Paradox Hotel (1151 W Georgia) | 188m | 67 Fl | Completed

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by skymaster

Incorrect. According Holborn there are 9 more floors left including the penthouse to go.

It's a fact: assuming the latest wooden forms are a floor, then according to Holborn's own rendering (which appears on the official Trump website, as well as at the construction site), there are seven more floors, plus the mechanical penthouse/penthouse terrace, to go. And by "plus" I mean there are seven more floors and then after the seven floors there is the mechanical penthouse/penthouse terrace (which is the top floor with the big cut out seen in the rendering below).

You can count them yourself:


http://www.trumpvancouver.com/building.html

I suspect that whoever you heard "9 floors" from, is not counting the latest floor because it was still technically unpoured and is also including the mechanical penthouse/penthouse terrace in his "nine" figure, whereas I unambiguously distinguished it from the seven remaining enclosed residential floors.

[Locked In]

Thanks Prometheus.

[trofirhen]

The westward extension of the row of Fortis' stone columnular wall to the TT entrance gives an added continuity and linearity to West Georgia.
This only enhances that crisp, 'canyon' effect, and that seems great here.

[Monolith]

#vanarch #explorebc #ofvancouver by flandersned, on Flickr

[Dimswitch]

Originally Posted by canucks23

Nope! People have only been able to guess ever since construction started lol

I think they're just going to keep going until Robertson phones from City Hall saying his view cone has been violated

[BodomReaper]

Has any work started on the vertical addition to the Terasen Gas building podium, pictured in the rendering above? As-is that big chunk of 2-storey frontage on West Georgia is a criminal waste of space, I really hope that component will be followed-through on.

[Infrequent Poster]

Originally Posted by Vantage

Does anybody actually know for sure how many floors there are left to go?

No. Its pretty ridiculous in my opinion. The city, the builder and the marketing websites all quote different numbers. Then depending on which render you look at and physically count the floors you end up with different numbers as well. I think if I had to guess (based on all the different numbers/renders) I would say 62 or 63 real/non phantom/non unlucky/non death bringing floors.

[Klazu]

We seem to have the same discussion every two weeks.

From my view it looks just by eye that 5-6 floors might be missing anymore, but it is hard to say.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by BodomReaper

Has any work started on the vertical addition to the Terasen Gas building podium, pictured in the rendering above? As-is that big chunk of 2-storey frontage on West Georgia is a criminal waste of space, I really hope that component will be followed-through on.

What would you like seen done there? I agree it's an empty front to a empty space,
but I just wouldn't break up the linearity of W. Georgia to Trump, that's all.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by Infrequent Poster

Then depending on which render you look at and physically count the floors you end up with different numbers as well.

That's not true. Since re-launching the project, there has only been one marketing render which shows all the floors. And that's the one above (which is also at the construction site). If that rendering is correct (and there is no reason to believe it is not), then the question of how many more floors is a simple, objective and precise exercise: there are precisely seven more residential floors to be erected above the wooden forms currently in place, and then on top of that there is one more floor: the penthouse terrace. Thus, above the wooden forms in place as of today, there are a total of eight more floors to be poured.

As long as one can count (and the rendering at the construction site is correct), there can be no rational disagreement about this.

[red-paladin]

I do think that Prometheus is correct, but I haven't jumped in to change the title and end the conversation as I'm not 100% sure.

[Infrequent Poster]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

That's not true. Since re-launching the project, there has only been one marketing render which shows all the floors. And that's the one above (which is also at the construction site). If that rendering is correct (and there is no reason to believe it is not), then the question of how many more floors is a simple, objective and precise exercise: there are precisely seven more residential floors to be erected above the wooden forms currently in place, and then on top of that there is one more floor: the penthouse terrace. Thus, above the wooden forms in place as of today, there are a total of eight more floors to be poured.

As long as one can count (and the rendering at the construction site is correct), there can be no rational disagreement about this.

In the prior pages there is a picture of the drawings from the city. If you compare these with the render you are using for reference there is a difference in physical floors shown. I believe there are 58 balconies shown in your reference render, and 60 shown in the drawing from the city.

[Infrequent Poster]

Originally Posted by officedweller

To add to the confusion -
The elevation from the CD-1 Text Amendment to add floors shows 65 floors (if I counted right) - counting the markings on the right side of the drawing.
That could go to "67" if you count the roof marked "Mechanical" and if there is a mezzanine in the floor that seems to have a higher ceiling (?)

Note that this is the alley perspective, since there is a Lower Lobby (alley) and an Upper Lobby (Georgia St.).
This should be the "tallest" side of the building.


http://www.docstoc.com/docs/36776623/CD-1-Text-Amendment---1133-West-Georgia-Street-2009-11-03

And the approved height relative to Shangri-La:


http://www.docstoc.com/docs/36776623/CD-1-Text-Amendment---1133-West-Georgia-Street-2009-11-03

This is the city drawing I made reference too. I wish I could shut up about this. Part of me is like this should be a trivial matter, but I just like facts and what not to jive. Plus I want to know how many floors this thing is actually going to be. I apologize for carrying on with this topic. Cant help myself!

[dleung]

Tower is beautiful, but that elevation pretty much proves that using the twist to "avoid" the viewcone is a BS post-rationalization

[Vin]

Originally Posted by BodomReaper

Has any work started on the vertical addition to the Terasen Gas building podium, pictured in the rendering above? As-is that big chunk of 2-storey frontage on West Georgia is a criminal waste of space, I really hope that component will be followed-through on.

Can't agree more! There is no excuse for 'viewcones' on podiums.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by Infrequent Poster

In the prior pages there is a picture of the drawings from the city. If you compare these with the render you are using for reference there is a difference in physical floors shown. I believe there are 58 balconies shown in your reference render, and 60 shown in the drawing from the city.

Here is my theory: the city document (which depicts 60 balconies before the penthouse terrace) is from 2009 and proposed an extra 10 floors with residential ceiling heights of 9.25 feet. The website render (which depicts 58 balconies before the penthouse terrace) didn't appear until about 2013. I suspect that Holborn eventually decreased the extra floors from 10 to 8 (while maintaining the same building height) in order to increase the ceiling heights of the upper-most floors to proper luxury standards, so that they could fetch 10+ and 20+ million dollar prices. And since it was a reduction in FSR, Holborn did not need city approval.

In sum, I hold that the latest render (i.e., the one currently used in marketing and that appeared four years after the city document) is far more likely to be the correct representation.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

...I suspect that Holborn eventually decreased the extra floors from 10 to 8 (while maintaining the same building height) in order to increase the ceiling heights of the upper-most floors to proper luxury standards, so that they could fetch 10+ and 20+ million dollar prices. And since it was a reduction in FSR, Holborn did not need city approval.
....

Are you sure that they wouldn't need City approval for a reduction?
i.e. everything is tied together, (i.e. so they may end up with too many parking spaces, etc. if they reduce the as-built FSR).

Originally Posted by dleung

Tower is beautiful, but that elevation pretty much proves that using the twist to "avoid" the viewcone is a BS post-rationalization

I think the view cone only starts at about the 300 ft level and cuts across the site (so it twists out of the edge of the view cone above that height).

And the view cone edge aligns with Shangri-La's diagonal façade, so you'd need to view it along that plane in order to see whether it does, in fact, twist out of the view cone.

Remember the original design that had a square floorplate base and triangular floorplate upper section?

[Klazu]

Trump looking absolutely fantastic.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Are you sure that they wouldn't need City approval for a reduction?

No, I am not sure. But since allowable FSRs are usually expressed as "maximums," I would be surprised if a slight reduction in the actual FSR from the maximum allowable would require city approval. Either way, that question is irrelevant to my proposition: that the 2009 city document is out-of-date and that the far newer marketing render is a much more reliable guide to how many floors this project will have. Which means that Holborn received city approval for the changes and a more current city document exists somewhere, if such approval was necessary.

[Vanelevatorman]

Just received a email wishing me happy holidays from Holborn, below is a copy and paste of it...


Happy Holidays!


At this joyous time of year, we are grateful for our work with you. We wish you and your loved ones abundance, happiness, and peace in a new year filled with hope.

It has been a fruitful 2014 for us! Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver is now on level 60 and the residential condominiums are over 70% sold. This iconic twisting tower will redefine Vancouver’s skyline and we cannot wait to bring the ultimate lifestyle luxury experience to the city.

We look forward to an even more successful and prosperous 2015. Please stay tuned and we look forward to your continuous support!

Warm regards,
Joo Kim Tiah
President and CEO of Holborn