I'm a fan. I think we shouldn't be complaining about height at this point. It'll help bridge the gap between downtown and the bayfront with some height. I think this has the potential to really improve that intersection. Overall, I'm into it. Maybe this will spark mr Beume to sell off the corner plaza and have something built there ;)

I think 22 floors would be awesome. More people on the street, more tax dollars going in to the city, and therefore less being ripped out of my pocket further along. This isn't in the middle of a single family home residential neighbourhood, in fact there's a lot of crappy parking lots on either side.

Another point that a friend just brought up to me. Downtown from James and Wilson going east feels as though it drops off all of a sudden, for several blocks. This will not only help that area feel more like a real downtown, but might also spur development in that direction.

Ditto! :cheers:

Think there's a setback for the podium. That will keep the solid James St N streets cape while the tower is back a bit further.

Reading the spec from Joey it doesn't look like there'll be a setback.

22 floors? That's a lot taller than I was expecting. 12 is an awkward height though, 22 is properly tall, while 12 is just big enough to not feel like a midrise any more. I say if they can sell it go ahead! (Based off the success Vranich and the Connaught seem to be having I'm hopeful.)

Another pic tweeted by Joey, this showing the bottom of the building. Would love to see a bigger marquee for the theatre.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bpy5CbLIgAAYRBR.jpg:large

a little more evened out:

https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/...79498653_n.jpg

At 22 stories, this thing is gonna look really weird sandwiched in between a 3 story building and a strip mall but on the other hand, downtown really needs some new 20+ story buildings. Hopefully in the future the strip mall will be torn down and a building of similar height will go up there.

I'm a fan of this either way so long as it happens soon.

106 units seems pretty doable. Would be great to see it move ahead.

Area of the ground floor façade composed of windows and doors
Required: Min 80%
Provided: 58.9%

The skew owes to the "perforated metal cladding condominium feature wall"

I think 22 storeys is fine. In most cities, they propose something with the expectation it will get cut down a bit. So maybe they're proposing 22 but anticipating something closer to 14.

I hadn’t thought about it this way, but you’re right. At one point, the disadvantages that comes with height have all been realized, and incremental additions to height don’t make something much worse. As 12 stories is no longer mid-rise, 22 is fine too.

I still say this is going to look odd, and a mid-rise building on the site would be more in keeping with the neighbourhood. Six or so stories would be perfect. Is there in fact going to be a podium? This would be a good way of preserving the character of the street wall while still giving them the ability to get some height.

there's no room for a setback with the theatre behind it, is there?

Does the plan say anything about how the theatre will be integrated with it?

I just made these to show how it could fit onto the site and be attached to the theatre...

http://i58.tinypic.com/52h15x.jpg
Source: My Photo

http://i58.tinypic.com/mugbyr.jpg
Source: My Photo

http://i62.tinypic.com/2wh4bp5.jpg
Source: My Photo

http://i61.tinypic.com/kbyb7b.jpg
Source: My Photo

Thinner, more square, tower:
http://i59.tinypic.com/5b3g5u.jpg
Source: My Photo

http://i58.tinypic.com/jgtisx.jpg
Source: My Photo



Possible setback #1:
http://i58.tinypic.com/x5810p.jpg
http://i62.tinypic.com/2wc4i20.jpg
Source: My Photos


Possible setback #2:
http://i59.tinypic.com/10hsj1l.jpg
http://i57.tinypic.com/ogwepu.jpg
Source: My Photos

the front of the theatre is set back about 50 metres from the street, so there could be room for a setback from the third floor. I am not sure if that is what they plan, but it would help to have the tall portion set back from the streetwall to cut down on downdrafts on pedestrians. I am sure the city's brand new design committee will wade into a discussion about that.

I suspect the theatre will be accessed the same way it was before - a long corridor leading from the streetfront to the theatre building itself.

that shadow is significant

Current street wall vs. future street wall:
http://i58.tinypic.com/16m8xi0.jpg
Source: My Photo

It looks like there will be a setback on the 4th & 5th floors only. There is a railing all the way across the 4th floor, and the elevation shows a shadow along the top of the 5th floor which would be caused from the 6th floor sticking out more than the 5th. That means it'll most likely look like the "Possible setback #1" model that I made.

I think if some development starts to happen east of there around Wilson, the height difference will become less jarring. I think it's very possible that we'll hear news about that strip plaza. If Jack Beume's building at 123 James North is successful, I wouldn't be surprised if he considered something like that for the corner lot.

Kudos to you for those renders though, great job.