[maestro]

I've seen too much maximizing the lands potential in Canada. It almost always puts number of housing units above the people that will be living there. The surface parking lot is also large enough to add a couple high rises on a podium that could achieve that high population density desirability.

You'll get the same old block plan starting over from scratch. At least, there's potential for something different infilling around existing towers.

 

[Albertasaurus]

If the "bones" of the tower are good, seems to make sense refurbishing rather than demolishing. The parking lot that takes up the rest of the site is basically a rectangle that could easily accommodate hundreds more units, even in a 6 storey wood frame configuration.

 

[trtcttc]

Because the buildings are placed awkwardly on the land. I feel like they should break it up in a grid layout to maximize the land's potential. Perhaps allow for retail units. Basically, a proper redevelopment of the land for the 21st century.

That would be the most ideal, but I doubt the city's housing corp has that risk appetite to undertake the demolition/rebuild of the site. Few developers are that ambitious either to buy the remaining lots to build what's possible, just ask the numerous 5+1 wood frame that we see on high potential land.

 

[O-tac]

Looks like a decent design. I'm happy they're renovating rather then demolishing it. There's something to be said about variety and this modernist beast has a unique shape that new projects wouldn't have.

 

[Red Star]

Honestly, I'd rather see this thing torn down and the land reutilized more efficiently.

Seeing that the parcel is large, isn't there any way the City could divide up the parcel even more, sell off most of the divided land, and use the funds to subsidize a new taller tower on maybe a small corner space of the land? Just a thought.

View attachment 581044

Agreed.

I always thought that building was butt-ugly. It's an eye sore when coming into downtown. The size and scale never fit the context of the neighborhood. It didn't belong there when it was built in the early 70's and it still doesn't fit in today 50 years later.