Victoria Construction - #7 - Page 4

LFRENCH · #61 Posted **Apr 17, 2007, 6:18 AM**

well guys

i know i said i was done with this all, i must say i been reading a few stories in the ol rag and i must say, this stuff still got me curious.

although i seem more into the artistic photo's these days i'll try and get some pictures up on here.

G-Man · #62 Posted **Apr 17, 2007, 9:20 PM**

Hi L!

aastra · #63 Posted **Apr 18, 2007, 1:09 AM**

So has anybody had a look at the downtown art gallery/condo tower proposal? Apparently it's a masterpiece in the making.

LFRENCH · #64 Posted **Apr 19, 2007, 5:41 PM**

anyone care to do a rundown of recent proposals?? i really don't know whats going on after the waterfall project

Mike K. · #65 Posted **Apr 19, 2007, 5:55 PM**

Go to http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/resources/mcp

TheMeltyMan · #66 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 1:43 AM**

Hey, does anyone know when Dockside Greens was first proposed and the dates for the beginning of clean-up and construction?

I just picked this project out of a hat for a paper and I haven't been more impressed by a project in a long time. You lucky guys you.

Mike K. · #67 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 4:15 AM**

A good place to start would be right here: http://www.victoria.ca/cityhall/curr...dockside.shtml

It's certainly a great project, but many people believe that it is lacking in density. The entire development is only 2:1.

m0nkyman · #68 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 5:10 AM**

Count me as one of the many people. The project makes me spit tacks.

G-Man · #69 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 4:00 PM**

I agree it is underbuilt but it is still a very cool project at that density.

So just wondering with the Aria's second crane going up how many do we now have in the core? Eight? I would guess that the Falls first crane is only a month or two away and if Dockside Phase 2 gets going we could possibly get past 10 right?

TheMeltyMan · #70 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 4:45 PM**

I guess most of you have had the chance to visualize this place as a part of downtown. I've never been to Victoria and I imagined it to be in the industrial ring around the outskirts of the city where that kind of density seems suitable enough.

Victoria does seem lacking a core density and it does seem like its a sprawling vista of mini-rises.

m0nkyman · #71 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 4:51 PM**

This is right bloody downtown, and while I love that it's LEED, it's a fricking disaster from an urban design point of view, and veins in my head start throbbing when I discuss exactly how bad it is going to be.

Mike K. · #72 Posted **Apr 24, 2007, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMeltyMan

I guess most of you have had the chance to visualize this place as a part of downtown. I've never been to Victoria and I imagined it to be in the industrial ring around the outskirts of the city where that kind of density seems suitable enough.

Victoria does seem lacking a core density and it does seem like its a sprawling vista of mini-rises.

It's the land of four-storey apartments, it's true. Although The City of Victoria (city-proper) has one of Canada's highest densities with over 80,000 people in 19 sq km.

gumgum · #73 Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 5:07 AM**

You guys may be forgetting that Dockside as a land area is yes, 2:1, but the building densities themselves are around 4:1 or more. That 2:1 figure is taking into account all the space on Dockside, the road space, planned public space/ parks, pathways and sidewalks. It, as a neighbourhood, is 2:1. The individual buildings themselves are a different figure altogether.
I think it will be a great addition to Victoria. There will be a balanced mix of residential, retail and office, as well as public space.
I'd like to see it taller though.

G-Man · #74 Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 4:21 PM**

^ that is a good point Gumgum as you never count roadspace in FSR or sidewalks that are public either.

Mike K. · #75 Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 5:39 PM**

The buildings themselves are only 2.5:1 to 3:1 or something like that, aren't they?

Had the entire development been at least 3:1 that would have sat better with me. The whole point behind the 2:1 was to make a political statement illustrating that Victoria can achieve the triple bottom line at low site-wide densities (and with buildings in the 3:1 density range). Obviously the issues with the affordable units and the cost of market units proves otherwise. Furthermore, as the development continues to build out watch as the prices of units skyrocket irrespective of local trade conditions or average housing values.

Oh yeah, don't forget to check out the webcam at: http://docksidegreen.com/dockside_green/webcam.php (the building with the crane is the start of the Dockside Green land. The blue buildings and the one with the curved roof are not part of Dockside).

gumgum · #76 Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 5:46 PM**

The "highrises" are around 4:1 or more. I don't know the figure exactly.

Mike K. · #77 Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 5:48 PM**

The 5- and 8-storey buildings are 4:1? Now that comes as a welcome surprise!

G-Man · #78 Posted **May 2, 2007, 9:31 PM**

Victoria's newest office project, "Gateway Green" is one step closer to reality after a 7-1 vote in favour at last night's Advisory Planning Commission. This is a 15 storey 144 000 sqft proposal. This is one of the first major office projects in Victoria's downtown in many years.

For more info: http://www.gatewaygreen.ca/

renthefinn · #79 Posted **May 3, 2007, 4:31 AM**

Good stuff, I've been so busy, that I haven't checked VV lately. This comes as a welcome suprise.

aastra · #80 Posted **May 3, 2007, 7:39 PM**

The stage is being set for a pretty significant wave of highrise construction in Greater Victoria's suburbs:

Quote:

Colwood Corners plan applauded by majority

Bill Cleverley, Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, May 03, 2007

More than 250 citizens turned out last night, the majority wanting to tell Colwood council they support local developer Les Bjola in his dream to transform Colwood Corners into a towering city core for the West Shore.

Bjola wants to replace the existing strip mall and pub on the 5.6-hectare site at Goldstream Avenue and Sooke Road with condos, office towers and a hotel, to be built over the next 15 to 20 years. Eleven buildings would eventually occupy the property, some reaching as high as 29 storeys. The site would be home to an estimated 2,800 people.

"Everybody wants Colwood to have a downtown" said Bjola...

And also at Town & Country, which is the gateway to the city core:

Quote:

Plans include 400-500 Condos
Town & Country secures residential developer for part of $100 million development

By Amy Dove
News staff
May 02 2007

People eager to move into Saanich will have a few more options if they can afford to wait a few years.

A residential developer has been secured for the Town & Country development.

Westbank Projects, a Vancouver-based company, is working with Morguard Investments on the $100-million-project, which could now include up to 500 residential units slated for construction in 2009...

...The highrise issue has not been heavily debated in Saanich yet, however staff in the planning department have already alluded that if the municipal skyline is going to be pierced, this will be the development to do it.