Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 864

Klazu · #**17261** Posted **May 22, 2019, 7:26 PM**

Nice, thank you! I wish the Amazon building would also be a tower. How come it isn't? I don't think view cones were the issue here...

osirisboy · #**17262** Posted **May 22, 2019, 8:32 PM**

Of course there are view cones limiting height here

Vin · #**17263** Posted **May 22, 2019, 8:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Pics by me this afternoon:

My eyes keep getting drawn to the suburb skylines instead of focusing on the foreground. I wonder why......

vanman · #**17264** Posted **May 22, 2019, 9:05 PM**

Great vantage point. Thanks.

Klazu · #**17265** Posted **May 23, 2019, 12:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Of course there are view cones limiting height here

I find that hard to believe with all towers around it being built a lot taller. I am sure they could have gone 25 floors instead of just 10.

officedweller · #**17266** Posted **May 23, 2019, 12:14 AM**

Ahhh, which Amazon building?

I thought (and likely Osirisboy too) thought you meant the one at The Post (ie the bigger more prominent Amazon building).

The 400 Dunsmuir building (also Amazon) is shorter than the view cones, but built on existing footings
- so possibly the old foundation could have been a limiting factor.

Klazu · #**17267** Posted **May 23, 2019, 12:18 AM**

My apologies for the misunderstanding. I thought on the context of the photo it was indeed clear that I was talking about the more visible 400 Dunsmuir, as I was blanking on its name.

osirisboy · #**17268** Posted **May 23, 2019, 12:41 AM**

Ah yes I was talking about the post.

But yes I agree it would've made sense to go taller given the demand seems strong

Changing City · #**17269** Posted **May 23, 2019, 2:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Nice, thank you! I wish the Amazon building would also be a tower. How come it isn't? I don't think view cones were the issue here...

Speed and opportunity. When the original tower was built it maxed out the existing permitted density of 5 FSR. The Metro Core Study that the City initiated several years ago increased the 'under zoning' density here to 7 FSR. Developers can also buy another 10% in Heritage bonus density to take the total to 7.7 FSR. Beyond that they need to rezone. Oxford presumably had Amazon ready and willing to sign on.

As Officedweller noted, it's built on top of existing underground parking, and that isn't being increased, so that was probably a factor as well - they're actually providing less than the minimum required when the permit was issued. A tower would also shadow Cathedral Square Park. Although the new building will slightly shadow the park, it was allowed as it was only at the edge. It's still less than two years since the tower was approved, so for a concrete framed building with a tricky site it's gone up pretty fast.

osirisboy · #**17270** Posted **May 23, 2019, 2:16 AM**

The fsr is only 7.7? Lol. Seems so low. you have other sites downtown with much higher fsr. My mind is drawing a blank but wasn't there a project recently with something like a fsr 20, which was approved ?

It's just sad when what's there on that whole block is their maxed out fsr. Ugh

officedweller · #**17271** Posted **May 23, 2019, 7:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Changing City

...A tower would also shadow Cathedral Square Park. Although the new building will slightly shadow the park, it was allowed as it was only at the edge. ...

Hmm. So would shadows on the park also limits heights at the Holy Rosary tower project and at Holborn's Bay Parkade site? Both of those would cast shadows on the park too.

Changing City · #**17272** Posted **May 23, 2019, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Hmm. So would shadows on the park also limits heights at the Holy Rosary tower project and at Holborn's Bay Parkade site? Both of those would cast shadows on the park too.

Presumably they could be affected, but the Holy Rosary tower would be parallel to 401 W Georgia tower, and the shadow for that just reaches the park, so an office tower about the same height as 401 should be OK. Similarly the Bay parkade project will presumably retain and restore the Dunsmuir Hotel (or they won't get any residential uses) so that will push any tower(s) to the centre and south of the site. There are already viewcones that impact that site, so unless there's a change in policy (and it doesn't look like this Council has any interest in revisiting viewcones) then there won't be any significant height on the parkade site anyway.

uzi · #**17273** Posted **May 23, 2019, 11:40 PM**

Are these the new renders for the Butterfly by WestBank?

retro_orange · #**17274** Posted **May 23, 2019, 11:47 PM**

Westbank value engineering the facade after all has been approved, just like Telus. I knew they would do something like this.

officedweller · #**17275** Posted **May 24, 2019, 12:51 AM**

Those were probably part of the conceptual renderings on display at the Fairmont last year.

retro_orange · #**17276** Posted **May 24, 2019, 1:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Those were probably part of the conceptual renderings on display at the Fairmont last year.

It says 'westbankcorp 6h' at the top of the post so Westbank just posted it. I have never seen it before.

logan5 · #**17277** Posted **May 24, 2019, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by retro_orange

It says 'westbankcorp 6h' at the top of the post so Westbank just posted it. I have never seen it before.

Why does Westbankcorp 6H mean they just posted it?

I like that design. It adds colour and shape. Kinda tired of white.

retro_orange · #**17278** Posted **May 24, 2019, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

Why does Westbankcorp 6H mean they just posted it?

I like that design. It adds colour and shape. Kinda tired of white.

westankcorp is their social media handle and 6h means it was posted 6hours ago. However there is no link or info for where that image came from... From what I can find online the renders with the wavy horizontal windows is the only one we have seen since as early as 2015 and the material is a beautiful honed terrazzo, the likes of which we have not seen in material quality in decades. Added colour aside, the material on the facade of these renders looks much cheaper, like steel and glass spandrel in vertical lines. http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=218894

It stinks of the identical bait and switch that we got with the Telus condo tower that was supposed to have beautiful folded stone fins in warm tones covering the facade and podium but was switched out for awful cheap standard green glass. There is precedent for this.

https://d2kcmk0r62r1qk.cloudfront.net/im...03_15_11_15_05_telus_garden_exterior.jpg

https://204124-615897-raikfcquaxqncofqfm...uploads/2016/07/Telus-Garden-resales.jpg

Details we were sold:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f58/hirtus1/P1050630.jpg

retro_orange · #**17279** Posted **May 24, 2019, 3:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzi

Are these the new renders for the Butterfly by WestBank?

Can you please give us some context as to where and when you got this image?

uzi · #**17280** Posted **May 24, 2019, 3:16 AM**

they posted the image in their instagram story and some architecture firm was tagged in it.