14-18 Augusta Street | ? | 6 fl | Under Construction

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Taken September 19, 2021.

*rubs bands together* can't wait for the facade to go up! Should be quicker than the olympia as it's not a restoration..

Let's toss the render in again for good measure:

[TheRitsman]

Looks like walls are imminent

[TheHonestMaple]

Drywall is already up on the west side of the second floor. I'm guessing they'll have the external walls up before rainy weather starts in October. This one is moving quick!

[TheRitsman]

Update from Steve's Insta:

[craftbeerdad]

Walked by this morning and they were installing the middle partition on the upper left window (for the brick façade). Love the arches on the penultimate floor's windows.

[TheRitsman]

Another picture from Steve's Instagram, first window seems to be in

[Chronamut]

I am so glad this building company exists - it's so nice to be able to look at a build and go "ahh, a reputable company that doesn't make shitty products"

[TheRitsman]

The sides of this building are stucco, and I realized something about that, the entirety of James St S was covered in styrofoam beads, which is like super bad for the environment. Any way, a lot of the glass is in now.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

The sides of this building are stucco, and I realized something about that, the entirety of James St S was covered in styrofoam beads, which is like super bad for the environment. Any way, a lot of the glass is in now.

I didn't realize styrofoam was used in stucco. It makes sense, as an insulator, but you'd think there would be methods of applying it that contain the beading. Or is it styrofoam panels under the stucco, and they shed as construction is happening?

I do love the style of those windows.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I didn't realize styrofoam was used in stucco. It makes sense, as an insulator, but you'd think there would be methods of applying it that contain the beading. Or is it styrofoam panels under the stucco, and they shed as construction is happening?

I do love the style of those windows.

Stucco is essentially given it's "shape" by styrofoam panels attached to the structure, and then a thin layer of concrete or concrete like material is spread across the styrofoam and made into the stucco like look, then painted.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

Stucco is essentially given it's "shape" by styrofoam panels attached to the structure, and then a thin layer of concrete or concrete like material is spread across the styrofoam and made into the stucco like look, then painted.

So the flotsam and jetsam is from the panels. Meaning the builder didn't mitigate for that impact.

I wonder how many actually do?

[TheHonestMaple]

Taken October 24, 2021.

It seems to me like the roof will have some sort of amenity space.

[TheRitsman]

I believe I was told that they added amenities space to the roof to satisfy the DRP and the city's expectation that any amenity space be included.

[TheHonestMaple]

Very interesting. Maybe i'm just being imaginative, but to me it looks almost like it could be an open air bar type concept. Would be really great if it was in fact a restaurant/bar up there, and not just amenity space for the residents.

[lachlanholmes]

Rooftop amenity space explains the switch to concrete, at least partially. At the DRP I believe it was stated they couldn’t add rooftop amenity space because in the eyes of the building code it would make it a seven storey building, and not a six storey building, which is generally the limit for wood structures.

The cost of lumber going through the roof right about when this project started construction probably helped the switch as well, too.

[ScreamingViking]

Just curious, but for wood construction of multi-unit buildings I would think they have to use some kind of sound-proofing? Is it effective?

I lived in a 1960s-era apartment building for years. Rarely heard anything from the adjacent units, but occasionally did from the one above (loud music or TV, the odd disagreement). I don't believe there was any sound insulation, just thick concrete walls.

One year they replaced all the main water and drainage pipes, which meant certain walls were open for about a week. It was astounding how much noise carried through the risers, especially when the bathroom pipes were being replaced and my unit was separated from my neighbour by plastic sheets. (I can laugh about it now, but what a huge pain that was... so much dust! had to clean the floors every night and keep furniture covered)

[TheHonestMaple]

Yes there is some content in the building code related to soundproofing of wood builds.

However what I've noticed in my experience is that different sounds travel through different construction materials. For example, in a concrete structure you might be able to hear your neighbour on the other side of the buildings drop a spoon, but never hear their TV or even a party. But in a wood build you may not hear them drop a spoon, but you could hear them talking loudly.

Generally concrete floors will transfer impact noises, while through wood you might hear lower frequency sounds.

I have also lived in a 1960s era concrete high rise apartment and never heard anything. While in more modern concrete condos I find you can. The industry has moved towards thinner walls and floors, as well as interior walls are now rarely concrete (just the inner elevator shaft walls are). 1960s era concrete building were built like bunkers.

[Chronamut]

imo every new build should have a rooftop patio - there really is no excuse for it these days - so many wasted roofs of bland concrete

(and yes I know the roofs may not be concrete I'm just too lazy to list their actual compositions so sue me lol)

[Innsertnamehere]

wood is a surprisingly good insulator, it just works differently than concrete by "absorbing" the noise as it's a soft material compared to "bouncing" the noise in a concrete building.

I lived in a concrete building without concrete separators between adjacent units and basically never heard my neighbours. My more limited experience with wood apartment blocks isn't all that different.

The province made a big hullabaloo when they increased the wood construction limit to 6 storeys, but few buildings have actually been built to that height yet. The most buildings I've seen take advantage of it is actually suburban hotels! The Sandman Hotel in Stoney Creek was actually the first 6-storey wood structure in Ontario.

The reality is that most urban mid-rise construction is simply too complex for wood and usually exceeds the height to an at least technical 7-storeys in order to provide rooftop access, as well as other structural complications resulting from required setbacks, etc.

The US has "5+1s" buildings a dime-a-dozen all over the country, which are generally 4-7 storey apartment buildings with a ground floor made of concrete construction and 3-6 storeys of wood apartment units constructed above, often wrapped around a central concrete structured parking garage. These have proven affordable to construct and usually have fairly large floorplates, but for whatever reason haven't really made it north of the border.

[ScreamingViking]

Thanks for the insights, to you both.

In the concrete building I tended to hear the sharp sounds -- someone dropping something -- and the bass notes of movies and video games (for a few years I think the person above me had a kid or teen who cranked up both when the parents or grandparents were away).

I expect we'll see more wood structures as builders become comfortable with it, and material prices come back to "normal." And I'm surprised that blended approach hasn't become more popular here either -- it seems to make a lot of sense, especially if it helps get past the height issue.

Is wood faster to erect? (mind the pun there lol). I'd think a builder could pre-assemble walls and simply bring them on site for quick installation.

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Yes there is some content in the building code related to soundproofing of wood builds.

However what I've noticed in my experience is that different sounds travel through different construction materials. For example, in a concrete structure you might be able to hear your neighbour on the other side of the buildings drop a spoon, but never hear their TV or even a party. But in a wood build you may not hear them drop a spoon, but you could hear them talking loudly.

Generally concrete floors will transfer impact noises, while through wood you might hear lower frequency sounds.

I have also lived in a 1960s era concrete high rise apartment and never heard anything. While in more modern concrete condos I find you can. The industry has moved towards thinner walls and floors, as well as interior walls are now rarely concrete (just the inner elevator shaft walls are). 1960s era concrete building were built like bunkers.

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

wood is a surprisingly good insulator, it just works differently than concrete by "absorbing" the noise as it's a soft material compared to "bouncing" the noise in a concrete building.

I lived in a concrete building without concrete separators between adjacent units and basically never heard my neighbours. My more limited experience with wood apartment blocks isn't all that different.

The province made a big hullabaloo when they increased the wood construction limit to 6 storeys, but few buildings have actually been built to that height yet. The most buildings I've seen take advantage of it is actually suburban hotels! The Sandman Hotel in Stoney Creek was actually the first 6-storey wood structure in Ontario.

The reality is that most urban mid-rise construction is simply too complex for wood and usually exceeds the height to an at least technical 7-storeys in order to provide rooftop access, as well as other structural complications resulting from required setbacks, etc.

The US has "5+1s" buildings a dime-a-dozen all over the country, which are generally 4-7 storey apartment buildings with a ground floor made of concrete construction and 3-6 storeys of wood apartment units constructed above, often wrapped around a central concrete structured parking garage. These have proven affordable to construct and usually have fairly large floorplates, but for whatever reason haven't really made it north of the border.