[Burnaby] Polaris | 36fl | Completed - Page 3

fredinno · #41 Posted **Apr 11, 2019, 4:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by owenhujb

I think that is pretty tall. That’s more than 1/3 of the height of Polaris and The Park, and anyone who bought a southern facing unit at The Park and northern unit at Polaris will have their views lost even more.

Cut that by half and a 7 story building should be fine. The taller this building gets, the denser the area feels.

It's plenty large enough for a 15 story tower. Hell, they could build up to the height of the other buildings (ok, lost views, but that's not something to gamble on in a densified area)- it's going to happen to the other units views eventually.

Though, I'm wondering, why all these towers on this peripheral part of Metrotown?

Vin · #42 Posted **Apr 11, 2019, 7:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredinno

It's plenty large enough for a 15 story tower. Hell, they could build up to the height of the other buildings (ok, lost views, but that's not something to gamble on in a densified area)- it's going to happen to the other units views eventually.

Though, I'm wondering, why all these towers on this peripheral part of Metrotown?

That's because it won't be at the peripheral in another decade.

owenhujb · #43 Posted **May 1, 2019, 11:46 PM**

Excavation update 5/1/19

fredinno · #44 Posted **May 2, 2019, 4:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vin

That's because it won't be at the peripheral in another decade.

Yeah, but why not closer to other towers, like around north Patterson Station? What's so appealing about this specific corner of Metrotown? Why not another peripheral location, like south of Metropolis? (there are some towers there coming up, but not so densely packed into one piece like these 2 blocks).

Spr0ckets · #45 Posted **May 2, 2019, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredinno

Yeah, but why not closer to other towers, like around north Patterson Station? What's so appealing about this specific corner of Metrotown? Why not another peripheral location, like south of Metropolis? (there are some towers there coming up, but not so densely packed into one piece like these 2 blocks).

There are quite a number of projects already on the books applying for rezoning or design permit applications on the north (of) Patterson Station area - with one or two having towers that might even be taller than anything on this block.

Same case for south of Metropolis, with whole bunch of projects going through the process right now.
And for the longest time the owners and previous owners of those lowrises and lots didn't want to sell their property to developers, and the area in general was quite averse and resistant to redevelopment (politically hot-potato issue,what with "demovictions" and all), until more recently.

So it wasn't really so much a question of appeal but rather one of availability (of land or lots to build on).

The previous owners of the lots and lowrises between Nelson and Marlborough were more willing to sell and sell early (don't ask why), hence developers pounced on them early and the towers got built in rapid succession.

For the longest time that wasn't the case with the south Beresford area until recently.
Obviously that is changing now.

The other slightly less relevant factor is Bonsor park and Rec center, which creates this massive (visual) gap between the mall and these towers and makes it seem like their much farther away (and more to the periphery) than they actually are.
Expect more densification and build-up of towers in those remaining lots in the coming years, as you head eastwards towards and up to Royal Oak

retro_orange · #46 Posted **May 2, 2019, 11:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

The previous owners of the lots and lowrises between Nelson and Marlborough were more willing to sell and sell early (don't ask why), hence developers pounced on them early and the towers got built in rapid succession.

...I'll bite, why? Roaches?

officedweller · #47 Posted **May 6, 2019, 9:34 PM**

April 21st by City of Rain SRC:

Quote:

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1446148, member: 70034

IMG_9429 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_9432 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_9434 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_9440 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_9442 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_9444 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_9446 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

Lexus · #48 Posted **May 21, 2019, 4:41 AM**

By me today,
Good progress since after April 21st

Untitled by Lexus, on Flickr

officedweller · #49 Posted **Jul 3, 2019, 12:34 AM**

By City of Rain June 16th:

Quote:

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1460453, member: 70034

IMG_1323 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1324 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1327 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1328 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1331 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1332 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1335 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_1336 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

Lexus · #50 Posted **Aug 3, 2019, 11:41 PM**

Crane is up, my photo August 3, 2019

Untitled by Lexus, on Flickr

officedweller · #51 Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 10:01 AM**

By City of Rain July 24th.

Should be changed to U/C.

Quote:

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1471050, member: 70034

20190724_085757 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_085825 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_085850 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_085931 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_085949 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_090006 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_090021 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_090107 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_090119 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

20190724_090124 by City Of Rain, on Flickr

Klazu · #52 Posted **Aug 24, 2019, 4:19 PM**

This site is so confusing. It is huge (easily double your normal tower lot) and L shape, yet the tower is going up on the SE corner of the site. They could have easily built two towers on the site but we are now left with only one tower and a huge open space.

This tower will have a massive amount of parking spaces unless some are rented to surrounding dwellers?

I really hope the low-rise will get developed with another tower but I am not sure that will be impossible due to where this tower is positioned?

Spr0ckets · #53 Posted **Aug 24, 2019, 8:43 PM**

The tower location might have something to do with the minimum tower spacing distance typically required by cities and municipalities for towers on neighbouring sites and which tend to vary from municipality to municipality.

It might also have to do with the consideration that when the developers acquired the site, they had also hoped to acquire the neighbouring site where you have that lowrise Condo apartment building sitting right now between The Park and their site, and they had hoped to consolidate the two sites and have a site large enough to hold two full size highrise towers and a full podium.
However the condo owners in the lowrise were reluctant to sell* (or at least not enough of them to force a sale through) and Transca - the developers of Polaris just went ahead and applied for rezoning with the current L-shaped site they now have.

And L-shaped sites are notoriously tricky and difficult for architects to design and space plan for since you always tend to end up with large sections of it not well built up on. And it's always seems to work out that the "elbow" part of the 'L' is usually the place where you want to place the most density (in this case the tower) to maximize and optimize site usage. Hence the reason we have the organization and tower placement we now have.

(*I recently heard that the lowrise condo building owners did finally sell-off, but that site on its own is too small to put on it anything other than another lowrise or possibly a midrise on the smaller side.)

owenhujb · #54 Posted **Aug 24, 2019, 9:23 PM**

Any idea of what could go on the unused part of the L space then?

Klazu · #55 Posted **Aug 24, 2019, 9:32 PM**

I think tower spacing was not any kind of issue in here, as Midori and Vittorio will be built so close to each other. There would be plenty of space for two towers on this lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by owenhujb

Any idea of what could go on the unused part of the L space then?

It's all open excavated currently, so there will be a massive underground parkade. Not sure what will become above ground. Do we know if the low-rise did eventually sell to the same developer or is it a completely orphaned site with very limited development opportunity?

Spr0ckets · #56 Posted **Aug 24, 2019, 10:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by owenhujb

Any idea of what could go on the unused part of the L space then?

The render seems too indicate townhome podiums on both arms of the 'L' with the tower on the corner

Probably one arm of the L will have doublesided layout for Townhomes to maximize space with the other (probably the one facing the lowrise condo building Dunblane facing side) having some sort of plaza or landscaping component and public (for the resident) common outdoor amenity space, kinda like a few of the towers in the vicinity already have.

At least that's how I would approach it.

Spr0ckets · #57 Posted **Aug 24, 2019, 10:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

I think tower spacing was not any kind of issue in here, as Midori and Vittorio will be built so close to each other. There would be plenty of space for two towers on this lot.

It's all open excavated currently, so there will be a massive underground parkade. Not sure what will become above ground. Do we know if the low-rise did eventually sell to the same developer or is it a completely orphaned site with very limited development opportunity?

I doubt they sold to the same developer.

If it was or had been, this is the sort of thing that any a developer would be willing to delay a project for just to get a re-design to get or incorporate another tower on the site.
The fact that they haven't would imply that it was likely sold to some other party or developer.
It also seems like the sale (if it did happen) happened too late into the development process of Polaris to have another re-sale to them.

Yes, the site is limited in terms of what you can get built there, but you could still put in a new low or mid-rise development over in place of what's already there right now that could bring a very healthy return for a well-done project.
With the site located where it is (in front of the park; proximity to the mall and the Skytrain, Kingsway,...etc..), they wouldn't have trouble selling any units on it for almost what they want.

Lexus · #58 Posted **Oct 7, 2019, 3:31 AM**

By me today 6 October 2019

Untitled by Lexus, on Flickr

Spr0ckets · #59 Posted **Oct 7, 2019, 5:45 PM**

A few more weeks for them to get to grade and reach ground level.
And then a couple of months to get the podium and townhomes done if they keep a brisk pace, and if all goes well, they should be into the tower portion by later spring to early summer next year.