CF Pacific Centre Developments

[spm2013]

...

[officedweller]

Here's the old mech penthouse.
It's the north end on the new one that's much bigger - for the office elevator mechanicals and overrun.
(Not great for the office in TD Tower facing it directly)

Pic by me
May 23, 2013

[connect2source]

Two elements I think really break up the cohesiveness of this building are, the pop out Nordstrom restaurant with the mismatched glazing over Howe and Robson and the annoying and over-complicated 'second skin' at Granville and Robson. Typical overworked James Cheng design and often the reasons his buildings are 'good' not 'great'.

A slightly more monolithic design would have been far less 'trendy' and far more timeless.

[officedweller]

Pics by me today and pics but Yellow Fever posted today.

There's also scaffolding installed on the Granville setback to install [wooden?] soffits under the canopy above.

Rotunda glass at grade installed (note gaps between awning anchors to be filled as shown below):




Galvanized steel installed and sealed between awning anchors for weatherproofing (seems rather piecemeal):


Glass installed on top level of rotunda:

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

new updates



Flickr 上 Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity 的 IMG_2615


Flickr 上 Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity 的 IMG_2581

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

Flickr 上 Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity 的 IMG_2580


Flickr 上 Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity 的 IMG_2571

[Pinion]

The pic below is pretty amazing to see after all these years. Love the reflection.


Yellow Fever

Originally Posted by Pinion

I'm not so sure MS is on an upwards swing though - the Xbox One is a bit of a disaster, they can't seem to get anyone to buy their phones or tablets, and of course no one buys PCs anymore.

After being dogpiled for this quote back in May I'd just like to mention that MS is now officially laying off 18,000 people.

Luckily the MS employees in this office aren't likely to be affected too much. But let's stop talking about them drowning in money now.

[spm2013]

...

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by Pinion

After being dogpiled for this quote back in May I'd just like to mention that MS is now officially laying off 18,000 people.

Luckily the MS employees in this office aren't likely to be affected too much. But let's stop talking about them drowning in money now.

But Microsoft is still drowning in money; they had $91B CAD in cash reserves as of April of this year. They use some of this tremendous largess to buy other companies, like Nokia, and after they've stripped it of the good IP, patents, and staff, they get out the meat axe and start cutting back the jobs left and right to slow the burn rate in the wake of the acquisition.

None the less, the photo looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing this in person sometime again soon.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

But Microsoft is still drowning in money; they had $91B CAD in cash reserves as of April of this year. They use some of this tremendous largess to buy other companies, like Nokia, and after they've stripped it of the good IP, patents, and staff, they get out the meat axe and start cutting back the jobs left and right to slow the burn rate in the wake of the acquisition.

Stop making too much sense when Pinion seems to know better that MSFT is doomed!

It sounds like the news yesterday will also have some impact on the Vancouver employees, but if you look at their website and what kind of hiring spree they are now on, the impacts will be minimal. These layoffs are first and foremost about the Nokia acquisition and removing redundancies.

[PaperTiger]

Yes they are laying off 18,000, but they gained 28,000 when they purchased Nokia.

Plus: "Yesterday, Microsoft's stock was at the highest it's been in nearly 14 years. It is up 1.45% in premarket trading."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-layoffs-2014-7#ixzz37pwrbgKR

[Klazu]

Yep, around 12 500 former Nokians being let go. Some 5000 Microsoft staff being kicked out with the same door opening. Around 1300 in Redmond as per Seattle newspapers. Any impacts to Vancouver office are peanuts in the grand scheme of things and Microsoft's head count is still going to be up by 10 000 from the Nokia acquisition.

[Zassk]

"Deep Microsoft job cuts not likely to affect Vancouver: expert"

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Dee...ect+Vancouver+expert/10039741/story.html

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Stop making too much sense when Pinion seems to know better that MSFT is doomed!

Not saying that at all.

Nevermind, just post pretty photos.

[trofirhen]

That last photo is pretty nice. I like the reflectivity of the building; seems to "create space," somehow.
Having the MICROSOFT signange on top will only enhance that "big city" feeling, becoming ever more apparent, as Vancouver shakes off it's provincialness.

[officedweller]

Pics by me today - office lobby vestibule being constructed:

[officedweller]

Pics by me today:

Hard to see, but the concave mezzanine / 2nd floor edge looks to have been filled in:

[officedweller]

Pics by me today:



The grills match the stone better than the retail glass & spandrel
(so the grills above the Nordstrom entrance should look good with the stone):


Final stone tile placement:


I guess if they used the same colour spandrel on Nordstrom as on TD Tower,
there would be complaints too (would have been drab, but may have worked).
Note that the planter next to the station is gone:


Reminder of the finished plaza:

Originally Posted by Built Form

Plaza Detail

Current


Revised



All pix by Built Form

[Prometheus]

Thanks for the updates.

[officedweller]

Pics by me today:



The light spandrel banding awkwardly transitions to behind the beam at the entrance,
while the awning stays alligned to the street/sidewalk.
Question: What will that beam be clad with? Light-coloured spandrel?


The model inaccurately shows the thickness of the beam:

Pic by Built Form

And here's what it used to look like, so spandrel may be an improvement(?):

Originally Posted by officedweller

Pics by me today:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Below the end of the protruding restaurant, the model shows stone cladding to the sidewalk
- but there's no studs in place yet at grade
- maybe they've decided to open it up more and continue glass along the sidewalk in that area?


Wood soffits being installed:


All the elements together:






Dark gray steel siding installed on the uppermost part of the new elevator mech penthouse:

[Locked In]

Great update, thanks OD.

[Vancity]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Pics by me today:

Hard to see, but the concave mezzanine / 2nd floor edge looks to have been filled in:

Love that second pic. Lots of people activity in the area.