CF Pacific Centre Developments

[jollyburger]

It's still on this page but the embedded link to the story is gone

"Your top JOC headlines this week feature a story on demolition robots and how they’re taking down the former four seasons hotel tower in Vancouver"

https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/news/technology/2024/10/your-top-joc-headlines-oct-21-to-25

[officedweller]

Sign went up last night.

Pic by me today.



and a couple of bonus Christmas decoration pics.
(no real flowers this year).

[officedweller]

Here's a screenshot of the Pacific Centre before the former Canaccord Tower was built:


https://twitter.com/GRIDSVancouver/status/688802106375946240

[jollyburger]

Demo permit just went in for the Four Seasons

To deconstruct the upper floors from top to level 5 of the hotel building on this site.

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=247446429

[officedweller]

Thanks for the update!

[urbanight93]

This would be a great location for a signature, tall building. Any guesses on the future height?

I'm sure that will be limited by economic reasons (foundation reinforcements, hotel needs...) or the view cones (wonder what the impact of the recent removals is on here)

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by urbanight93

This would be a great location for a signature, tall building. Any guesses on the future height?

I'm sure that will be limited by economic reasons (foundation reinforcements, hotel needs...) or the view cones (wonder what the impact of the recent removals is on here)

I'm guessing somewhere between 30-40 storeys? Not sure what impact the parkade will have on the design.

I assume with the viewcones they can build up to the Hotel Georgia Residences tower. The mechanical room on that tower slightly encroaches into the 3.2.2 viewcone.

[Vin]

If they are only demolishing from the top to the 5th level, then perhaps they wouldn't be able to build much taller than what is already there? I doubt the foundations and existing columns were designed for a taller structure like how the Bentall 6 building was planned for.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Vin

If they are only demolishing from the top to the 5th level, then perhaps they wouldn't be able to build much taller than what is already there? I doubt the foundations and existing columns were designed for a taller structure like how the Bentall 6 building was planned for.

I guess the other way would be to sort of keep the shell until level 5 but incorporate a new super structure core to support the new tower. I assume they stop at level 5 to limit the impact to the rest of the mall. Or demolition for the remaining structure happens later.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Demo permit just went in for the Four Seasons
..............//
https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=247446429

The permit says the plan is to deconstruct from the top, down to the bottom five floors of the building. / Would this imply that a new tower built on top would have to conform to the shape of the base 5 floors?
Bevelled edges on the bulding, possibly matching window frames, etc? ...... Or does this allow for a sleeker, more updated, dare I say different design?

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

The permit says the plan is to deconstruct from the top, down to the bottom five floors of the building. / Would this imply that a new tower built on top would have to conform to the shape of the base 5 floors?
Bevelled edges on the bulding, possibly matching window frames, etc? ...... Or does this allow for a sleeker, more updated, dare I say different design?

I guess it depends on how they plan to engineer the new tower but I doubt it will constrain them to the exact floorplate of the current tower. Level 5 I think is one level above the podium roof level. I wonder if they design the core of the tower where the current driveway is located if it helps with the design of the new foundation/superstructure.

Research paper on offset cores.

https://global.ctbuh.org/resources/paper...vers-and-frequency-in-tall-buildings.pdf

Praying for an iconic design.

[officedweller]

The floorplate won't need to have the bevelled edges.
They were going to get rid of those in the remodel.

I'm hoping they are in the Scotia Tower's view shadow, can go as tall as the Hotel Georgia residences, and that any other applicable view cones have been erased.

I think the tower is steel frame which is lighter than concrete and may be more easily accepting of upward expansion (and load).
Presumably, the reason for building a new tower is to achieve taller ceiling heights for the hotel and additional floors.
We'll have to see if there are any further announcements regarding the impact on the mall and its tenants.
That'll give an idea on how much reinforcing they'd need to do on those podium levels and in the parkade.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The floorplate won't need to have the bevelled edges.
They were going to get rid of those in the remodel.

I'm hoping they are in the Scotia Tower's view shadow, can go as tall as the Hotel Georgia residences, and that any other applicable view cones have been erased.

I think the tower is steel frame which is lighter than concrete and may be more easily accepting of upward expansion (and load).
Presumably, the reason for building a new tower is to achieve taller ceiling heights for the hotel and additional floors.
We'll have to see if there are any further announcements regarding the impact on the mall and its tenants.
That'll give an idea on how much reinforcing they'd need to do on those podium levels and in the parkade.

I think they can build up to around 165m from the view cone diagram in the development permit application.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/appendix-c-791-w-georgia-architectural-pages-1-to-18.pdf

[trofirhen]

Whenever I exit City Centre Station, then wait for the West Van Bus, it always strikes me as sombre, the scorched coffee colour of 700 and 701 West Georgia, the heart of Pacific Centre.
I would love those scaled-down versions of the TD Centre in Toronto re-clad in a bright reflective glass. / A great example made with nickel, a bright white metal, is the CIBC at Burrard and Hastings.
// A re-clad Pacific Centre in mirrored class would pull in the sky and neighbouring buildings, creating a brighter, lighter, more colourful and upbeat CBD environment.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I think they can build up to around 165m from the view cone diagram in the development permit application.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/appendix-c-791-w-georgia-architectural-pages-1-to-18.pdf

Those are geodetic heights.
I suspect that they can go higher - up to the Hotel Georgia residences height if the Scotia Tower view shadow for VC9.2 is factored in.
VC12 is the Granville Bridge view cone that doesn't really impact the site (it does not extend to Howe St.). That diagram is misleading.


https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/appendix-c-791-w-georgia-architectural-pages-1-to-18.pdf


https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/granville-bridge-public-view.aspx

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Those are geodetic heights.
I suspect that they can go higher - up to the Hotel Georgia residences height.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/appendix-c-791-w-georgia-architectural-pages-1-to-18.pdf

Right. The Hotel Georgia residences tower is 157m/515ft for reference.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Right. The Hotel Georgia residences tower is 157m/515ft for reference.

Those figures are not geodetic heights.

For reference, the 791 West Georgia application for the renovation of the Fours Seasons cites a proposed height of 98.4m (above grade), which looks like the 125.62m geodetic cited on the diagram.
So the site is probably about 27.22m above sea level.

If the Hotel Georgia Residences is 157 above grade, add 27.22m, and you'd get 184.22m geodetic,
which is about 20m taller than the maximum in those view cone diagrams.

[Capitol Hill]

What retail spots will potentially be impacted by the demolition/rebuild of tower? Does the parking for CF Pacific Centre extend under Georgia St.? I’ve never been to that parkade before.

Second dumb question, would CF be better served to build a new hotel tower where Nordstrom was and relocate the office tenants currently in that building to a new location?

[officedweller]

In theory, any retail tenants in the mall below the former hotel tower would be affected by noise and vibration.
Vibration from demolition could travel quite a bit - but maybe the robotic mechanical method may be less disruptive?
The whole mall and parkade below extend under Georgia St.

If the space above Nordstrom is to be developed, that would be a future project in addition to this one.

My guess is that the affected retail tenants in the mall will temporarily be relocated to the Nordstrom space for the duration of the demolition and reconstruction.

[officedweller]

Just noticed tonight that Holt Renfrew has closed its entrance facing Granville St., probably to reduce theft.

Pic by me tonight.