[Burnaby] Solo District | 45fl, 48fl & 48fl Complete | 52fl U/C - Page 9

officedweller · #**161** Posted **Jan 7, 2013, 10:35 PM**

I wouldn't really saw that curved facades are "gimmicky" - they're so ubiquitous that they are "typical" (i.e. how many towers around Brentwood have curved facades?)
I think the term "gimmicky" implies something that stands out more - like oddball splashes of coloured spandrel or protruding boxes.
I don't even think that peaked roofs are gimmicky anymore.

Laniatus · #**162** Posted **Jan 28, 2013, 9:33 AM**

If anyone is interested, they're doing a weekly Q&A series through their blog site featuring people such as the Mayor of Burnaby, Jim Bosa etc... They're releasing one video per week through their blog site but all 7 of their videos can be found on Vimeo, links below.

Mayor Derek Corrigan:
http://vimeo.com/55980836

Paul Holden, Burnaby Board of Trade:
http://vimeo.com/55980839

Jim Bosa, President of Appia Developments:
http://vimeo.com/55981592

Jason Wolfe, FortisBC:
http://vimeo.com/55981454

George Wong, Magnum Projects
http://vimeo.com/55980844

Richard Bernstein, Christ Dikeakos Architects:
http://vimeo.com/55980841

and Eddie Yan, Realtor
http://vimeo.com/55981593

trofirhen · #**163** Posted **Jan 28, 2013, 3:53 PM**

I think that this project, when considered as a major adjunct component of the entire new Brentwood Town Centre of the future, will combine to make Brentwood, in an overarching context (all things combined), more pleasing than Metrotown. Sure Metrotown will always be the "bigger brother," but it has a "raw" feel to it. Unless it gets some radical cosmetic surgery (esp along Kingsway), it will never be as pleasant as Brentwood, despite the higher concentration of office and residential space ... IMO .. i.e. "Metrotown for quantity, Brentwood for quality ...," perhaps, as is the saying for Redhill and Reigate, south of London.

Laniatus · #**164** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 2:01 AM**

Here's a new ad being run in 24Hrs and Metro featuring a new rendering of the Lobby at Stratus. Looks good!

Laniatus · #**165** Posted **Mar 5, 2013, 11:18 AM**

New video added, concrete pouring time lapse video dated Jan 26th 2013

Video here
http://vimeo.com/60792027

asdf017 · #**166** Posted **Apr 4, 2013, 7:12 AM**

Ive been a follower of this project for quite some time. I drove by today and noticed that there was a second crane that is up and some signage on the outer walls saying phase 2 will start soon or something along the lines of that.

I couldn't get any pictures but if someone has pictures that would be awesome!

hollywoodnorth · #**167** Posted **Apr 4, 2013, 8:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by asdf017

Ive been a follower of this project for quite some time. I drove by today and noticed that there was a second crane that is up and some signage on the outer walls saying phase 2 will start soon or something along the lines of that.

I couldn't get any pictures but if someone has pictures that would be awesome!

as per >> http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/def...MR_YE_2012.pdf

Phase one of Appia Group’s Solo District has commenced with Whole Foods as an anchor retail tenant in the mixed-use development. The second phase, which is set to kick off construction in Q1 2013, will include 12 floors of office space totalling up to 230,000 sf in the base of the phase two residential tower, which is set for completion in the summer of 2015. There are currently no release commitments for the office space.

seeing we have multiple cranes in now can we get a THREAD rename please?

Laniatus · #**168** Posted **Apr 15, 2013, 6:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by asdf017

Ive been a follower of this project for quite some time. I drove by today and noticed that there was a second crane that is up and some signage on the outer walls saying phase 2 will start soon or something along the lines of that.

I couldn't get any pictures but if someone has pictures that would be awesome!

Took some pictures today. You can see the second crane and how much progress they have made.

Also, (http://solodistrict.com/social/const...ate/#more-1221) the Solo District blog site has some construction updates and time frame estimates. They poured the foundation in January and are currently working on the P4 area which will take four more months to complete. Each parkade level will then take 6 weeks each and they should break ground level around October 2013.

You can see the second crane behind the signage

Another view of the second crane and Vantage by Embassy complete in the back.

Prometheus · #**169** Posted **Apr 15, 2013, 6:42 AM**

Thanks for the updates.

smho · #**170** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 6:53 AM**

Appreciate the update. Vantage looks pretty tall in that area but Stratus will absolutely dwarf it. Looking forward to Altus and how it'll compare in height to Station Square's tallest.

trofirhen · #**171** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 10:52 AM**

I think that possibly when SOLO is completed, along with the massive Brentwood Mall redevelopment project, this will give Brentwood Town Centre a certain feeling of "density" and of being "citified" that Metrotown, despite the tall buildings going in, still apparently lacks.

Perhaps Brentwood will feel like a "mini-downtown" whereas Metrotown will be more diffuse, despite the tall buildings. (Only time will tell).

Chadillaccc · #**172** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 6:28 PM**

You really think so? Kingsway in Metrotown is mostly street front retail, while the street front retail in Brentwood is sparse at best. I don't think a place without dense streetfront retail could really hope to ever be a mini downtown. Even Mississauga has less street front retail than Metrotown.

trofirhen · #**173** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 7:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

You really think so? Kingsway in Metrotown is mostly street front retail, while the street front retail in Brentwood is sparse at best. I don't think a place without dense streetfront retail could really hope to ever be a mini downtown. Even Mississauga has less street front retail than Metrotown.

Yes, maybe you're right. However, it's not only the QUANTITY of streetfront retail, it's the whole package: the quality, the street furniture, the look, the density. But indeed you may be right. I cannot argue that point. I personally find Metrotown - at this point, anyway, rather hodge-podge and unattractive. And Kingsway itself is the ultimate in tacky and derelict. I hope that issue is addressed.

jlousa · #**174** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 8:41 PM**

Kingsway has come a long way from 15yrs ago or whenever your last visit was. The area around Mt. Pleasant has and is improving, Cedar Cottage around Knight is vastly improved, Norquay Village between roughly Victoria and Rupert has improved a ton and is still improving, as has the Collingwood area around Joyce. Think it's time for a trip back, looking at old image on google maps isn't the best way to judge.
Back onto topic I think Metrotown will continue to have the edge over Brentwood indefinitely as far urbanity goes, remember Metrotown isn't sitting still either and is acutally still growing faster then Brentwood.

Chadillaccc · #**175** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 8:59 PM**

Exactly! I totally agree with both points though. While Metrotown obviously is far more urban and has an actual character, the street front retail and feel of the street isn't exactly up to modern high-class standards, things are changing there quick though. There's just entirely too much in Metrotown and so much going on in Metrotown for the city to keep ignoring the state of Kingsway for much longer. Hopefully once Sovereign, Metroplace, Chancellor, Silver, and a couple others are done and have brought in another few thousand people to the area then the city will seriously consider a street beautification strategy of some kind. It's already sorely needed

trofirhen · #**176** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

Kingsway has come a long way from 15yrs ago or whenever your last visit was. The area around Mt. Pleasant has and is improving, Cedar Cottage around Knight is vastly improved, Norquay Village between roughly Victoria and Rupert has improved a ton and is still improving, as has the Collingwood area around Joyce. Think it's time for a trip back, looking at old image on google maps isn't the best way to judge.
Back onto topic I think Metrotown will continue to have the edge over Brentwood indefinitely as far urbanity goes, remember Metrotown isn't sitting still either and is acutally still growing faster then Brentwood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Exactly! I totally agree with both points though. While Metrotown obviously is far more urban and has an actual character, the street front retail and feel of the street isn't exactly up to modern high-class standards, things are changing there quick though. There's just entirely too much in Metrotown and so much going on in Metrotown for the city to keep ignoring the state of Kingsway for much longer. Hopefully once Sovereign, Metroplace, Chancellor, Silver, and a couple others are done and have brought in another few thousand people to the area then the city will seriously consider a street beautification strategy of some kind. It's already sorely needed

Good to hear. Thank you both for that update.

As a coda, looking at the recent Vancouver photos, I must stand corrected. The full view over Burnaby clearly shows Metrotown as bigger. I Just hope that the visual improvement of Kingsway continues, especially at Metrotown. Everyone's tastes are different, but I think a model to emulate a bit is Westwood Bvd in LA. It is sleek. And in a parallel fashion to Kingsway, it peters out to auto-and fastfood-and discount store-motel row.
Be really great to give still more parts of Kingsway a really (dare I say it? ... erkkkk ....) "world class" look. (?)

SpongeG · #**177** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 4:54 AM**

brentwood area reminds me of bellevue on a smaller scale but it has more potential to be better than metrotown

trofirhen · #**178** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 7:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

brentwood area reminds me of bellevue on a smaller scale but it has more potential to be better than metrotown

Better in what way(s)?? / This is interesting. / Could you cite an example? Thank you.

SpongeG · #**179** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 8:03 PM**

not as ghetto as metrotown is

Chadillaccc · #**180** Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 11:15 PM**

So anywhere that has character and grunge is ghetto because it's not brand new and sterilized?