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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