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

[McKellarDweller]

^^ agree with all of that. Biggest drawback is the tiny windows and no aesthetic consideration facing the side lot line. The fire/building code limits on openings facing a lot line argument, the "it's going to be blocked eventually so why bother", and "we have height limits so we need to do a commie block rectangle" are tired and lame. This just isn't a common issue in Calgary or Vancouver, or many other cities with height restrictions. If your building doesn't attempt to look decent from all sides, go back to the drawing board and start over!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by McKellarDweller

^^ agree with all of that. Biggest drawback is the tiny windows and no aesthetic consideration facing the side lot line. The fire/building code limits on openings facing a lot line argument, the "it's going to be blocked eventually so why bother", and "we have height limits so we need to do a commie block rectangle" are tired and lame. This just isn't a common issue in Calgary or Vancouver, or many other cities with height restrictions. If your building doesn't attempt to look decent from all sides, go back to the drawing board and start over!

Agreed. And it's arguably the most prominent face too. They could have created set-back at the 12th or 13th floor to avoid the fire code restrictions. I believe these towers are just outside the height limit zone, so they might have been able to add a few floors to the south tower to compansate (and since it's Claridge, probably would get the ok from the City quite easily, if they are outside the NCC limit zone).

[Psychedelic Sailor]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

From Cobalt on Rail Fans Canada Discord. Pics on the small side, so the detail might be hard to see, but they seem to have done something interesting with the balconies. They added these grey boxes under the slabs.

Overall, this is a decent effort from Claridge. Not quite as nice as 700 Sussex, the Pinnacle or Tribeca, but in line with the later phases or LeBreton and Royale. Better than Loop, far better than the Plazas or the first two phases of LeBreton.

If you hit open in browser, it'll reveal the full resolution pic
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/9...0207261929472/PXL_20230314_170012918.jpg

[SidetrackedSue]

If I had a box like that under my upstairs neighbours balcony, it wouldn't rain down on my table when she waters her plants (there are so many holes in the concrete, the water doesn't run to the drain pipe but comes down where it isn't supposed to.)

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Psychedelic Sailor

If you hit open in browser, it'll reveal the full resolution pic
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/9...0207261929472/PXL_20230314_170012918.jpg

I see that they're getting ready to install the random red panel about two thirds of the way up on the right side, where the blueskin has just been applied

[Harley613]

Can you imagine???! I can, unfortunately....

[Fraser]

Still no word on the retail component?

As a nearby resident, I’m still holding out hope for a small grocery store, but losing faith.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by Fraser

Still no word on the retail component?

As a nearby resident, I’m still holding out hope for a small grocery store, but losing faith.

Claridge doesn't give the community word on anything in advance. They don't have to, they have the charcoal key to the city.

[ponyboycurtis]

Rental tower is called Skye.

I'm also eating pizza, which is substantially more interesting that the northeast facade.

[J.OT13]

Photo by me today.

[kevinbottawa]

I was in Ottawa this weekend for a conference (I moved back to Toronto last July). Walking around downtown, I have to say some of the Claridge buildings aren't that bad. Claridge Moon looks good, as does the beige Loop building. The other Loop building isn't great and I'm not confident Royale will look good when it's done. But the Moon and the project next door will be exciting to see when they're both done.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I was in Ottawa this weekend for a conference (I moved back to Toronto last July). Walking around downtown, I have to say some of the Claridge buildings aren't that bad. Claridge Moon looks good and as does the beige Loop building. The other Loop building isn't great and I'm not confident Royale will look good when it's done. But the Moon and the project next door will be exciting to see when they're both done.

It's really not terrible. Claridge has been doing above their average work lately. It's basic, some puzzling choices, but overall, it's fine. M+M will provide a good contrast.

Pics from yesterday:

[Harley613]

Hmm. For me, both Moon and Loop are the exact building equivalent of an 'Autozone Tacky Car'. Basic ugly slab forms with tacky 🞵🞵🞵🞵 stuck all over them to try to dress them up.

[YukonLlama]

I really don't mind this one. It's not a massive work of art, but it does the job. I really like the density emerging in that area of town, though. Starting to feel more and more like a dense cityscape and less like a never-ending parking lot.

[DTcrawler]

The communist-looking western facade is the only really unfortunate part of this project, the rest is decent by Claridge standards. If it weren't for M+M across the street I'd be more upset.

As others have said, the biggest win is the transformation of what used to be the most desolate part of downtown. Just think that for years, thousands of commuters would enter the downtown core on the Slater Transitway only to be greeted by two massive parking lots.

Streetview from 2019 for perspective.

[OTSkyline]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I have to say some of the Claridge buildings aren't that bad. Claridge Moon looks good, as does the beige Loop building. The other Loop building isn't great and I'm not confident Royale will look good when it's done. But the Moon and the project next door will be exciting to see when they're both done.

I personally disagree, I find Royale is turning out better than Moon. But neither are amazing, and both are very much Claridge in form & style.

[J.OT13]

I prefer the overall built form of Moon. More space between towers, better overall scale. I may prefer the design of Royale. We'll see when it's closer to completion.

[OTownandDown]

Have to hand it to them, they could have just NOT installed the aluminum boxes on the underside of that one balcony riser. Good on them for not cutting corners this one time?

Although, what the hell is going to happen during future balcony repairs? I'm assuming as usual, there's no waterproofing membrane on these balconies (for the $2500 per unit, to save millions in future cost, but nobody ever seems to care about the future)

[originalmuffins]

I mean this isn't the best project in the city, but I don't mind it. Direct with LRT, hopefully a grocery store, and much needed density. This project and the Main+Main/Rimap are huge for this area.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

Have to hand it to them, they could have just NOT installed the aluminum boxes on the underside of that one balcony riser. Good on them for not cutting corners this one time?

Although, what the hell is going to happen during future balcony repairs? I'm assuming as usual, there's no waterproofing membrane on these balconies (for the $2500 per unit, to save millions in future cost, but nobody ever seems to care about the future)

You would hope that if it's a rental building (one of them is), they would care about future costs. Didn't work out for the Confederation Line (theory was that it would be built better by handing over maintenance to the builder for 30 years).