Thursday, August 20, 2015

B line

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/03/mayor-robertson-ubc-broadway-subway-would-canada-line-ridership/

Why is the Canada (embarrassment) Line built the way it is?

Despite its high cost, the C+Line or YVR-Line was designed to have shorter stations than the underground stations in Edmonton & Seattle. Even shorter than the ground level stations in Calgary & Portland. Considering that a Montreal Metro station is 152.5m or 500 feet in length, the absurd C Line stations are only 50m. 

A one third size train still could have been designed for proper future capacity expansion. Unfortunatly, this joke of a train was only designed to have 2 coaches & eventually 2.5 car trains, not 5 & certainly not 10. Because that's what a proper big city would do.

The light rail train bridge to Richmond wasn't designed to have any bus lanes, just 1 bike lane. No proper bus & HOV lane bridge has been built next to the narrow Knight+Street+Bridge , Oak+Street+Bridge , or Arthur+Laing+Bridge. By now, all 3 road bridges should have had 4 lane bus & HOV bridges next to them. Indeed, each bridge should have had 2 bus & 2 HOV lanes beside them by now. But why do that when everything can be crammed into just 2 lanes each way. Combine that with no breakdown lanes or wide shoulders & you have classic BC bottleneck planning. Since the C Line isn't running 24 hours, there should have been a 24 hour express bus to the airport on 2 dedicated lanes on the C Line bridge. That would have made it possible to always have an airport express bus, especially when the C Line is only running 2 car trains.

It's all such a sad joke that should be laughed at all over the world. It's also symbolic of the refusal to properly think & build big in backwards BC. Its like a whole lot of money was never efficiently or properly put into the regional infrastructure over the course of several generations. Any serious big city airport+line should be designed for significant future capacity. 




BC trams...


http://buzzer.translink.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/interurbanmap_web.jpg ,
http://buzzer.translink.ca/2009/03/a-short-history-of-interurbans-in-the-lower-mainland



http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/06/100-year-old-vancouver-map-online/

Friday, August 14, 2015

housing-market-risk-high-in-toronto-winnipeg-and-regina-cmhc-says

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/housing-market-risk-high-in-toronto-winnipeg-and-regina-cmhc-says-1.3189981


"After a trying search, Jacob Butula has finally found a place to rent in Vancouver. But the apartment on the top floor of a house is far from ideal. Only a sheet separates his room from the living room that he will soon share with three roommates.
One roommate has promised to build him a makeshift wooden wall to replace the sheet. But it still means everyone living there will have easy access to his room.
"I hope I can trust these people with my stuff when I'm gone because they can just pull the wood [wall] aside and enter my room if they feel like it," says the 30-year-old Butula
"It's a sacrifice I'm making for affordable rent," he adds, as he moves to Vancouver to finish a master's degree in counselling psychology and complete his practicum.
For now, he believes a temporary wall may be as good as it gets with his $750 a month rent limit." http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rental-woes-prices-jump-vacancy-shrinks-for-vancouver-toronto-1.3186886

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

haw obser

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/protesters-camping-hawaii-mountain-vow-peacefully-prevent-telescope-023021040.html

Burrard Street Bridge (BSB)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrard_Bridge

It's unlikely that the BSB will ever be restored or completed, because of the backwards Vancouverization mentality. 

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2015/06/07/burrard-bridge-details-revealed-at-open-house-second-event-planned-for-june-16th

The city was too cheap to build a nice, wide bike-bridge next to the BSB.

https://voony.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/burrard-bridge-the-war-on-transit-continues

Thus, instead of removing 2 lanes, the BSB could have still had 6 lanes, which 2 lanes could have been for buses. Then a lower deck for 2 streetcar tracks.  

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Burrard+Bridge+Proposed+widening+plans&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VZiLVbSUAozzoAS9jLC4Bg&ved=0CB0QsAQ&biw=1600&bih=799


Knight Street Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Street_Bridge

https://voony.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/cycling-on-knight-bridge

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/06/river-district-neighbourhood-vancouver

Monday, June 15, 2015

19-dangerous-cities-in-europe

http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/?utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=19DangerCityEurope

Ir and Sco
http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/2/

Lon
http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/4/

Man
http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/5/

Mos
http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/6/

Nap
http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/7/

Rot
http://www.geekycamel.com/19-dangerous-cities-in-europe%e2%80%8f/8/

telus-sky-tower calgary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telus_Sky ,
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=3

http://www.archdaily.com/399946/big-unveils-telus-sky-tower-in-calgary/

http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/telus-sky-calgary/telus-sky-calgary6.html

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/11/22/construction-kicks-off-in-downtown-calgary-for-planned-222-metre-telus-sky-tower

https://www.google.ca/search?q=telus+sky+tower+calgary&sa=X&es_sm=93&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ved=0CCkQsARqFQoTCKC4-oP4kcYCFQSjiAodBC0A7w

http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2013/12/top-western-canada-real-estate-stories-2013.html

http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/interactive-data/submit?type%5B%5D=building&status%5B%5D=COM&status%5B%5D=UC&status%5B%5D=UCT&status%5B%5D=STO&status%5B%5D=PRO&base_city=706&base_height_range=0&base_company=All&base_min_year=1900&base_max_year=9999&skip_comparison=on&output%5B%5D=list

Telus Garden Vancouver

http://vuosiamaailmalla.fi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/telus_garden38.jpg ,
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=1

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=186381&page=25

http://blog.telus.com/community/peas-and-beans-and-lettuce-oh-my

https://www.google.ca/search?q=telus+garden+vancouver&sa=X&es_sm=93&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ved=0CCwQsARqFQoTCOeri-v3kcYCFYiliAoduOcEmw

http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/interactive-data/submit?type%5B%5D=building&status%5B%5D=COM&status%5B%5D=UC&status%5B%5D=UCT&status%5B%5D=STO&status%5B%5D=PRO&base_city=724&base_height_range=0&base_company=All&base_min_year=1900&base_max_year=9999&skip_comparison=on&output%5B%5D=list

architecture/buro-ole-scheeren-1500-west-georgia-vancouver-skyscraper

http://www.designboom.com/architecture/buro-ole-scheeren-1500-west-georgia-vancouver-skyscraper-06-12-2015

http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/1500-west-georgia/19964

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Downtown+Vancouver+highrise+design+reaches+across/11132719/story.html

history-of-hastings-sunrise

http://www.eastvillagevancouver.ca/bia-info/history-of-hastings-sunrise
http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/1/6/1655352/cd08e759-4d04-4d68-9df1-4c93e2c57f11-MAP20.jpg-
http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/index-plan-of-provincial-govt-lands-to-be-sold-at-auction-at-vancouver-b-c-november-20th-1906

http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/1/6/1661171/b340db86-b13f-4d17-8c41-773dbd60a709-MAP333.jpg-
http://www.eastvillagevancouver.ca/bia-info/history-of-grandview-woodland-
https://www.facebook.com/TheEastVillageVancouver/posts/891704964234779

http://www.greatgrandview.ca/

Monday, May 4, 2015

seouls-last-village

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/photos/seouls-last-village/ss-BBja3rq

hong-kong-disneyland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Disneyland

http://www.thethemeparkguy.com/park/hong-kong-disneyland/photos
http://disneyandmore.blogspot.ca/2010/02/drum-rolls-begin-at-hong-kong.html

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/infinitynme/Hong%20Kong%202012/disney14.jpg ,
http://al02.blogspot.ca/2012/10/hong-kong-disneyland.html

http://images.travelpod.com/tripwow/photos/ta-00ac-a5c8-60a1/at-hongkong-disneyland-hong-kong-china+1152_13064867122-tpfil02aw-23933.jpg

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Hong+Kong+Disneyland/@22.3187038,114.0455735,3527m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x35b3af6ce4475405

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Hong+Kong+Disneyland/@22.312967,114.041282,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x35b3af6ce4475405

DL


https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Disneyland+Park/@33.8111649,-117.9161416,3168m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x2ef62f8418225cfa

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Disneyland+Park/@33.812092,-117.918974,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x2ef62f8418225cfa

Walt Disney World

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World#History ,
https://mousetrapped.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/projectx.pdf

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201312/3819

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/on-the-town/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/11/21/walt_disney_orlando.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World#Location

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Walt+Disney+World+Resort/@28.3808731,-81.5725,13418m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xa71e391fd01cf1a0

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Walt+Disney+World+Resort/@28.385234,-81.563874,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xa71e391fd01cf1a0

d land



https://www.google.ca/search?q=dubailand+project&oq=dubailand+project&aqs=chrome..69i57.10248j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags_Great_Adventure#History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_Land

Designers-mind-blowing-idea-apartment-building-lives-penthouse (twist and spin)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3066545/Designer-comes-mind-blowing-idea-apartment-building-lives-penthouse.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IRyZ2sY83A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR2HukuFkQo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sima6G5zik8

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Clapped-1962-Aston-Martin-DB4-market-220-000-worth-THREE-TIMES-fully-restored

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3050387/Clapped-1962-Aston-Martin-DB4-market-220-000-worth-THREE-TIMES-fully-restored.html

world-s-largest-cruise-ship-passes-newly-refurbished-veteran-liner-in-Southampton

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3051216/Making-waves-world-s-largest-cruise-ship-passes-newly-refurbished-veteran-liner-sails-Southampton-maiden-voyage.html

Sydney Harbour Bridge (SHB)

The Sydney_Harbour_Bridge is such a fantastic structure. 








https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Harbour_Bridge_looking_South_%2814039660121%29.jpg Wow, originally with 6 lanes & 4 sets of tracks. The Burrard_Bridge in Vancouver, BC was designed to have 6 lanes & a lower level for streetcars or tram-trains. No trams on the non-existent lower level, as Vancouver wants to be one of the last cities to bring back its trams. Unlike NSW, BC seems to have a problem with allowing trains on road bridges in the 21st century.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3051587/A-waterfall-gushing-Harbour-Bridge-crocodiles-stalking-train-station-flood-water-surfing-Opera-House-jaw-dropping-fake-photos-brightened-Sydneystorm.html

It's no wonder that such a wide & magnificent bridge from the 1930s would instantly become a fantastic NSW landmark & an Australian icon. Unfortunatly, it looks like Canada won't have a bridge of a similar magnitude by the 2030s. The 4 lane Pattullo+Bridge in BC is less than half its width & only has 1 sidewalk & never had any provision for trains. Its replacement will only open with 4 lanes & no HOV or bus lanes. Thus, its a pale imitation to the 8 lane Anzac_Bridge




Thursday, March 5, 2015

jimmy-page-house

http://curbed.com/archives/2015/03/02/jimmy-page-robbie-williams-iceberg-homes-battle.php

sf curbed upper haight

http://sf.curbed.com/archives/categories/upper_haight.php

http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2014/04/07/the_haight_is_home_to_the_most_unmarried_millionaires.php

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=114

Hudson Yards

http://www.rew-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/hudsonyardstimeline.jpg ,
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1517269&page=18
http://nicolasrapp.com/portfolio/318
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=549787&page=198

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Yards_Redevelopment_Project

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2012/12/04/mapping_the_new_development_coming_to_hudson_yards.php

http://ny.curbed.com/tags/50-hudson-yards

mapping_new_york_citys_most_expensive_homes_ever_sold

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2015/01/22/mapping_new_york_citys_most_expensive_homes_ever_sold.php

740_Park_Avenue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/740_Park_Avenue

http://www.businessinsider.com/740-park-avenue-new-york-residents-history-2011-12#740-park-opened-its-doors-in-october-1930-in-the-heart-of-the-depression-it-remained-a-financial-sinkhole-until-the-1980s-when-apartment-prices-rose-astronomically-1

https://www.google.ca/search?q=740-park-avenue&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4kj4VLDhJYjvoASp0ICoCw&ved=0CCkQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=799

http://nymag.com/news/features/establishments/68493

some very big-shots-live-at 15-central-pw

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/big-shots-live-15-central-211300078.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_Central_Park_West

http://www.businessinsider.com/who-lives-at-15-central-park-west-2012-3?op=1

https://www.google.ca/search?q=15+Central+Park+West&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Mkf4VLb3DcK0ogS9m4H4Cw&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=799

http://nymag.com/news/features/establishments/68493

a

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Vancouver, NW and BCER history

If only Vancouver wasn't too quick to get rid of its streetcars & tram,trains in the 1950s.

However, there was just too much of a mentality to make sure that Vancouver be a perpetually stunted or thwarted city, when compared to what Melbourne, SF & Toronto can do.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Bridge#/media/File:A2004-002-3630-steel-bridge-18901.jpg It was as if Portland first built this single track bridge to the provincial backwater NW standard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Bridge#/media/File:Amtrak_talgo_train_crossing_steel_bridge.jpg Then by 1912, a double track bridge more appropriate to Portland's standards opened. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster_Bridge#/media/File:New_Westminster_Swing_Bridge.jpg Of course NW was still stuck with its narrow backwarter single track bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster_Bridge#/media/File:TRAIN_BRIDGE_FIRE_1979-80_1.tif




Sunday, January 18, 2015

Pennsylvania Station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Station_(New_York_City)#History  

Grand Central Terminal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Central_Terminal
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2270927/Grand-Central-station-celebrates-100th-birthday.html
http://www.e-architect.co.uk/new-york/grand-central-station-new-york
http://www.archdaily.com/284804/soms-vision-for-new-yorks-iconic-grand-central-station

http://www.grandcentralterminal.com ,
http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Station:_Grand_Central_(IRT_East_Side_Line)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Central_Terminal#Proposals_for_demolition_and_towers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Side_Access

http://www.gcthistory.com
1972 concept
http://www.gcthistory.com/#s9
http://g.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/codesign/imagecache/slideshow_large/slideshow/2012/10/1671077-slide-grand-central-next-100-halo-25.jpg
http://www.gcthistory.com/images/s9/large/S9.4_P34.jpg
http://www.gcthistory.com/images/s9/large/S9.4_P33.jpg
http://www.gcthistory.com/images/s9/large/S9.2_P02.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Manhattan_%E2%80%93_Jamaica_/_JFK_Transportation_Project