Sunday, February 24, 2013

Telus Garden, Vancouver

http://www.telusgarden.com/TelusGarden.html (TG)
Despite all the hubbub, this building will hardly make a big impression upon the Canadian skyline. In fact, unless it were permitted to have an extra 20 - 30 floors, it will just be another one of the shorter tall buildings in Canada. http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=58275201&page=9,
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/03/telus-gardens-residential-tower

"With architecture by Vancouver-based firm Henriquez Partners Architects, TELUS Garden will transform and revitalize the Robson block with this development, which includes a new 24 floor, 500,000 square foot signature office tower and a new 53 floor, 450,000-square foot residential tower, with a three-level retail podium with shops, services, and amenities, plus a public plaza."
http://www.hellovancity.com/2012/03/18/telus-garden-quick-facts-price-floorplans-features-downtown-vancouver-new-condo-development

According to this site, the residential tower wont be 53 floors, it will only have 46 floors above the ground.
http://www.emporis.com/building/telus-garden-residential-tower-vancouver-canada
I wished that TG could have been between 55 to 65 stories, but Vancouver isn't allowed to be a big & tall city, yet.

Perhaps the TG has the potential to have a few more residential floors, but given Vancouver's strict height limitations, TG is around the same height as, the Tour Telus in Montreal & the Telus Plaza Tower in Edmonton. Being both office towers, they only have 34 floors. Look how the Tour Telus is one of the shorter big buildings in the Province of Quebec. The one in Edmonton is even less significant when compared to the tallest buildings in Alberta. It doesn't even make it onto the first page of Alberta's tallest. All 3 Telus towers still make it onto page=9, for now.

http://about.telus.com/community/english/news_centre/news_releases/blog/2012/06/07/telus-garden-construction-work-awarded-to-bc-companies

http://www.604presale.com/telus-garden-downtown,
http://vancouverisawesome.com/2012/04/04/building-blocks-telus-garden

Even the tallest buildings in BC barely makes it onto the 2nd or 3rd pages.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=58275201&offset=25
More than ever, Toronto, Calgary & Montreal can't stay at a small BC building mentality.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?countryID=1
Australia surpassed the small building scale of BC long ago & their cities are still considered to be just as scenic as anything in Canada.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=58762037&page=1

http://the-intersection-point.blogspot.ca/2013/03/telus-garden-towers.html
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Seattle, Vancouver and Calgary

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/5988496694_9937348af5_b.jpg
If this building was in Vancouver, it would be the tallest office tower in the city. In terms of height, it would currently be the 2nd tallest building in BC, as of 2020. Seattle hasn't used its scenic setting as an excuse to hold back the city to the extent that Vancouver, BC has.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seattlemunicipalarchives/5988496694
The Safeco_Plaza was Seattle's first 50 story office tower to open before 1970.
http://www.pnwarchitecture.com/Building/4953/Safeco-Plaza.php
There was just too much fear of ever allowing a 50 or even a 40 story office tower in Vancouver before 1970. Just to consider the possibility of Vancouver allowing an office building to reach 30 stories was difficult. Eventually, the 30 story TD_Tower was completed in 1972 & as of 2013 no BC office building has been permitted to have a 60th, 50th or even a 40th floor.
The Columbia_Center became Seattle's first office tower to rise above 75 stories in 1985.
http://pinterest.com/pin/182818066093890434

The Seattle Smith_Tower opened in 1914 & the Royal_Centre_(Vancouver) opened in 1973. The RBC was the first office building in BC permitted to have more than 35 floors.
While the LC_Smith_Tower has almost become a stump in Seattle, it would still be among, if not the tallest of the office towers in Vancouver.
http://pinterest.com/thesmithtower/how-smith-tower-sees-itself,
http://pauldorpat.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1968-CBD-FM-BH-GoweyWEB.jpg,
http://pauldorpat.com/archivepage/seattle-now-then-piners-point-and-plummers-bay

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattle-history/slideshow/P-I-archives-Aerial-views-of-Seattle-6694.php#photo-771850,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bishopsgreen/2490023088/in/photostream




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Monday, February 18, 2013

Heavy Rail and Light Rail Transit Systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commuter_rail_in_North_America,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_subway_and_RT#Future_expansion,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Metro#Future_projects


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_rail_in_Canada#Light_rail_systems_by_city
So far since the late 1950s, Vancouver hasn't been allowed to have a network of trams or streetcars on a scale of what's in Melbourne, Toronto and San Francisco  Its been impossible for Vancouver to catchup to those cities, but more & more people are starting to realize something. In addition to grade separated heavy rail & light rail systems, trams are great for local transit trips. Trams or streetcars are like a bus on train tracks. Trams can be linked into 2 or more units & are usually longer than any articulated bus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_rapid_transit#Main_features,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_City#Light_rail_transit,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_Street_Subway,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muni_Metro#Routes,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_streetcar_system#Routes

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2013/02/11/light-rail-transit-has-a-high-operating-cost-per-service-hour/

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2012/05/03/richmond-wanted-skytrain/

http://skytrainforsurrey.org/2013/02/06/skytrain-creates-more-accessible-communities-the-importance-of-advocating-for-the-right-transit-technology/

http://getthebiggerpicture.wa.gov.au/light-rail/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_transit_in_Germany#U-Bahn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_infrastructure#Subsurface_versus_deep-level_tube_lines

Unlike most urban regions, the Vancouver & BC mentality is about keeping trains, roads & buildings smaller than what's common in most cities. However, things are slowly changing.
http://the-intersection-point.blogspot.ca/2013/02/vancouvers-second-tallest-skyscraper.html
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Vancouver’s Second Tallest Building (188m-617 feet)

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/02/vancouvers-second-tallest-skyscraper-to-be-trump-tower

It will have the highest floor count in BC but is 2nd tallest BC tower in height at 188m or 617 feet.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=1
Here is how it lines up with some of Canada's taller buildings.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=59334867&page=3
Nothing in BC rivals whats on this page or especially on this page.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/commercial-real-estate/Donald+Trump+eyes+Vancouver+presence+site/7982041/story.html

Unlike Calgary & Seattle, its been quite difficult for Vancouver to enter the urban big league. Most major urban centres have taller buildings, longer trains & wider roads than what's in Vancouver. Sometimes all 3 urban elements.

Although it will have about 10 more floors than this Australian building it wont be quite as tall.
A 188m is hardly among the tallest in Australia.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=59334906&page=2

For many, a summer Olympics is just another big wast of money. However, such big name events usually implies that a city has become a bustling metropolis.
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/08/vancouver-summer-olympic-games-part-i

http://the-intersection-point.blogspot.ca/2013/02/heavy-rail-and-light-rail-transit.html

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Saturday, February 16, 2013

CentrePort Canada


http://www.centreportcanada.ca/about-us/gateways

http://www.ccwproject.ca, http://www.ccwproject.ca/photo-gallery

http://www.winnipeginlandport.ca, http://www.gov.mb.ca/mit/centreport

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/cash-puts-centreport-on-track-163273126.html

http://www.asiapacificgateway.gc.ca/investments-map/mainmap_e.html

http://www.ccwproject.ca/project-maps/south-project-area

http://the-intersection-point.blogspot.ca/2013/02/south-fraser-perimeter-road.html
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Friday, February 15, 2013

BC: South Fraser Perimeter Road

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Fraser_Perimeter_Road

http://www.sfprconstruction.ca

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/gateway/sfpr/sfpr.htm

http://www.straight.com/news/south-fraser-perimeter-road-opening-traffic-despite-opposition

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/releases-2013-h004e-7036.htm

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/projects/OngoingProjects/DTRRIP.aspx

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/projects/OngoingProjects/Deltaport_Third_Berth_Project.aspx

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/port2050.aspx

http://the-intersection-point.blogspot.ca/2013/02/centreport-canada.html
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Friday, February 01, 2013

Explosion and fire Devastates Pemex HQ in Mexico City

http://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/55896/Fatal-explosion-and-fire-devastates-Pemex-HQ-in-Mexico-City.aspx?AreaID=2

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/31/mexico-americas

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/01/us-mexico-pemex-idUSBRE90U1FF20130201

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21288214,
http://www.infopig.com/keywords/explosion.html

http://www.euronews.com/2013/02/01/casualties-expected-to-rise-in-fatal-mexico-city-tower-explosion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Ejecutiva_Pemex:
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?countryID=23

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18170525
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