Quote:
Originally Posted by shermanator
I couldn't disagree with you more here.
The site in question is one of the few full blocks of preserved history this city has left. They have some of the few venues downtown that people want to be around after working hours. We have so little history in this city precisely because we have torn it down over the last 5 decades, bit by bit.
It would be an absolute shame to tear this block down to build yet another bland high rise tower that will be cheaped out on once oil prices drop again. And I don't think this will be the catalyst to anything except even higher office vacancies and a further depressed condo market.
Here are a few examples of what we've lost in the last 15 years. Most examples saw a building that needed some TLC bought, neglected and torn down in favour of shiny new skyscraper that made the developer a tonne of money. Individually no cause for alarm, but many examples over decades it leads to a soulless downtown that is avoided after working hours.
|
Muta has zero idea just how many class C buildings need to be torn down, and how many surface parking lots there are waiting to be sold.
Right now there is zero reason to tear anything historical down, and there probably never was any reason.
Quote:
|
Penny Lane Mall torn down to become Eighth Avenue Place
|
To be fair, PLM was falling apart. Near the end of its life, the first floor became crooked. Not sure how that happens.
Brookfield and The Bow added way too much office space. Those two buildings alone added an extra 25% of total office space to the DCD. Having said that Brookfield attracted a lot of businesses and I think it's mostly full. The Bow of course is another story. And now there's a lot of class B and C buildings that have lots of space.