New Bus Loop Approved!

I had my second meeting with Thesis Advisor M today. She's approved the bus loop concept, and we made a list of people I should contact to be on my committee and a list of things that I should get/find out for my first meeting. Apparently another professor might have access to some plans and things for the site which could cut down on a lot of work.

The bus loop is part of a larger University Boulevard Competition that was held in 2005. Moore Rubel Yudell of Santa Monica teamed with Hughes Condon Marler and won the conceptual design competition (announced April 28, 2005). In 2006 Moore Rubel Yudell pulled out of the project and were replaced by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects out of Toronto. (from the Ubyssey)

The University Boulevard Competition excluded the design of the underground bus loop, which was designed by engineers. This design can be seen online and seems to focus on weaving. I'm not crazy about the design because I think the residential blocks completely mask the War Memorial Gym and will cast unpleasant shadows. The project includes:

• construction of realigned University Blvd including revised intersections at Webrook Mall and East Mall
• Transit station and ramp with the trolley station at grade including associated reconfiguration of underground utilities
• Two buildings adjacent to the student union building and Aquatic Centre
• Extensive Landscaping renovation
• Vehicle access and parking adjacent to Bookstore

Construction is slated to commence in June 2007, be completed in April 2009 and be occupied in September 2009.

The bus loop itself was designed by VIA Architects, who were also the urban design consulting firm for the 2010 Olympic Village. They have done a ton of transit work, including three of the new Millenium Line stations, the furniture design for the Millenium Line stations and the Burrard and Granville Stations for the Expo Line. I've sent them an e-mail, so hopefully they will get back to me with some interesting information.