Vancouver House (1400 Howe St) | 151.5m | 52Fl | Completed - Page 28

wrenegade · #**541** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 12:14 AM**

Everything looks pretty good except the goddamn walkway/bike lane in the middle of the friggin bridge! Personally I think it's stupid to put a bike lane on the Granville bridge in the first place, but if you are going to do it, at least put them on the outside lanes of the bridge so you only have traffic on one side of you. Jesus. And who would want to walk over the longest bridge into/out of downtown in the middle of traffic as opposed to along the side with views of False Creek/English Bay. Stupid!!!

Dylan Leblanc · #**542** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 12:35 AM**

I think that's why the walkway is raised. I think it will be quite neat

Delirium · #**543** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 12:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrenegade

Everything looks pretty good except the goddamn walkway/bike lane in the middle of the friggin bridge! Personally I think it's stupid to put a bike lane on the Granville bridge in the first place, but if you are going to do it, at least put them on the outside lanes of the bridge so you only have traffic on one side of you. Jesus. And who would want to walk over the longest bridge into/out of downtown in the middle of traffic as opposed to along the side with views of False Creek/English Bay. Stupid!!!

i thought the same thing. the views would be much better too.

djh · #**544** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 12:53 AM**

Great project. I also agree that this will be the best project built in Vancouver (if it sticks to the plans).

However I have 1 fear, that I really *really* hope will never be realised.

In the last 5 years, I know of 2 vehicles that have careened off the onramps/offramps on Granville Bridge (1 earlier this year). I don't get how somebody could be *that* bad a driver...

Anyway, if that happens into the low-rise portions, we're talking about the buildings being severely damaged, and some innocent residents being killed by a vehicle ending-up in their living room.

Considering the public walkways are being moved to the centre of the bridge, I assume that the vehicle traffic lanes will expand to take up this space, thus being even closer to the edge of the bridge, with less room for driver error.

I don't know how the designers will strengthen the barricades to prevent this.

officedweller · #**545** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 1:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by djh

In the last 5 years, I know of 2 vehicles that have careened off the onramps/offramps on Granville Bridge (1 earlier this year). I don't get how somebody could be *that* bad a driver...

I think that's at the Hemlock ramp - which is a much tighter turn than the Howe or Seymour ramps - it's close to 90 degrees.

officedweller · #**546** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 11:51 PM**

Pics by me today of the site:

osirisboy · #**547** Posted **Nov 29, 2014, 12:29 AM**

Nice. Love seeing that. Those lots were some of the grungiest in the city

a very long weekend · #**548** Posted **Nov 29, 2014, 1:09 AM**

man, jaw-dropping. looking at those photos is one of those few times where i wish i had a lot more money than i do.

Metro-One · #**549** Posted **Nov 29, 2014, 8:03 AM**

So exciting to see this one!

Man, hate the tagging culture in Vancouver, especially those massive entire wall sized messy tags.

Living in Japan you largely forget about such urban blight. Its great here, you can have all the urban grit and essence without excessive vandalism

(yes, there is some, but it is very minimal, for example, the areas along train corrdiors don't look like ghettos (as they do in Europe) and don't looks like garbage dumps (as they do along some parts of skytrain. *Cough* Grandview Cut *Cough*)

Vanville · #**550** Posted **Dec 7, 2014, 12:21 PM**

Most of the older buildings are now gone. For some shots of what they used to look like go here https://www.flickr.com/photos/vancouverbyte/sets/72157643291623324/ & scroll down till you get to the Vancouver House section.

Photos taken Dec.6:
[IMG]

IMG_8370 by vancouverbyte, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]

IMG_8373 by vancouverbyte, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]

IMG_8374 by vancouverbyte, on Flickr[/IMG]

I have a Vancouver Archives photo taken in 1953 by Lew Parry Film Productions of the area in my "Vintage Vancouver" album:
[IMG]

General view of work, north end, from Continental Hotel apr10 1953, lew parry film productions by vancouverbyte, on Flickr[/IMG]

Dimswitch · #**551** Posted **Dec 8, 2014, 12:16 AM**

Thanks so much, those are treasures!

officedweller · #**552** Posted **Dec 8, 2014, 7:53 PM**

Nice shots - like the heritage one showing the ramp under construction!

Pinion · #**553** Posted **Dec 8, 2014, 8:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro-One

So exciting to see this one!

Man, hate the tagging culture in Vancouver, especially those massive entire wall sized messy tags.

Living in Japan you largely forget about such urban blight. Its great here, you can have all the urban grit and essence without excessive vandalism

(yes, there is some, but it is very minimal, for example, the areas along train corrdiors don't look like ghettos (as they do in Europe) and don't looks like garbage dumps (as they do along some parts of skytrain. *Cough* Grandview Cut *Cough*)

Coming from Sydney, Vancouver is basically graffiti-free.

Klazu · #**554** Posted **Dec 8, 2014, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinion

Coming from Sydney, Vancouver is basically graffiti-free.

Yeah, our Downtown is VERY clean minus some alleys and DTES. I don't remember Sydney having been so bad either, at least the touristy areas...

Vanville · #**555** Posted **Dec 9, 2014, 1:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Yeah, our Downtown is VERY clean minus some alleys and DTES. I don't remember Sydney having been so bad either, at least the touristy areas...

Yep, I think that's about to change unfortunately. Seems there is a whole new generation of self expressionists out there. Most of Europe is just plain yikes, there are some amazing works, but the gang tags etc. I can do without. About the only thing that slows it down is vigilant property owners. Somebody's been tagging my formerly clean alley lately with utter shite

& what's with all the trash lately?!

Pinion · #**556** Posted **Dec 9, 2014, 1:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Yeah, our Downtown is VERY clean minus some alleys and DTES. I don't remember Sydney having been so bad either, at least the touristy areas...

I haven't been there since the 80s but areas like Kings Cross were pretty bad.

NYC was really bad in the 80s too though

Metro-One · #**557** Posted **Dec 9, 2014, 1:30 AM**

Yeah the state of much of Europe is quite sad regarding tagging and garbage. Seems people everywhere are losing pride in their communities.

If it is not sanctioned / allowed by the property owner, it is vandalism. Again, the worst are the giant tags that try to cover entire walls, so lacking of community respect.

The garbage along train lines in Europe when I was there also really took away from thier image...

I hope metro Van continue to fight these urban blights.

GlassCity · #**558** Posted **Dec 9, 2014, 1:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Yeah the state of much of Europe is quite sad regarding tagging and garbage. Seems people everywhere are losing pride in their communities.

If it is not sanctioned / allowed by the property owner, it is vandalism. Again, the worst are the giant tags that try to cover entire walls, so lacking of community respect.

The garbage along train lines in Europe when I was there also really took away from thier image...

I hope metro Van continue to fight these urban blights.

You don't like graffiti but you like overhead viaducts? Poorly done graffiti is ugly but good graffiti is awesome and makes a city look alive. Viaducts look cold and utilitarian to me.

Metro-One · #**559** Posted **Dec 9, 2014, 1:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlassCity

You don't like graffiti but you like overhead viaducts? Poorly done graffiti is ugly but good graffiti is awesome and makes a city look alive. Viaducts look cold and utilitarian to me.

Viaducts are infrastructure that are maintained (or at least should be) and add layers to an urban space, and they can be merged into the urban fabric in interesting ways (this project is the perfect example, as is Granville Island, the Cambie Street Bridge, and the skytrain viaduct in many places). Agreed that you do need proper lighting and other factors in place to make a viaduct much more welcoming. Also the area has to be kept clean

Grafitti is vandlism and ranges from a sprawling mess to beautiful. often, the beautiful ones are sanctioned by the city / property owner and do add character to the city.

Sadly, most of it is ugly tagging that covers up info signs, park benches, nice masonry work, clean walls, way finder systems, safety systems, acid eched windows, etc... and makes an area look and feel dangerous for many many people. It has been proven that areas cleaned of grafitti actually have their crime rates fall, and urban aspects (such as transit systems) cleaned of grafitti are far more welcoming to a much wider range of users.

Now, art grafitti is welcomed (if sanctioned) but vandalism grafitti is a selfish blight.

Jimbo604 · #**560** Posted **Dec 13, 2014, 2:36 AM**

Photo credit: me

There is now full scaffolding around the last remaining building.