Quote:
Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark
It's slightly ironic that I was thinking about a previous post of yours when I was typing my above comment - your post stating that one of the reasons that people feel a loss when heritage properties are torn down is that they are not replaced with good architecture had hit home with me - and I was thinking "yeah, why can't we have better architecture here".
So here we have poorly-maintained Victorians that are being torn down to be replaced with poor (IMHO), or at least mediocre, architecture. As Keith will point out, they have been neglected for years and probably there are not many original elements left on the inside, and I would not argue against that, as this is the usual path that is followed (neglect to the point that nobody minds when they are torn down).
OK, I have resigned myself to the idea that these Victorians are probably dumps now (though likely still have good bones), but still think that a prominent corner next to the Commons should be held to a higher standard architecturally. If this was being built in Clayton Park West, I would think it's fine, for example.
But it still resonates with me how we all seem to think it's great, as long as it's better than the long-neglected buildings that it's replacing (that should not have been allowed by the city to be neglected, as mentioned in a recent thread).
Maybe if it were allowed to be taller it wouldn't look so bad, but I'm sorry to say this one just doesn't do much for me. I wish 'the city' had some will to improve standards in our more prominent/interesting areas.
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You may be surprised by this but I agree with you here for the most part.
I already gave my opinion of the architecture of this proposal in my original post so I won't repeat that. And I would not argue that the store on the corner or the structures immediately adjacent to it should be saved.
However, I am dismayed that this building is going to disappear:
Now, I have no idea what it is like inside nor what its use is. Being an older building I have little doubt it needs some work. However it always struck me as being reasonably well maintained and somewhat handsome in design, unlike its neighbors. To me this is an unfortunate loss for the area. It's a shame it could not somehow be incorporated into the development as was done with the less attractive building (to me at least) adjacent to the ordinary-looking Lotus Point development on Ochterloney in Dartmouth