The only thing good coming out of this development is the grocer aspect since this area has been in need of one (that Independent down the street from here doesnt cut). As much as I like Farm Boy, hopefully it's not them. There's already enough of them clustered in the southern end of the core.
 
What a shame this could've been an outstanding build, if Graywood actually gave a damn for once in their lives and used quality materials.

Well, you're quite right than the materials ought to be better and that would have helped; but there is some seriously lazy architecture here in the way this building is laid out. Columns directly in front of windows..........ahem. There are more things wrong than just materials.


@Amare is lending voice to the frustrations of many here than this building isn't particularly attractive and that lazy/cheap execution, takes a flawed design and exacerbates those flaws by making them terribly obvious, even from a distance.

There's been plenty of discussion in the thread about various issues w/this building, and I would encourage you to read back through some of it, rather than rehash it all here. However, I will afford an example, on point with Amare's post:

1672682183870.png

The above is a picture from @Red Mars post on the previous page.

Look closely at the windows here. Not for too long as it may damage your eyes. You'll notice that the majority of the window area is not in fact 'window' as in vision glass through which one can see, but rather 'spandrel' (the opaque grey surface in this case, though spandrel can come in many different colours).

It looks cheap, its design-ethos (if one could say such a thing of it) does not match the podium level of the building at all which is meant to convey a 'warehouse' or Industrial loft vibe. This does no such thing.
Part of why you're seeing this is the placement of columns that I noted above, which they attempted to cover up. This, to my mind compounds the error of poor placement relative to the podium exterior design.
But you're also seeing a 'design' that simply doesn't even attempt to play well w/the rest of the podium; on top of which the colour choice is ghastly.

Suffice to say, there's a good deal else that's wrong here, but I'll leave it at that.

I will add one more thing though, as I think a comparison that shows you what this could have been is useful here. A logical comparison is another building nearby that attempted the same design language on its podium; but did so with care and quality materials.

Here's a picture of 55 Mercer by UT member @Undead

1672682664826.png


Notice well styled, attractive, on-point, spandrel-free windows, and a better layout of the precast brick that masks many of the seams. As opposed to the Greywood site above, which makes them glaringly obvious.
 
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@Northern Light pretty much sums it all up in a nice detailed manner.

This is just lazy design and execution work through and through. The spandrel lacing inside the precast brick section is a joke, the precast brick is misaligned in several sections, the colour selection used for the spandrel itself is atrocious, etc. These are just some of the more obvious issues with this build, nevermind the unfortunate streetwall we're about to be graced with.

I'm more critical of Graywood here since they've been delivering abysmal duds with their cheap cladding choices, and it's clear they dont care much about it because they plan on repeating the same messed up cladding design work with their planned upcoming builds.

This is a job NOT well done.
 
Notice well styled, attractive, on-point, spandrel-free windows, and a better layout of the precast brick that masks many of the seams. As opposed to the Greywood site above, which makes them glaringly obvious.
Well styled, attractive windows usually don't have balcony. Somehow they don't coexist with each other.
 
Well styled, attractive windows usually don't have balcony. Somehow they don't coexist with each other.

hmmm. I agree this is often the case; but I'm disinclined to accept that is always the case, or should be accepted as such.

Maybe we could take a look at the admittedly not yet built renderings for Quayside 2.0:

1672719603597.png


1672719627658.png


I'm not sure we can specifically assess the windows in the renders for 25 St. Mary, but overall I find it attractive and it certainly features balconies:

1672719753706.png



Which is not to suggest that you're wrong that they often don't co-exist. But I'm not sure that isn't merely a facet of lazy design rather than anything inherent.
 
Likely a Farm Boy, or at least a Sobeys brand. They were previously on for a spot at Metro Hall, but that seems to have changed.
The only thing good coming out of this development is the grocer aspect since this area has been in need of one (that Independent down the street from here doesnt cut). As much as I like Farm Boy, hopefully it's not them. There's already enough of them clustered in the southern end of the core.
It's not Farm Boy or any Sobeys brand. There are currently none of these in the core.
 
It's not Farm Boy or any Sobeys brand. There are currently none of these in the core.

You love opening these guessing games for people and having them nag you until you cave and tell them. I wasn't sure before, but now I see you do have a masochistic streak. LOL
 
You love opening these guessing games for people and having them nag you until you cave and tell them. I wasn't sure before, but now I see you do have a masochistic streak. LOL
ProjectEnd-san shops at NDA and Redacted. Fine retail chains that nobody will ever know about... >.<
 

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