Rupert - Renfrew Area Updates

[logan5]

The CoV has been churning out plans to densify quite regularly lately. This plan will cover quite a wide area. Looking forward to more details as to height, density, strata vs rental, etc.

More from Kenneth Chan...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/renf...rain-area-plan

[Aroundtheworld]

About f'in time! It only took them 20 years.

[Klazu]

None of this area is appealing to be living in. I also wonder what "industrial use with residential above it" would look like?

One good thing is that this must mean that they will finally paint the extra lanes (3+3) on Grandview Highway between Boundary and Renfrew, which is desperately needed on this core arterial road. Oh, how much congestion just a few buckets of paint could fix...

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Klazu

None of this area is appealing to be living in. I also wonder what "industrial use with residential above it" would look like?

One good thing is that this must mean that they will finally paint the extra lanes (3+3) on Grandview Highway between Boundary and Renfrew, which is desperately needed on this core arterial road. Oh, how much congestion just a few buckets of paint could fix...

It's a couple of years since I've been on that stretch of Grandview, but as I remember it (and looking on Google maps seems to confirm) it's already 3 lanes in each direction neat Boundary, except where it's 7 because there's a left turn bay. I think there's some parking allowed in a few parts, outside peak hours, which could be changed, but businesses and residents might be upset.

It's unlikely a development plan would change details like that anyway, the City Engineers could make changes like that at any time if they thought it was necessary.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Changing City

It's a couple of years since I've been on that stretch of Grandview, but as I remember it (and looking on Google maps seems to confirm) it's already 3 lanes in each direction neat Boundary, except where it's 7 because there's a left turn bay. I think there's some parking allowed in a few parts, outside peak hours, which could be changed, but businesses and residents might be upset.

It's unlikely a development plan would change details like that anyway, the City Engineers could make changes like that at any time if they thought it was necessary.

It's almost all 2 lanes all the way to Rupert west bound. There's no parking restrictions either (there's restrictions on the other side) so maybe there isn't enough demand yet.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

It's almost all 2 lanes all the way to Rupert west bound. There's no parking restrictions either (there's restrictions on the other side) so maybe there isn't enough demand yet.

Thanks.

[idunno]

Originally Posted by Klazu

None of this area is appealing to be living in. I also wonder what "industrial use with residential above it" would look like?

One good thing is that this must mean that they will finally paint the extra lanes (3+3) on Grandview Highway between Boundary and Renfrew, which is desperately needed on this core arterial road. Oh, how much congestion just a few buckets of paint could fix...

If you take a look at the map, it's a lot more than just the industrial area. Totally agree - it's no Kitsilano, but there's a ripe number of SFH blocks to redevelop which are all well within 800m of each station!

[LeftCoaster]

This is so so much later than it should have come, but a welcome change.

Originally Posted by Klazu

None of this area is appealing to be living in. I also wonder what "industrial use with residential above it" would look like?

One good thing is that this must mean that they will finally paint the extra lanes (3+3) on Grandview Highway between Boundary and Renfrew, which is desperately needed on this core arterial road. Oh, how much congestion just a few buckets of paint could fix...

Neither was Brentwood when they started building there. You need to have a vision for the future when developing, and see the neighbourhood for what it can be not what it is.

[WarrenC12]

There has been significant non-residential development in the area with the offices at Broadway and Renfrew, and around Renfrew station. Commercial development with the new Cdn Tire/etc complex.

Next will be the redevelopment of the BCL distribution centre.

This is long overdue.

[Klazu]

I am sure one can make it nicer with more development but there is a noisy SkyTrain, train track and two main arterial roads through the area. It is going to be noisy no matter what they build there.

I have always thought this being a great employment area with the best highway connection in all of CoV but I guess the only business in town is condo development.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I am sure one can make it nicer with more development but there is a noisy SkyTrain, train track and two main arterial roads through the area. It is going to be noisy no matter what they build there.

I have always thought this being a great employment area with the best highway connection in all of CoV but I guess the only business in town is condo development.

It is an employment area and will continue to be.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I am sure one can make it nicer with more development but there is a noisy SkyTrain, train track and two main arterial roads through the area. It is going to be noisy no matter what they build there.

How is that different from Brentwood? Lougheed? Metrotown? Surrey Central? Coquitlam Central? Commercial/Broadway?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I am sure one can make it nicer with more development but there is a noisy SkyTrain, train track and two main arterial roads through the area. It is going to be noisy no matter what they build there.

I have always thought this being a great employment area with the best highway connection in all of CoV but I guess the only business in town is condo development.

If you read the DailyHive piece, you'll see the two large sites mentioned (the old LDB warehouse, and Skeena Terrace) would be developed with rental, not condos.

The plan will probably consider higher densities for the commercial sites too. Quadreal already have an approval to build a million sq. ft of commercial space between Renfrew and Rupert Stations, across from their initial million sq. ft from a few years ago (Broadway Tech Centre). That's only 3FSR, so could be increased to match the sorts of commercial/industrial densities already being proposed at Marine Drive station, like 396 Marine Driveor 750 Marine Drive without requiring a rezoning.

The highway connection isn't the reason to consider more development - the transit location is what could allow higher densities to work.

[jollyburger]

Not that much different than a lot of other Skytrain sites except for the rail line.

[scottN]

There is presently a large hole in the ground at 2710 Kaslo which will become another office building similar to the newish one right next to Renfrew Skytrain station. This area clearly does not need a residential component to make this kind of development viable.

What it does need is a plan, otherwise the ad-hoc spot rezonings will continue. Hopefully we will see more walkable developments like the broadway tech centre at Renfrew, and not the auto oriented retail like the canadian tire / save on foods building on grandview highway.

I'm curious how anyone thinks they are going to grade separate the railway crossings. There's clearly insufficient space for a roadway to go over the rail line and under the skytrain. Perhaps you could pull off an underpass at Renfrew, but Rupert would be much more challenging. A huge tall overpass? That would cut off the skytrain station from Rupert Street.

[GMD]

This area was one of the worst examples of simcity zoning in the city, so good to see it might finally be changing.

You have a rare (outside of downtown) concentration of offices, but instead of giving people an opportunity to live nearby and walk to work, the whole area has zoning that makes construction of any new places to live very difficult.

Why force people to drive or take transit to work when so many would rather walk if only given half a chance. As for any idea that people don't want to live in this area, single family homes sell for over 2mn so I guess there must be some demand. Hard to believe any city of Vancouver location with skytrain access and plenty of jobs nearby isn't going to see demand exceeding any potential supply that might ever be brought on line.

The biggest thing this area needs to improve livability is simply more people living there.

[GMD]

Originally Posted by scottN

I'm curious how anyone thinks they are going to grade separate the railway crossings. There's clearly insufficient space for a roadway to go over the rail line and under the skytrain. Perhaps you could pull off an underpass at Renfrew, but Rupert would be much more challenging. A huge tall overpass? That would cut off the skytrain station from Rupert Street.

Even at Renfrew, Hebb crosses so close to the tracks, I don't know how you could make it work.

I guess where there is a will, and a lot of money, there is a way, but I think even if there was money to spend on grade separations, there are much better options to target first (Holdom overpass, closure of the Douglas road crossing, some of the crossings in Port Coquitlam/Pitt Meadows near the main CP yard, etc.)

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by scottN

I'm curious how anyone thinks they are going to grade separate the railway crossings. There's clearly insufficient space for a roadway to go over the rail line and under the skytrain. Perhaps you could pull off an underpass at Renfrew, but Rupert would be much more challenging. A huge tall overpass? That would cut off the skytrain station from Rupert Street.

Originally Posted by GMD

Even at Renfrew, Hebb crosses so close to the tracks, I don't know how you could make it work.

I guess where there is a will, and a lot of money, there is a way, but I think even if there was money to spend on grade separations, there are much better options to target first (Holdom overpass, closure of the Douglas road crossing, some of the crossings in Port Coquitlam/Pitt Meadows near the main CP yard, etc.)

Isn't there still a level crossing at Boundary Road?
As long as that one stays, then Rupert and Renfrew will also stay.

One option would be to constuct a long railway viaduct, but I don;t know how the grades would work leading to the Grandview Cut.
I suspect that the land is too swampy in the area to dig a cut/trench for the railway.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Isn't there still a level crossing at Boundary Road?
As long as that one stays, then Rupert and Renfrew will also stay.

One option would be to constuct a long railway viaduct, but I don;t know how the grades would work leading to the Grandview Cut.
I suspect that the land is too swampy in the area to dig a cut/trench for the railway.

Biggest problem is figuring out a way to do it without interrupting the line.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Biggest problem is figuring out a way to do it without interrupting the line.

Metrolinx's Davenport diamond grade separation project could be a precedent.
https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread....9001/page-111

They built a temporary parallel track in order to build the viaduct.