CF Pacific Centre Developments - Page 26

officedweller · #**501** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 12:03 AM**

Probably not - the streetlamps and traffic lights are missing too.

jsbertram · #**502** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 12:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by punface

Does anyone know if there could be any significance in the omission of that little Canada Line emergency exit building from this picture? Could those down escalators also lead to a second entrance to City Centre Station (which I think I had seen a rumour about before) ?

I doubt that CF would give up their mall space for a 2nd entrance to the same Canada Line station.

When a 2nd station entrance is required in the future, Translink will likely want to have the head house containing the elevators & escalators on the south side of Robson to spread the foot traffic around.

It could be built in a similar fashion to the Waterfront platform, which has north (the old CPR station) and south (Granville/Hastings) mezzanines.

jsbertram · #**503** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 12:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Probably not - the streetlamps and traffic lights are missing too.

And the trolly wires are removed too - because buses in the future will be running on Bio-DieselHydrogen-Electric engines.

officedweller · #**504** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 12:15 AM**

Here's the plan for the station.
A corridor would have to be carved out of Sears at mall level if it were to access the fare paid area from the south
(as opposed to using the new mall to acess the existing station/mall entrance)

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=129009

Nites · #**505** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 12:24 AM**

James Cheng sucks

itinerant · #**506** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 3:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Here's the plan for the station.
A corridor would have to be carved out of Sears at mall level if it were to access the ticketing hall from the south
(as opposed to using the new mall to acess the existing station/mall entrance)

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a second ticketing hall under Robson Street, with an underground concourse going West to Robson Square? Connections on the concourse to the new building going up across the street from Sears, to the extended PC Mall, and up to the office floors above the renovated Sears.

This would necessitate deepening a portion of the freight tunnel under Howe street so that a pedestrian concourse could go above it. It would also mean the 'stuff' at the south end of the City Centre platform would need to be relocated/redistributed and would also need to add a new stair/escalator going up to the concourse at intersection of Robson and Granville.

The escalator at the Sears reno at Granville and Robson would thus actually go down to 'T' Canada Line, mall, and everything else on the concourse. It might even make sense to have a second office entrance on that end.

NetMapel · #**507** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 4:14 AM**

They should really think about putting some kind of rooftop patio restaurant/cafe/whatever at the top of that building. It will liven up the street so much.

itinerant · #**508** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 5:56 AM**

There is something about this design that reminds me of Tokyo Midtown. I mean that as a compliment. In particular the Suntory Art Museum and the adjacent shopping mall interior are restrained and elegant. If this building revamp with all the baggage it carries, can achieve a modicum of refinement in execution, I would be pleased.

I also notice some coherence in the colour scheme with the fairly recent interior renovations at Pacific Centre Mall and the office entrance for 701 W Georgia. It seems likely this reno will take cues from these earlier improvements.

Suntory Art Museum:

Office, hotel, etc. (mixed use) towers:

Photo: Shinkenchiku-sha

Here are a couple pics of the Galleria (shopping mall) at Tokyo Midtown:

Wikipedia Commons

http://www.image-japan.net/midtown/index.html

cornholio · #**509** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 6:46 AM**

I think the building looks mediocre at best and I will bet a $1,000 that in 20 years people will be dreaming of the current building and asking how we let this happen. The current building is unique and all someone would need is a ounce of creativity to turn it in to the most iconic building downtown. It is a giant canvas and those don't come around often, anywhere and especially in such a prime location. We are throwing away a opportunity that will never come around again.

I am actually surprised people don't appreciate what we have here right now and how rare it is. Think a bit out of the box. Create a top to bottom mural, depicting the history of Vancouver, or BC, or Canada. Cover the sides in a LED's, top to bottom, have them interact with the public, use them for a Tetris, Atari, Pac man, Ping ball, etc. tournament. Change the mural every month. Use one side as a giant rock climbing wall covered from the rain. Cover all sides in heavy duty compartmentalized airtight fabric and control the pressure to create a dynamic, breathing wall that expands and contracts. (I made this one up just now so not sure the feasibility).

My point is that if you want to create something interesting, iconic and unique you need to start with a blank canvas and thats what we have here. You wont get this with condo towers or office towers...atleast not until windows can be replaced by LED type screens...which will happen at some point (think of the insulation you would get).
/rant

SpongeG · #**510** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 7:13 AM**

we have mountains, we don't need to be creative - isn't that the city motto...

s211 · #**511** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 3:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skymaster

James Cheng sucks

I'd buy that T-shrt.

jsbertram · #**512** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 7:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornholio

I think the building looks mediocre at best and I will bet a $1,000 that in 20 years people will be dreaming of the current building and asking how we let this happen. The current building is unique and all someone would need is a ounce of creativity to turn it in to the most iconic building downtown. It is a giant canvas and those don't come around often, anywhere and especially in such a prime location. We are throwing away a opportunity that will never come around again.

I am actually surprised people don't appreciate what we have here right now and how rare it is. Think a bit out of the box. Create a top to bottom mural, depicting the history of Vancouver, or BC, or Canada. Cover the sides in a LED's, top to bottom, have them interact with the public, use them for a Tetris, Atari, Pac man, Ping ball, etc. tournament. Change the mural every month. Use one side as a giant rock climbing wall covered from the rain. Cover all sides in heavy duty compartmentalized airtight fabric and control the pressure to create a dynamic, breathing wall that expands and contracts. (I made this one up just now so not sure the feasibility).

My point is that if you want to create something interesting, iconic and unique you need to start with a blank canvas and thats what we have here. You wont get this with condo towers or office towers...atleast not until windows can be replaced by LED type screens...which will happen at some point (think of the insulation you would get).
/rant

Interesting ideas.

However, people working in the new office floors like to have windows to see outside & remind them there's other things in life besides working.

(cue "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton)

officedweller · #**513** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 7:52 PM**

What Cornholio suggests would have been the thing to do when eatons renovated and the whole building was still a department store.

LotusLand · #**514** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 8:02 PM**

Vancity Buzz just posted a video of the of the new Nordstrom, office space and retail at the bottom of Pacific Centre
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/09/f...trom-flagship/

Prometheus · #**515** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 8:18 PM**

I really wish they would figure out what colour that wall material is supposed to be: a dated yellowish beige (as seen in some renders) or a more neutral and palatable silvery grey (as seen in other renders).

LeftCoaster · #**516** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 8:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

I had assumed that the mall entrance would be at Robson & Howe - but with that Nordstrom sign above the entrance (and Pacific Centre above the Robson & Granville entrance) - it could be at Robson & Granville.

No you're right, the entrance is planned to be from Robson and Howe.

There will be escalators down to the CRU level from a common atrium on the howe/granville corner.

LeftCoaster · #**517** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 8:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbertram

It makes sense to make the existing 'breezeway' between the TD Tower and the Nordstrom building the office entrance for the upper floors above Nordstrom. From the renders, the NE (Granville / Georgia) and SW (Robson / Howe) corners of the building appear to be Nordstrom store entrances, and the SE corner (Robson / Granville) seems to be the entrance down to the expanded lower-level mall (apparently escalators only).

Its too early to say if the rebuilt 'breezeway' between the buildings will actually be connected to the rest of the TD tower main floor to create a common space between the two elevator cores.

It is not currently in the plans to connect the two buildings, but yes the glass behind the elevator will be the new entrance to the office portion.

It will be pulled out from the existing building line and cut behind the TD tower.

LeftCoaster · #**518** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

I really wish they would figure out what colour that wall material is supposed to be: a dated yellowish beige (as seen in some renders) or a more neutral and palatable silvery grey (as seen in other renders).

The wall material is up to Nordstrom. Look at their other stores and you will get an idea of their corporate image and what material they will be going with.

As for your idea of keeping the existing, well as OD pointed out that really wasn't an option given the top 4 floors now being used as office space.

Like I said months ago, this was going to be a clean safe design that isnt groundbreaking. I don't think I mislead anyone here.

jlousa · #**519** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 9:23 PM**

I understand Callison will be doing the Nordstrom design so you could probably pester them for some info but I imagine we'd be better served to wait a couple months to find out.

officedweller · #**520** Posted **Sep 19, 2012, 9:33 PM**

The video mentioned by LotusLand confirms and shows that the office entrance will be off the plaza.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=nftcR92Ejsc

WRT Nordstrom interior design - I've never seen a Nordstrom that has been a "wow".
Unless they're doing it different in Canada...
As for the exterior walls, I've more often seen Nordstrom in a rusty/orangey sandstone colour - which would be a nice change for Downtown Vancouver.

http://www.callison.com/index.php/se...artment-stores