Victoria Construction - #7

[Phil McAvity]

Originally Posted by DKaz

There's nothing wrong with building multiple town centres, but I just wish they'd build more office towers downtown and residential mid to high rises in the Landmark area.

There is if you're like me and you like looking at city skylines

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

There is if you're like me and you like looking at city skylines

True. Metro Vancouver has the luxury of multiple town centres because they already developed their first one.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by DKaz

True. Metro Vancouver has the luxury of multiple town centres because they already developed their first one.

I think it's more like the first one (downtown Vancouver) refuses to grow anymore, so the suburbs are picking up the slack.

For Victoria, the current densification of the old town area with shorter buildings is going in the right direction, although I wish more buildings are built in the classical style to match the existing ones in the area. Victoria should never put skyscrapers in the old town area or it risks losing its old world European-style charm: something that sets it apart from so many other Canadian cities. A new skyline can be established a little further away, preferably north of Chinatown, all the way to Midtown/Uptown. Unfortunately, it seems like the City wants to preserve the industrial lands along Douglas, so I don't see much happening there in the near future.

[Apey]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Great photos. Would love to see this quality of development happening in Kelowna, but population wise they're a bit under half way there.

General question, does Metro Victoria feel like a small big city (or big small city)? Like it still has a friendly small town like atmosphere but has enough big city amenities that you feel like you never have to leave? I'm moving back to Kelowna but wonder if I should've considered Victoria. I've always enjoyed visiting the city.

Coming from a large metropolis like Toronto, I'm often quoted saying what a one horse town Victoria is. As on some occasions when needed amenities are not available like a 24 hr dry cleaner, city seems to shut down by 12 am or earlier. Often wishing buses ran longer or 24 hr transit options!

But I also love the small town feel over all, like smaller businesses that get to know you on a personal one on one basis, so when they are closed on Sunday's no one really questions it, it just seems normal. Also find there seems to be relatively low crime rate, gangs, that kinda thing that seem to plague larger cities. Taking a taxi across town is in my opinion so much cheaper and quicker; then what you'd expect to pay in a larger city just to go a few blocks, which could take hours in some cases! Let me know what your thoughts are? Or your opinions on what I or anyone had to say in regards to this question asked!

[craneSpotter]

New proposal - I can see the need for a new hotel/vacation rental space downtown - given the occupancy rates here lately. I hope this is approved and we get some better renderings soon. The last high-rise hotel built in Victoria was the Marriott Inner Harbour, back in 2004 I think.

This project includes renovation of the historic Montrose building (1912) currently on the site.


20-storey hotel plan for Blanshard St. pitched as downtown landmark

https://www.timescolonist.com/news/l...ark-1.24064535




img: D'Ambrosio Architecture

the Montrose building :



img: Canada's Historic places

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by melissasandever

Coming from a large metropolis like Toronto, I'm often quoted saying what a one horse town Victoria is. As on some occasions when needed amenities are not available like a 24 hr dry cleaner, city seems to shut down by 12 am or earlier. Often wishing buses ran longer or 24 hr transit options!

But I also love the small town feel over all, like smaller businesses that get to know you on a personal one on one basis, so when they are closed on Sunday's no one really questions it, it just seems normal. Also find there seems to be relatively low crime rate, gangs, that kinda thing that seem to plague larger cities. Taking a taxi across town is in my opinion so much cheaper and quicker; then what you'd expect to pay in a larger city just to go a few blocks, which could take hours in some cases! Let me know what your thoughts are? Or your opinions on what I or anyone had to say in regards to this question asked!

Insightful post! I lived in Vancouver for 22 years which doesn't have any more 24 hour establishments than Kelowna did, so I never wondered about 24 hour dry cleaners lol. The one I did count on every once in awhile, Shoppers Drug Mart, ended the 24 hour format nationwide so I was kind of sad about that.

I wasn't aware that Toronto had 24 hour businesses. I know New York City does, I went to the Fifth Ave Apple Store at 2 in the morning once just to say I did, more a novelty than anything. The subway system ran 24 hours although not the express trains just so they could do maintenance on 2 of the 4 tracks. I think that's one issue in Toronto and Vancouver, no parallel express tracks to continue running some trains while being able to do maintenance.

I'm in Edmonton right now and I find it overwhelmingly big sometimes. I like my small big cities. I found myself gravitating towards communities in the Edmonton area that felt like small cities within the city. Ritchie is a great one, same with 124 St district. But I'll be back in Kelowna in a couple of months. I wish I realized how dry Victoria was and looked there as well especially since I'm a motorcyclist who loves to ride year round if possible, but I loved Kelowna dearly so it's certainly a good choice.

[vicdevelopments]

Thanks an awesome looking building proposed. I hope it gets approved. We have lost a couple of large hotels over the past ten years too.

[DKaz]

That Blanchard St. hotel does look amazing.

[VantageHD]

Great looking hotel proposal.

[Apey]

Originally Posted by craneSpotter

New proposal - I can see the need for a new hotel/vacation rental space downtown - given the occupancy rates here lately. I hope this is approved and we get some better renderings soon. The last high-rise hotel built in Victoria was the Marriott Inner Harbour, back in 2004 I think.

This project includes renovation of the historic Montrose building (1912) currently on the site.


20-storey hotel plan for Blanshard St. pitched as downtown landmark

https://www.timescolonist.com/news/l...ark-1.24064535




img: D'Ambrosio Architecture

the Montrose building :



img: Canada's Historic places

Hope this proposal goes through! Looks like from the renders this will be a great addition to down town!

[vicdevelopments]

I agree Melissa. I saw the crane at the Hudson condo coming down today.

[aastra]

The rust cladding on IronWorks (pic by MarkoJ at vibrantvictoria.ca)



*****

Hudson Place One (pic by MarkoJ at vibrantvictoria.ca)

[Phil McAvity]

The original story I posted about this potential hotel said it was going to be 15 stories and 215 feet tall which I questioned because it made no sense but if it's going to be 20 stories than that makes more sense

[vicdevelopments]

I hope it gets approved at 20 stories. It’s an exciting proposal.

[aastra]

Vivid on Johnson Street by Biro over at vibrantvictoria.ca



***

Customs House also by Biro at vibrantvictoria.ca



***

1400 Quadra with Vivid/Yates on Yates in background, also also by Biro at vibrantvictoria.ca

[vicdevelopments]

That last photo is really cool. I was out in North Saanich today and when I was turning onto the highway at Beacon I noticed a tower crane in Sidney. Does anyone know what it’s building?

[aastra]

Aren't there a bunch of lowrise buildings in the works in Sidney? For a while there we were seeing new projects on VibrantVictoria with such frequency that I was inclined to ask if the projects were actually happening or if it was all just smoke and mirrors.

But apparently some of them are actually happening. It would be nice if somebody did a walkabout.

(with a camera)

(and then posted the pics online for others to see)

[aastra]

Apparently the crane for the 9837 Third Street project went up in November of last year?

[vicdevelopments]

Thanks for the feedback. That’s a pretty big development for Sidney.

[vicdevelopments]

I called Bayview the other day and asked them if they had a schedule date for starting construction on their tower 4. They said there was no date for beginning construction.