Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Too Tall


The beauties of Venice are almost entirely man-made, including the very fact of the city itself, resting atop millions of timbers buried in the mud.

Above ground and water are palaces and paintings beyond price.

Little of the attraction of Vancouver is man-made. Our blessings here have always been nothing more arcane than the mountains and the water.

But our enlightened new City Planner has a different vision.

Brent Toderian says he will be proposing that the city allow four new extra-tall buildings on its skyline, including one with a potential height of 700 feet.

Thanks, Brent.

What are we, Dubai?

We need 700 foot towers in Vancouver so more bureaucrats can spend more of our tax money pushing paper on floor 69? Or more drug dealers can shoot each other in more apartments on floor 81?

Has anyone pinched Brent lately?

He needs to wake from his slumber.

9 comments:

Jeff Taylor said...

Like it or not, one of the main reasons height restrictions are being look at is because of the lack of land in Vancouver. Much of the city and the Lower Mainland for that matter, is surrounded by water. As the population and related Govt's continue to grow, yes, it's true things must go UP. I wouldn't worry too much though David, when I compare Vancouver to other North American cities, it would be hard to turn Vancouver ugly, especially because of the ocean, mountains, Stanley Park, various green spaces, cleanliness, and so on.

Anonymous said...

the building of tall buildings often precede a major recession.

Anonymous said...

David -- While I agree that the beauty of Vancouver does not come from our architecture, or what usually passes for architecture here, I have to ask, what about our mountains and water are 'arcane'? (lol)

adjective: known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric

Mo.

Anonymous said...

Why stop at 700 feet? Build the world's tallest building in Vancouver and call it "The Gordon Campbell Cock"!

Anonymous said...

growth growth growth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growthgrowth growth.

GROWTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Further to my growth comment, a fantastic column in the Tyee today: (and yesterday)

http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2009/12/08/ElephantsOfDoom/

Anonymous said...

Build the burbs!
Spread the joy!

Adam Nowek said...

If you want Vancouver to stop building skyscrapers, you better get people to stop wanting to live and work here.

Anonymous said...

There is a juvenile contention that building taller buildings makes a city "World Class" and world class cities are beautiful cities.

NADA

The trouble with Vancouver is that take away the mountains and Vancouver becomes an ugly city.

Though I operated a business in Vancouver for 23 years, I seldom venture to that "B movie" town any more.

It is ugly, the stores are plastic, the people boring, self centered zealots.

Vancouver is fast becoming a no-go town and after the hype and hoopla of the Olympics, Vancouver will revert to what it always has been, a rather nasty little burg, run by inbred politicians, who waste money on pet projects, while ignoring the real problems.

Building tall buildings just demonstrates Vancouver's "penis envy" and we all know "penis envy" hides deeper darker problems.

Evil Eye