General Vancouver Development Updates II
 

The thread is a continuation of the previous thread. Please proceed.

-snip-

I'm surprised at how deep the hole for that new Jaguar service centre around Fir/West 2nd. Around 6-7 sets of temporary stair levels to the bottom (counting each diagonal section as a set) . It's nothing like Gilmore Place but there seems to be some settling in the lane behind the site.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1601-w-2-ave

They'll need lots of room for JLR repairs! :haha:

Vaughn Palmer: End of the line for single-family neighbourhoods in most of B.C.
Author of the article:Vaughn Palmer Published Nov 01, 2023

Opinion: B.C. NDP unapologetically introduces legislation to abolish “outdated zoning” that puts most housing “out of reach for many people and families"

...Enter Bill-44, the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act.

Once enacted by the NDP majority in the B.C. legislature later this fall, it will give the provincial government the power to override municipal zoning through much of B.C.

Henceforth, municipalities will have to plan and zone in line with guidelines set out in a provincial government policy manual.

“The manual will set clear provincial expectations in terms of setbacks, height restrictions, parking and lot coverage,” according to the government’s power-point summary of the legislation.

However, the New Democrats did not release the policy manual. That will come later, when the Cabinet gets around to approving the guiding set of regulations.
...

The New Democrats are also waiving some requirements to provide parking.

“For projects closer to transit stops with frequent service, parking minimums will decrease. For projects that are within 400 metres of these transit stops there will be no minimum parking requirements and parking will be determined by home builders.”

The legislation also scraps public hearings for one-off and site-by-site developments. Instead, local governments will be required to hold public hearings on their overall community housing plans.

Once the plan is final, conforming projects will be subject to approval without further public hearings.


You can follow the progress of this bill [#44 Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023] on this gov web page:
Progress of Bills - Current Session

The text of the bill is here: Bill 44 Text

Barring the unforseen(?) the bill should be passed by the end of this legislative session which is November 30th, four weeks today.

I'll accept to this, hesitantly.
There will always be people who do not want (or cannot fit) into apartments or condos. The wording makes it sound like it would bar SFH in any suburban area, even if the density is unlikely to ever require it and not just tell Kitsilano to go pound sand.

...

I wonder if there's a better system than strata councils for condo management. I mean if there are constantly issues on upkeep/end of life repair that seems like a huge issue coming down the pipeline.

Yeah, the changes will simply open up existing SFH neighbourhoods to different types of housing. I expect many neighbourhoods will see very, very gradual changes (if any changes at all), while some may be unrecognizable in a decade or two.

Many of the existing masterplanned suburban communities won't change all that much (why would you want to live in a sixplex with no parking spot in a cul-de-sac with no transit service?), while some of Vancouver's core neighbourhoods may see a doubling in density over time. But that doesn't mean you won't be able to find a SFH at all, if you're willing to pay for it.

Provincial government overreach, pure and simple. A shame BC United is in such disarray the NDP will likely win again.

Can't agree more on both these points. It's about time.

It will be a nightmare. But get rid of volunteer strata boards (the most thankless job ever) and who would oversee contractors/management companies?

A) 'Bout time - if the suburbs and small towns had done their job, this would never have been needed.

B) Overreach would be banning SFHs altogether. That's not happening.

C) The SoCreds Libs United FC will probably be out in the wilderness until Falcon, Coleman, de Jong and all the other old kleptocrats leave and the new faces of the party shift left to retake the suburbs.

It's really sad how YIMBYs just meekly accepted they'll never be able to own a house and rather than blame those who created that situation, they blame those who do own a house. :shrug:

I do blame the people who created this mess: Christy Clark and all her minions, and Harland Bartholemew who shut density out of 90% of the city. They’re not in charge of anything any more, and now fixing this mess requires actual solutions, not just blame and gatekeeping. Can’t own a home when there’s no homes to own in the first place because zoning won’t allow them.

Quote the exact specific paragraph that says the NDP will forcibly evict all homeowners in BC from their detached homes and bulldoze them for multiplexes, and I’ll cede the argument. Homeowners will be fine - it’s just that some will have to get used to changes in their neighbourhood.

CONCRETE is AGAIN being poured at the WESTBANK project at ALMA and BROADWAY ..... and it is starting to rise.

so ya .... good news there

I would have sympathy for your stance if cities allowed private land owners to add gentle density by building a fourplex on their SFH lot. But not only does restrictive zoning hurt prospective homeowners who would like to live in a townhouse or a low-rise apartment and find that none of those are available. But they also prohibit homeowners from moving into a newly constructed laneway suite so they can sell the main house and retire on their property, or parents from turning their SFH into a triplex so their two adult children can own homes beside grandma and grandpa.

he cant really be blamed for any of this. he wrongly gets a bad rap. for one, he made his plan in the 1920s long before most people envisioned Vancouver would become what it did. and Vancouver didnt even become what it is now until Expo86 really. also, his plan was never adopted by the city. never. they never adopted it. he also did propose more density in his plan, but the city had different ideas on that. most of the problems stem from the 1970s when the city clamped down on mixed use zoning, etc. long after Harland.

Fair point...

... but those people and their motives are who whatnext doesn't want us blaming for some reason.

well do we know how old he is? if he's a boomer it could explain it. ;) :haha:

the 1970s is when most baby boomers were in the housing market, when suburbs were expanding. its when most were voting for politicians who created a lot of these policies.

im not a huge fan of blanket up zoning of all SFH areas. i think its a detrimental policy. but i do agree with more transitional, gentle density. so high density around transit and then stepping down to mid-rises, low-rises, townhouses, SFHs. i also think moderate mixed uses are a good idea. like those small corner stores that some older neighbourhoods still have. i doubt those could be sustainable now with the cost of things though. as much as people like the idea, hard to compete price wise when people are barely scarping by.

blanket changes to things are never a good idea and will probably lead to unintended consequences we wont realize for awhile. its fascinating how many things in history were done for a good reason, and did the opposite. dynamite, the gatling gun, & freon are 3 that come to mind.

Don't forget asbestos.

Keeping in mind that multiplexes are now legal, not mandated; you might get one or two around Killarney or Dunbar... but I'm betting the majority of new builds will likely be concentrated around Kitsilano, Central Broadway, Mount Pleasant, Oakridge/Langara, Commercial, Kingsway and all the inner areas, because that's where the market is hot.

Strathcona too. This Vernon Drive is just big enough to allow a 4-plex, and so is this Union St house (and if the #22 up Clark Drive is frequent transit, a 6-plex). And this E Cordova house almost certainly could have a 6-plex.

Those are all typical 'inexpensive' builder's teardown / rebuilds. They end up looking like this Union St house in the current market - (and that still might be what gets developed in future).

November 14th, 2023 Public Hearing
 

http://i.imgur.com/81lYgcUl.jpg
https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/5515-5525-elizabeth-st

http://i.imgur.com/G2Rs1ZQl.jpg
https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1510-w-...3-granville-st

http://i.imgur.com/pPR6PTkl.jpg
https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/430-440-w-pender-st

http://i.imgur.com/eTeXqlZl.jpg
https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/3231-32...5-685-e-17-ave


https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2023/1...me-seeing-red/

Public Hearing – November 16th, 2023
 

http://i.imgur.com/1kwxxF4m.jpg
https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/3529-35...-2106-w-19-ave

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2023/1...ing-reception/


I'm late posting this here, but for that reason I can also confirm both of these items were approved today.

The Block Watch Captain got a letter from the Fire Chief:

"Diane Fulton,

Thank you for bringing to our attention. We have updated requirements on addressing and access. We have asked the Rezoning department to have the civic addresses of the buildings re-assigned from Collingwood Place to Dunbar Street at the development permit and building permit stages.

Accordingly their principal entrances will need to be oriented to face Dunbar.
VFRS responds to an emergency by civic address, and therefore will respond to the buildings using Dunbar St. Collingwood may be used for firefighting access but is not a requirement of the Building By-law that it serves as a fire access route for the proposed multi-family buildings. "

I think Diane wanted the parkade ramp to be off Dunbar but I read this as firetrucks will access the apartment via Dunbar. Unless Council directs Staff to have the parkade ramp off Dunbar.

Form

From Lawrence Black twitter Nov 14th:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-7dIt_a...pg&name=medium
https://twitter.com/LawrenceBlackTV

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-7dI6-b...pg&name=medium
https://twitter.com/LawrenceBlackTV

Henry Hudson School


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-7TDTSb...pg&name=medium
https://twitter.com/LawrenceBlackTV

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-7TDf-a...pg&name=medium
https://twitter.com/LawrenceBlackTV

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-7TDsbb...pg&name=medium
https://twitter.com/LawrenceBlackTV

They've removed the community garden and excavation has started:

2763 – 2783 West 4th Avenue Vancouver

https://third.space/wp-content/uploa...2048x1152.jpeg

https://third.space/building/4th-macdonald/

That's across MacDonald from the condos under construction already? Kits Block I think?

Yup all three formerly vacant lots in that area are underway.

I have not heard anything yet about the lot next to 2966 West 4th, but would love to hear anything!

Excellent to see these 3 developments add hundreds of more units to 4th and Macdonald! Even better that most are rental.

With Kitsilano Block incorporating a grocery store, I have to wonder if there's a more grocery-rich part of the City. 4th and Vine has Safeway, Whole Foods and Apple Marlet. Just up Macdonald there's another Safeway.

Used to live in one the other buildings near these developments. Would go to the grocers along West Broadway rather than up the hill. It is absolutely one of the most grocery and transit rich areas in the entire Metro region, these developments could be much larger. Just my two cents.

4545 W 10th Ave MIRHPP - POSSE Rezoning Application Info
 

http://i.imgur.com/GrEqJaYl.jpg
(My photo)

http://i.imgur.com/T2dBw18l.jpg
https://4545wtenth.com/wp-content/up...b-Update-1.pdf

http://i.imgur.com/9iQb93jl.jpg
https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public...ctId=213800230[/QUOTE]


https://x.com/City_Duo/status/1728587406826426711?s=20

https://i.imgur.com/uzMu3jf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/067Pkk7.jpg
credit: me

Google Street view April 2023: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8uoBxHYk31ib7Uqt9

src: SE corner of 6th and Main

https://i.imgur.com/mt6UOcG.jpg
credit: me

Google Street View 2020: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1cRh1gCkqWpnkTYG9

SW corner of Robson and Seymour.

Lot still empty. Pile of rocks that has been there since 2020 is still there. Weeds have grown a bit.

https://s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.co...JPG?1701120164

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/111-e-4-ave

Old proposal (8 years ago)



https://www.kevingtonbuilding.com/co.../the-property/

A mini 601 W Hastings.

Project is called QU4 now

https://www.actonostry.ca/work/curre...ce-development

They really timed that project well! :rolleyes:

Main Alley seems to be doing surprisingly well on pre-leases for that area. Why these guys have been sitting on this lot for so long is anybody's guess.

That area has a low vacancy

They had a lot of other projects on the go and as mentioned earlier they wanted more density.

The developer is still calling it Q4 I guess. It says breaking ground in 2024.

https://www.kevingtonbuilding.com/co.../the-property/

There hasn’t been any movement at T3 two blocks to the south.

FWIW PC Urban originally had a 2024 completion (got approved in 2022). The project website now says 2025

https://t3mountpleasant.com/

Is T3 the one at Quebec & 3rd with the crane up or the one further south with the old school they're supposed to move?

T3 is around Quebec and 8th I think. Still haven't demolished the existing structure. No way they make 2025 IMO.

Whoops I didn't expect to find and Google results with" T3 mount pleasant" but yes it's the old school site. T3 "completion 2024" needs an update.

I feel like 2410 Columbia Street has been on the docket for what feels like eons as well, unless I am remembering an old proposal from 2017 / 2018. ("Construction is set to commence in Q3 2023 with an estimated completion date of Q2 2025.")

Is 550 Cambie getting rezoned again? They bought the parkade apparently. Looks ugly as heck, IMO.
https://www.pcurban.ca/project/550-cambie/

DP was approved but still hasn’t been issued a year and a half later and no building permit has been submitted.


The heritage schoolhouse building will be relocated on site.

https://i.imgur.com/Nf1C5yR.png?1
Src: Google Maps

NE corner of 6th and Quebec.

T3 signage is visible in Oct-22 Google Street view: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HrpZZdECE2taQeKQA

On the development's webpage t3mountpleasant.com to the right of the main building you can see the heritage building (white structure) relocated as madog222 mentions.

DP for the current 2410 Columbia proposal was only submitted back in August.
550 Cambie has been stalled at rezoning going on three years now.