General Vancouver Updates

[Feathered Friend]

https://shapeyourcity.ca/8725-french-st




https://shapeyourcity.ca/450-w-georgia-st/widgets/58883/photos/15915

June 15th, 2021 Public Hearing – 1,500 New Jobs Enrage Downtown Hermits, While Hundreds Protest An Extra Floor Of Homes In Coal Harbour

Public Hearing – June 15th, 2021
To say the last year and a half has been challenging would be an understatement, and frankly it’s hard to believe it’s been that long since Hannah and last attended any civic event in person. Maybe that’s partially why the opposition to many of this night’s items have caught us off guard. After all, who would have expected that proposals for new office buildings, cultural centres, and schools in Downtown Vancouver would draw a torrent of opposition.

Yet, we’re confidant Item #1, a six floor building on Kingsway, won’t draw any attention, even though it’s been slightly expanded since we first encountered it in 2018. We’re also confidant Item #2 will see a fair amount of support, as the existing residents of MacLeod Manor are eager to return to their renewed homes. This expansion has generated some angst from neighbours only willing to support three floors here, despite that this proposal no longer needs city councils approval.

Its opponents may not have a prayer, but at the other end of the city, Item #3 will provide Vancouver’s Isamli community a new place for reflection and gathering. Those services will occupy the podium of this 39 floor building, and the rest will be turned over to a non-profit to provide homes for seniors, and others in need. This should balance the new nearby strata and market rental buildings, which some feel have pushed Yaletown to its population limit.

To see letters calling for young people to be forced out of Vancouver is shocking, and the outcry over Item #4’s plan to replace a surface parking lot with space for 1,500 jobs has also caught us off guard. Considering the other buildings on West Georgia, one would have thought the neighbours would have expected this change, but then again literally hundreds of comments have opposed Item #5, a one floor addition to the recently approved Coal Harbour Elementary School.

Backlash Expectations

Item #1 – 602-644 Kingsway – Very Low
Proposals on Kingsway rarely see any opposition

Item #2 – 8725 French St – Very Low
While a few are opposed to anything more than three floors, city policy now allows this form outright

Item #3 – 1317 Richards St & 508 Drake St – Moderate
Some fear non-profit housing, but most don’t want any more neighbours regardless of their income

Item #4 – 450 West Georgia St & 712-732 Richards St – Moderate
There are some very upset homeowners in the neighbouring L’hermitage

Item #5 – 480 Broughton St – High
One extra floor of housing has triggered hundreds of angry Coal Harbour voices

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2021/06/14...an-extra-floor-of-homes-in-coal-harbour/

[Feathered Friend]

https://shapeyourcity.ca/3353-cambie-st




https://shapeyourcity.ca/3609-3687-arbutus-st

June 17th, 2021 Public Hearing – Vancouver’s Crème de la Crème Sours On Moderate Income Rental Homes Greenway Approach
Public Hearing – June 17th, 2021

This public hearing’s agenda will let me recap one of my favourite open house experiences, and one that Hannah still rightly scolds me for attending, as I was literally bleeding internally. Even with the post surgical fog, I’ll never forget the shocked faces in the room, though not every project can be that memorable. In fact, Item #1, a six floor building at 5412 Cambie, could easily be confused with several others that have already been approved along this corridor.

Item #2, located between 62nd and 63rd Avenue at 7730-7772 Cambie, is also pretty straightforward, as this six floor building design has been similarly prescribed by the community plan’s guidelines. For this reason, and because they’ve received little public interest, we’ll be omitting them from our in-depth coverage. That said, like Item #3, we won’t ignore the needs of Cambie’s heart, which is why this six floor building, and its ~4,100 sqft. daycare, is where our deep dive begins.

After all, as Item #4 proves, we’re willing to sacrifice more than our time to provide a better picture of our city. Granted, had I know this proposal on Kingsway would be redesigned afterwards, I may not have dragged myself to its applicant-led event after undergoing two hours of surgery, but it does make for a cool story. It could have been much worse, as I can’t imagine combining the effects of anesthesia with the anger displayed towards Item #5.

It’s obvious the city’s $55 million purchase of the Arbutus Greenway failed to convince Vancouver’s crème de la crème that new housing deserves anything beyond a sour response. They’re ready for a multi-night discussion about these 116 rental homes, 20% of which are voluntarily dedicated to households earning between $30,000-$80,000. With a list of talking points, and plans to alert their allies when it’s their turn to speak to city council, they’ve highlighted the impact your thoughts can have.

Backlash Expectations

Item #3 – 3353 Cambie St – Moderate
Some neighbours are willing to sacrifice daycare spaces to preserve the area’s small village look

Item #4 – 2725-2751 Kingsway – Very Low
We’re about the only one’s who seem interested in this proposal’s five year journey

Item #5 – 3609-3687 Arbutus St – Very High
Past successes mean this opposition is extremely well organized, with flyers, and form letters

Yes, the post surgery open house story is real. Hopefully one day soon we can all get together, and I'll tell all of you about it.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2021/06/16...e-income-rental-homes-greenway-approach/

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2021/06/14...an-extra-floor-of-homes-in-coal-harbour/

So far, so good. Council approved Item 1, Kingsway, (Cllr Swanson opposed), and then both French St and the Richards Street tower were approved unanimously! Item 4, the W Georgia office and the school will have to wait until June 29th.

[CivicBlues]

Vancouver’s Crème de la Crème

Holy shit this phrase must be pushing 30 by now. The lady that done first mutter'd it must be long from this Earth by now from embarassment

[GenWhy?]

The evolution of Kingsway is really something. Good to see more approvals at Norquay Park

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

Yes, the post surgery open house story is real. Hopefully one day soon we can all get together, and I'll tell all of you about it.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2021/06/16...e-income-rental-homes-greenway-approach/

I can only assume the opposition is coming from the Shaughnessy (east) side of Arbutus worried about losing views. The area west of Arbutus between 16th and King Ed is the most dismal West Side SFH in existence and has no reason to object. A totally soul-sucking motley collection of architectural dreck from postwar period right through this decade. It should all be nuked up to Macdonald.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I can only assume the opposition is coming from the Shaughnessy (east) side of Arbutus worried about losing views. The area west of Arbutus between 16th and King Ed is the most dismal West Side SFH in existence and has no reason to object. A totally soul-sucking motley collection of architectural dreck from postwar period right through this decade. It should all be nuked up to Macdonald.

Given the Karens at some open houses, I think they LIKE the dreck.

[officedweller]

From UrbanYVR -
New renderings of the Park Inn / Ramada Inn replacement on Broadway:

888 West Broadway

The project will also include 50,000 square feet of retail space, and both short-term and long-term stays will be offered. The developer is Chunghwa, who are also building two new Marriott hotels on Bridgeport Road, adjacent to Highway 99 in Richmond.
http://www.chunghwa.ca/hospitality-portfolio/

https://www.urbanyvr.com/888-west-broadway/


https://www.urbanyvr.com/888-west-broadway/


https://www.urbanyvr.com/888-west-broadway/


https://www.urbanyvr.com/888-west-broadway/


https://www.urbanyvr.com/888-west-broadway/

[Changing City]

Here's an interesting project that will presumably be an application soon. It's on Cambie near SW Marine, and it's designed by Urban Agency, a European architectural firm who already have a project under construction in Calgary. It's called Vancouver Forest, with 200 apartments designed to Passivhaus, with a low-embodied energy bamboo-clad CLT frame on (as far as I can count) 19 floors. (Spotted on Frances Bula's twitter feed)

[SpongeG]

it was featured today on Archdaily, quite a lot of technical renders and info at the source.

Urban Agency Designs New "Vancouver Forest" Block in Canada











Written by Eric Baldwin
about 14 hours ago

Architecture firm Urban Agency has shared new details of their Vancouver Forest development in Canada. Taking inspiration from the forest regions of the area, the project includes timber, bamboo and greenery to form a sustainable block for the city. As a series of stepped terraces, the project was designed as a 'living canopy' with trees and foliage growing along the building envelope.

...

https://www.archdaily.com/963643/urban-agency-designs-new-vancouver-forest-block-in-canada

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

it was featured today on Archdaily, quite a lot of technical renders and info at the source.

That land assembly sold for $30.45 million in 2018. Dayhu Group

https://claridgeadvisors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/7-12-2018.pdf

[Klazu]

Oh wow, a lot going on! That South Cambie proposal looks so much higher quality than any of the generic towers there right now.

I also didn't know that there are TWO Marriott hotels under construction in Richmond.

[officedweller]

Skinny windows on that Passivehauss. I wonder how winter daylight levels inside will be?

Wasn't the adjacent site on Cambie sold to a Buddhist society for a temple or HQ?

[giallo]

Today I learned there's a Lord Street in Vancouver.

The 888 West Broadway and Vancouver Forest projects both look excellent.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by giallo

Today I learned there's a Lord Street in Vancouver.

The 888 West Broadway and Vancouver Forest projects both look excellent.

I had to look up Lord Street too. It was named in 1952 for Judge Arthur Lord, who became a Supreme Court judge a couple of years later.

If/when the hotel on Broadway and the Marpole residential building get built, I wonder how different the completed buildings will be? Arno Matis renders are often a bit fanciful. I'm not sure how a screen like that works in reality on a hotel - the new Exchange Hotel has opening windows, and if this hotel doesn't, then it'll have air conditioning vents that I assume will alter the appearance.

I doubt whether the bamboo poles on the residential building will be structural either. The first version of the Central 'bridge' building in SEFC had a forest of thin metal columns to support the bridge. Then the engineers and the seismic reality kicked in, and it got the seriously chunky vertical concrete columns that hold it up today.

[GenWhy?]

I imagine the extra requested 7 stories at that Cambie tower site is likely due to the higher end finishes, being a Passive Haus rental building, and required to have 20% lower rent units?

Seems unlikely as you see it now to be built.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

I imagine the extra requested 7 stories at that Cambie tower site is likely due to the higher end finishes, being a Passive Haus rental building, and required to have 20% lower rent units?

Seems unlikely as you see it now to be built.

And they don't want the Laurier Annex to be shadowed any further.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From UrbanYVR -
New renderings of the Park Inn / Ramada Inn replacement on Broadway:

888 West Broadway




https://www.urbanyvr.com/888-west-broadway/

The building height and footprint are like something from Richmond.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

it was featured today on Archdaily, quite a lot of technical renders and info at the source.

Urban Agency Designs New "Vancouver Forest" Block in Canada

Happy to see that there will be retail/commercial/public area on the ground floor.

[GenWhy?]

Seeing how a 12-storey building is required to be 100% rental with 20% below-market, asking for 19 at the same percentages would be... interesting. I think the rendered commercial mainfloor is also just simply... a render.