800 Granville Street | 137.5m | 42, 38 fl | Proposed - Page 6

Migrant_Coconut · #**101** Posted **Feb 4, 2021, 3:25 AM**

So in other words, this doesn't fit the "neighbourhood character" and should be reduced in size? Where have we heard that one before?

Well, we've also collectively decided that NIMBY sensitivities (such as the ones that created the zoning restrictions that're the reason why this thing is "OOC" to begin with) should be the least of everybody's concern when shaping a city.

GenWhy? · #**102** Posted **Feb 4, 2021, 4:22 AM**

I'm not sure how City policies already in place here could be NIMBY.

officedweller · #**103** Posted **Feb 4, 2021, 4:59 AM**

Tall buildings on Granville street are not a new thing.
It would be nice if the currently proposed building had a break in the length of facade (and I suspect that the UDP will require one)
and be stepped back from the heritage facades.

Here's proposal from the 1980s/90s for the site of the Best Buy/Winners Building.
Plans are limited by the Granville Bridge view cone and by the L-shaped alley behind Vancouver Centre (preventing easy tour bus access)

https://picasaweb.google.com/117187972778294086460

Migrant_Coconut · #**104** Posted **Feb 4, 2021, 5:06 AM**

To the best of my knowledge, the viewcones were set up with preservationism in mind - and the viewcones cap the 800-1200 blocks of Granville Mall at 60-90 metres (so no towers... which if proposed, would probably ruin the "typology" anyway). So not only is height unwelcome - fair enough - now apparently density overall is bad too?

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Tall buildings on Granville street are not a new thing.
It would be nice if the currently proposed building had a break in the length of facade (and I suspect that the UDP will require one)
and be stepped back from the heritage facades.

Eh, The Post didn't need a stepping-back. Don't see why this one would.

officedweller · #**105** Posted **Feb 4, 2021, 5:14 AM**

Yeah, the gap may be enough.
The way they've rendered it though has the roofline of the heritage buildings blending into flashy surfaces.

It's also likely that the massing of the building - shorter to the south - is a function of the bridging over the Commodore Ballroom.
i.e. less mass supported by the bridge structure, making it more cost effective.

goodcitywhenfinished · #**106** Posted **Feb 4, 2021, 9:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Tall buildings on Granville street are not a new thing.
It would be nice if the currently proposed building had a break in the length of facade (and I suspect that the UDP will require one)
and be stepped back from the heritage facades.

Here's proposal from the 1980s/90s for the site of the Best Buy/Winners Building.
Plans are limited by the Granville Bridge view cone and by the L-shaped alley behind Vancouver Centre (preventing easy tour bus access)

Good god, I am glad those never got built. The 80's and 90's were not nice to Vancouver's Urban Design. Canadian PostModernism is some of the worst Architecture I have ever seen and it is present in just about every city in the country.

officedweller · #**107** Posted **Feb 5, 2021, 3:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Eh, The Post didn't need a stepping-back. Don't see why this one would.

Hmm - the Heritage Commission said that the cantilevering facade of the office block proposed for the Leckie Building north on Granville overshadowed the heritage facade too much. So that sentiment could recur here too.

Migrant_Coconut · #**108** Posted **Feb 5, 2021, 4:07 AM**

Probably, but the downtown thread has pointed out that the Heritage Commission is pretty much advisory-only. If City Council's alright with this iteration, it stays.

Klazu · #**109** Posted **Feb 5, 2021, 6:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodcitywhenfinished

Good god, I am glad those never got built. The 80's and 90's were not nice to Vancouver's Urban Design. Canadian PostModernism is some of the worst Architecture I have ever seen and it is present in just about every city in the country.

I think that today a few commieblock like this would nicely add to the mix of architecture. Sure, they would be ugly, but offer some contrast to a rather bland area.

Migrant_Coconut · #**110** Posted **Apr 12, 2021, 8:31 PM**

Virtual open house on the 22nd, register here. Survey on the bottom.

mcminsen · #**111** Posted **Apr 12, 2021, 9:58 PM**

I got this in the mail today.

officedweller · #**112** Posted **Apr 12, 2021, 10:54 PM**

I got that too - they must have blanketed downtown.

Migrant_Coconut · #**113** Posted **Apr 13, 2021, 3:20 AM**

This is going to make the 2538 Birch open house look like a tea party.

VancouverOfTheFuture · #**114** Posted **Apr 13, 2021, 4:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

This is going to make the 2538 Birch open house look like a tea party.

you think there will be oppostion?

this is pretty much the perfect proposal for the area. it keeps the heritage buildings/facades, will help revitalize that part of Granville, its in central DT and on rapid transit, and it bring in offices, not residential. it is literally the perfect proposal.

jollyburger · #**115** Posted **Apr 13, 2021, 5:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

you think there will be oppostion?

this is pretty much the perfect proposal for the area. it keeps the heritage buildings/facades, will help revitalize that part of Granville, its in central DT and on rapid transit, and it bring in offices, not residential. it is literally the perfect proposal.

You would think the only possible opposition would be from other landowners/businesses but the propsal seems to do more to improve the area than negatively affect the strip.

Metro-One · #**116** Posted **Apr 13, 2021, 5:31 AM**

Also the timing for such a project couldn’t be better after the decay that has been occurring along Granville, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, for revitalization.

Migrant_Coconut · #**117** Posted **Apr 13, 2021, 5:48 AM**

And yet even here, you've got complaints that it's bland/oppressive/the wrong fit for the area, so I highly doubt it's going to be that easy.

officedweller · #**118** Posted **Apr 13, 2021, 7:45 AM**

I think the biggest complaints will be about how it looms over the Commodore Ballroom -
from those who want to continue having a 2 storey "Main Street".

TwoFace · #**119** Posted **Sep 1, 2021, 10:51 PM**

Lennox Pub has sprung back to life

Vin · #**120** Posted **Sep 2, 2021, 6:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Also the timing for such a project couldn’t be better after the decay that has been occurring along Granville, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, for revitalization.

In fact, this side on the stretch between Robson and Smithe where the shops are is actually not in a state of decay, although close to Mc Donald's there are always undesirables hanging around. The worst stretches of Granville are found where there are plenty of rundown SROs and such, especially in front of the newly acquired youth hostel and Best Western. If those areas are not dealt with by authorities, eg preventing people from shooting up in public or OD-ing, then I'm afraid nothing will change even if we have a Taj Mahal built here.