London Construction - Development News Thread #1 - Page 94

ForestryW · #**1861** Posted **Oct 6, 2010, 6:41 PM**

Yes, the London forumers are noteably less enthusiastic (I haven't seen a photo update in...well a long time).

Still it's nice to see some intensification downtown.

haljackey · #**1862** Posted **Oct 6, 2010, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Can you imagine? If this was KW, Waterlooinverstor would have 8 million smilies and dancing bananas.

Haha. I love how those in K-W go nuts over 2-3 floor developments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by van Hemessen

Yes, the London forumers are noteably less enthusiastic (I haven't seen a photo update in...well a long time).

I took some pictures of our crazy roundabout rail overpass the other day. It's not technically a (building) development but it is a development nonetheless!

Also, have you been over to the London Roads thread lately? A lot of new photos there too.

ssiguy · #**1863** Posted **Oct 7, 2010, 6:33 PM**

I must be going blind or you guys are playing tricks on me.
That's a new building downtown that isn't concrete. Low rise or not I thought concrete had become the 21st century facade as yellow brick was of a hundred years ago.
I can't believe it......that's not only a building that is the perfect size and height for the location but a damn handsome looking building to boot. Nice work!
To me this is more of the development downtown needs than one or 2 tall towers. Yes the towers make for great skyline shots but it's low rise infill that downtown needs. Even one or two small gaps on a street scape {ie Dundas} can make street look uninviting, depressed, and even somewhat crime ridden.
This is what makes RR so inviting and downtown depressed.
Like I have said many times before this is that empty lot was always the #1 priority for me when it comes to infill.
This was the gap that had to be filled to create a RR/Downtown connection.
This will bring a real continuity between the two and will help both areas.
You get the odd instance of where small commercial development can have a huge impact on an area and this is one of those rare examples.
A relatively small project that will have an amazingly large and positive impact.
This is great, great, great news!

haljackey · #**1864** Posted **Oct 7, 2010, 7:38 PM**

Oh snap!

I didn't really look at it that way before. Seeing that downtown has a pretty sizable office vacancy rate I questioned the need for this building other than what the ascetic qualities provide.

Yep, this ain't your average concrete, gluten of a development, it's actually something that will serve a purpose.

With Shoppers moving in, I would assume the one in Market Tower would be closed? I also heard rumors that it might have a small grocery section, something London's downtown has been craving.

ssiguy · #**1865** Posted **Oct 8, 2010, 4:01 AM**

The current location is a good sit so I don't think it will have to big a problem getting filled.
Yes, infill is essential for a city of London's size. Not only to connect downtown with RR but also because it is right on Richmond. It is essential that both Dundas and Richmond are totally filled. Those are the main drags that people associate with downtown.
This is a great project and the fact that it will also have a large grocery section is ideal for the core as well.
In Halifax the main uptown drag is very busy with, like RR, a lot of bars, restaurant, and student and it has a two story Shoppers.

MolsonExport · #**1866** Posted **Oct 8, 2010, 1:23 PM**

^a good site that would be much better if they moved the transit terminal off of Dundas, along with the piss-smelling bums.

haljackey · #**1867** Posted **Oct 9, 2010, 3:39 AM**

Yeah it's pretty crazy that London doesn't have a bus terminal. If you as me, it's kinda primitive. Then you have to multiply that statement by several times considering how large the city is.

You could say the same for a freeway network. Does London ever get anything right transportation-wise?

QuantumLeap · #**1868** Posted **Oct 10, 2010, 10:41 AM**

Since I haven't seen it anywhere else, I thought I would post this link to a site plan and front elevation of the new Goodwill Centre on Horton Street. Not shabby. Its funny how publicly funded projects serving disadvantaged people often look so much better than privately built crap.
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/06/21/14467491.html

Kokkei Mizu · #**1869** Posted **Oct 10, 2010, 8:54 PM**

Very nice

manny_santos · #**1870** Posted **Oct 11, 2010, 12:49 AM**

Down at the corner of Colonel Talbot and Southdale Roads on the south edge of Byron, there's a new Tim Hortons and a No Frills going in.

Blitz · #**1871** Posted **Oct 11, 2010, 5:14 AM**

Yes, that ghetto Shoppers Drug Mart is finally going to be replaced! I just moved into City Place last week....argh, somebody needs to find a giant rug for those hobos at Dundas and Richmond to be swept under.

ssiguy · #**1872** Posted **Oct 11, 2010, 5:15 AM**

I took a look at the 180 Mill and it looks OK but I can't figure out if it has a brown/beige exterior or another concrete slab. Any ideas?
What I don't understand about London is that most other cities are all building glass & steel towers as they are cheaper for materials and labour costs so what is it with London?

haljackey · #**1873** Posted **Oct 11, 2010, 5:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz

Yes, that ghetto Shoppers Drug Mart is finally going to be replaced! I just moved into City Place last week....argh, somebody needs to find a giant rug for those hobos at Dundas and Richmond to be swept under.

City Place is a really good downtown apartment complex. I have a couple friends that live there and they love the location.

Yep Shoppers' decision to move is one I am supporting. Besides, their decision could have made or broke the building's construction.

About the hobos, as I've stated before a bus terminal could help. In addition moving more social services away from the area could be a benefit, as well as continued downtown restoration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I took a look at the 180 Mill and it looks OK but I can't figure out if it has a brown/beige exterior or another concrete slab. Any ideas?
What I don't understand about London is that most other cities are all building glass & steel towers as they are cheaper for materials and labour costs so what is it with London?

You got me. I have no clue. Somebody must like it?

Snark · #**1874** Posted **Oct 11, 2010, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

What I don't understand about London is that most other cities are all building glass & steel towers as they are cheaper for materials and labour costs so what is it with London?

Outside of an occasional new city hall, I'm not aware of any City in Ontario building any highrises.

If you mean to say the private sector constructing high rises, outside of the GTA and occasionally Ottawa and Niagara Falls (both of which have very unique socio-economic circumstances) what other cities in Ontario have had the private sector construct high rise residential developments that are predominantly of curtain wall design?

And... "steel & glass" curtain walled towers are not cheaper for typical residential high rise construction and operations. Not by a long shot. Pound for pound, concrete is the cheapest, strongest, most plentiful and most locally produced building material available. Keep in mind the expense of purchasing manufactured specialty components such as wall panels off-site, and also keep in mind the operating and maintenance costs of the structure over its 100 year life. Concrete is all but bulletproof against the elements experienced in this part of the world.

And although it's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison, consider the Renaissance 1 & 2 construction costs of well under $90 M (the permit value of each tower is $35M) to the single One London Place tower - which would easily cost over $150M to reproduce (it cost well over $100M 20 years ago). The combined Renaissance towers are likely 50% more building for half the cost to construct.

The only time that curtain walled residential developments get constructed is when the developer believes that the local housing market will support the additional expense for a unit that he will have to charge the customer in order to pay for the added expense of constructing such a building. In the end, the reasoning for constructing with concrete is simply that:economics.

GreatTallNorth2 · #**1875** Posted **Oct 12, 2010, 2:47 AM**

Ok meathead. We get it. You LOVE concrete and you hate design. I will name you a city that is building some nice looking buildings - Kitchener/Waterloo area is putting up some very nice towers. They are not all glass, but they have nicer design than what we are getting.

You did nail it when you said developers only build what they think they can sell. London has proven to be a city of non risk takers. This seems to be very true of developers as well. I know they are dealing with a lot of money, but I do think if a developer put up something a little nicer, it would sell.

Actually, I guess we are seeing a couple of Toronto developers come to Old East Village and those towers look pretty nice. Hopefully it will force our own developers to rethink the concrete you luv so much.

MolsonExport · #**1876** Posted **Oct 12, 2010, 1:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kokkei Mizu

Very nice

approximately 1000 times better than the abandoned buildings that formerly occupied this site ("Gold, Watch Repairs" "Pawn: Buy and Sell", etc.)

Blitz · #**1877** Posted **Oct 12, 2010, 3:29 PM**

There have also been a few glass towers built along the riverfront in Windsor over the past few years that are quite swanky.

ldoto · #**1878** Posted **Oct 13, 2010, 2:00 AM**

Very Nice!!!!

go_leafs_go02 · #**1879** Posted **Oct 13, 2010, 5:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

approximately 1000 times better than the abandoned buildings that formerly occupied this site ("Gold, Watch Repairs" "Pawn: Buy and Sell", etc.)

drove by it last night, and was quite impressed to see something new going up on that corner. Man that used to be depressing when you drove into London. Horton/Wellington I think was the only real depressing place you had to drive through from the 401 to downtown along Wellington.

Any reason why it's a stimulus project as well?

Simpseatles · #**1880** Posted **Nov 11, 2010, 11:40 PM**

I just have a couple comments, and a question hopefully someone could clear up.

1. What exactly is being built around Dundas and Lyle street? I've seen the crane up for some time now and I've only been following construction news on the website recently. From what I've researched, It's called Old East 1 or something, and the design is supposed to be quite nice. Is it a condo, apartment, or a seniors centre? I'm just asking because it's a substantial project east of downtown, that I would love to see updates for. It would be great if someone could clear that up for me!

2. I really hope they don't build the Renaissence phase 2! The first one looks mediocre, but it works because of the bulk it brings to that end of the skyline, and because it's a nice addition to the best part of downtown. It will just ruin it for me, if a twin is built. We already have enough twins, and it'll remind me of City Place. I like the one, but I think two, is too much of a good thing.

3. The new Goodwill is looking great! It'll really improve Horton Street, and hopefully it's visible from Wellington.