LeBreton Flats | 14 fl (Ph.1)|Completed | 13 fl (Ph.2)|Completed - Page 3

AuxTown · #41 Posted **Apr 25, 2008, 12:39 PM**

This whole area of town (CBD West end) needs a grocery store. Part of the fun of living DT is being able to walk to get your groceries and it's a good hike for the thousands that live in this area around Slater, Bronson, and now Lebreton. I still think they should build a tower on part of the old technical high school site and have a large grocery store in the podium. As far as retail goes, it's the only type of retail that everyone (I think) needs and uses on a regular basis. Look at some of the best central neighbourhoods in TO and the streets are always bustling with people walking home with their groceries in hand, makes life a lot simpler (no need for car, cab, bus...). Here's a nice example of a ground-level supermarket in a condo in Manhattan:

OK, I'm done ranting.

harls · #42 Posted **Apr 25, 2008, 2:40 PM**

There is a grocery store similar to this in Montreal (Mt-Royal and St-Urbain, I think).. it fits in nicely with the neighbourhood. I think this could work well in the west end CBD.

While we're at it.. throw one in downtown Hull too, along with a few condos, please.

Deez · #43 Posted **Apr 25, 2008, 5:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

Ha. I stayed right by this place when I was in NYC over the Christmas holidays. It's a great supermarket and a nice building.

Mille Sabords · #44 Posted **Apr 25, 2008, 6:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

There is a grocery store similar to this in Montreal (Mt-Royal and St-Urbain, I think).. it fits in nicely with the neighbourhood. I think this could work well in the west end CBD.

While we're at it.. throw one in downtown Hull too, along with a few condos, please.

I know the one you mean, a mega-Provigo with underground parking, à la Rideau Street Loblaws except nicer-looking. Still doesn't have condos above it, though. Both that one and the Rideau Street one are wasting their air space. The Rideau Street Loblaws should be at the base of a 15-storey condo (at least).

ElChancho · #45 Posted **May 17, 2008, 2:30 AM**

friday may 16 2008

mehh looks alright i guess, could've used some extra height though, maybe if the glass section was 3 times that of what it is...

come to think if it is definitely to short looks more like a stub than a tower...

Cre47 · #46 Posted **May 17, 2008, 2:46 AM**

This is the perfect occasion to add up some densification, hopefully missing the boat on Phase 1 will not be too harmful. They really to go over 20 floors in that area as seen it is the highest floor count I've found for proposed buildings.

However, the building looks pretty good, at least even the low height it is not the crappy box. Anyone knows, when they are starting the next building?

citizen j · #47 Posted **May 17, 2008, 2:49 AM**

It actually looks better than it did in the architectural renderings posted by Claridge. And you're right, it's a little too truncated to be called a "tower" perhaps, but the area will fill in quite nicely as high-density mid-rise with a decent street wall.

movebyleap · #48 Posted **May 17, 2008, 4:35 AM**

Looks like public housing. The brick colour is tragic. Come to think of it, it harks of that City Centre building! DOWN WITH CLARIDGE - the company that can do nothing right!! It's like their corporate mission is "We will make it as ugly as humanly possible"!

cityguy · #49 Posted **May 17, 2008, 12:32 PM**

I gotta admit,it's a big disapointment.Lebreton flats has a lot of potential but it's going all wrong.

m0nkyman · #50 Posted **May 17, 2008, 2:09 PM**

The NCC is involved. I gave up hope when I realized they hadn't turned it over to anyone who has a clue how cities actually function.

Radster · #51 Posted **May 20, 2008, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Looks like public housing. The brick colour is tragic.

I agree 100%, these have been my exact thoughts since they first laid the bricks. Maybe this was the cheapest colour and their choice was a cost-cutting measure?

c_speed3108 · #52 Posted **May 20, 2008, 3:50 PM**

This thing is awful. Glad I am poor smuck that bought in the first floor of the top part. All they will see is roof!

They should have made the bottom of the building narrower and the top taller to make up for the difference. You end up with more space that way, better views, and more green space around the bottom of the building.

As for the colour and style....

A box on top of a box....I hope the architect wasn't too well paid for that design!

AuxTown · #53 Posted **May 20, 2008, 3:51 PM**

As I mentioned in an earlier post, just wait for the second tower, we get even more of that brick with even less glass! I'm not completely disgusted by that colour, but there's definately room for improvement in the next phases of Lebreton. Awe well, better than the toxic wasteland it was 5 years ago.

the capital urbanite · #54 Posted **May 20, 2008, 8:14 PM**

guess I'm in the minority because I think it's one of the better looking buildings downtown...it'll look even better once phase II is complete (looks very unbalanced right now)

eemy · #55 Posted **May 20, 2008, 9:48 PM**

I don't mind it, and it is improved with the glass, which I actually think looks pretty sharp on the tower/stub. I am a little bit bothered by that shade of brick though. Depending on how the development proceeds, it could look quite good (keeping in mind the current context of the building is nothing like what the context will be in 20 years); however, I'm mildly concerned.

citizen j · #56 Posted **May 20, 2008, 11:44 PM**

Uninspiring? Perhaps. Tragic? One of the signs of the apocalypse? Nah. You must be thinking of Claridge's proposal for the Portrait Gallery towers. Now THAT'S a tragedy.

harls · #57 Posted **May 27, 2008, 6:44 PM**

eemy · #58 Posted **May 27, 2008, 7:13 PM**

It looks better everytime I see it. It would be nice if it weren't so isolated, but I guess they have to start somewhere.

Acajack · #59 Posted **May 27, 2008, 7:27 PM**

I know it won't look like it when it's finished, but every time I drive by LeBreton I always think of this:

http://cudaswiata.pl/photos/palac_kultury_i_nauki01.jpg

Radster · #60 Posted **May 28, 2008, 12:54 PM**

Good ol' Warsaw and its Palac Kultury. That pic is dated though, as over the past few years, there have been a few tall skyscrapers erected around it, and the downtown area of Warsaw is still a huge construction zone with some of the highest skyscrapers in Europe being built at the moment. Warsaw's skyline will be one of the nicest in Europe in a few years. Can't say that for Ottawa,

. Though there are similarities between Ottawa and Warsaw, in that just like we have the Peace Tower limiting the height of our downtown core, that Palac Kultury also limited the height of Warsaw's downtown core, but as far as I know, that rule was dropped recently, giving way to the construction boom.