View Single Post
  #18  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2009, 7:32 PM
Vancity's Avatar
Vancity Vancity is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Richmond, BC
Posts: 1,637
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr.x View Post
I think a good compromise would be to develop between the viaducts, the space between (a development like Toronto's Maple Leaf Square next to the ACC would be quite ideal)....especially the massive lot east of GM Place just across the street. And the Canucks should definitely get going with their office/hotel tower as part of the GM Place complex.


Maple Leaf Square

According to MLSE (though others sources cite slightly different figures), the two glass and precast concrete towers will be 65 stories, containing 872 residential units, a 169-room Hotel LeGermain Boutique Hotel, 230,000 square feet (21,000 m2) of office space, 110,000 square feet (10,000 m2) of retail space, a 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) daycare centre, a High-Definition theatre that will broadcast Leafs TV and Raptors NBA TV 24-hours a day, and four levels of underground parking with nearly 900 spaces. The retail complex will include a Longo's grocery, a 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) sports bar, a sports retail store, and a fine dining restaurant.[2] For residents, there will be a rooftop garden and swimming pool.




The developments between the viaducts would go a very long way to fill the void. And the viaducts could also be given some aesthetic improvements....it'll go a long way. For instance, some special lighting like what we're doing for the Canada Line guideway on No.3 Road or the Cambie Bridge lighting.
I agree. Maple Leafs Square is quite a wonderful project that Toronto's got. We do need to do something similar with our viaducts. I'm not so sure that demolishing the viaducts is such a good idea, it is, as one poster pointed out, one of the major routes in getting to downtown. With this being said, though, I noticed that some developers are beginning to built around the viaducts. I noticed much more condo development near and around the Granville bridge

I haven't actually seen any pictures of the special lighting for the Canada Line guideways. I think that was an experiment a while back ago, but I don't think they've installed those special lighting effects on the guideways, just yet (unless I'm incorrect, and they already have installed them). As for the Cambie bridge lighting - I haven't seen pics of that, either. Do you have any pics you could provide for us?

I've always found it interesting how we don't use the spots below the viaducts as basketball courts, or outdoor hockey rinks. They would provide shelter. I noticed that when I was in HK a number of years ago, they had many basketball courts built beneath their viaduct(s), to provide a place to play while it's raining. It would be a nice thing. Most of the basketball courts here are outdoors, and that doesn't help people if they want to play, and it's raining (and it often does here in our city).
Reply With Quote