Canada's 10 Tallest U/C

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by caltrane74

All the rich boys in suits over at One Bloor, official groundbreaking for our first supertall. I also saw a few news camera crews as well.

Maybe the groundbreaking will be televised.

The pricing will be at the highest end of condo market. They need all the rich boys they can muster (over 400)

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

What a crock. I'm as realistic as anyone when it comes to good design and urban form. There's examples of it everywhere. Affordable doesn't have to be tacky. So often it's one too many colours, one too may facades, or one too many steps. Does that really express a desire for the most beautiful thing ever to you? Explain how aA continually produces solid designs while all the copy cats fail so miserably. aA is known around these part for their bland, simple, repetitive design. How come lesser firms continually can't pull it off? The same with developers. Why are some widely accepted as building better designs (Battistella) than others ( La Caille) for the same market range? The only viable explanation is varying degrees of taste. Of course, taste does have a subjective element to it. There's also both good and bad so it's not entire subjective as some people suggest it to be.

I do have experience in the industry growing up in one of Europe's top firms and being in most aspects of real estate ever since. I'm fully verse through first hand experience I can't build what I like. I have to built what I can sell. Sometimes it makes me want to cry.

Note: Calgarians are the most accepting and the least critical people I've ever met in all my years. I didn't expect to make friends in the Calgary forum over the years through posting opinions that contradict the group think there.

So now you're calling out an entire city? thought it was all in good fun. You're a piece of work man, you really are.

The issue in a city like Calgary is we are new to truly urban development, so it's not surprising that we don't build things like they do in NYC or Montreal or Paris or wherever. As long as a building serves a function and isn't an abomination, then it is successful in the eyes of most. The more we do it, and the more we compare ourselves to other cities, the higher the caliber of design and the more thoughtful it will become, this is why so many international firms are starting to do work here. Also, developers here are very conservative and are hesitant to decrease the amount of money they make from a project just so some self righteous ass like you will be happy. Keep spewing your arrogance though, it's really starting to change our perspective out here.

[caltrane74]

Globe and Mail Article about The One

[TorontoDrew]

I didn't know or I just clearly forgot there will be a hotel in the One. 175 rooms, do we know who it is?

[Calgarian]

The view from the top of that is going to be spectacular!

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

So now you're calling out an entire city? thought it was all in good fun. You're a piece of work man, you really are.

The issue in a city like Calgary is we are new to truly urban development, so it's not surprising that we don't build things like they do in NYC or Montreal or Paris or wherever. As long as a building serves a function and isn't an abomination, then it is successful in the eyes of most. The more we do it, and the more we compare ourselves to other cities, the higher the caliber of design and the more thoughtful it will become, this is why so many international firms are starting to do work here. Also, developers here are very conservative and are hesitant to decrease the amount of money they make from a project just so some self righteous ass like you will be happy. Keep spewing your arrogance though, it's really starting to change our perspective out here.

You can call me a hypocrite for making a generalization or stereotype. It's just the impression I have gotten all these years. I'm only being truthful about it and I really don't care if it ruffles some sensitive feathers.

The issue isn't that I'm some jealous troll from Toronto wanting Calgary to fail. The issue is those conservative "national" developers will see no reason to change with people like you by using terms reserved for only the best in architectural achievement to describe the 6th Street entrance to Brookfield Place. You didn't say along the lines of satisfactory or adequate. You called it amazing or awesome. The "everything is awesome" line may sound all warm and fuzzy but, that's not going to encourage anyone to aspire for better. It doesn't matter how many developments you build or how many star architects add Calgary to their portfolio. It doesn't really matter how new Calgary is to the game. It should actually be an advantage as you can copy only what others do well. That is happening. Unfortunately, it's through mediocre Toronto and Vancouver developers.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

The view from the top of that is going to be spectacular!

Agreed.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

You can call me a hypocrite for making a generalization or stereotype. It's just the impression I have gotten all these years. I'm only being truthful about it and I really don't care if it ruffles some sensitive feathers.

The issue isn't that I'm some jealous troll from Toronto wanting Calgary to fail. The issue is those conservative "national" developers will see no reason to change with people like you by using terms reserved for only the best in architectural achievement to describe the 6th Street entrance to Brookfield Place. You didn't say along the lines of satisfactory or adequate. You called it amazing or awesome. The "everything is awesome" line may sound all warm and fuzzy but, that's not going to encourage anyone to aspire for better. It doesn't matter how many developments you build or how many star architects add Calgary to their portfolio. It doesn't really matter how new Calgary is to the game. It should actually be an advantage as you can copy only what others do well. That is happening. Unfortunately, it's through mediocre Toronto and Vancouver developers.

What is it you think you're going to accomplish by criticizing everything on an internet forum? Developers and architects don't care what you think, they don't care what I think, they care whether they can successfully deliver a product and get paid for it. Seriously, get over yourself man! you aren't changing minds, you aren't improving design, the public realm will be the same regardless of how you look at it. Justify your arrogance however you want, you are the only person it makes sense to. But hey, it's all in good fun right? I'm done arguing with you, moving on now.

[caltrane74]

I've been telling him this for 15 years, he ain't changing.

[ainvan]

It's Official: Canada's Tallest Building is Under Construction

It's tough scheduling ground breaking ceremonies for the day that ground is actually broken on a development, so today, what has been evident to us for weeks now was made official (and made more public) as Sam Mizrahi, President of Mizrahi Developments, stood upon a podium erected on the site of The One and declared it was full-steam-ahead for the skyscraping new complex.

There have been a few changes to plans for the Foster + Partners and Core Architects-designed building since our last story. The podium of The One has been reduced to five storeys with three of them for retail and two for restaurants. With 33 foot ceilings, the retail space at the corner will be the height of two storeys, with a 8,500 square foot ground floor uninterrupted by columns, while the room itself will feature eight dramatically canted columns reaching to the ceiling above. The sixth level will house a sky lobby for hotel guests (the next 11 floors) and for residents of condominium suites in the remainder of the tower. The top of the podium will feature a landscaped amenity terrace with pool for residents.

Urban Toronto

[rbt]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

The pricing will be at the highest end of condo market. They need all the rich boys they can muster (over 400)

You're not kidding. Looks like they'll be starting around $1500/sqft; and those are the cramped 1 bedrooms near the ground with views of the neighbours. That's a lot of $1M+ units to sell.

[Urban recluse]

Shit, is that TO or Chicago? Love it!

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by rbt

You're not kidding. Looks like they'll be starting around $1500/sqft; and those are the cramped 1 bedrooms near the ground with views of the neighbours. That's a lot of $1M+ units to sell.

If you look at the website and where this will be marketed that is chump change for some sadly.

China
Russia
Iran
United Arab Emirates

http://onebloorwest.com/en/

[SkahHigh]

Don't really like the look of The One but congrats TO on getting a second 300-meter tower!

[TorontoDrew]

I bet when it's built you will like it a lot. And second 300m? Where is our 1st?

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

I bet when it's built you will like it a lot. And second 300m? Where is our 1st?

I thought FCP was 300m. 2 meters short

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

I bet when it's built you will like it a lot. And second 300m? Where is our 1st?

Depends how the glass turns out, I feel like that could be a make or break for this guy. Materials usually are though...

[TorontoDrew]

I'm hoping it turns out like this render.

[IMG]the one by Andrew Moore, on Flickr[/IMG]

[DrNest]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

I thought FCP was 300m. 2 meters short

It's a super tall after a very heavy snowfall!

[TorontoDrew]

Or if we include the ugly antennas as architectural elements or call them spires lol.