Circa 1877 (née Brick Brewery) | 20 fl | Complete

[panamaniac]

If this is it's finished state, it's awful.

As expected, no?  It was no secret that the sides and backside were going to be brutal.

[cherrypark]

If this is it's finished state, it's awful.

If you look closely at the image, there are certainly more prefab faces to be painted, several of which will be the black/slate colour. Not that it will address the blocky look but they still have a bunch to go.

[tomh009]

It's the ugliest podium that I can think of in the region. And the non-glass part of the tower reminds me of a 1960s apartment building, and not in a good way.

I was hoping for so much more, this one is not so Hip at all.

[clasher]

I'd be happy to have a balcony instead of a wall of windows but it does look ugly.

[tomh009]

There are nicer ways to do balconies ... meh.

[Momo26]

1 bdrm+den+parking assignment going for $435k here. IIRC sold for about 310k 3 years ago precon. Just to gives folks an idea.

[creative]

I saw a painting crew onsite last week working on the backside facing the funeral home

[urbd]

I keep saying that we need a design review panel like they have in other cities, and maybe then we will see decent design. Unfortunately this is what we get when cities are desperate to see any development, they let builders get away with whatever they want. What an eyesore.

[dtkvictim]

I keep saying that we need a design review panel like they have in other cities, and maybe then we will see decent design. Unfortunately this is what we get when cities are desperate to see any development, they let builders get away with whatever they want. What an eyesore.

And who gets to be on the panel? What happens if the panel disagrees with the majority of the population? Should the minority who like, for example, this building not have the option to live in a place they like? I think, ideally, housing should be build proportionate to the populations tastes, but you are right that when people are desperate for housing this won't always happen.

It is an interesting question though. Just like all art, it's subjective. But disproportionately to most other art forms, it's imposed upon people against their will (people don't really get to choose where to work, or often even live). Should we only get the most watered down, bland, palatable to the masses construction?

[Momo26]

Pretty universally disliked design eh. I didn't realize how massive this building is until it was done and I was driving in behind Value Mart as well as walking around Uptown and being like where did that massive rectangular space object come from.

[mastermind]

I feel like the two sides are just begging for the developments on either side. Maybe the city agreed only to help encourage the neighbours to cover them up with more new buildings...

[hellocharliewest]

1 bdrm+den+parking assignment going for $435k here. IIRC sold for about 310k 3 years ago precon. Just to gives folks an idea.

How many square feet is that?

[westwardloo]

Personally I like it. I get the hate on for the parking podium. Although both side will see development in the future, so i am not worried. The proposal on the adult recreation site will cover that face of the wall entirely. so it is understandable that the developer didn't do much to make it appealing. I think that they should just commission an artist to do a mural on it and it won't be as offensive to some people on this forum. The curtain wall system is appears to be good quality. They went with black spandrel, which is always good when compared to the alternative options. (sea foam and Grey) The balconies are large and inset, so it doesn't have a bunch of useless tiny protruding balconies. The architect didn't do what it seem like every architect loved to do about 3 years ago and put a stupid hat on the building. The form of the building doesn't change with 6 floors to go. I honestly do not get the hate for this building. Yes it looked like a lot of concrete before they started painting, but its not finished.

[kwlifer]

Personally I like it. I get the hate on for the parking podium. Although both side will see development in the future, so i am not worried. The proposal on the adult recreation site will cover that face of the wall entirely. so it is understandable that the developer didn't do much to make it appealing. I think that they should just commission an artist to do a mural on it and it won't be as offensive to some people on this forum. The curtain wall system is appears to be good quality. They went with black spandrel, which is always good when compared to the alternative options. (sea foam and Grey) The balconies are large and inset, so it doesn't have a bunch of useless tiny protruding balconies. The architect didn't do what it seem like every architect loved to do about 3 years ago and put a stupid hat on the building. The form of the building doesn't change with 6 floors to go. I honestly do not get the hate for this building. Yes it looked like a lot of concrete before they started painting, but its not finished.

I agree, although I don't like the fact that from the corner of Caroline & Erb Street that it totally obscures the view of the Sun Life building (my favourite tall building in the KW area btw, hopefully to be replaced by Charlie and/or DTK)! If you were not familiar with the cities, from that vantage point, you would never know that it existed.

[JeffH]

I own a unit in this building and it is great.

During the walk through I was asking about the concrete facade at the parking garage and was told that HIP wanted to do some cool street art on this originally but was shut down by the city and their urban design guidelines.

Committees....they will always take the "safe" road

The building isn't complete yet.....but getting closer, at least it's not builder beige.