Posting a small update here as I went by today. I will be doing one of my big construction updates in early- to mid-September.

http://www.commutebyrail.org/stuff/london/ren20-sm.jpg http://www.commutebyrail.org/stuff/london/ren21-sm.jpg http://www.commutebyrail.org/stuff/london/ren22-sm.jpg

This building is now becoming more and more visible the more it rises.

I clearly saw it from Comissioners and Warncliffe today. It seems to add a lot more bulk to the skyline from that vantage point.

I'll get a photo... sometime.

They just raised the crane as well. I'm now able to see it from my hallway window.

http://i.imgur.com/KFLwp.jpg

wow that thing is moving up fast. just a few more infill towers and we'll have a proud skyline.

It's nice to see the second Renaissance tower rising so quickly, but man does it look ugly from the east/west! :yuck: It may look alright on the north/south faces, but the slimmer sides are nothing but a plain grid of windows with a drab grey background, compared to the first tower which at least had 2 strips of glass on either end. I actually grew to enjoy the first Renaissance tower, but now I'm just finding it hard to stomach more than one.

The east/west sides do look pretty plain, but I think once the setbacks are built at the top the bland walls won't look nearly as bad. I think the eye will immediately travel to the setbacks and slanted roof, as apposed to noticing the repetitive windows.

I still feel like the Renaissance 2 tower will end up looking better than Ren 1. The podium on the other hand...

Couple from today, only about 10 more floors until it's topped out.

http://i.imgur.com/9a1OI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tfjxo.jpg

The second one isn't supposed to be as tall as the first phase right?

Nope, same height. Yet another pair of twins for the city.

Nice photo bolognium! Never seen it from that vantage point!

So ugly. London is stuck in the 70s in so many ways.

They might not be groundbreakingly beautiful, but they are adding density to downtown London and that has to count for something. :tup:

Density will come in time, but these ugly towers make a statement that London is content with 70's crap. We have so many blocks of twin tower concrete crap. Why is this still happening in 2012 when cities our size and smaller are building so much better? I am now less interested in height than I am in design.

I actually think the Renaissance towers look good... compared to other concrete slabs that is. :P

I do not think they are that bad...for a concrete tower they look quite good actually.

Also not that I disagree as I would love to see a nice 30+ story glass residential in downtown london what city this size is doing better, certainly not Kitchener?

So what you are saying is that Kitchener is getting just as ugly buildings? I think not.

http://www.auburndev.com/files/22031...010-0511-3.jpg

Have any better pictures,? From a rendering like that I would suggest the Crown on King London looks just as good.

Fact is the Renaissance buildings are a step in the right direction for the downtown core...they certainly could have been nicer but for a 28 story concrete building they look great.

Nicer glass condo's will come once the Renaissance buildings are finished.

From what I've seen, proposals in London have become more attractive since the city introduced the urban design review panel. I think we'll see a big difference in the future.

Too bad we'll just have to live with the Renaissance. It's just butt ugly.

The Crown is much nicer, though.

The Barrel Yards had so much potential but instead we got this. Let this be a lesson to never let a single developer take over such a huge parcel of land.