[Fairfield] Essencia Verde condo (formerly Castana) | 4- & 3-storeys | Completed in 2010

[gumgum]

Just thought I'd start a Castana thread.
Maybe someday our great-grandchildren will witness the groundbreaking.

Here's pics of the original model. Obviously the townhouse aspect is no more. But I have yet to see what the new rendering will look like:
[url=http://imageshack.us:e7f96][/url:e7f96]
[url=http://imageshack.us:e7f96][/url:e7f96]
[url=http://imageshack.us:e7f96][/url:e7f96]

[gumgum]

Related links:
http://castana.ca/
http://www.oliphantcook.com/
http://www.cookstreetvillage.ca/

[gumgum]

The latest rendering:
[url=http://imageshack.us:10598][img]http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8858/castana4le7.jpg[/img][/url:10598]

[gumgum]

What the lot roughly looks like today: (Courtesy of Holden)
[url=http://imageshack.us:d8f88][/url:d8f88]

[Holden West]

Except they've cleaned up the graf and put a fence around the site (but not a fancy decorative fence like Councillor Madoff requested at the Council meeting).

[gumgum]

Listen to The July 31st CBC radio interview with John Campos, the Fairfield Community Association's president about Castana:
http://www.cbc.ca/ontheisland/media/200 ... IRFIEL.ram

[Scaper]

that's the first time I have seen those renderings...thanks for sharing.

[aastra]

My favourite quote from that radio interview:

So you're reminded constantly of this new reality when it comes to developments, that some of them are getting built...and many are not.

Um, that should be "most of them are getting built, but some are not".

Folks, if you want the silly thing to get built then work with the developer and get it built.

It seems unbelievable to me that such an innocuous little project has been put through the wringer like this.

It's also funny to me that the guys in the interview are lamenting getting stuck with parking lots. What about all of the existing parking lots that people defend tooth and nail when developers (finally) decide to build on them? You can't hate parking lots in one instance and celebrate them in another.

[Holden West]

It was mentioned at the public hearing earlier this summer that Food Country was to vacate the building in mid-October to make way for renovations into retail shops.

Today, I asked the check-out girl if that schedule was still on track and she looked at me as if I had asked her when the Martians were coming. She said there were no plans to close the store. In fact they're still hiring for several departments.

So I don't know what the hell's going on. Max has permission to go ahead with the reno.

[gumgum]

Yeah and did you notice the signs that not only are they now not only looking for cashiers, but a manager as well?

[gumgum]

Here's the PDF for the proposed changes to phase 1 for the Septemeber 28th council meeting:
http://www.cookstreetvillage.ca/pdf/application.pdf
Not too many changes as far as more family oriented units are concerned.
I plan to extract some of these and post zoomed images of the plan pages once I get access to a program that can extract pdf's to jpegs.
I can't make it to the council meeting. Anyone planning on going, and taking pics? Huh, huh?

[gumgum]

With regards to Food Coutry: they must be keeping it, period. And keeping it open while an expansion happens.

[Holden West]

I guess Max figured there's so much bad blood now, residents would likely boycott the high-end retailers he had planned for the Food Country site.

I guess this is good news since a supermarket is more useful than a gelato shop and a scented candle store, but still--this whole process has been a debaucle.

[gumgum]

This whole thing is such a mess.
But this is good IF F.C. stays open. I know a lot of fans of Oxford Foods, but I personally think it's garbagio. Hopefully this theoretical expansion of F.C. will fill the gaps other grocery stores have filled as far as selection is concerned.

[gumgum]

I'm curious how residents actually feel about Castana. Espescailly after all this time. Does the FCA reflect the attitudes of residents of Fairfield? I don't think so. No one I know in the area has spoken negati,vely about the project, other than the fact that it's taken so long to fill that god-damn hole.

[Holden West]

Hmmm...I know one fan of Oxford Foods...



I'd like this renovation more if a floor of residential were being added.

[gumgum]

Isn't that where he gets his meat and potatoes?
KIDDING! Teehee! :-D

[Oxford Sutherland]

I actually prefer Food Country.

Neither are very interesting though.

I find Oxford Foods to be kind of depressing, much like the Wellburns on Pandora & Cook.

Victoria needs an Urban Fare.

[Oxford Sutherland]

I suspect the new Thrifty Foods in the Tuscany Disneyland in Gordon Head might be somewhat like Urban Fare.

[gumgum]

I bet Food Country will tranform itself into a Market On Yates.

[Oxford Sutherland]

That Food Country development really leaves me wanting more.

I say tear it down, put underground parking, do the retail part properly (instead of just renovated), then put 1 or 2 floors of residential above. Done.

[Holden West]

^Agreed.

And saying you prefer Food Country to Oxford Foods is like saying you prefer the AMC Pacer to the Gremlin.

The old Chinese guy in the tweed jacket that owns Oxford is a riot, though.

[Oxford Sutherland]

Originally Posted by Holden West

saying you prefer Food Country to Oxford Foods is like saying you prefer the AMC Pacer to the Gremlin.

So true :smt042

[FunkyMunky]

Originally Posted by gumgum

Here's the [url=http://www.cookstreetvillage.ca/pdf/application.pdf:7a42f]PDF[/url:7a42f] for the proposed changes to Phase 1 for the September 28th council meeting.... I plan to extract some of these and post zoomed images of the plan pages once I get access to a program that can extract pdf's to jpegs.

Here are a couple of pages done just until you find the right program. It's easy on Mac.

Castana Page 12 - South and West Elevations
[img]http://static.flickr.com/96/252174203_a76f425d9f_o.jpg[/img]

Castana Page 13 - North Elevation
[img]http://static.flickr.com/85/252174205_3d34460741_o.jpg[/img]

Castana Page 14 - Landscape Plan
[img]http://static.flickr.com/90/252174207_dace8bacc9_o.jpg[/img]

[Holden West]

OMG! Look how it TOWERS over that 1960s four storey apartment building! This can't do!

The sky is falling!

:smt117 :smt117 :smt117