07-28-2020, 08:19 AM
(07-27-2020, 07:23 PM)taylortbb Wrote:I completely agree. The podium is visually okay, but the effect of the planting between the sidewalk and the podium, and the business entrance being to the side gives it a somewhat less urban feel for me. The plantings would be far better next to the curb providing a buffer between the sidewalk and the street.(07-27-2020, 03:19 PM)Acitta Wrote: Ground level rendering from the website. https://images.ctfassets.net/40dvx7jqs1c...jpg?w=2500
The new podium look is a huge improvement, far better interaction with the street. If developments can be like this all along King St it would really be one continuous retail strip from downtown to uptown.
At the same time, why do developers put grass/flower sections between the building and the store front?! It greatly reduces the visibility of the store front, and I'd much rather have the greenery between the sidewalk and road, or a wider sidewalk. I think the part of walking along King St in downtown or uptown that makes walking so much more enjoyable is looking in the windows of all the different businesses. I feel like we apply suburban setback requirements because we can't imagine building to the property line anymore, and then don't encourage developers to treat them as a wider sidewalk (1 Victoria is one of the rare examples of doing this correctly IMO).