Commie-block (slabsville) capital of Canada

[Blitz]

Originally Posted by north 42

Most of Windsor's apartment buildings built between the 60s and 80s are clad in brick, so they don't look as drab as slab concrete!

It does set Windsor apart from every other city in southern Ontario, especially London. The residential high rises built in Windsor since 2000 are mostly glass. Good thing the city didn't grow at all between 1975 and 2000...helped us missed out on the whole ugly concrete boom.

[Brizzy82]

Winnipeg definitely punches above its weight in commie blocks


Twin Holiday Towers by glenn_window, on Flickr


The Forks Market (from a distance) by Garry9600, on Flickr


Untitled by t.fougere, on Flickr


Fort Garry Hotel and Place by aa440, on Flickr


Winnipeg by Jimmiray, on Flickr



anyone else notice a lot of Flickr users no longer allow sharing? Bryan Scott always has the best Wpg pics, I can no longer spam the board with them lol

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

Vancouver's Downtown West End neighbourhood is almost entirely made of commie blocks and yet I find it to be my favourite part of Vancouver (I actually don't quite like yaletown)



Source: http://www.123rf.com/photo_10028225_aerial-vancouver--west-end-beaches.html

The only building visible in this photo that I'd really call a commie block would be the wider-than-it-is-tall one near the bottom left of the photo.

To me, "commie block" implies not just a large residential tower clad mostly with not-glass, but also a certain width, "flatness", and lack of any architectural detail that is not tied directly to function. Even Uno Prii's buildings in Toronto, while certainly modernist, and from the right era, aren't really what I'd call "commie blocks". St. Jamestown basically epitomizes my conception of commie blocks, as do those new student-oriented highrises in Waterloo.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Hali87

The only building visible in this photo that I'd really call a commie block would be the wider-than-it-is-tall one near the bottom left of the photo.

To me, "commie block" implies not just a large residential tower clad mostly with not-glass, but also a certain width, "flatness", and lack of any architectural detail that is not tied directly to function. Even Uno Prii's buildings in Toronto, while certainly modernist, and from the right era, aren't really what I'd call "commie blocks". St. Jamestown basically epitomizes my conception of commie blocks, as do those new student-oriented highrises in Waterloo.

So you don't consider Landmark Place in Hamilton to be one?

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Beedok

So you don't consider Landmark Place in Hamilton to be one?

No, but that's just my own understanding of the term I guess.

To me, "commie block" evokes images of wide towers, with more or less uniform windows on the "front/back" (wide) sides and blank walls on the (narrow) "sides". This is likely a result of the simple internal layout - central elevators with a long single hallway going out in each direction, stretched as far as possible within the limitations of fire codes/stairway requirements.

I guess I always just saw it as a synonym for "slab".

If LP is a commie block, then how do you differentiate between commie blocks and non-commie-block residential highrises?

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Hali87

No, but that's just my own understanding of the term I guess.

To me, "commie block" evokes images of wide towers, with more or less uniform windows on the "front/back" (wide) sides and blank walls on the (narrow) "sides". This is likely a result of the simple internal layout - central elevators with a long single hallway going out in each direction, stretched as far as possible within the limitations of fire codes/stairway requirements.

I guess I always just saw it as a synonym for "slab".

If LP is a commie block, then how do you differentiate between commie blocks and non-commie-block residential highrises?

I'm not totally sure, I just know Hamiltonians always complain about the city's tallest being a commie-block.

I do know that I think built in (or at least partially built in) balconies are important. Tacked on ones seem to be too different a style choice.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by Hali87

The only building visible in this photo that I'd really call a commie block would be the wider-than-it-is-tall one near the bottom left of the photo.

To me, "commie block" implies not just a large residential tower clad mostly with not-glass, but also a certain width, "flatness", and lack of any architectural detail that is not tied directly to function. Even Uno Prii's buildings in Toronto, while certainly modernist, and from the right era, aren't really what I'd call "commie blocks". St. Jamestown basically epitomizes my conception of commie blocks, as do those new student-oriented highrises in Waterloo.

The vast majority of towers in that Vancouver pic are not commie blocks, I have a feeling he doesnt quite understand what is meant by the term commie block. Most of them are point towers.

[Trans Canada]

A couple in Ottawa


Google Street View
https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.427337,-7...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sZKQRlRNXPaE1skMF6lRj5Q!2e0

Bell Street Apartments:


Google Street View
https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.403494,-7...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sNvqvvKLL8BRVufrXNGccQA!2e0


Bell St apartment blocks by m0nkyman, on Flickr

170 Lees / Rideau Apartments:


Eric Blyth, Emporis
http://www.emporis.com/building/rideaueastapartments-ottawa-canada

And its renovation.... lipstick on a pig:


Kanalko Ltd
http://www.kanalco.com/products/aluminum-composite-panels/systems/dry-set

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Trans Canada

170 Lees / Rideau Apartments:


Eric Blyth, Emporis
http://www.emporis.com/building/rideaueastapartments-ottawa-canada

And its renovation.... lipstick on a pig:


Kanalko Ltd
http://www.kanalco.com/products/aluminum-composite-panels/systems/dry-set

That's not lipstick on a pig. That's floral tattoos or something equally hideous.

[red-paladin]

It's nasty but it's 10 times better.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

It's nasty but it's 10 times better.

That's an amazingly flattering after pic.

[TownGuy]

They've covered up a couple slabs in Cobourg with beige stucco. I prefer the brown brick myself.

But yes, like most places in Ontario, Cobourg has its fair share of slabs. Here's a couple.

Look at those cars. 2001?

https://www.walkscore.com/score/47-munroe-st-cobourg-on-canada


http://www.realstar.ca/category/list/list-ontario-east?lang=french

[333609543]

Don't forget Crescent Town by Vic Park station in Toronto;

Home to a 100 metre tall slab and many others that are between 80 - 99 metres.

Photo: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7685/2111/1600/IMG_4199.jpg

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Beedok

That's not lipstick on a pig. That's floral tattoos or something equally hideous.

I don't understand... Did they do away with the balconies? That would actually make it worse to live in. Though maybe there would be less suicides.

[niwell]

I preferred the Lees station tower before the renos. Although it totally did look like something from Johannesburg or another developing country. I actually knew someone who lived there and it wasn't too much better inside. Although a LOT better than several buildings I have been to in Ottawa. There's one on Bell street in Ottawa south of the one pictured above which was harrowing inside.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I don't understand... Did they do away with the balconies? That would actually make it worse to live in. Though maybe there would be less suicides.

Meh. The balconies in the buildings that I've lived in seemed to function mainly as bike and BBQ storage areas. Probably better off having the space fully enclosed for year-round use.

The suicide rate probably went down among the people whose residences actually face the thing.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I don't understand... Did they do away with the balconies? That would actually make it worse to live in. Though maybe there would be less suicides.

I didn't see it before the reno, but the other apartment pictured looks about the same and is a fairly nondescript tower. The new version of that Lees building is just hideous. It looks incomplete at all times and, well it's just ugly. The other apartments around it are ugly, but unremarkable ugly. That one sticks out as a landmark of poor design.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I don't understand... Did they do away with the balconies? That would actually make it worse to live in. Though maybe there would be less suicides.

Not sure, but I think they enclosed the balconies for bigger apartments. Anyway, I liked it better before. It was different from the other Lees buildings.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lees_Avenue

Bell street building is also being re-faced and renoed.


http://ottawastart.blogspot.ca/2010/05/new-life-for-bell-street-apartment.html


http://www.adpost.com/ca/homes_offices/16317/

[middeljohn]

Dear God the before pic is horrendous. Quite possibly the ugliest one in this thread.

[J.OT13]

More from the Federal Capital:


http://www.cogeim.ca/appartement-a-louer-island-park-towers/6-island-park-towers.html


http://roycehomesales.com/properties/queen-elizabeth-towers/


http://primecorppm.com/blog/2014/09/living-in-lincoln-heights-ottawa-apartments-for-rent/


http://www.robhuntley.ca/Kite-Aerial-Pho...graphy-2013/Britannia-Water-Purification