Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 927

Klazu · #**18521** Posted **Jun 3, 2020, 11:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-paladin

Let's get back to the top of the thread please.

Agreed. We can leave further social justice warrioring to completely different forums.

I am also surprised by the picture of that Yaletown shack mcminsen posted. I had never noticed that thing!

Feathered Friend · #**18522** Posted **Jun 4, 2020, 11:14 PM**

https://twitter.com/GBLArchitects/status/1268609724578017286?s=20

Quote:

Mixed Use Development in Downtown Receives UDP Unanimous Support http://gblarchitects.com/mixed-use-in-downtown-receives-udp-support/

https://twitter.com/GBLArchitects/status/1268609724578017286?s=20

We missed this meeting yesterday, so we can't say what, if any, recommendations were made. On a more personal level, I really hope weekly UDP meetings don't become the new normal.

officedweller · #**18523** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 9:46 AM**

Richards & Smithe Park

Pics by me Sat. June 13th:

officedweller · #**18524** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 10:26 AM**

450 West Georgia

Model pics from UrbanYVR.

Fins on the south and west sides for solar shading? (though they are heavily shadowed anyways).

Model of office tower slated for corner of West Georgia and Richards Street. Credit: W.T. Leung Architects
https://urbanyvr.com/450-west-georgia-office-tower

Model of office tower slated for corner of West Georgia and Richards Street. Credit: W.T. Leung Architects
https://urbanyvr.com/450-west-georgia-office-tower

Rooftop variation to avoid the view cone:

Model of office tower slated for corner of West Georgia and Richards Street. Credit: W.T. Leung Architects
https://urbanyvr.com/450-west-georgia-office-tower

Updated rendering of lobby and West Georgia Street frontage (June 2020). Credit: W.T. Leung Architects
https://urbanyvr.com/450-west-georgia-office-tower

Updated rendering of office tower looking north on Richards Street (June 2020). Credit: W.T. Leung Architects
https://urbanyvr.com/450-west-georgia-office-tower

Updated rendering of office tower looking south on Richards Street (June 2020). Credit: W.T. Leung Architects
https://urbanyvr.com/450-west-georgia-office-tower

dleung · #**18525** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 1:14 PM**

^^That's pretty disappointing, especially next to a design like Deloitte Summit, which has earned air space around it to breathe and be seen, not boxed in by a generic box like this. The least they could do is angle the Georgia facade back to reveal more of Deloitte Summit.

Klazu · #**18526** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 1:59 PM**

At least you can always see Deloitte Summit from east but I know what you mean. What bothers me most is once again the identical height of all these towers. Fortunately Telus Garden residential tower continues to bring height to the area.

rofina · #**18527** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

At least you can always see Deloitte Summit from east but I know what you mean. What bothers me most is once again the identical height of all these towers. Fortunately Telus Garden residential tower continues to bring height to the area.

Agreed, all gripes with view cones, etc, aside, it just doesn't look good when towers table top like that.

WarrenC12 · #**18528** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 4:59 PM**

Are towers required to have "green roofs" which are essentially patches of moss. If they wanted solar panels instead, would that be allowed?

jollyburger · #**18529** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 6:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Are towers required to have "green roofs" which are essentially patches of moss. If they wanted solar panels instead, would that be allowed?

I doubt there's any rules on that. Probably contributes to LEED rating with either option though I guess solar in Vancouver isn't that more advantageous with the amount of sun we get?

WarrenC12 · #**18530** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 6:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I doubt there's any rules on that. Probably contributes to LEED rating with either option though I guess solar in Vancouver isn't that more advantageous with the amount of sun we get?

Telus Garden office tower did it... I don't know the background

I think the value of solar is a bit questionable in Vancouver, but I'm sure it pays for itself when it's "unobstructed" on the top of a tower, as compared to the green moss up there.

jollyburger · #**18531** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 8:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Telus Garden office tower did it... I don't know the background

I think the value of solar is a bit questionable in Vancouver, but I'm sure it pays for itself when it's "unobstructed" on the top of a tower, as compared to the green moss up there.

This was the numbers they had for Stack's solar panels.

Quote:

The Stack, a 540,000-sq.-ft. twisting four-box tower, is co-owned by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. For its part in the pilot project, the building’s rooftop will feature 70 horizontal panels covering 1,250 sq. ft. Those panels will generate 26,000 kWh of energy on an annual basis.

https://vancouversun.com/business/commer...lar-panels-to-top-new-stack-office-tower

Quote:

TELUS Garden hosts Vancouver’s largest photovoltaic [PV] array. With a total of 288 PV panels and 70kW of electrical capacity, the installation is projected to generate approximately 65,000 kWh of electricity per year.

https://sabmagazine.com/ceu-article-telus-garden/

They use 3,300 MWh/year a year (which is already 43% less than a comparable traditional office tower)

WarrenC12 · #**18532** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 9:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

This was the numbers they had for Stack's solar panels.

https://vancouversun.com/business/commer...lar-panels-to-top-new-stack-office-tower

https://sabmagazine.com/ceu-article-telus-garden/

They use 3,300 MWh/year a year (which is already 43% less than a comparable traditional office tower)

Cool, thanks!

I didn't mean to imply they'd get enough to make much of a dent in the costs, but Telus for example at 65,000kWh is worth about $7k/year at commercial rates (not sure what rate they are getting).

Probably pays for itself in 15-20 years.

officedweller · #**18533** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 9:47 PM**

I think the staff report for 450 West Georgia sais that the solar panels on top of Telus Garden accidentally exceed the view cone.
https://shapeyourcity.ca/14693/widgets/56960/documents/34402

WarrenC12 · #**18534** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 10:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think the staff report for 450 West Georgia sais that the solar panels on top of Telus Garden accidentally exceed the view cone.
https://shapeyourcity.ca/14693/widgets/56960/documents/34402

Klazu · #**18535** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 10:20 PM**

Why did you have to tell us that, officedweller? Now I cannot sleep anymore when I am only thinking about all the views of our mountains we have lost! I moved here to see the mountains but thanks to these solar panels I no longer cannot.

jollyburger · #**18536** Posted **Jun 16, 2020, 11:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Cool, thanks!

I didn't mean to imply they'd get enough to make much of a dent in the costs, but Telus for example at 65,000kWh is worth about $7k/year at commercial rates (not sure what rate they are getting).

Probably pays for itself in 15-20 years.

Yeah I was just curious too on how much electricity those panels could generate. I think they said the generated electricity is just used to power the exterior lighting.

SeymourDrake · #**18537** Posted **Jun 17, 2020, 12:17 AM**

Anyone know who originally came up with this viewcone S***S***?

bluefox · #**18538** Posted **Jun 17, 2020, 4:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeymourDrake

Anyone know who originally came up with this viewcone S***S***?

It was in 1989 under Mayor [drum roll] Gordon Campbell.

Some familiar names on Council back then too. Gordon Price, Libby Davies, Philip Owen, George Puil and Carole Taylor.

VancouverOfTheFuture · #**18539** Posted **Jun 17, 2020, 5:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeymourDrake

Anyone know who originally came up with this viewcone S***S***?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluefox

It was in 1989 under Mayor [drum roll] Gordon Campbell.

Some familiar names on Council back then too. Gordon Price, Libby Davies, Philip Owen, George Puil and Carole Taylor.

i mean, if that is what the people wanted then have to give them credit for doing what the people wanted.

i have talked with some people i know about viewcones, i have to say a large part of people are generally for them. i am for some of them as well, but i do think there are too many, that's for sure.

rofina · #**18540** Posted **Jun 17, 2020, 4:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

i mean, if that is what the people wanted then have to give them credit for doing what the people wanted.

i have talked with some people i know about viewcones, i have to say a large part of people are generally for them. i am for some of them as well, but i do think there are too many, that's for sure.

Like any thing else with bureaucracy, it started off as a good idea. Part of the Vancouver brand is the view of Grouse, the Lions, etc. I get that, I think most residents do too.

But like anything else, its been bastardized over the decades and much over used.

Unfortunately, it seems like Western states in general are lacking at nuance lately. Removing some of these would not be an issue, while maintaining the critical ones.

Of course, that will mean 5 years of studies, 10 million dollars, only to have no one agree at the end or willing to make a decisions, because you know, who actually wants to make a decisions these days, and back to the drawing board for community consultation. And here we are in 2030 with nothing changed.