99 West Pender proposal
You probably didn’t know that the Budget Car rental shop at the corner of Pender and Abbott is owned by the Salient Group, the developer behind such projects as Paris Block, Garage and Terminus, among others.
Right now, the Budget shop is closed for “renovations,” but I am not sure if it will be re-opening after seeing architect Bing Thom’s proposal for the site.
The project will be a collaboration between the Salient Group and the Hungerford group. The height is expected to be about 225 ft., but final details are still being worked out. No doubt the development is capitalizing on the successes of the Woodwards project and the new Espana towers at International Village. This project will definitely change the face of Crosstown.
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- 99 West Pender proposal
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- 99 West Pender proposal
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- 99 West Pender proposal
Renderings courtesy Bing Thom Architects
I have to say – although I like most of Bing Thom’s work I don’t like this design. The building doesn’t relate in any way in scale or design to the surrounding neighborhood – I thought that was architecture 101.
Seems like he had a design leftover from Yaletown and decided to plop it into Gastown
If this is planned as part of the success of the Espana Towers of the Olympic village, I may need to change my definition of success. Last I looked, the olympic village couldn’t sell for love or money, and remains to this day, largely empty.
The building is beautiful, but surrounded by SRO’s and short heritage buildings of china Town like the former narrowest building in the world, this modern monolithic tower is a dominating giant that seeks to outdo it’s neighbours.
It does not fit in the neighbourhood. It looks like a West Pender outcast, not a Gastown icon.
It does not compliment the neighbourhood because it is so different, where’s the orange/red tones, where are the copper patinas, its just a modern building that could be anywhere. Put it in Yaletown.
Apparently this project is being re-designed.
this is perfect for the area it looks like a head hair shaver that saw the pawn shop on Hasting’s a few times ! ! Very Very !
You know Gastown needs to grow up and find some strength by mixing it up with the modern world that reaches for a future of new historical background and Gastown can shrink to a heritage tourist street while the rest grow with the real world all sentimentality will die as it ought to as this paradise is a paved parking lot for planning !
[...] previous design for the site by Bing Thom Architects was quite ambitious in design, and will likely be toned down [...]