Claridge Moon/Skye [340 Queen St] | 84.4 m (x2) | 27 fl (x2) | U/C

[AuxTown]

I'm reserving judgement. Some balcony glass, completion of the roofline elements and the lighter vertical strips could go a long way to making this look "decent". Never gonna get an A+ rating I'm afraid.

[11a2b3]

Originally Posted by AuxTown

I'm reserving judgement. Some balcony glass, completion of the roofline elements and the lighter vertical strips could go a long way to making this look "decent". Never gonna get an A+ rating I'm afraid.

I always thought it was job of planning committees or Urban Design Review Panels to stop anything that isn't A+.

[J.OT13]

Balcony railings are going in. Glass. The frame is, I want to say plain metal colour. Very thin. 6/10.

[RuralCitizen]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

If it ends up looking like the renderings (and I know, that's far from guaranteed when dealing with Claridge), it should be a decent addition to the downtown and skyline...

It actually does look very similar to this rendering. There are some minor changes like the curtainwall trims being black now instead of metallic. Some areas are brick, while the render was metal paneling. I think the tweaks are improvements, making it look less busy.

To note, the guardrails being installed right now have metallic post and trims. I think it will look a bit better than the render for this aspect.

In terms of the building itself, what isn't helping is that it is a flat surface from top to bottom. If there was more relief on the facade (ex: if the light gray rings were protruding by 12") it would look much better and interesting.

[GeoNerd]

Today's progress. Doesn't look horrible from this angle.

[Harley613]

I really dislike this side of the project, it's such a massive flat slab. Some kind of setback to break the massing would have been alright, or even better they could have made one tower slightly shorter and the other slightly taller like 400 Albert.

[AuxTown]

I'm just glad most of this view will be blocked by the project in the foreground

That said, I biked into work this morning and the view coming into downtown from the west is so much more interesting with Moon, Zibi, Cathedral Hill, etc and it's only getting more interesting!

[GeoNerd]

Originally Posted by Harley613

I really dislike this side of the project, it's such a massive flat slab. Some kind of setback to break the massing would have been alright, or even better they could have made one tower slightly shorter and the other slightly taller like 400 Albert.

Don’t get me wrong, I think this entire project is an abomination. But I think the southern angle doesn’t look horrible. But if someone ever told their wife they “don’t look horrible from that angle” they’d likely be served divorce papers.

As AuxTown mentioned, this project will benefit from 400 Albert being it’s neighbour. It will become less offensive, and blend in to become another generic nobody tower.

[J.OT13]

400 Albert will be the saving grace of the CBD skyline.

I agree with Harley, set-backs would have done wonders to this project. A bit of variation in height would have been good as well.

way too much black/charcoal brick to me. Wish they would have added more of the beige brick.

[Harley613]

Today:

[OTSkyline]

The Claridge Special; huge footprint, lot line to lot line, tiny unusable balconies and charcoal brick with random beige sections & crosses.

[Coho]

Nice views of the building next door for all those people on the end.. why even bother putting in a window?

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by Coho

Nice views of the building next door for all those people on the end.. why even bother putting in a window?

For some reason I thought they were stairwell windows, but they are indeed side windows for the two bedroom units, including the floors where they will be staring straight out at a brick wall.

[OTownandDown]

Between this and the tower canyon on Rideau, Ottawa is shaping up to be New York City in the 60's, with windows facing blank walls, deep lightless canyons, and nightmarish echoes.

I pity the condo next door, and anyone who bought a unit in the depths of the internal canyon.

Edit, from across the street at the Delta, you can see down into the box canyon, two sides of Claride tower, and one 15 storey brown brick wall from the neighbour. Having a unit on the inside bottom of this must feel like living in a cave.

Edit: at least there's a 6 foot gap between old and new towers on the North elevation. Letting some air-flow in there.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Coho

Nice views of the building next door for all those people on the end.. why even bother putting in a window?

So the pigeons was have some ledges to nest on?

[illusion121]

Hey folks,

Can anyone confirm what retail/grocer is going in?
I'm assuming they would have partners in place by now.

Thanks!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by illusion121

Hey folks,

Can anyone confirm what retail/grocer is going in?
I'm assuming they would have partners in place by now.

Thanks!

Still no word. Project is supposed to have a hotel component as well, yet still haven't heard what chain will take over the space.

[ServiceGuy]

Originally Posted by Coho

Nice views of the building next door for all those people on the end.. why even bother putting in a window?

I am willing to bet that those windows stop once they reach the roof line of the next door building. That is how it was done at Tribeca (Metcalfe & Nepean).

[GeoNerd]

Well, the unthinkable has happened. Moon is a finalist in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association Annual Housing Design Awards!!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by GeoNerd

Well, the unthinkable has happened. Moon is a finalist in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association Annual Housing Design Awards!!

Didn't Icon win for quality or something a couple years ago? These are so freakin' bogus.