SoWA pictures

[sirsimon]

I agree. I was initially not very impressed with the Meriwether towers (especially the color) but now that they have most of the glass in they are starting to look pretty clean.

[PacificNW]

Nice...I wasn't aware there was as much glass on the condo towers. I like.

[sirsimon]

When were these pics taken, Zilfondel?

[zilfondel]

Wednesday, 4/19 - at around 3 pm.

[cab]

I was down there yesterday. The buildings are coming along nice, but I was shocked at how much concrete is being used in the public areas. That stuff may look cool new and that cold modernist look always attracts rich people, but it does NOT age well. Within a few months you get cracks and it just looks shotty. Why not use brick pavers or cobble stone, or just materials that age well. The south Auditoriam area is a perfect example of concrete aging horribly. The parks in the area would be local attractions if they had been built with cobble stone, instead they look worn out.

[pdxstreetcar]

i wonder if we are going to see more of the yaletown skinny towers in the south waterfront, all the new tower proposals have larger floor plates than the meriwether (john ross, atwater, 38, 41, alexan)

[zilfondel]

I'm curious if there was as much emphasis on each building in Vancouver's development like we are seeing in SOWA? Meriwether, John Ross, Atwater... the buildings in Vancouver seem to blend together more and work as a team, instead of each being a 'look at me! I'm special!' kind of marketing campaign they are doing here in Portland.

[pdxstreetcar]

yaletown seems to have lighter toned glass that i wish was used in the meriwether, the windows in the meriwether are quite dark.

[awg]

The majority of buildings in Vancouver are green glass and have little to no reflectivity. They also have a different energy code and can "afford" clearer glass. I think the John Ross may actually be using a green glass. The Atwater will have the same glass as the OHSU building in SOWA.

And its not just Yaletown that has the skinny floor plates. Almost every residential tower in Vancouver is between 6000-8000 sf floor plates and between 300' and 400' tall. SOWA towers are allowed between 250' and 325' and floor plates from 10,000-12,500 sf for residential.

[MarkDaMan]

Great pics zilfondel! When I see people taking pics around town, especially SoWa, I have been tempted on occasion to ask if they blog here, haven't brought myself to ask yet though.

I appreciate the materials they are using in SoWa as it defines the buildings better, I think, as opposed to Yaletown, though I would like to see smaller floorplates and taller buildings. This far into the development and I just don't think SoWa isn't going to be that skinny. I haven't seen a single proposal, even far out proposals, that are 325' with a 8000sq/ft floorplate. Downtown seems to be our best chance of getting the smaller tallers.

[asher519]

"smaller tallers"

I'm going to steal that phrase, if you don't mind

[pdxstreetcar]

maybe when the benson tower is finished the developer will build more of his "smaller tallers" elsewhere in town like in the sowa

[CouvScott]

[cab]

The smaller floor plate of the Vancouver buildings makes a big difference. The PDX stuff looks sorta stocky and hard. The BC buildings are slim and feel softer, less intimidating.

[tworivers]

Public Storage demolition appears to be well under way.

That makes me happy.

Whenever I look at pictures of Vancouver, let alone visit, I just feel envious. Yaletown in particular looks much lighter, more airy, and somehow more cosmopolitan than the future SoWa represented in those architectural-smorgasbord projected-buildout renderings.

[zilfondel]

No kidding. Like glassy brutalism, particularly the Atwater.

That's part of the problem, tho... the marketing and architecture are working together to create high-end 'exclusive' type addresses. Indeed, I'm getting the feeling of 'gated communities in the sky.'

I wonder if part of the reason these towers are being designed this way (bigger floor plates) is because of the preexisting block size: can't really cram more towers into such a small 40k block size.

[awg]

My understanding of the SOWA (but I admittedly haven't read the zoning code down there for a long time):
The developers are doing what the zoning code allows. Its not any more or any less than that. Initially the code allowed 10,000 sf floor plates (for residential) and that is what the Meriwether has. The John Ross petitioned for 12,500 sf floor plates, design review accepted if it is "high quality design" and that is what the John Ross, the Atwater, and the as yet named Block 38 are deemed. Note: that a proposal the design review does not feel is high quality will be only allowed to build a 10,000 sf plate--so be careful what we wish for.
Smaller floorplates will happen (I think) given two criteria--the site demands it (a quarter block site or less is all that's available to build on) or zoning code changes. That's it. What would be the incentive? If bigger more efficient buildings are profitable, why would a developer steer away from the strategy?
Petition the planners; not the architects.

[MarkDaMan]

Whenever I look at pictures of Vancouver, let alone visit, I just feel envious. Yaletown in particular looks much lighter, more airy, and somehow more cosmopolitan than the future SoWa represented in those architectural-smorgasbord projected-buildout renderings.

I personally have never been to Yaletown, or Vancouver BC. I do plan on visiting and I hold absolutely no prejudices toward the city. I just don't see what everyone else sees in those Vancouver towers. They almost look third world to me. Although I don't find those specific renderings posted of SoWa by CouvScott to be all that appealing, the lack of variety in Vancouver's towers bother me. Too much glass with no woods, stone, or metals is fine for a building or two, but a whole neighborhood? Meriwether and OHSU H&H have beautiful skin. When the district is built those towers will be framed nicely. I tend to think the trend of nice skin will be prevelant in newer towers too. I don't see any frame in the Yaletown towers. Hell, I can barely tell which ones are under construction and which ones are finished.

What is more important to me is how the towers interact with the street. I'm grateful that SoWa is going to have so many plazas. For all the Atwater's faults, the garden they are going to build is going to cascade onto a ped only road. The towers on the waterfront will open up to a park, the tram will gently lift into the air, and the streetcar will swoosh by. I think Portland is really building and incredible district and I don't buy into the gated community in the sky theory. The massive amounts of required retail, a university, affordable housing, the streetcar and the rebirth of the lower Macadam district with their smaller (and more affordable) condo projects will turn this neighborhood into a better Pearl...

[awg]

The most interesting aspect of Vancouver is not Yaletown so much as the density of tall--and very skinny--housing towers. There are literally over a hundred in the city. It is rather striking to see in person. But to your comment on the quality of the skins in BC vs the quality of the skins in SOWA, you're exactly right (though there are a handful of very expensive high rises in Vancouver I can think of off the top of my head).
Take a look at the Benson tower (typical of the kind of quality in BC) and then take a look right next door at the Elliot. Its a big difference. But that's the trade-off.

[zilfondel]

Mark, buddy, its time for a road trip! You have to go. If you're young, in you're 20s, go stay at the Hostel in downtown, walk around town, take the bus, see the waterfront.

Must go to Granville Island market, as you have a perfect perspective on the city from there. Take the little seabus ferry. That area is ground-zero for VERY high density compared to P-town.
Go to the park on the north side. I always forget what its called. you have a great view of the city.

Where's my vacation pics?!











Please don't kill me for posting BC shots in a... NW thread? nm. >:-)