Quote:
Originally Posted by mezzanine
i wont be upset if it remains as it is, but i do think there is a lot of missed potential currently.
look at the blocks of robson by jervis, or immediately west of the landmark by nicola/cardero - the buildings certainly aren't tall and spectacular, but there is a lot of animation and a wide selection of good restaurants and cafes. locals and tourists go there, and not to the cloud 9.
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Integration with the skyline is just as important as with the street. Like it or not (the latter for me, being allergic to brutalism), the Empire is an iconic part of the Core... whereas the style of its "Vancouverism" replacement can be found anywhere in Coal Harbour or Yaletown. There's more than enough lively blocks like Nicola or Cardero, none of which will ever be remembered by name or put on a postcard.
Might as well demo Harbour Centre, being equally bland at ground level.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mezzanine
if the current owners do put money into it, develop the street front into new CRUs (where would they put the parking entrance?), re-open their sidewalk cafe (which has been closed for the past few years now) it would be drastically different. if the way they can do that is thru redevelopment, with improvements as per zoning (more housing, more social housing, modern seismic code) then i wouldnt miss the empire landmark. the planned development seems "downtown south" average, but i wouldn't call it ugly.
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Which was exactly what the owners initially wanted: keep the tower, add a few midrise condos to the block, regenerate the street. That got shot down because it exceeded the floorspace limit - hence the outrage.