[aastra]

A review of current construction, recently completed projects, and pending proposals:

BAYVIEW (www.bayviewvictoria.com)

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/6532/bayviewhc4.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/vibrantvictoria3/0004/bayviewone_mar16_2007a.jpg

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2804/bayviewcranesxc0.jpg


JULIET (www.julietliving.com)

http://img333.imageshack.us/img333/9239/julietbldgrenderingjx5.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/chard001.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/chard007.jpg

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2590/ambulance003hw8.jpg


THE FALLS (www.thefallsvictoria.com)

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/4053/thefallsyu5.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6416/thefallsgroundbreakingva3.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/thefalls019.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/vibrantvictoria3/0001/thefalls_mar16_2007b.jpg


ARIA (www.ariavictoria.com)

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/505/ariamodel1na.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/ressen/IMG_1796.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/vibrantvictoria3/0003/aria_mar16_2007a.jpg

THE PIER (www.thepier.ca)

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2047/thepierqf5.jpg


SWALLOWS LANDING (www.swallowslanding.com)

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6919/swallowslanding21oqjp0.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/vibrantvictoria3/0007/swallows_mar16_2007a.jpg


SYNERGY (www.docksidegreen.ca)

http://www.docksidegreen.ca/database/images/display/sb4564a37e5e2d4.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/vibrantvictoria3/0009/synergy_mar16_2007a.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/ressen/IMG_1787.jpg


THE HUDSON (www.hudsonliving.ca)

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/1779/hudsonho6.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m256/5955483/P1010215.jpg


OSWEGO HOTEL(www.oswegovictoria.com)

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/261/oswegoor3.jpg


PARKSIDE (www.parksidevictoria.com)

http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/9231/parkside8id.jpg

http://img423.imageshack.us/img423/8093/img4821pg0.jpg



RADIUS (www.radiusvictoria.com)

http://host.activeworlds.com/moff/new/radius.jpg


SHUTTERS (www.shuttersvictoria.com)

http://www.westbankcorp.com/images/shutters-full2.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/IMG_5126.jpg

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2672/shuttersro3.jpg


UPPER HARBOUR PLACE

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/369/tyeeroadfeb1707ag9.jpg


REFLECTIONS (www.liveatreflections.ca)

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6678/reflections1cc.jpg


VICINO (www.vicinovictoria.com)

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/IMG_5100.jpg


GATEWAY GREEN (www.gatewaygreen.ca)

http://gatewaygreen.ca/images/GatewayGreenPlan.jpg


THE WAVE

http://www.therealvictoria.ca/images/the_wave.jpg


BELVEDERE

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7452/belvederedm1.jpg


ASTORIA
http://www.platinumvacationgroup.com/listing_images/p1f2050090784.jpg


CORAZON
http://www.mcmparchitects.com/img/photos/Corazon%20Bldg%20(horiz%20Img%203).jpg


CITY PLACE
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/6088/cityplace8kl.jpg


PARC RESIDENCES
http://www.westbankcorp.com/images/Parc-full6.jpg


BALANCE (www.docksidegreen.ca)
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/295/balancedo3.jpg


THE HIGHLANDER (www.thehighlander.ca)
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6781/highlanderwh3.jpg


LAGOON ESTATES (www.lagoonestates.ca)
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/7545/lagoonestateseh9.jpg


THE MICHELLE
http://img423.imageshack.us/img423/973/themichelleqv1.jpg


THE CONDUCTOR (www.theconductor.ca)
http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/5756/conductorzj0.jpg


COLWOOD CORNERS
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/2129/colwoodcornersnh3.jpg

http://www.dysarch.com/UserImages/WebImages/ProjectImages/1.%20RESIDENTIAL/Market%20High%20Rise/Royal%20Roads/Royal%20Roads%20-%20perspective.jpg


Save-on Foods Memorial Centre

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/TheWellProposal009.jpg


THE REEF
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/1269/thereef5tx.jpg


SAYWARD HILL (www.saywardhill.com)
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1449/saywardhill3vo.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/196/10saywardhill1qn.jpg


MARRIOTT HOTEL
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1470/marriot7wj.jpg


THE GATEHOUSE
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6756/9953gatehousems2kg.jpg


860 VIEW
http://rwglobal.com/re/common/pictures/203030.jpg


SHOAL POINT
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3923/gallerylarge016yz.jpg


And others...

http://img349.imageshack.us/img349/2229/langford7sw.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6126/cookjohnson4cr.jpg

[excel]

wow lots of nice looking projects going on in victoria.

[Mike K.]

The crane footings for Juliet are being installed


http://members.shaw.ca/vibrantvictoria3/0002/juliet_mar16_2007a.jpg

[Lyle]

What are Brian Tobin and Mike Harris up to here?!?

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/vitc/20061116/143932-54139.jpg

[Lyle]

Great thread, btw.

[Mike K.]

They all bought into this (http://www.bayviewvictoria.com) development.

[osirisboy]

wow im surprised how much is going on in victoria. thanks for the pics. i9 cant wait to gget there for a visit

[renthefinn]

what the hell is the conductor? I think there's also another building going up at sayward hill. My ex's parents live there and the last time I was there I'm pretty sure I saw another 5-8 storey building rising on the west part of the site. Thanks for putting these projects together, it really puts the construction in Victoria into perspective, we have some great stuff going on in that city!

[Mike K.]

Conductor is a 12-storey condo going up on Jacklin and Station in Langford across the road from the Lordco.

[raggedy13]

Looks like a lot of great projects going on. :tup: Victoria appears to be booming for sure. Last time I was there was last May. Hopefully I'll make it there at least once this spring/summer, if not a couple times.

[Lyle]

They all bought into this (http://www.bayviewvictoria.com) development.

Looks like the Bayview will fill up the last empty space on the old Songhees reserve. Finally. When I lived in Victoria in the 1980s there was nothing but weeds and oil storage tanks there. Not a great view across the harbour. While some of the Songhees buildings are a bit kitschy, it's nice to see the area fully developed.

[G-Man]

It is too bad that the Songhees Lands were developed in such an autocentric way. It would been much better if they had some sort of retail in the area.

[Mike K.]

Thankfully that's what the last phase will be all about. Once Songhees Hilltop is developed, (for your out of towners, that's the one with Brian Tobin in the picture), the developer will start work on the rail yard (http://www.roundhousevictoria.com) immediately to the west with residential, commercial and office space.

[East Van]

Is there any recent photos of the core showing new buildings -

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/victoria/2007/vih2007_013.jpg

Is much of whats listed above in this picture ? I only see a few sites.

[Smooth]

I think that list is missing The Wing in Vic West ;)

[G-Man]

About 15 of those pics are in the picture shown, many are out in the Western Communities.

[Holden West]

^That Waite aerial photo includes the neighbourhoods of Downtown, Harris Green, James Bay, Fairfield, Vic West, North Park, Rock Bay, Burnside and Hillside/Quadra. If the photo extended another inch to the right, it would include Oaklands, Fernwood and possibly Rockland too! In fact I think that might be Oaklands at the extreme upper right (Haultain and Cook).

And that's not including sub-districts like Cathedral Hill, Humboldt Valley, Chinatown etc.

[m0nkyman]

I can see my house in that pic! ;)

[Mike K.]

Me too :)

[G-Man]

Me three!

[aastra]

Methinks some people are playing fast and loose with the term "house."

[aastra]

So is there any inkling as to what the inside curve of the big "C" at Shutters will look like when it's finished?

Songhees buildings are notorious for their particularly unappealing back sides.

[aastra]

Several Songhees buildings are also notorious for their particularly unappealing front sides, but that's another story...

[m0nkyman]

Methinks some people are playing fast and loose with the term "house."

Perhaps. I'm not though....

[m0nkyman]

Several Songhees buildings are also notorious for their particularly unappealing front sides, but that's another story...

So. Which is the front, and which is the back? The side facing the cars, or the side facing the ocean?

[gumgum]

Things in our fair city are definitely improving. Look at all the long gone parking lots in this pic from 1991.
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/vih1991_017.jpg

[gumgum]

And yet many still remain...
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/vih1991_016.jpg

[aastra]

I could do with a nice new hotel on the Laurel Point parking lot.

I like the way the old hospital had such a minimal setback. I don't like the way the new building has such a big setback.

KEEP SETBACKS SHORT! PRESERVE THE REAL VICTORIA!

Methinks some people are playing fast and loose with the term "house."

I should clarify, by "some people" I meant G-Man.

[aastra]

Which is the front, and which is the back?

You shouldn't be able to tell, ideally.

I've done enough for this new thread. You guys can pick up the slack now.

[m0nkyman]

Why am I suddenly humming The Sweater Song (http://www.last.fm/music/Weezer/_/Sweater+Song)?

[Phil McAvity]

And yet many still remain...
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/vih1991_016.jpg

Aastra, you said you could stand seeing a hotel on the Laurel Point parking lot, but the surface parking lot to the right of the Laurel Point condos/hotel (that i think you are referring to) in this picture isn't for the condos/hotel.

Also, good job posting all these pictures and links.

Someone mentioned the Wing in Vic West and wondered why it wasn't mentioned. Probably for the same reason when talking about one's family, people always conveniently forget to mention the inbred, retarded cousin. ;)

[aastra]

Yeah, I know it's just a parking lot. When I refer to it as "the Laurel Point parking lot" I mean to say "the big parking lot at Laurel Point."

It's not really on the point or at the point so much as right behind it, but you get the idea.

Great site for a really high end hotel in the 12-14 story range, in my opinion. Good views back to the city and also between the waterfront buildings to the harbour. It would also look great when viewed from the Coho.

[gumgum]

Great site for a big-ass-glass tower.

[aastra]

I just realized Regents Park #2 is almost complete in that second pic. That's a 1991 pic, right? That should settle the infamous and endless debate that's challenged failing memories, pitted brother against brother, and otherwise shaken Victoria to its very foundations.

[renthefinn]

I thought it was unanimous that Regents Park #2 was completed in 1992?

[aastra]

Robert Randall of the Downtown Residents' Association is the subject of a pretty good article in the new edition of Monday Magazine:

A Victoria Visionary... (http://web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=117&cat=43&id=857627&more=)

He seems to be on the ball. Check this out:

“People are so focussed on height, because the only figure they’re able to comprehend is the height. It’s like looking at a painting and only looking at the width,” he says. “What was that painting like? Oh, it was 18 inches wide. But what colour was it? How tall was it? Was it thick, was it thin, was it oil?”

“A lot of the people on the board and land use committee are artists, so we tend to look at things like, ‘how does it look? How does it fit?’ rather than whether it conforms to the numbers,” he explains.

Interesting cover picture. Are they suggesting he's trying to walk on water? Victoria's notorious naysayers might think he's stuck in the mud. Anyway, we finally get to see what the oft-quoted Randall actually looks like:

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/9602/mondaycovervw5.jpg

[gumgum]

Looks like the south-side retail portion of Castana in Cook St Village is a go-ahead despite Amadon's sell-off of the approved land.
Taken today:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/IMG_6214.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/gumgum123/IMG_6216.jpg

[Dylan Leblanc]

That old brick house on Johnson @ Vancouver has had it's rear addition removed. What going in there again?

[G-Man]

I should clarify, by "some people" I meant G-Man.

I have a townHOUSE :)

[Innersoul1]

Just curious, are there any renos going on at UVic for the soccer championships this summer? I heard that additional seating to the stadium was to be added.

[G-Man]

Nope all games will be played at Royal Athletic Park. There are a lot of temporary seats being put in but I am not sure about any permanent modifications.

[aastra]

Here's a nice pic of Victoria. You don't see this angle very often. It's a screenshot from www.oakstreetvillage.ca: (http://www.oakstreetvillage.ca)

http://www.therealvictoria.ca/images/oak_street_village_screenshot.jpg

[m0nkyman]

Picture that once The Hudson gets finished. :)

[Holden West]

From that angle most of it will be blocked by Radius. The tops of the three towers will be visible above it though. I don't know if Gateway Green will be visible immediately behind the Hudson.

[aastra]

Using Corazon as a guide we can guesstimate the tallest building will reach to the snowline on the mountains, if not a bit higher.

Something like this:
http://www.therealvictoria.ca/images/oak_st_village_modified.jpg

[Mike K.]

On VV Holden West brought to our attention an updated highrise proposal for Colwood, a western burb of Victoria. 23-storeys and 77 meters.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/133a26b3-7939-4ba4-b93e-0c570ecf1751/wessex_tower.jpg

[Galvanized]

Gateway Green has updated their website with some cool new renderings. http://www.gatewaygreen.ca/Concept/Renderings/tabid/59/Default.aspx

[Mike K.]

Here are the updated renderings for this project:

http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0031/0031d.gif

http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0031/0031c.gif

[aastra]

This Colwood proposal looks great. Let's hope it's a real proposal and not just a rezoning-for-the-future ploy.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/133a26b3-7939-4ba4-b93e-0c570ecf1751/wessex_tower.jpg

[m0nkyman]

Here are the updated renderings for this project:

http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0031/0031d.gif

http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0031/0031c.gif

The more I see of this one, the more I like it. :banana:

[renthefinn]

Not terrible, but it looks a little too much like a condo, IMO. Especially in the first rendering. I hope they change the colours a little.

[aastra]

Did everybody see this pic of Radius (as shown over at VibrantVictoria.ca)?

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m256/5955483/March07_radius.jpg

[Mike K.]

Here are some more renderings of this project:

Office, north face
http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0034/0034d.gif

Office, south face
http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0034/0034c.gif

Office, looking west on Chatham
http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0035/0035c.gif

The view of the entire proposal with Hudson in the rear
http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0034/0034e.gif

Residential, north face
http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0035/0035a.gif

Residential, looking east on Chatham
http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0035/0035b.gif

[aastra]

This pic almost brings a tear to my eye. There's been endless discussion about invigorating the north end of downtown. Heck, the newspapers were writing about it in the 1960s! Between the Hudson, Gateway Green, and this Radius project, it's clear the developers have embraced the challenge in a big way. Let's hope the decision makers don't drop the ball.

http://www.vibrantvictoria.ca/images/mcp/0034/0034e.gif

[gumgum]

The two center buildings should be one, equaling a narrower footprint, and it should be taller that the two outside buildings.

[Holden West]

^I don't know. I like the taller buildings next to the wide arterial streets. Also, the scooped out portion of Radius lines up nicely with the tallest portion of Hudson. Taller buildings would probably make the public space at ground level more forbidable.

[SpongeG]

Public market touted for Crystal Garden
Vendors operating out of the historic building would add vibrancy to the city, proponents say

Published: Monday, April 09, 2007
There's nothing like a big, empty historic building to inspire the imagination.

Trevor Walker, the owner of an eclectic store selling local food products and crafts on Fort Street, is imagining how wonderful it would be to have a public market in the Crystal Garden.

"Public markets are the heart of great cities and they are representative of a rich and desirable civic culture," Walker says in a preamble to a petition he has organized on the subject.

Customers at his store called Plenty at 1034 Fort St. think so as well. Walker has collected almost 270 signatures on a petition he has sent to Victoria city hall. It suggests some space be set aside in the building for such a market.

"Victoria needs a market and the Crystal Garden would be an amazing venue," Walker said, adding the use would still be compatible with the city's interest in utilizing the space to expand the Victoria Conference Centre.

Walker said he has always been inspired by public markets in San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver Island's Granville Market. Saint John, N.B., has had a successful public market in operation for more than 130 years and it is similar in size to Victoria.

A Victoria market doesn't have to be as large, but it would be a great place for both tourists and locals to mingle.

That kind of space is missing in downtown, said Walker. "Locals don't go to the wax museum or a conference centre.

"This would be a stepping stone for anyone who has had a table at James Bay or Moss Street and would like to go somewhere where they can be for six or seven days a week," said Walker, adding the market should specialize in locally produced food or products.

Jocelyn Jenkyns, acting manager of the conference centre, said a daily market wouldn't likely work in conjunction with using the space for added exhibition space. But she said she'd be open to hearing from anyone interested in organizing markets on conference centre shoulder seasons or on Sundays.

There's interest on the part of the city and the landlord, which is the Provincial Capital Commission, to accommodate community and fundraising events in the historic glass-roofed building, said Jenkyns.

But Jenkyns said it isn't the conference centre's role to organize a market. "Our mandate is to fill hotel beds."

Tomorrow the court is poised to hear an application for the city of Victoria to take over the lease of the Crystal Garden from the Royal Bank, which was left as the sole creditor after B.C. Experience went bankrupt in September 2006.

Court approval is the last remaining detail before the lease is transferred and small renovations are done to accommodate exhibition space for conferences.

Jenkyns said initially they will be adding washrooms, upgrading electrical service and making the main hall one contiguous space after the map installed by B.C. Experience operators is removed.

There are no short-term plans for an overhead or underground walkway across Douglas Street, connecting the original conference centre to the Crystal Garden.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/capital_van_isl/story.html?id=76ea445e-0d99-43e8-b108-6217fcec3fa3&k=33689

[aastra]

Saint John, N.B., has had a successful public market in operation for more than 130 years and it is similar in size to Victoria.


Saint John: 122,000
Victoria: 330,000

It's also a bit odd that this article didn't mention the long lost public market between Fisgard and Cormorant:

http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/cgi-bin/www2i/.visual/img_med/dir_77/d_08871.gif

http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/cgi-bin/www2i/.visual/img_med/dir_73/b_09363.gif

[m0nkyman]

I might have posted one of my little photo sets here.... (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=2758126)

[Holden West]

Please don't post those old photos, aastra. I have to wipe the tears of regret from my keyboard.

On second thought, that building was significantly uglified at some point.

Great photothread, m0nkeyman.

[LFRENCH]

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]

Hi L!

[aastra]

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

[LFRENCH]

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

[Mike K.]

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

[TheMeltyMan]

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.]

A good place to start would be right here: http://www.victoria.ca/cityhall/currentprojects_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]

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

[G-Man]

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]

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]

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.]

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]

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]

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

[Mike K.]

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]

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

[Mike K.]

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

[G-Man]

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]

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

[aastra]

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

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:

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.

[Holden West]

http://media.canada.com/133a26b3-7939-4ba4-b93e-0c570ecf1751/LAWN%20BOWLING.jpg

[That's Aria under construction with the Executive House Hotel (1965) in the background and Astoria on the extreme right]

Bowling greens thrown a curve (http://communities.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/blogs/news/pages/jack-knox-column-lawn-bowling.aspx)
Victoria evaluating 3 clubs as development pressures, aging membership lead to doubts about sustainability

Jack Knox
Times Colonist

Thursday, May 03, 2007

[aastra]

Interesting article:

But outside the fence is that other Victoria: rumbling traffic, sirens, can't-hear-yourself-think construction noise from the 12-storey Aria building going up next door. Cardboard tucked against the back wall of the clubhouse shows where the homeless sleep at night. Syringe wrappers and an empty 40-pounder of Olde English 800 malt liquor litter adjoining Cridge Park. New highrises proliferate like zucchini. Increasingly, the club looks out of place.

I agree it would be a shame to lose these lawn bowling greens. The fact that this particular club is "out of place" is what makes it special. Not sure I get the zucchini simile.

I seem to recall we were reflecting one time on the shortsightedness that led to the destruction (or bland remodelling) of so many fine historic buildings in Victoria, and somebody (maybe Holden) asked if we might still be destroying things today that we'll regret later. So how about these lawn bowling greens?

I've never played the game but I've also never been 60 years old. I suppose when we're 60 we'll just be watching TV all day?

[Holden West]

I know someone in their 60s--played Oldtimers hockey until he gimped up his knee. Now he does lawnbowling. It sounds good to me. I'll be damned if I'm going to spend my senior years inside some moldy seniors centre playing cards.

an empty 40-pounder of Olde English 800 malt liquor litter adjoining Cridge ParkMike, I told you not to litter.

The zucchini reference is an old joke referring to the amazing ability of zucchini to take over a garden and producing more crop than a family could possibly use, leading to unwanted gifts to neighbours of yet another loaf of zucchini bread.

[aastra]

Shouldn't the new highrises be lying down then? Or do zucchini grow straight up?

[Holden West]

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8781/gherkinvictoria4vb.jpg

[Mike K.]

I know someone in their 60s--played Oldtimers hockey until he gimped up his knee. Now he does lawnbowling. It sounds good to me. I'll be damned if I'm going to spend my senior years inside some moldy seniors centre playing cards.

Mike, I told you not to litter.

Not mine. I tear off the labels.

[The Great Scaper]

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

The proposal is currently at 20 stories including the podium....It looks nice. It's curved glass and the tower is on the east side of the site saving views for the Queen Victoria. Though the taller option that had the tower at 23 stories including the podium was significantly slimmer, as both options were the same density. I am going to be having coffee with Chris Colman soon, I am interested to here his take on the proposal as he is the liason for JamesBay. Jeff Young is in Fairfeild as well. Both Community Groups are against the project.....of course! :haha:

Also the Aria is looking sexy too!!! hahaha

Cheers everyone!

I also had the chance to see whats up with the Town and Country site too....pretty exciting!!!

[Lyle]

^ Any renderings or photos?

[aastra]

Scape! Where have you been, man??

I was thinking maybe our near brawl in the movie theatre that time had scared you off or something.

[The Great Scaper]

The renderings for the T.C. site are not public yet...however I have copies of the Crystal Court site though they are on a pdf file and I don't know how to copy them and post them on here. I never got a chance to take any photos with my camera either at the various meetings that they were on display. However I believe soe of the guys have some photos of the building and site renderings.

Also they are pouring the first floor of the Juliet this weekend!!! :) Some of you know that the hot tub is now gone too from the roof top!!! Thank the new owners for that one!

Here is a photo of the Chrismas hill proposal in Saanich too...total 105 units.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/bodytransformation042.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/bodytransformation043.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j283/thegreatscaper/bodytransformation046.jpg

[The Great Scaper]

Aastra...how's it going buddy!!! :D :D :D Nah.... that old scrap at the movie theatre is all forgotten...

hmmmm probably because I was never there during the scrap...but wish I was in a way!!! hahahaa....

Doing good though how are you?

[aastra]

Wow, I really like those Christmas Hill buildings. They really need some variety in the design around there. Funny how the modern elementary school was followed by acres of Saanich-style faux farmhouse stuff. It's about time they changed things up.

[Holden West]

There are some Crystal Court renderings on VibrantVictoria.ca

I went walking around there yesterday. Does the City also own the little park between the Church of our Lord and the bowling green?

[The Great Scaper]

I was always under the impression that the city does...though I could be wrong.

[The Great Scaper]

An ariticle today in the B section of the T.C. page two on the Town and Country site. In the article is suggests a floor space of 300,000 square feet of residential there, though that number from what I have heard could be between 400,000 to over 500,000 square feet of residential.

Also from what I have heard, Saanich Council and Frank Leonard realize this is the future LRT right of way, and they recognize the need for high density here. I wouldn't be surprised in the future if the Wang building site and the Gateway village get redeveloped into high density residential too.

I also live in this community association too and am a member, so I will find out as the project comes down the pipes what the mood is within the association.

[The Great Scaper]

That's awesome that the Radius was approved!!! Got a new tallest office tower and a 17 story condo tower too. Exciting. That whole block is going to be nicer than the Humbolt Valley. With Gateway Green, The Hudson, and now the Radius and even the Juliet down the road and the Corazon....North town is going to be quite the City look!!! Exciting!!!

I wish I could have made it to the public hearing! :(

[rrskylar]

^ Nice to see you back posting in a real forum!

[The Great Scaper]

Wow....could I say so much!!! hahaha...:cool:

Seriously though...it's really cool seeing the city change. And really a large part to do with the participation of the people on here. People joining community associations ( I belong to mine), people writing articles to the news paper, people attending city meetings and speaking their hearts, people attending the downtown workshops, people meeting with councilors, and most of all the people on here educating those who aren't aware of the importance of downtown revitalization. It's so exciting. Not only do we now have highrise, high density condo developments being built downtown, but we are providing underground parking and bike parking with them, and now we are building high density office towers for these new residences to work at. It's so exciting the city is changing so much before our eyes, yet the people on here have had a huge part in it. Just looking at the new developments, such as the Crystal Court now proposed at 22 stories and a new Art Gallery, the restoration of the Hudson Bay with three towers from 15 to 24 stories and six hundred units, the Gateway Green office proposal at 15 stories, the Radius with a 13 story office tower a 17 story and 13 story condo towers, and under construction the Falls at 18 and 13 stories (condo) the Aria two 12 story condos, The Victoria Parkside at 7 and 9 stories, the Juliet condos at 14 stories, Songhees hilltop with three towers from 11 to 13 story condo towers, dock side green with multi highrise and mid rise condo and office buildings housing over two thousand new residences, The Wave just finished at 13 stories, and now in Saanich several new towers are in the proposal stage at what will be a Lrt cross roads for the CRD. It's amazing yet again bravo for everyone on here for their hard work and determination to help our Council and developers build the City that Victoria needs to be and has been waiting to be.

A very exciting time in the History of this city yet it's just the start.

Cheers all!!!

[zoomer]

and don't forget the Roundhouse, with likely 4 new towers, the tallest proposed being 24 stories.

the image below is taken from their website (http://www.roundhousevictoria.com/)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4289/roundhousecq0.jpg

[The Great Scaper]

Right...thanks Zoomer, :) I was meaning to include that one! :D :D :D

Also there are all the Colwood and Langford towers too. I don't think it will be long before Esquimalt will have to start looking at increasing it's tax base too. As they almost had to close their Rec Center. While Langford has built three new ice rinks and Colwood is building a 10,000 seat outdoor stadium, Esquimalt can hardly keep it's own rec center alive. Yet Esquimalt has some of the most expensive water front property being sold off by the Feds. I would hope that these properties would be developed into high density high property tax income for Esquimalt.

I just hope the growth in B.C. continues. Yesterday the Federal Government said that they are increasing the House of Commons, and that B.C. will be getting 7 more m.p.s. and Alberta 6 I believe. Finally the Feds recognize the growth of the West. So politically B.C. and Alberta will finally have better representation as Quebec will keep their current amount of M.P.s

I also wonder what the Olympics will do for the province as well. :)

Cheers