CF Pacific Centre Developments

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Vin

Why can't they do that on the Shangri-la or other more notable towers?

.. because then they'd stand out - the City can't have that...

[dreambrother808]

Window wraps up for the city’s second Starbucks Reserve Bar in the old Tiptop space, supposedly opening in December. I guess that counts as part of Pacific Centre?

[officedweller]

Yup - Pender Place is owns by CF and connected with a walkway.

I wonder what the hours will be, as I can't imagine it staying open late there.

[mcminsen]

As seen from the library roof.



Oct.5 '18, my pics

[dreambrother808]

This provides a good comparison of the old and new. The old was more uniform as the ark windows hid the blinds, but also dated and dull. The new is lighter, modern, and refreshing.

[officedweller]

Against the sky, the dark cladding had more prominence.
From the north, the light cladding has more prominence against the darker buildings.

[SpongeG]

a video of the mall. Its always quite busy.

• Video Link

[trofirhen]

Ât the end of the above video, we wind up in the "iconic" glass rotunda. As I understand, there are plans to replace that with a rectangular box-shaped retail building.
I hope that the replacement is blocked. Maybe a petition would do it. The glass rotunda is indeed iconic, airy, light, and pleasant. To replace it with a "toolshed" would be a travesty, IMO.

[LeftCoaster]

Interesting you used the term toolshed...

I don't know when or why people seem to think the Pacific Centre rotunda is iconic or somehow worth preserving. It is a leaky, drafty, sterile, glass dome with little visual appeal and a sliver of a plaza adjacent usually full of smokers and not much else.

There's plenty worth preserving in this city via a petition, but I can't imagine how this dated glass nipple is one to get up in arms over:


https://globalnews.ca/news/2870397/plans...da-at-pacific-centre-mall-spark-concern/

[nickbeaulieu]

It's reminiscent of the way the mall looked pre-mid-2000s renovation and needs to go. It's a waste of valuable space.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Interesting you used the term toolshed...

I don't know when or why people seem to think the Pacific Centre rotunda is iconic or somehow worth preserving. It is a leaky, drafty, sterile, glass dome with little visual appeal and a sliver of a plaza adjacent usually full of smokers and not much else.

There's plenty worth preserving in this city via a petition, but I can't imagine how this dated glass nipple is one to get up in arms over:


https://globalnews.ca/news/2870397/plans...da-at-pacific-centre-mall-spark-concern/

I agree the dome should go, though I would prefer something in the 10-20 storey range instead of an underscale retail section that would likely be demolished in a decade or two for something higher density because of it's prominent location. Maybe a hotel to takeover the customer base once the 4 Seasons gets renovated or demolished which will take a few years from start to finish. It's a great spot for another hotel.

[officedweller]

They need a design that addresses the plaza kitty corner, which the approved boxy design does not do.

[Klazu]

What's the latest on the proposed expansion to replace the rotunda? I thought it was a done deal and have been waiting for the demolition crews to show up.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Interesting you used the term toolshed...

I don't know when or why people seem to think the Pacific Centre rotunda is iconic or somehow worth preserving. It is a leaky, drafty, sterile, glass dome with little visual appeal and a sliver of a plaza adjacent usually full of smokers and not much else.

There's plenty worth preserving in this city via a petition, but I can't imagine how this dated glass nipple is one to get up in arms over:


https://globalnews.ca/news/2870397/plans...da-at-pacific-centre-mall-spark-concern/

I think for many, such as myself, it is less about preserving the rotunda than it is being against the incredibly bland structure (and use of the lot) that will be replacing it.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I think for many, such as myself, it is less about preserving the rotunda than it is being against the incredibly bland structure (and use of the lot) that will be replacing it.

THANK YOU, METRO! I guess that's what I really wanted to say. LC is right .. the rotunda in and of itself is not so spectacular ... it's just that the renders of the replacement looked so ugly.
The proposed new building had an awkward, utilitarian look to it that did not harmonize with the street front or the adjacent buildings. If they can do something smart and snazzy, fine.

[Vin]

Exactly Metro-One! It's not like we are getting anything better to replace the dome. If the glass dome frames are repainted in dark green or even matt black with gold trimmings, it can be transformed into a very awesome structure, especially if it can host a nice cafe like a TWG or France's Cafe Paul.

Cafe Paul:

https://www.paul-bakeries.com/en/

[jlousa]

I too think the rotunda isn't of much public value. I do however believe that when it's redeveloped that the city should insist on a minimum like for like replacement of public space in the immediate area paid for by the private stakeholders. When the mall was originally zoned that outdoor space would've been set aside for the public realm. By redeveloping it years later the public is losing out and private stakes are capitalizing. The same thing happened with the public space at 601 W Hastings. No one is trying to stave off redevelopment but if a set of terms were agreeable upon then if you want to revisit them at a later date one should be prepared to sweeten the pot.

[officedweller]

With the Four Seasons leaving, there's even more potential for the corner.

Ideally, there should be an entry from the corner with:
- public space down the middle
- on the left, a new entrance up to the hotel lobby on the 2nd level lined with with café / restaurant/ shops
- on the right, retail space at grade (Michael Kors) and potentially up to a 2nd floor (i.e. housed in 701 West Georgia).
I think the Four Seasons currently occupies some of the space that looks into the Rotunda from the level above.
That space could be redeveloped and expanded for retail.

Has there ever been thought of adding another level onto Pacific Centre?

[LeftCoaster]

Adding another level to PAC has been toyed with for decades but the logistics are very difficult and the space created would be shallow and difficult to lay out once the mallway was factored in.

What could work is some multi-level retailers with entrances on the Georgia level of the mall. (ie H&M's current expansion could have gone up rather than down), but that opens up a whole host of structural, seismic, and parking issues.

For the forseeable future the only expansion opportunity is onto the rotunda space, but long term the mall could be more vertical, but only on the one Dunsmuir to Georgia block so it's limited.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

.. because then they'd stand out - the City can't have that...

Why? The City isn't our Lord.

They sure try to make City Hall stand out with all those purple LED lighting features. What hypocrites.