The Ultimate Vancouver Rumour Thread!

[RDW989]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

For those wanting to guess the weekend away, we've just been made aware of a new 25 floor tower, located south of Nelson and east of Thurlow. More to come soon.

Maybe the Century-Plaza has the same future as the Empire Landmark?

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

For those wanting to guess the weekend away, we've just been made aware of a new 25 floor tower, located south of Nelson and east of Thurlow. More to come soon.

The rumor has been unveiled here :

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=8226316&postcount=16315

Some very creative guesses. In hindsight perhaps I should have narrowed the area down somewhat.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by ranvancan

ROFINA, your examples are NOT relative to Opera House. Nice apartment buildings, but apartment buildings nonetheless.
You see, this is exactly what I keep saying, backwards and non-progressive remarks like this, diminish the standing that Vancouver really has, or does not have I should say, in this world.
We are talking about world class public venues, Vancouver has.......count'em......zero. Oh, sorry, the Northshore mountains.

This doesn't make sense.

Were not a cultural centre.

Were not a City of 5 million.

Were not a lot of things.

But that completely misses the point.

Were exceptionally strong at a lot of things - city design and building being one of them. We are an amenity town - thats what were known for, a fantastic place to live (finances aside).

Instead of wishing we had the culture and scene of NYC or London, or even Sydney embrace whats great and homegrown;

Vancouver House
Butterfly
etc

Too many Vancouverites long for the city to be something/someone else - we are a great outdoorsy place, with yoga, mountains and bikes.

Don't turn this into NYC. You want NYC. Go to NYC.

[scryer]

Too many Vancouverites long for the city to be something/someone else - we are a great outdoorsy place, with yoga, mountains and bikes.

In a way I do agree. But in another way, I do have to say that for all of the developments that we do see (especially in Downtown), we don't see anyone taking any real risks these days (architecturally speaking). For example, the post office redevelopment could have been phenomenal, maybe iconic but instead we have a pair of lemon-towers just easing their way in. The Landmark (which I will say, is a very aged landmark) is getting replaced with some condo towers that aren't even as tall as The Landmark (such irony...). The architecture here is getting very predictable and monotonous. Even Vancouver House isn't THAT much of a stretch.

Now I'm not saying that a Supertall is going to be the answer to the city's prayers but everything is very tame these days. There's a lot of opportunity missed in Vancouver, especially downtown Vancouver.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by scryer

The architecture here is getting very predictable and monotonous. Even Vancouver House isn't THAT much of a stretch.

Well this is just silly.

Getting predictable?

Vancouver's architecture today is probably at its most adventurous stage in many many decades. Name another era in recent times when we've had towers as drastically different from what exists today than Alberni by Kuma, Vanocuver House, The Butterfly etc...

I honestly think you need to go back to pre-war Vancouver to see such varied architectural expression in the city.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by rofina

This doesn't make sense.

Were not a cultural centre.

Were not a City of 5 million.

Were not a lot of things.

But that completely misses the point.

Were exceptionally strong at a lot of things - city design and building being one of them. We are an amenity town - thats what were known for, a fantastic place to live (finances aside).

Instead of wishing we had the culture and scene of NYC or London, or even Sydney embrace whats great and homegrown;

Vancouver House
Butterfly
etc

Too many Vancouverites long for the city to be something/someone else - we are a great outdoorsy place, with yoga, mountains and bikes.

Don't turn this into NYC. You want NYC. Go to NYC.

I agree with the former but not the latter.

While we should be cognizant of who we are and focus on our strengths, I don't think we should simply settle for what we are today. We should strive for a better cultural scene, greater institutions in addition to the strengths we have. We just need to keep reality in mind. We are a small city in the new world with a big ol head. Sometimes I think we forget we're a 100 year old city of 2.5 million.

[excel]

Originally Posted by scryer

There's a lot of opportunity missed in Vancouver, especially downtown Vancouver.

What part of Vancouver is doing a better job with opportunities?

[scryer]

Originally Posted by excel

What part of Vancouver is doing a better job with opportunities?

None and that's the point.... Actually, Burnaby is about to get the tallest in BC right now so I don't know if that really counts (because again, it's nothing architecturally outstanding). Downtown Vancouver should be killing it with head-turning proposals left and right. We got, maybe 3. We can do better.

Vancouver's architecture today is probably at its most adventurous stage in many many decades. Name another era in recent times when we've had towers as drastically different from what exists today than Alberni by Kuma, Vanocuver House, The Butterfly etc...

I'm going to contradict myself a little here, so please read carefully. I do agree that we are in an adventurous stage. I only agree because we are comparing Vancouver to Vancouver. If we compare ourselves to other cities of this day-and-age then it's easy to conclude that our architecture reaches a very modest appeal. Personally I would like to see more risks, starting with height increases. Vancouver is incredibly predictable: oh there's some land available, maybe we will build a tower, and guess what? It's a glass brick like the other hundreds of towers in the region. Vancouver House may have given it a twist but everything results in just being glass towers. There should be more shape, more innovation, more intrigue in building towers in North America's most expensive real estate market.

I honestly think you need to go back to pre-war Vancouver to see such varied architectural expression in the city

Buy me a time machine. Like what do you really expect me to do with this comment? <---Head's up: it's a rhetorical question. The ball's in your court but you're playing by yourself.

[officedweller]

Another point is that unique designs don't need to be high end buildings.

In Vancouver that tends to be the case, but even projects like PCI's King George Station or 3 Civi Plaza - with the concrete shear walls abutting and looping over the top of the building would be a unique building in downtown Vancouver.

Any of the blocky Brentwood style wrap-around balcony buildings (Concord Brentwood or Amazing Brentwood) would also be unique in downtown Vancouver.

[cov]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Another point is that unique designs don't need to be high end buildings.

In Vancouver that tends to be the case, but even projects like PCI's King George Station or 3 Civi Plaza - with the concrete shear walls abutting and looping over the top of the building would be a unique building in downtown Vancouver.

Any of the blocky Brentwood style wrap-around balcony buildings (Concord Brentwood or Amazing Brentwood) would also be unique in downtown Vancouver.

any design that is unique and attractive will be by definition luxury. people will bid up the price of that property until it is expensive. People build to the technological capabilities and trends of their time. Being architectural Disney world will only turn a city for the worse

[rofina]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I agree with the former but not the latter.

While we should be cognizant of who we are and focus on our strengths, I don't think we should simply settle for what we are today. We should strive for a better cultural scene, greater institutions in addition to the strengths we have. We just need to keep reality in mind. We are a small city in the new world with a big ol head. Sometimes I think we forget we're a 100 year old city of 2.5 million.

I agree with your point.

I don't think stagnating in our cultural development is the goal.

But I do think that our culture will forever be different than that of larger cities not by virtue of age or size, but by the nature of what we are - a resort city.

I think the greatest challenge Vancouver faces is retaining younger generations that are not necessarily going to be the next unicorn CEO but someone willing to add to the culture and vibrancy of the City.

This becomes exceedingly difficult as this type of work is often not the most financially rewarding and in our city its pretty difficult to not be a chained to a job to just be able to afford rent.

Regardless - this is all sure to change and evolve, as life always does. I'm very curious where the city goes over the next 2 decades.

I for one would definitely like to see a change of direction in a few files.

[LowerLonsdaleMike]

Can we go back on topic with this thread? This is a rumour thread and every time I see this thread with recent comments I get excited that there may be Vancouver's newest tallest tower in the works, but nope... just a lot of off topic chatter.

[logan5]

Lol. Kind of agree. Unless there’s word of a 700’ tower, please don’t bump this thread.

[Firebrand]

So I guess there are no rumors that has happened in Vancouver.

[LeftCoaster]

There are lots of major projects awaiting the outcome of the election. There will be more activity in the winter/new year.

[misher]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

There are lots of major projects awaiting the outcome of the election. There will be more activity in the winter/new year.

Notice that the Broadway Corridor plan missed its Mid 2018 deadline? https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx I would say Mid-2018 is not before October. I just sent them a very sarcastic email lol.

"Topic: Definition of Mid 2018?
Body: Just curious when Mid 2018 is on the city's calender? Google is telling me July 2nd. But that can't be true as your website says you would have achieved your 2nd milestone by Mid 2018. https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx Whats up?"

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by misher

Notice that the Broadway Corridor plan missed its Mid 2018 deadline? https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx I would say Mid-2018 is not before October. I just sent them a very sarcastic email lol.

"Topic: Definition of Mid 2018?
Body: Just curious when Mid 2018 is on the city's calender? Google is telling me July 2nd. But that can't be true as your website says you would have achieved your 2nd milestone by Mid 2018. https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx Whats up?"

Along with all the other things you don't know, you clearly don't know what a rumour is.

[logan5]

Well how about a rumour then? What about this unannounced Burnaby tower that Leftcoaster mentioned that would be the tallest in MetroVancouver. You must know something about that.

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

This one won't be the tallest in Metro Vancouver for long, just got wind of a project in the works about 15 storeys taller than this one. Happy weekend everyone!

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by misher

Notice that the Broadway Corridor plan missed its Mid 2018 deadline? https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx I would say Mid-2018 is not before October. I just sent them a very sarcastic email lol.

"Topic: Definition of Mid 2018?
Body: Just curious when Mid 2018 is on the city's calender? Google is telling me July 2nd. But that can't be true as your website says you would have achieved your 2nd milestone by Mid 2018. https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx Whats up?"

This deadline? Mid-2018: "Form planning team, do background research, create an engagement strategy, and prepare the planning program".

Or this deadline? Mid-2019: "Create the plan's emerging directions: form growth scenarios and patterns for change"

[GenWhy?]

There's also this election thing going on...