One of the fun parts of my job is getting to talk to architects when they are really excited about a project. That was the case when I went down to see Mark Whitehead and Mark Thompson explain the plans they’ve developed for the old Canada Post building.
They clearly loved solving the puzzle of how to re-use such a huge building (115,000 square feet per floor) and how it could be re-designed to make it a people-activity generator. One of their ideas: create a set of steps along the sloped front of the building on Georgia Street and turn it into the kind of hangout place that has developed on the south-facing steps of the central library, but with even more attractions – some wooden seats built into the steps, plantings, a water feature.
It was also kind of relief to hear about a project where the owner is planning for almost three-quarters of the units to be rentals, without city incentives. Just because pension funds like rental buildings for the income stream.
More details in my story here.