Downtown Vancouver Updates

[jollyburger]

They're installing new signage for Arthur Erickson Place

[urbanight93]

Am i seeing things or is the model for 1450 W Georgia showing yellow paneling with black external trim? Could be interesting and would nicely contrast with all the blue/green in the area. Maybe it's just the colour saturation in the image.

@zahav, i agree with you to an extent about the loss of the existing building. However, the staff report indicated that the developer did a review of different preservation alternatives but none were feasible due to seismic concerns. IIRC, they looked at integrating the building into a new tower, refurbishing it and building a whole new tower (which was carried forward). Ultimately, despite losing out on some history, the new building will better interface with the public realm and engage with the corner. I'm personally not too big on this design.

[MistyMountain]

New proposal for a 16-storey mass timber building on the Bentall Centre Parkade, right behind B6. Mass timber too!

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burrard-exchange-tower-bentall-centre-vancouver-hudson-pacific

[officedweller]

They say 14.5 ft ceilings, so maybe 250 ft tall with lobby and mechanical?
PS - massive 30,000 sq ft floorplates - the footprint of the whole parkade.

[officedweller]

At-grade planters like these do not work downtown because the dog piss kills all the plants.

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by urbanight93

Am i seeing things or is the model for 1450 W Georgia showing yellow paneling with black external trim? Could be interesting and would nicely contrast with all the blue/green in the area. Maybe it's just the colour saturation in the image.

Looks like yellow and black to me too.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by zahav

I like the current building at 1450 West Georgia, I don't like seeing buildings of this size getting knocked down, especially when they are almost heritage at this point. Inside the units were so interesting too, I had a friend who lived there. And there are a LOT of units... Replacing with this just seems wrong for such a massive building takedown. Like the Empire Landmark demolition, to be replaced with two short generic blobs. Granted, the 1450 tower is tall, and if it was replacing some 3 story crap then I wouldn't mind, but the existing just seems like it should stay. It'd be like taking down the Electra building instead of rehabiliatating it the way they did, now it's almost like a landmark. I know 1450 isn't that iconic, but it's an important piece of architecure from that time. Maybe I am in the minority, but this seems like a net loss for me. I know the new tower is tall, but the current building was striking in it's own way

I totally and wholeheartedly agree with you.

[GenWhy?]

It's weird... I walk by 1450 W Georgia everyday and I have no idea where the front door is. Did they convert the old hotel lobby into the corner store?

[rofina]

Originally Posted by zahav

I like the current building at 1450 West Georgia, I don't like seeing buildings of this size getting knocked down, especially when they are almost heritage at this point. Inside the units were so interesting too, I had a friend who lived there. And there are a LOT of units... Replacing with this just seems wrong for such a massive building takedown. Like the Empire Landmark demolition, to be replaced with two short generic blobs. Granted, the 1450 tower is tall, and if it was replacing some 3 story crap then I wouldn't mind, but the existing just seems like it should stay. It'd be like taking down the Electra building instead of rehabiliatating it the way they did, now it's almost like a landmark. I know 1450 isn't that iconic, but it's an important piece of architecure from that time. Maybe I am in the minority, but this seems like a net loss for me. I know the new tower is tall, but the current building was striking in it's own way

Same page.

I guess the proforma works, but its a shame to see these structures come down, especially when they are this tall to begin with.

Ironically, the style being used by BOSA on 1500 is trying to capture precisely the look this building has.

[GenWhy?]

I think 15/15's east and south elevations have more to do with the property line setbacks reg.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

I think 15/15's east and south elevations have more to do with the property line setbacks reg.

I'm sure practical realities also played their part, as they must.

But to say that 1500 isn't going after a mid century tower look would be untrue in my view.

Its an aesthetic feel that is present throughout the mid century towers on the West End.

Last one we lost was the Landmark, which even more closely resembles 15/15.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

It's weird... I walk by 1450 W Georgia everyday and I have no idea where the front door is. Did they convert the old hotel lobby into the corner store?

Yes, that is where the entrance was when it was a hotel - in a single storey kiosk to the east of the tower. (source: Museum of Vancouver). (There are better images that show the entrance on old postcards on e-bay, but the links don't seem to work here). It was developed in 1955 as apartments, and converted to hotel in 1958, only to be switched back to apartments again in the late 1970s. If you're ever walking past and suspect there's an earthquake, try to get well away; the building has been confirmed to be 'seismically challenged' as there wasn't really a concept of shear walls in the 1950s building codes.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

I think 15/15's east and south elevations have more to do with the property line setbacks reg.

No Beasley's love handles for them!

[dleung]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

What a waste of a mid-century demolition and fairly unencumbered large site on fussy applied graphic style balconies. The new tower maybe could've played off of the existing typology and the 15/15 tower with maybe an illusion of a stacked slab massing (within a point tower) - the lower slab perpendicular to Georgia St like it is now to avoid noise (not like views are getting any worse for the adjacent condo), the upper slab rotated parallel to take in the mountain views....

[giallo]

Originally Posted by zahav

I like the current building at 1450 West Georgia, I don't like seeing buildings of this size getting knocked down, especially when they are almost heritage at this point. Inside the units were so interesting too, I had a friend who lived there. And there are a LOT of units... Replacing with this just seems wrong for such a massive building takedown. Like the Empire Landmark demolition, to be replaced with two short generic blobs. Granted, the 1450 tower is tall, and if it was replacing some 3 story crap then I wouldn't mind, but the existing just seems like it should stay. It'd be like taking down the Electra building instead of rehabiliatating it the way they did, now it's almost like a landmark. I know 1450 isn't that iconic, but it's an important piece of architecure from that time. Maybe I am in the minority, but this seems like a net loss for me. I know the new tower is tall, but the current building was striking in it's own way

It's a great building with cool units. I've had a few friends live there over the years.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Yes, that is where the entrance was when it was a hotel - in a single storey kiosk to the east of the tower. (source: Museum of Vancouver). (There are better images that show the entrance on old postcards on e-bay, but the links don't seem to work here). It was developed in 1955 as apartments, and converted to hotel in 1958, only to be switched back to apartments again in the late 1970s. If you're ever walking past and suspect there's an earthquake, try to get well away; the building has been confirmed to be 'seismically challenged' as there wasn't really a concept of shear walls in the 1950s building codes.

it used to have a root top restaurant with killer views.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think 564 Beatty works better.


https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/a-look-at-564-beatty-heritage/

Yeah the Beatty one looks good.
this one also got it right, it's in Kuala Lumpur.

https://www.designboom.com/architecture/...ghhqZtfG8xyIGWDXpmSDabDFeNfGKMXYm_eZaTu0

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by MistyMountain

New proposal for a 16-storey mass timber building on the Bentall Centre Parkade, right behind B6. Mass timber too!

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burrard-exchange-tower-bentall-centre-vancouver-hudson-pacific

Mass timber buildings just look and feel so much better on the inside.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by MistyMountain

New proposal for a 16-storey mass timber building on the Bentall Centre Parkade, right behind B6. Mass timber too!

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burrard-exchange-tower-bentall-centre-vancouver-hudson-pacific

This rendering has some significant implications. If the new tower is to be built on the site of the current parkade, across the lane from the new B6 (as the article reports), then the rendering makes clear that the developers intend to completely replace the original plaza and its distinct waterfalls. Furthermore, the rendering depicts the base of the current Bentall towers resting on the same plane, when currently the exposed base of the western tower sits on a higher plane than the exposed base of the eastern tower. Therefore, according to the rendering, the developers intend to uncover part of the subterranean section of the northeast corner of the eastern tower and clad it.

And, on a side note, the building depicted in the background is quite erroneous.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

And, on a side note, the building depicted in the background is quite erroneous.

Erroneous? Or Speculative? It seems to suggest another office building that could possibly replace the 48 year old 1050 W Pender and the other Bentall Centre parkade on W Pender. That doesn't seem to be total fantasy - even if it doesn't actually exist yet. Unlike this building, it would probably require a rezoning.