CF Pacific Centre Developments

[officedweller]

Cadillac Fairview now has a website up:

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Here's the retail floorplan at that site (with what could be 2 escalators up to Nordstrom in the mall corridor):


http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

A close-up of the new office lobby:


http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Office terrace:

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Office atrium view:

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Full floor tenant:

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Open concept floorplan:

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Enclosed office concept (law firm):

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

Multi-tenant floorplan:

http://www.725granville.com/Pages/default.aspx

[trofirhen]

The CF website says (among other things) that "GLAMOUROUS NEW RETAIL HITS ROBSON" (?)

Ummmm, if this is "glamourous," then what would be "dull and pedestrian?" (I shudder to think.........)

[LeftCoaster]

In English the adjective refers to the subject of the sentence.

In this case the subject is the retail.

Not the architecture, which isn't even mentioned...

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

In English the adjective refers to the subject of the sentence.

In this case the subject is the retail.

Not the architecture, which isn't even mentioned...

Pardon my poor syntax. Seriously, though, looking at the Robson Street side of the new building, where is all this "glamourous retail?" (such as Givenchy, Dior, Balmain ....) It seems to be largely a modern, empty façade to me. I may be totally wrong, of course, but I was not directly critiquing the architecture (though one could), but rather, making an inferred question as to where all this chic new retail on Robson, housed in the new Nordstrom building, is. I can't seem to see much, as it appears to be mostly a blank wall. That's all I meant.

OK OK, I'll footnote that. Looking again at the website, it seems that there will in fact be glamourous new retail ... but all inside the building itself. The streetside seems to have no fashionable storefronts opening onto it, which is a shame.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

"glamourous retail

That speaks to the identity of the stores ... which they say will be "first to market"
- meaning the first branches of (probably) US stores within Metro Vancouver.

[Valley_Refugee]

Trofirhen, this is a bit nitpicky, even for you!

[Hourglass]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

The CF website says (among other things) that "GLAMOUROUS NEW RETAIL HITS ROBSON" (?)

Ummmm, if this is "glamourous," then what would be "dull and pedestrian?" (I shudder to think.........)

Lol @trofirhen, that's why it's called marketing. You think CF is going to attract any retailers if they wrote: "Gloomy below-ground retail space with low ceilings and narrow corridors in uninspired, bland makeover of Vancouver's Great White Urinal?"

I think the redesign is a missed opportunity, but the end result could've been worse. A lot worse.

[Metro-One]

OK, i think you guys are being a little too hard on Trofirhen right now, kind of a bandwagon bashing going on here.

Many forum members make similar comments regarding advertising campaigns to do with countless projects in Metro Vancouver.

And he is right, this is a terribly missed opportunity. I agree it is better than what we have now, but the Granville side and Robson / Granville corner are incredibly disappointing and make no attempt to blend in with the atmosphere and theme of the location.

[deasine]

I thought this would have been a perfect opportunity to open more areas up to the Canada Line station but judging from the floor plans, it doesn't seem like that's happening. Not that there isn't enough area at Vancouver City Centre right now, but it would be nice to have a larger, much more open concourse.

[Metro-One]

That is another major missed opportunity. I was hoping to have a second entrance / exit built on the south side of the platform, akin to Waterfront's design. oh well...

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

In English the adjective refers to the subject of the sentence.

In this case the subject is the retail.

Not the architecture, which isn't even mentioned...

I wouldn't criticize his grammar. Have you seem the grammar/typos on the website? It looks like a fourth-grader wrote the text.

[SpongeG]

too many store entrances make a nightmare for security, much easier for them to be housed inside nordstrom, they can make use of the windows at least

[Darren Tate]

Really not getting all the hate for this makeover. It's an office/retail complex, not an addition to the Louvre. CF needs to get paying tenants in ASAP, the building can't sit vacant—not making money—until a more awe-inspiring design (whatever that is) is eventually conceived. When all the factors are considered (like cost, timeline, marketability, design challenges, etc) it all makes sense why it looks the way it looks. That being said, I still think the building looks pretty decent in its own right.

[Metro-One]

We are not asking for a complete redesign, just a little acknowledgment towards the theme of Granville Street. For example, look at Future Shop and Winners across the street. How much extra time and money would it really cost them to simply add a couple screen and / or more interesting signage / lighting effects to the Granville side of their proposal??? Not very much.

You would think Pacific Centre, being an underground mall, would actually want a little big of advertisement via an outdoor screen or two...

[dreambrother808]

Maybe it's a matter of taste and your preferences just aren't held by those in charge of this redesign. Not a big deal and not the hardest thing to accept really.

I am totally fine with the design. It's not stunning but it has some nice features and an overall level of quality that vastly improves upon what is already there. Most of us seem to have already aired our opinions. Do we then need post upon post repeating the same things over and over? It's done, it's happening, it's not the end of the world, let's move on.

[Hed Kandi]

..

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

OK OK, I'll footnote that. Looking again at the website, it seems that there will in fact be glamourous new retail ... but all inside the building itself. The streetside seems to have no fashionable storefronts opening onto it, which is a shame.

Problem is the ground floor is Nordstroms not CRU, and Nordstrom is not interested in having open windows and doors everywhere on the ground floor, it's just not how department stores operate. I'm hoping that the Granville facade gets a ton of show windows, which I expect will happen, but the details haven't been ironed out yet.

Originally Posted by Hourglass

Lol @trofirhen, that's why it's called marketing. You think CF is going to attract any retailers if they wrote: "Gloomy below-ground retail space with low ceilings and narrow corridors in uninspired, bland makeover of Vancouver's Great White Urinal?"

I think the redesign is a missed opportunity, but the end result could've been worse. A lot worse.

Well to be honest outside of a few ultra high end retailers that space is the most coveted in the city. The list of retailers trying to get into Pacific Centre's space constrained mall is miles long.

Originally Posted by Metro-One

That is another major missed opportunity. I was hoping to have a second entrance / exit built on the south side of the platform, akin to Waterfront's design. oh well...

AFAIK it is still an option if translink gets the money/sees the need.

On CFs end it would only involve punching through the CRU. I would imagine the work is much more intense on Translinks end which is probably why it isn't being considered.

Originally Posted by EdinVan

I wouldn't criticize his grammar. Have you seem the grammar/typos on the website? It looks like a fourth-grader wrote the text.

I didnt criticize his grammar. I merely stated that he had read the statement on the website wrong. I would never criticize someones grammar on an internet forum, given how little I often care about my grammar/spelling etc...

Originally Posted by Metro-One

We are not asking for a complete redesign, just a little acknowledgment towards the theme of Granville Street. For example, look at Future Shop and Winners across the street. How much extra time and money would it really cost them to simply add a couple screen and / or more interesting signage / lighting effects to the Granville side of their proposal??? Not very much.

You would think Pacific Centre, being an underground mall, would actually want a little big of advertisement via an outdoor screen or two...

It's not a matter of cost. Nordstrom doesn't want screens cluttering up their facade and why would CF put screens on the corner of its office space, thereby rendering the most desirable corner office suites more or less compromised.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

This is probably going to sound a bit stupid but where exactly is the 558,000 sq ft expansion going to be?

It's a bit of a stretch but this is the expansion. Since Sears currently isn't part of Pacific Centre but was a 99 year lease the space is now coming back into CF's control and is in a way an expansion of the centre.

Kind of a BS stretch of the term I agree, you can thank marketing for that one.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Problem is the ground floor is Nordstroms not CRU, and Nordstrom is not interested in having open windows and doors everywhere on the ground floor, it's just not how department stores operate. I'm hoping that the Granville facade gets a ton of show windows, which I expect will happen, but the details haven't been ironed out yet.



Well to be honest outside of a few ultra high end retailers that space is the most coveted in the city. The list of retailers trying to get into Pacific Centre's space constrained mall is miles long.



AFAIK it is still an option if translink gets the money/sees the need.

On CFs end it would only involve punching through the CRU. I would imagine the work is much more intense on Translinks end which is probably why it isn't being considered.



I didnt criticize his grammar. I merely stated that he had read the statement on the website wrong. I would never criticize someones grammar on an internet forum, given how little I often care about my grammar/spelling etc...



It's not a matter of cost. Nordstrom doesn't want screens cluttering up their facade and why would CF put screens on the corner of its office space, thereby rendering the most desirable corner office suites more or less compromised.

First part, after the renovations are complete, how much more difficult would it be for Translink to do so?

Second part, the idea of screens is just an example. If they don't wan't screens, so be it, but again a little more colour / light / signage would be very welcomed, such as another Pacific Centre vertical sign akin to what they have a block north near H&M along the Granville side instead of just the one dark black Nordstrom sign.

Again, don't hate the redesign, just feel the Granville side is a little insulting to the atmosphere of the street.

Oh, and dreambrother808, I will keep airing this opinion on here until the project is fully complete, and you know what, maybe after then as well, because the problem is still there There are many, many, many other threads where the same dissatisfactions towards projects keeps coming up (materials on the Mark, building the Evergreen Line before the Broadway Line for a couple examples) so why should I just roll over and die on this one? Cheers mate

[SpongeG]

the way the nordstrom sign is - is their identity and brand they wouldn't change it from what it is

that would be like mcdonalds changing its golden arch to blue or something - just plain weird