Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 373

yogiderek · #**7441** Posted **May 13, 2011, 1:22 AM**

Just walking home and went beside St. John's church. It is now about %15 torn down, happy days. There was a few of the WEN people around and in shock. It made my day. They have a few signs up for no parking due to construction. May 12 thru to the 20th. All I can say, is good riddance, bring on the tower.

dreambrother808 · #**7442** Posted **May 13, 2011, 1:57 AM**

Was the tower approved? I thought it was delayed.

That's right around the corner from me. I'm excited. It was a fugly church anyways.

Hopefully work will start on the Alexandra soon too.

Our corner of the West End needs new development, new life, fresher facades. It's getting rundown otherwise.

SpongeG · #**7443** Posted **May 14, 2011, 8:33 PM**

Wall Centre windows leaking air, moisture: lawsuit

Condominium owners at Vancouver's landmark Wall Centre are in the midst of a five-year, multi-million-dollar battle with the project's developers over problems with the windows.

The 48-floor tower is strikingly defined by its shaped, dark glass. But a lawsuit alleges the windows in many of the condo units on the top 17 floors are faulty.

"The windows are failing," said Wall Centre condo owner and strata president Bruce Gleig. "The seal around the glass is actually failing and, as you may know, the building is floor to ceiling glass."

Gleig said a manufacturing error led to faulty windows being installed in the million-dollar units and now the strata is suing the developer and several insurance companies.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/05/13/bc-wall-centre-windows.html

Jebby · #**7444** Posted **May 14, 2011, 9:04 PM**

I hope they replace the glass with dark one just like the bottom part of the tower.

dreambrother808 · #**7445** Posted **May 15, 2011, 12:59 AM**

Please lord jesus, replace it with glass that matches the bottom half...

This would be an amazing opportunity to right one of Vancouver's greatest architectural screw-ups.

jsbertram · #**7446** Posted **May 15, 2011, 3:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Please lord jesus, replace it with glass that matches the bottom half...

This would be an amazing opportunity to right one of Vancouver's greatest architectural screw-ups.

As I recall, the whole tower was supposed to be the light glass - which is what the City Council at the time approved.

When the glass in the lower floors was being installed, one of the councellors noticed & complained the wrong glass was being installed. Investigation discovered the lighter glass that was approved by council wasn't the same as the darker glass approved by the planning dept - builder went with the darker glass (which is what they wanted to use all along).

Council threatened a stop-work order & threatened to sue to have the already installed darker glass removed & replaced with the lighter glass as approved by Council.

The compromise was to leave the darker glass already installed in place and start using the lighter glass (as approved by Council) for the rest of the building.

Its ugly enough without now changing the top 17 floors to a shade of glass that isn't likely to match either the darker or lighter glass already in place.

If the leaking is bad enough, someone may have to pay to re-skin the entire building. $ ouch $. This would be the most high-profile leaky condos in the city, and the most expensive (so far) to fix.

whatnext · #**7447** Posted **May 15, 2011, 4:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Was the tower approved? I thought it was delayed.

That's right around the corner from me. I'm excited. It was a fugly church anyways.

Hopefully work will start on the Alexandra soon too.

Our corner of the West End needs new development, new life, fresher facades. It's getting rundown otherwise.

In the eye of the beholder. I'd much rather have the church, an interesting example of 1970's ecclesiastical architecture, than the bland glass box that will replace it.

dreambrother808 · #**7448** Posted **May 15, 2011, 4:49 AM**

If Henriquez's proposal goes through, the land will be much more densely used by renters and community groups. Obviously, if the church was viable it would have survived. We need more housing and thankfully this dying institution is making way for new life.

golog · #**7449** Posted **May 15, 2011, 6:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

In the eye of the beholder. I'd much rather have the church, an interesting example of 1970's ecclesiastical architecture, than the bland glass box that will replace it.

Do you have an angle? Your posts are always very strident or 'out there'

whatnext · #**7450** Posted **May 15, 2011, 7:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by golog

Do you have an angle? Your posts are always very strident or 'out there'

An angle? Its hardly "out there" to wish we preserved a greater diversity of buildings, rather than replace everything with the ubiquitous bland glass box Vancouver is becoming known for. There's no reason the church couldn't have been repurposed.

If the City is so concerned about densifying the West End further, they could relax the rules that keeps dozens of cookie-cutter three story walk-ups in the area from being redeveloped.

EdinVan · #**7451** Posted **May 15, 2011, 11:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

In the eye of the beholder. I'd much rather have the church, an interesting example of 1970's ecclesiastical architecture, than the bland glass box that will replace it.

I think it's quite ugly, but it adds variety to the area and so I'll miss it when it goes.

whatnext · #**7452** Posted **May 15, 2011, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdinVan

I think it's quite ugly, but it adds variety to the area and so I'll miss it when it goes.

Yeah its not my favourite church building either, but its unique and at least some architect put some effort into creating something different. If I can borrow one of entheosfog's flickr images:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/entheos_fog/4540914126/

Whereas those three story walk-ups have no redeeming architectural quality, and I doubt the glass box will have much to distinguish it either. Wasn't there another STIR project that was supposed to incorporate some gay community centre? Why not re-use the church?

vancityrox · #**7453** Posted **May 15, 2011, 5:56 PM**

Thats a shame. I actually think the church is quite charming. Could have been converted to something like a community centre, restaurant or even a fresh food market for the locals.

SpikePhanta · #**7454** Posted **May 15, 2011, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vancityrox

Thats a shame. I actually think the church is quite charming. Could have been converted to something like a community centre, restaurant or even a fresh food market for the locals.

There is a community centre next door i think, but its across an alley but i'm sure they could have merge the two buildings.

I also agree that while the West end needs more rental options there are other small three story sites that could have been chosen instead.

Coldrsx · #**7455** Posted **May 15, 2011, 7:54 PM**

... Wall centre will be interesting to watch, especially since the window manufacturer went bankrupt.

dreambrother808 · #**7456** Posted **May 15, 2011, 7:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Wasn't there another STIR project that was supposed to incorporate some gay community centre? Why not re-use the church?

This is that site. The new entirely STIR building, designed by Henriquez, will create extra space for the centre next door as well as for Qmunity.

dreambrother808 · #**7457** Posted **May 15, 2011, 11:09 PM**

This is what it will look like. Largely just a glass box, yes, but the West End is full of much less appealing towers. This is a welcome change.

You should see the fugly, low-rise, stucco, vinyl-siding crap across from it on Broughton Street.

http://www.henriquezpartners.com/archimemo/?p=419

http://www.henriquezpartners.com/archimemo/?p=417

officedweller · #**7458** Posted **May 16, 2011, 5:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Please lord jesus, replace it with glass that matches the bottom half...

This would be an amazing opportunity to right one of Vancouver's greatest architectural screw-ups.

Agreed.

Even if Wall did a switch on the glass, the bottom looks much better than the top and even matches the promotional brochures issued for the building. Even a new top half glazing that doesn't match the bottom, but is more reflective would be better.

dreambrother808 · #**7459** Posted **May 16, 2011, 5:02 PM**

True. A less transparent, darker glass up top, even if it wasn't the exact same colour as the bottom, would help dramatically.

hollywoodnorth · #**7460** Posted **May 16, 2011, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogiderek

Just walking home and went beside St. John's church. It is now about %15 torn down, happy days. There was a few of the WEN people around and in shock. It made my day. They have a few signs up for no parking due to construction. May 12 thru to the 20th. All I can say, is good riddance, bring on the tower.

#WINNING!