[James Bay] Duet | Condos | 8- & 4-storeys | Excavation

[Barra]

Pavo only had any cachet if you knew what it means in Spanish (or was that the turkey). I don't know that language, so to me it was just a weird word that doesn't even sound interesting, and people wouldn't know how to pronounce it.

Duet, for a 2 bldg complex, makes sense.

[MarkoJ]

I like the orange website theme.

[Bob Fugger]

Meh.

[Kapten Kapsell]

Marketing/Sales will start in mid-April

[G-Man]

So I forget which other lot did Chard buy? If he keeps to his pace we should start seeing plans for it in about 10- 14 months...

[Kapten Kapsell]

Originally Posted by G-Man

So I forget which other lot did Chard buy? If he keeps to his pace we should start seeing plans for it in about 10- 14 months...

819 Yates. Chard and Concert seem to be the city's most prolific developers, though there was a time gap between Chard's first and second buildings (Corazon and Juliet).

[VicHockeyFan]

For anyone that wants to go to a special VIP preview showing this coming weekend for DUET, VV members and browsers, and I ❤ Downtown Victoria fans can register with Sotheby's International Realty Canada here:

http://www.victoriacondominiumguide.com/

They'll send back an invite for April 28, 29 or 30. That's a week before the general public opening.

[bicycles]

can architecture in this city get any less inspired?

[mysage]

No kidding. Those are horrible. I would have expected much more from a firm like Chard

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by bicycles

can architecture in this city get any less inspired?

I might be wrong here, but I think the plan here is to make them well-priced, per sq. ft., in a pretty darned desirable location. It looks like they are putting as much glass as they can in the 8-floor building.

If "many priced under $325,000" is correct, then maybe that's where they are going.

[Baro]

I'm pretty neutral on the building. It's not amazing but it doesn't bother me or make me mad like so many in the city do. Looks like the architect did the best they could within their budget and the city's restrictive tastes.

[Nparker]

I really don't think these are all that bad. Nothing "faux" about them in any case. The design could have been so much worse. Sure I would have liked to have seen more density, maybe one taller, slimmer tower, but since that was NEVER going to happen, at least not in the James Bay of 2012, then I think this is a reasonable compromise. At least with Chard we can be pretty certain it will be a decently built, mid-price development, that will be an improvement over the asphalt it replaces.

[aastra]

The roofline is angled, the upper floors are distinguished from the lower floors, there's some asymmetry here and there... I'm not sure what more we could expect from a small condo building? And if they were to break the bank on a project like this and do something really wacky, you know they'd get stomped by the city and by the neighbourhood groups.

[bicycles]

it's not that it's bad design, we're just recreating the same styles and materials all over town

[G-Man]

The developer has already been trumped in this location twice. The fact that they are still trying is amazing. The first go actually had some density but of course that would have been out of place in this location, where there are certainly no other large buildings.

[jonny]

I'm surprised at all the negative comments on this one. For two small buildings, I think it's a pretty solid design. I like the differentiation in the top floors of the eight storey building.

I wish these were twice as tall, but like Chard's other buildings in town, I'm sure this project will positively impact the community.

[Mike K.]

My words exactly, jonny. There's only so much Chard can do without pricing his units out of the market.

[G-Man]

Originally Posted by G-Man

The developer has already been trumped in this location twice. The fact that they are still trying is amazing. The first go actually had some density but of course that would have been out of place in this location, where there are certainly no other large buildings.

For those that do not know me I am being sarcastic here.

[jonny]

Originally Posted by G-Man

For those that do not know me I am being sarcastic here.

The comment about no other large buildings kind of gave it away to me.

Quite frankly, council is out to lunch on this one. James Bay should be all over hgh density condo projects.

[AllseeingEye]

Originally Posted by jonny

The comment about no other large buildings kind of gave it away to me.

Quite frankly, council is out to lunch on this one. James Bay should be all over hgh density condo projects.

While I completely agree with you Jonny I lived in JB off and on from 2000 - 2007: as long as Tim (van Alstine) and the JBNE or whatever they brand themselves these days are around and active, and their good "neighborhood liaison" pal Pam Madoff is continually re-elected I don't ever forsee that happening.

I was living in Good Acre towers in ~ 2005 when that proposal for a 14 storey development was floated for a portion of the G-A parking lot fronting Douglas/Toronto street. You would have thought it was the coming of the End of Days, that the sun would be forever blotted out from the sky and/or possibly - worst of all - that a Victoria version of the Empire State Building "west" was on its way, based on the hue and outcry that resulted. Not. Gonna. Happen.

[MarkoJ]

The rumor is that the model shows much better than the rendering....it will be located at the Duet showroom.

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by MarkoJ

...it will be located at the Duet showroom.

Which is/will be located where?

[Mike K.]

At Broughton and Gordon streets.

[Nparker]

Merci beaucoup, Mike.

[VicHockeyFan]

So DUET has the preview opening starting today. VV members and browsers, and I ❤ Downtown Victoria fans can register with Sotheby's International Realty Canada here:

http://www.victoriacondominiumguide.com/

Showing goes from 12-5 today, Sunday and Monday.