[St. John's] The Official Project Thread

[Architype]

Originally Posted by Newfoundlander

You could be right there. If Atlantic Place came down, I'd fight tooth and nail to keep a modern building from ever going up in its place.

Originally Posted by Townie709

If Atlantic place was torn down, I wouldn't mind a modern building going in its place. I think something historic looking that would fit in on the water street side should go there instead of another brick and glass wall, but I don't see any problem in building another skyscraper set back from water street, like built on the harbour drive side. Scotia Center right next door is modern and I think it adds a nice mix to that part of water street.

I would be fine with nothing modern being built on the Atlantic place sight only if I was promised a 20 story office building/shopping center in the west end, and that has just about as much likelihood as Atlantic Place being torn down

A nice reclad and building up the full 20 stories is the only way to improve the look of Atlantic Place IMO.

Townie and Nflder., you are of two minds here, and I agree with both, but the second one mostly. I estimate it would cost over $100 million to rebuild something the size of Atl. Place, but I would very much like to see it radically altered, as it's the visual centrepiece of the waterfront. If you can't build up, I would start with removing some of the upper levels of the building on the Water Street side (about 50,000 sq ft), leaving just a three or four storey section with a heritage facade style makeover, divided into sections (visually) with a setback above, then a beautiful glass/brick or whatever reclad of the rest of it with more attention paid to make the top of the building look better. It's only 37 years old, but remember the original Nfld Hotel was torn down at the ripe old age of 56 years. Give it another 20 years (maybe less) and it will be time for some changes.

Edit: A picture is worth a few words at least, here is a somewhat arbitrary variation -

[Townie709]

That would be perfect! That makes it look much more historic and actually fitting on water street. You're renders make me want things so badly

I hope the time for something major to be done to AP will come sooner than 20 years, but nobody knows I guess. The problem is, If it's profitable, and there is no problems with the building internally (ie: Structurally sound, no leaks, ect) No owner would ever tear it down, remove part of it, or even spend the money for, what is in their minds, an unnecessary reclad.

Unfortunately that's how I see it anyway. And like Arrakis said earlier, projects tend to be cheap around or they propose something really nice to get it approved, then cheapen the design after the fact. Giving AP a heritage fascade would probably be cheapened until it really looked silly. I think any design changes should have to get the okay from the city order to reduce this problem!

[jeddy1989]

rendering is VERY intersting!

I'm sure there are things that can be done with the current sturcutre, and at least it's water street facade to make it look like various historic style buildings playing with the front of the building. however they would need the incentive. maybe a fund should be started along with trgeted buildings in the historic DT to give incentive to reclad or upgrade their facades. even for residential houses.. or even tax breaks or something..


in other news:


Battery Hotel deposits were non-refundable: lawyer

Rick Butler being sued for $120,000 by former prospective buyer

The lawyer for the owner of the Battery Hotel says his client will fight a lawsuit from a former prospective buyer.
Jeffrey Sultan, lawyer for Rick Butler, said his client only became aware of the lawsuit, filed by Republic Properties in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court this month against Butler and Signal Hill Properties, when contacted by The Telegram.
According to Republic Properties’ statement of claim, deposits paid as part of tentative agreements reached last year to buy the Battery Hotel and the Canadian rights to Butler’s “Hotel California” trademark were not returned after the deals fell through.
Sultan said the deposits became non-refundable past certain time-frames in the negotiation.
“I don’t want to litigate the case in the press, but it’s basically a contractual dispute over the date that the deposits became non-refundable,” Sultan said Thursday from California, where the Canadian-born Butler is based.
The original agreement to purchase the Battery Hotel for an undisclosed sum fell through after an environmental report and survey uncovered “significant concerns,” according to the statement of claim, and a revised offer with a new purchase price was reviewed by Republic Properties, but not ultimately agreed to.
The St. John’s-based corporation filed its statement of claim Nov. 13, seeking the return of the $20,000 deposit for the trademark agreement and the $100,000 deposit for the hotel purchase agreement.
Evidence lacking
Sultan said the buyer was required to provide evidence of financing, which didn’t happen.
“Those evidences of financing never came through, so that was our first indication that they may not be willing to proceed, or able to proceed,” said Sultan, who added a statement of defence would be filed with the court once his client had been officially served with the lawsuit, which he said hasn’t happened yet.
Messages left by The Telegram for Republic Properties and its lawyer have not been returned.
Earlier this month, Memorial University announced it had bought the Signal Hill landmark, in a sale due to close in January, pending a detailed inspection of the property, a satisfactory closing arrangement and government approv­al.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2012...deposits-were-non-refundable%3A-lawyer/1

[PoscStudent]

Hey I was going to post that!

Republic Properties are the ones planning the development on Duckworth Street at the location of the Crazy Horse and the old fire station.

[SignalHillHiker]

Fantastic rendering, Architype.

The modern sections of the building are not really St. John's but it does have that old, industrial North American look. And I think that would be fine here. I do, for example, love our little smattering of art deco downtown.

I would much prefer what you've designed to what's there.

[SignalHillHiker]

November 30, 2012


St. John's from the Battery by Signal Hill Hiker Photos, on Flickr


St. John's from Shea Heights by Signal Hill Hiker Photos, on Flickr


Fortis Place by Signal Hill Hiker Photos, on Flickr


351 by Signal Hill Hiker Photos, on Flickr


Westdale Grove by Signal Hill Hiker Photos, on Flickr

[ajcoffey]

Not sure if this has been posted before but I came across this list of projects for the province compiled in the first quarter of this year. Some interesting projects for sure.

http://www.economics.gov.nl.ca/E2012/InventoryOfMajorCapitalProjects.pdf

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

Hey I was going to post that!

Republic Properties are the ones planning the development on Duckworth Street at the location of the Crazy Horse and the old fire station.

They probably would have done something really nice with the battery site

Is their Duckworth development still a go? I really liked the look of that. Was it ever even formally proposed?

[Townie709]

Well, I know you guys must have been waiting in anticipation, so... for the second time this week, It's that time again! My bad MS Paint Diagrams! (Brought to you in part by SignalHillHiker Photography!)

Seeing signal's shots from that angle always excites me just a bit! I can't wait to see Fortis completed. It will add SO much to that angle and part of Dt! I added in 430 Water St. and the unfortunate Steele Hotel. I also added Deacon into the picture in the wrong position (i know!) but this is just a bad MS paint diagram so don't judge too harshly if the heights/locations are off!

[SignalHillHiker]

Looks great. I can't wait until this is complete. Fortis is gorgeous. 351 is turning out to look like an iceberg, which is awesome. TD Place will be looking good.

Then all we have left that's truly mind-numbingly hideous is the old Fortis Building.

Once that's re-clad... we won't even really notice Atlantic Place. It'll blend into the background as much as the Cathedral does to the Basilica.

So exciting! We'll actually have good-looking old AND modern, instead of remaining a city where modern = hideous.

[jeddy1989]

this area makes me all excited hehehe add a couple of condo highrises please ... so i can live in one

so if you back out a bit:
and even look slightly more west you will see what's already in the works in the West end DT in some form:



ok so we have

~351 water (Iceberg building)
~The convention centre
~the steele hotel (Who the F knows what it looks like hahah)
~430 water street
~Fortis place (the messiah for modern buildings DT [And fortis properties])
~Deacon buildling (another great highrise)
~hilton hotel (who knows what the current look is.. something with hotels )
~ and the new delta tow.... ops did I almost spill something I overheard people talking about in the business community .. phew that was close (could just be a rumor but what the hell, would be awesome)

[SignalHillHiker]

I was WAITING for you to say something here. It's excellent news, IF it happens. ESPECIALLY if it happens on that surface parking lot.

[Townie709]

Another delta expansion?? Sounds like a great addition! I hope if it were to go ahead, it would be a true new and taller, skinnier tower for some nice variety, not just another lengthwise extension. If we add any more to the delta lengthwise it will look like a never ending wall

Either way, it would be a very welcome development that would benefit us very much! I feel like you guys both know a lot more than you are sharing so feel free to private message the details you don't want to post here, I would greatly appreciate it

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by Townie709

I hope if it were to go ahead, it would be a true new and taller, skinnier tower for some nice variety, not just another lengthwise extension. If we add any more to the delta lengthwise it will look like a never ending wall

You have a wonderful way with words,

Completely agree.

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by Newfoundlander

I was WAITING for you to say something here. It's excellent news, IF it happens. ESPECIALLY if it happens on that surface parking lot.

Hmmm. I am going to use my text psychology skills to deduce your post!

-you knew it was coming because you were waiting for Jeddy to say something

- especially is capitalized, meaning you know there is no place for it to go besides the parking lot (obviously)

- for the first two capitalized words you acknowledged that you knew something would likely happen. Tat leads me to believe your capitalization of IF it happens means you think it is likely to happen

-the winky face proves my points

I really would love a private message

[PoscStudent]

The Delta is gross.

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

The Delta is gross.

I beg to differ. The extension is gross. It looks greasy, cheap and doesn't match the rest of the building. The original part with the golden bay windows, I love! Something about it screams Las Vegas to me and I have no idea why

I like the delta, I don't like the extension. If there was another extension on the parking lot, I hope it would be a separate tower. We don't need to build the Great Wall of China downtown!

Some of us seem to know more than others about this alleged project

[Architype]

Originally Posted by Townie709

I beg to differ. The extension is gross. It looks greasy, cheap and doesn't match the rest of the building. The original part with the golden bay windows, I love! Something about it screams Las Vegas to me and I have no idea why

I like the delta, I don't like the extension. If there was another extension on the parking lot, I hope it would be a separate tower. We don't need to build the Great Wall of China downtown!

Some of us seem to know more than others about this alleged project

It looks like Vegas because of this, and others:
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&sugexp...og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=22G5UPjRNsmziwKKqoDgBA

And another extension of the same would be like a great wall.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by Architype

It looks like Vegas because of this, and others:
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&sugexp...og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=22G5UPjRNsmziwKKqoDgBA

And another extension of the same would be like a great wall.

Agreed... If a Delta extension were to take place it would have to be some height difference to take away from a wall effect, even if it's only 2-3 stories taller.

[SignalHillHiker]

A little taste of today's death-defying photo excursion. I ended up waist deep in a bog and my jeans were frozen rock hard by the time I got down. I hiked from Shea Heights to Fort Amherst across the Southside Hills, then took a cab back to where I'd parked, ha!

December 1, 2012


The Whole Shebang from the Southside Hills by Signal Hill Hiker Photos, on Flickr