we could push for these types of developments in the new huge developments like Glencrest and Kenmount hill

When I was in Paris this past summer there is a new area of the city that I LOVE, it is modern and it is near the national library .. this is the same type of thing as you are describing in Oslo

Of course we would add colour

EDIT:
Can you imagine this style of development in Glencrest (of course town houses and single houses as well but this style centralizing it) but imagine those pictures with colour added to the buildings like star of the sea or Bennett house, ALSO add that redish-pink sidewalk that they have been doing around the city lately and you have a very modern and St. John's style development

Ayreonaut · #**173** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 3:35 AM**

Exactly. This area would be perfect for that! I mean, nobody will miss the rowhouses that are around here. They're not the least bit pretty and are separated from what would be considered the historic core of the city.

PoscStudent · #**174** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 2:50 PM**

A mid rise residential area would be cool.

jeddy1989 · #**175** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 3:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayreonaut

Exactly. This area would be perfect for that! I mean, nobody will miss the rowhouses that are around here. They're not the least bit pretty and are separated from what would be considered the historic core of the city.

If it were up to me and if we were to do a major residential re-development in the city centre I would suggest this area (Includes the area you were talking about):

One aspect that I like about the area is that it has a grid like road system! VERY rare in St. John's!! as well as it does not have much heritage value etc.

However this would never be economically feasible .. imagine how much it would cost to acquire those properties! the new condos would be like 2 million each hahaha

Something the city could do is make a concept plan like what we are talking about then rezone the area to suite that then allow developers to chip away at it bit by bit creating the neighborhood.. again noone would ever do that because the residents would hate it and if they've been living there their whole lives etc.

THEREFORE:

a much cleaner and great way to curb urban sprawl without having to buy overprices townhouses and deal with NIMBYs is to put this style of midrise residential development in these areas (of course with a mix of lower density as well as some highrises)

Architype · #**176** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 4:32 PM**

The areas in the photos above look a lot like the Olympic Village area in Vancouver:
http://goo.gl/maps/XZ9Ux
http://goo.gl/maps/mPcvj
http://goo.gl/maps/2dlwh
http://goo.gl/maps/8lBVi
http://goo.gl/maps/6aRDP

jeddy1989 · #**177** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Architype

The areas in the photos above look a lot like the Olympic Village area in Vancouver:
http://goo.gl/maps/XZ9Ux
http://goo.gl/maps/mPcvj
http://goo.gl/maps/2dlwh
http://goo.gl/maps/8lBVi
http://goo.gl/maps/6aRDP

yes yes and yes!! add a splash of colour and it's perfect!

Architype · #**178** Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 4:56 PM**

Er, pink white and green buildings, maybe?

jeddy1989 · #**179** Posted **Jan 29, 2013, 5:31 PM**

I was just looking at google maps wondering about the old railbed and A LOT of it is still there!! and now is considered a walking trail. That could easily be brought back as an LRT for the city, it comes from downtown passes through bowring park, the heart of mount pearl and Paradise then up to CBS, of course it can be altered but I think it'll be a great base for a future light transit system to add to the public transit system (faster connections from CBS, Paradise, and Mount Pearl to Downtown)

Very interesting

I followed the rail bed as far as I could but you can see it continue into CBS

https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Wa...=17&via=1&z=13

christopher_chafe · #**180** Posted **Jan 29, 2013, 7:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Architype

Er, pink white and green buildings, maybe?