They just looked at what they鈥檝e already built in the sa国际传媒 neighbourhood.
鈥淭he design rationale for this building was straightforward. We simply followed the example of the other buildings around it that we have completed over the last several years!鈥 Shane Worman writes in a development application to the city.
His company has constructed several mid-rise buildings that have a retro-heritage appearance that involves extensive use of brick. They鈥檝e stuck with the design because of its enduring appeal, Worman says.
鈥淭here were many times we began to move away from our heritage-based architecture, but each time we came back knowing that it would complement our other buildings and the surrounding neighborhood. The balance of modern elements based in a traditional framework has a timeless appeal,鈥 he says.
The new building, proposed for the corner of Pandosy Street and Osprey Avenue, would have retail at ground level, three floors of offices, and a penthouse level with one residential suite and one office.
A unique feature of this project, city staff say, is the inclusion of a vehicle elevator to access parking on the second level.
Municipal staff initially had some concerns about an elevator for vehicles: 鈥淓levators are prone to breakdowns and require frequent maintenance. Where they are used for people, stairs provide an alternative means of access to a building. There is no alternative for cars,鈥 a staff report noted.
However, the developersa国际传媒 consultant says a vehicle elevator is a 鈥渉uge innovation鈥 that frees up space that would otherwise be needed for ramps for retail and office use. The consultant also says the vehicle elevator would be state-of-the-art and that the potential for breakdown is minimal.
City councillors will consider whether to grant various setbacks necessary for the project to proceed as planned at an Oct. 4 meeting. Because variances are being sought, interested members of the public can address council before a decision is made.
