Downtown Vancouver Updates II - Page 116

Changing City · #**2301** Posted **Jul 15, 2026, 4:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

More social housing for the DTES does nothing to move the needle in a positive direction, for the neighbourhood or the new tenants. It is not "supportive housing", it seems, but adding more shelter rate housing to the area can only make matters worse. Why would you put vulnerable people almost smack dead centre in the worst neighbourhood in Canada? Frustrating to see a completely destructive land use policy exacerbating the problems in the DTES.

Because people who receive welfare rate rental payments need to live somewhere, and if we're to move the dial on homelessness, putting some in the DTES makes sense. Residents on welfare lost their homes here when the redevelopment took place. The 20 SRO units will be replaced with 35 new micro dwellings and studio units to be rented at shelter component of income assistance for low-income households; 39 units will be rented to households making below the BC Housing HILS and rented at no more than 30% of gross household income and 39 units to be rented at rates no more than 90% of CMHC’s Rental Survey for Vancouver for the applicable year of construction; or the appraised market rent for a comparable unit in the local area. It's the standard mix the City tries to achieve in non-market (social) housing across the city.

Changing City · #**2302** Posted **Jul 15, 2026, 4:59 AM**

[QUOTE=jollyburger;10624353]This Instagram post from 2023 said Atira was going to be the operator.

315 Main sold in July 2024 for $14.5 million

The new permits mentions the head of this social housing operator.

Apparently Atira have been out for a while; It could be Affordable Housing who will run it. It's not clear what that sale represents, but it seems like Happy Harvest (which is a one-off partnership for the project) might still be involved. The design changes seem to be drop the mass timber for concrete, because of code issues. I guess we'll see if/when the construction gets underway.

officedweller · #**2303** Posted **Jul 21, 2026, 8:59 PM**

1818 Alberni has topped off - pics here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DbD9bz8lAhe/?igsh=N291aXBleXJyYmto

MIPS · #**2304** Posted **Jul 22, 2026, 9:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

DP application for the Nelson Park school

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1150-nelson-st

This one is confusing me. I swear they got approval on this several years ago along with substantial funding to rebuild the school and the park on the condition they had to wait for the other school to open and now suddenly there's outrage about the park being pulled out to rebuild the substation and the new school is not entirely funded?

Changing City · #**2305** Posted **Jul 22, 2026, 10:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIPS

This one is confusing me. I swear they got approval on this several years ago along with substantial funding to rebuild the school and the park on the condition they had to wait for the other school to open and now suddenly there's outrage about the park being pulled out to rebuild the substation and the new school is not entirely funded?

There's been no approval for the substation or the school by the City of Vancouver. The Park Board agreed to the development. The plans for the substation were shared with the City of Vancouver. As a public utility, BC Hydro has the authority to develop infrastructure under the Hydro and Power Authority Act of BC. The zoning hasn't changed, and VSB need to submit a DP for the new school.

There are a few West End residents who are only just waking up to the reality of the project going ahead, as the Coal Harbour school is complete and the old school can be demolished, the hole dug for the substation, with the loss of 78 trees, and then the new school being built after. They can't object to the City about the substation, so they are trying to get BCUC involved, and BC Hydro are looking at how many, if any, of the trees might be saved - but obviously none of them where the substation will go.

bb1510 · #**2306** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 3:16 AM**

Could 815 Hornby be an Edition? The staircase and architecture kinda lends itself as one

madog222 · #**2307** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 8:38 AM**

440 Richards, at the corner of Pender, redevelopment proposal for a 21 storey hotel.

Quote:

rezoning for a new 21-storey hotel, existing 3-storey historic facade to remain.

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=297124252

csbvan · #**2308** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 3:45 PM**

This would be kitty-corner to the 516 W Pender proposal. If both move forward, that is a massive face lift to this area (supplementing the increase in market rentals that have recently been built).

Changing City · #**2309** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 3:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by madog222

440 Richards, at the corner of Pender, redevelopment proposal for a 21 storey hotel.

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=Guest&PosseObjectId=297124252

If it goes ahead, that project will take a while to get underway. MacLeods bookshop would have to move out.

madog222 · #**2310** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 3:59 PM**

Building permit for 516 W Pender, as 509 Richards, was summitted back in April so it looks like that is moving forward.

kikin · #**2311** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 7:24 PM**

was walking down Granville street yesterday evening and it is till beautiful, they are doing a great job keeping it clean and disorder to a bare minimum

good job by Mayor Sim in pushing this in the right direction and fighting back against provincial government misguided aspirations : https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da1DSfQhKmW/

Migrant_Coconut · #**2312** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 7:41 PM**

Granville's always been fine. It's the two blocks between Smithe and Helmcken that were the problem before, and they're already going back to being a problem now.

Glow Fun City · #**2313** Posted **Jul 23, 2026, 11:47 PM**

Big update on new theatres (cross posted from arts and culture forum because nobody really looks over there):

Four new concert halls proposed for Downtown Vancouver, including Robson Square and Northeast False Creek
Kenneth Chan, Dailyhive

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-cultural-precinct-new-concert-halls-proposal-sites

Image credit: Diamond Schmitt Architects/Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society

A coalition of 32 performing arts organizations has unveiled an ambitious vision to create four new and/or substantially renovated performance venues in Downtown Vancouver, with four possible location options identified.

This includes the Robson Square/existing Vancouver Art Gallery site, Queen Elizabeth Theatre plaza, Larwill Park parking lot (sharing the city block with the future Vancouver Art Gallery), and the Northeast False Creek waterfront.

The Vancouver Cultural Precinct proposal by the not-for-profit Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society calls for a connected group of purpose-built venues ranging from an intimate 400-seat hall to a 2,000-seat theatre capable of hosting major operas, ballets, and other large productions.

A press conference held today drew municipal, provincial, and federal officials, all of whom spoke very strongly in support of the society’s vision...

Image credit: Diamond Schmitt Architects/Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society

officedweller · #**2314** Posted **Jul 24, 2026, 12:09 AM**

Moved to culture thread.

kikin · #**2315** Posted **Jul 24, 2026, 7:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Granville's always been fine. It's the two blocks between Smithe and Helmcken that were the problem before, and they're already going back to being a problem now.

I noticed there is still an SRO there that needs to go, it was oozing out onto the sidewalk this morning

Migrant_Coconut · #**2316** Posted **Jul 24, 2026, 7:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikin

I noticed there is still an SRO there that needs to go, it was oozing out onto the sidewalk this morning

It's more than just one SRO - there's too many empty storefronts and dingy businesses along that stretch.

csbvan · #**2317** Posted **Jul 24, 2026, 8:08 PM**

One of the former SROs is turning into a hotel (Modo), Luugat is pretty much emptied, and St. Helen's (1163 Granville) is next up to be shut down.

Change won't happen instantly, but it is undoubtedly shifting.

officedweller · #**2318** Posted **Jul 24, 2026, 9:25 PM**

848 Seymour

Pics by me today - one floor to grade.

kikin · #**2319** Posted **Jul 25, 2026, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by csbvan

One of the former SROs is turning into a hotel (Modo), Luugat is pretty much emptied, and St. Helen's (1163 Granville) is next up to be shut down.

Change won't happen instantly, but it is undoubtedly shifting.

we are going in the right direction, hopefully the next civic election also makes good choices and we see things continue in the right direction, it always feels like the provincial government with the NDP has other ideas and wants to see us regress again so a strong advocate for our city is a necessity

csbvan · #**2320** Posted **Jul 25, 2026, 8:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikin

we are going in the right direction, hopefully the next civic election also makes good choices and we see things continue in the right direction, it always feels like the provincial government with the NDP has other ideas and wants to see us regress again so a strong advocate for our city is a necessity

It is the provincial government that is closing the Granville SROs and relocating the tenants.