Oakridge Park | 13 Towers | 154m | 52fl | 5M sqft | U/C - Page 92

jollyburger · #**1821** Posted **Mar 12, 2023, 8:24 PM**

It might be a response to UDP critiques from last year?

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/05-11-2022-udp-minutes.pdf

Migrant_Coconut · #**1822** Posted **Mar 12, 2023, 8:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Just curious, are you referring to the neighbourhoods or the malls? Because Metrotown the neighbourhood actually has a number of vibrant pockets not located all that close to Metrotown the mall.

For example, Maywood Park, Bonsor Skatepark, and La Foret are all consistently busy. I love walking through Maywood Park on a weekend afternoon and seeing family picnics, elderly men playing table tennis, and children on the playground. Burnaby Civic Square is also a great "third place" and is very busy with Tai Chi on the lawn by the horses, people reading on the benches, and power walkers taking laps.

I don't doubt it (Bonsor and the library do look pretty busy), but those are in spite of the mall rather than because of it - conversely, Beresford and the north side of Kingsway are more or less ghost towns despite all the new condos and retail.

FarmerHaight · #**1823** Posted **Mar 12, 2023, 9:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

I don't doubt it (Bonsor and the library do look pretty busy), but those are in spite of the mall rather than because of it - conversely, Beresford and the north side of Kingsway are more or less ghost towns despite all the new condos and retail.

Yes, those streets are pretty dead. Beresford could use a restaurant with a patio or some sort of plaza along the guideway to give people a reason to hang around.

I think it will be very difficult for either street to add retails tenants because of the close proximity to the mall.

jollyburger · #**1824** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 1:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Yes, those streets are pretty dead. Beresford could use a restaurant with a patio or some sort of plaza along the guideway to give people a reason to hang around.

I think it will be very difficult for either street to add retails tenants because of the close proximity to the mall.

I think you guys are expecting too much impact from the towers already going into the neighbourhood. It's the same for Brentwood. Sure there's Solo's project but why would three towers at Amazing Brentwood have any impact on the neighbouring community in terms of it's vibrancy or street life?

Changing City · #**1825** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 1:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I think you guys are expecting too much impact from the towers already going into the neighbourhood. It's the same for Brentwood. Sure there's Solo's project but why would three towers at Amazing Brentwood have any impact on the neighbouring community in terms of it's vibrancy or street life?

Compare to Citygate. Nearly 1,200 units, towers to 30 storeys, significant residential density, but consitently underperforming retail on Main St. If residential units were all that was needed, they'd be doing better.

Migrant_Coconut · #**1826** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 1:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I think you guys are expecting too much impact from the towers already going into the neighbourhood. It's the same for Brentwood. Sure there's Solo's project but why would three towers at Amazing Brentwood have any impact on the neighbouring community in terms of it's vibrancy or street life?

You're restating the point: contrary to what the fanboys may say, it's not as simple as "mall + towers = active community." That equation will, in fact, often create the opposite unless there's other amenities present.

om604 · #**1827** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 2:55 AM**

March 12th-Zone 3/13-Oakridge

The towers along 41st appear quite graceful from street level with their sweeping figure. Makes it less imposing for pedestrians and dilutes their true hight. Cladding is yet to come.

https://flickr.com/photos/shroudedlight/52744309903/in/datetaken-public/lightbox/

FarmerHaight · #**1828** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

You're restating the point: contrary to what the fanboys may say, it's not as simple as "mall + towers = active community." That equation will, in fact, often create the opposite unless there's other amenities present.

I have to think that if Metrotown had 40-storey towers all the way from Beresford to Imperial the area would feel much more vibrant. Not only would there be more people going about their business but the other amenities would take care of themselves as a function of economics. The problem is Metrotown has 20k people, and they all either hop in their cars in an underground garage or walk two blocks to the Skytrain and take it somewhere else in the metro to work, spend their money, or socialize.

Compare this to the West End which has 50k people, has far fewer cars per capita, and has no rapid transit connection. If enough people have to walk or bike or take the bus down Robson and Davie to get to work each day, all those people will make the area feel vibrant even if they weren't shopping or sitting in cafes and restaurants along the way. But that population does warrant tons of grocers and coffee shops and restaurants and clothing stores, and that just adds to the vibrancy.

I am all for TOD, but as long as the Skytrain serves to take everyone away in the morning and return them all for bedtime it's hard to see Brentwood or Lougheed or Metrotown becoming vibrant like the West End or even Lonsdale Quay, where the lack of connectivity almost serves to prop up the areas.

jollyburger · #**1829** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 6:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I have to think that if Metrotown had 40-storey towers all the way from Beresford to Imperial the area would feel much more vibrant. Not only would there be more people going about their business but the other amenities would take care of themselves as a function of economics. The problem is Metrotown has 20k people, and they all either hop in their cars in an underground garage or walk two blocks to the Skytrain and take it somewhere else in the metro to work, spend their money, or socialize.

Compare this to the West End which has 50k people, has far fewer cars per capita, and has no rapid transit connection. If enough people have to walk or bike or take the bus down Robson and Davie to get to work each day, all those people will make the area feel vibrant even if they weren't shopping or sitting in cafes and restaurants along the way. But that population does warrant tons of grocers and coffee shops and restaurants and clothing stores, and that just adds to the vibrancy.

I am all for TOD, but as long as the Skytrain serves to take everyone away in the morning and return them all for bedtime it's hard to see Brentwood or Lougheed or Metrotown becoming vibrant like the West End or even Lonsdale Quay, where the lack of connectivity almost serves to prop up the areas.

And then you have to think of it as a business. Do you really want to take the risk of opening up in one of these areas. The rents aren't probably that cheap either. I would get all those Crystal Mall vendors and set them up with food stalls next to the guideway at nights in the summer.

Migrant_Coconut · #**1830** Posted **Mar 13, 2023, 8:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I have to think that if Metrotown had 40-storey towers all the way from Beresford to Imperial the area would feel much more vibrant. Not only would there be more people going about their business but the other amenities would take care of themselves as a function of economics. The problem is Metrotown has 20k people, and they all either hop in their cars in an underground garage or walk two blocks to the Skytrain and take it somewhere else in the metro to work, spend their money, or socialize.

Compare this to the West End which has 50k people, has far fewer cars per capita, and has no rapid transit connection. If enough people have to walk or bike or take the bus down Robson and Davie to get to work each day, all those people will make the area feel vibrant even if they weren't shopping or sitting in cafes and restaurants along the way. But that population does warrant tons of grocers and coffee shops and restaurants and clothing stores, and that just adds to the vibrancy.

I am all for TOD, but as long as the Skytrain serves to take everyone away in the morning and return them all for bedtime it's hard to see Brentwood or Lougheed or Metrotown becoming vibrant like the West End or even Lonsdale Quay, where the lack of connectivity almost serves to prop up the areas.

IMO the best way to kill the bedroom community is by not making it a bedroom community. Adding said amenities (also parks, plazas, community/rec centres, events, services, other attractions, etc etc) encourages residents to do a mix of both local and far-away things; it also encourages people from other parts of the metro to come to Oakridge. That's how it works in Singapore, at least.

But none of that happens if Oakridge's only selling point is the mall - we both agree on that.

madog222 · #**1831** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 4:18 AM**

Derrick on site, we don't see these much (or ever?).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpwDF4vpdi2/

Vantage · #**1832** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 6:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by madog222

Derrick on site, we don't these much (or ever?).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpwDF4vpdi2/

So what would that be used for?

madog222 · #**1833** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 6:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vantage

So what would that be used for?

Good question, wish I knew the answer beyond to lift something.

I think this is in the main arium, open space with a circular structure behind.

Photos from Revery Architecture / Westbank

logan5 · #**1834** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 7:09 AM**

This is where people will undergo the rite of Carrousel when they reach the age of 30.

There's always lots of plant life in these renders. It never turns out as perfectly idyllic as depicted.

jollyburger · #**1835** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 6:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vantage

So what would that be used for?

Answer in the comments for that photo:

"structural steel that is beyond the tower cranes capacity."

gaviscon · #**1836** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 10:20 PM**

Windows are up on tower 2.

It's below expectations is what I'll say.

Hopefully we get curtain walls on the "main" towers though

om604 · #**1837** Posted **Mar 14, 2023, 11:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Windows are up on tower 2.

It's below expectations is what I'll say.

Hopefully we get curtain walls on the "main" towers though

Tower 2 is solely allocated for social housing units. Going back to the earlier 2014 rezoning, it is one of the few that has never been architecturally altered/refined during the development process. It rarely was presented in renderings and City Council reports apart from the housing agreement needed to facilitate the affordable units. Tower 2 is meant to provide its share of the 290 social housing units that the developers were bound to, nothing more. It as always been segregated on the northwest corner of the site, spatially "othered" from the rest of Oakridge Centre. Given this, inferior treatment on the cladding is entirely expected in my opinion.