River District (East Fraserlands) Updates

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yes, that's why I was curious as to why it was getting federal funding. It's not as if it wouldn't get built without it...

It's not 'funding' they're low interest construction loans. With rising interest rates for construction mortgages they might not have got built, or at least might have paused. Currently, despite higher rents, many projects don't pencil out without help to be built.

[Lexus]

Originally Posted by Changing City

It's not 'funding' they're low interest construction loans. With rising interest rates for construction mortgages they might not have got built, or at least might have paused. Currently, despite higher rents, many projects don't pencil out without help to be built.

So it's this one:

2023, Aug 3

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

Tower topped out:

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Lexus

So it's this one:

2023, Aug 3

Yes - it looks like it. The low rise woodframe, not the tower. It has 10,000 of retail/restaurant space as well as the 178 rental units.

[Lexus]

Something strange going on here. In April things were picking up, with equipment on site. Shortly after, for at least a couple of months now, the site was basically completely vacant, the sign was removed too.

2023, Apr 25

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

2023, Aug 6

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Lexus

Something strange going on here. In April things were picking up, with equipment on site. Shortly after, for at least a couple of months now, the site was basically completely vacant, the sign was removed too.

2023, Apr 25

If that's the District Energy site, they only got BCUC approval to build it at the end of June, (a year after it was submitted). It is going to take heat from Metro Vancouver's waste to energy plant in Burnaby. No doubt there are still details to sort out following approval. The City also had conditions on the approved building, which they issued in April 2022, in part to ensure the plant isn't noisy, and the lighting isn't intrusive, as it's a residential neighbourhood.

[jollyburger]

Their initial development timeline in 2022 was:

Summer 2023 Construction Start
Winer 2024 Completion
Spring 2025 Equipment Install
Winer 2025 Commissioning
2026 Expansion of the system

This was based on a Winter 2022 BCUC approval so maybe the timeline is moved back a bit.

[officedweller]

From GBL twitter posted August 31st:


https://twitter.com/GBLArchitects

Rendering:


https://twitter.com/GBLArchitects

[Klazu]

Oh wow. That's going to add some color in the area!

[jollyburger]

Oct 2024 completion

[Changing City]

BC Business have a feature by Frances Bula on River District.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Changing City

BC Business have a feature by Frances Bula on River District.

Good article. This made me laugh:

But the two are both large, master-planned communities that will be developed by a single entity, which means there’s a unified concept and an owner that will oversee everything from curating the mix of retail to advocating for better transit to putting effort into good public spaces that are often the heart of a community. (So, already light years better than the random towers that, for example, Burnaby has let various developers put up around Lougheed and Willingdon, where there appears to be no one doing anything to make the streets or general area feel like a community instead of piles of concrete next to a big road and a SkyTrain line—the Brentwood Mall re-development excepted.)

This is also extremely accurate:

The school? Ha. As with everywhere else in Vancouver and the region, the provincial education ministry doesn’t pay for new schools in newly developed areas until: 1. an entire generation of children has completed high school elsewhere (kidding, not kidding), and 2. all other schools within a 20-kilometre radius are filled up completely. So, like Olympic Village and the future Jericho Lands, no school yet or planned for the foreseeable future.

[idunno]

^^I loved that. "20km radius" haha - too true though!!

[seamusmcduff]

The river district is really impressing me with the architecture, amenities (minus a school), and the public spaces. It's a shame that it will be completely disconnected from the rest of the City for the foreseeable future. Transit is just not good enough for the population.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

BC Business have a feature by Frances Bula on River District.

I wonder if any of our forummers contributed?

Originally Posted by whatnext

FYI River District residents, a chance to promote your 'hood:

Frances Bula
@fabulavancouver
52m
Dear tweeps, Looking for people who moved into River District to chat about life there. DM, text, call, come by

https://twitter.com/fabulavancouver/status/1656742419436818433

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From GBL twitter posted August 31st:


https://twitter.com/GBLArchitects

Rendering:


https://twitter.com/GBLArchitects

A very unique and handsome building in the making I have to say.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

The river district is really impressing me with the architecture, amenities (minus a school), and the public spaces. It's a shame that it will be completely disconnected from the rest of the City for the foreseeable future. Transit is just not good enough for the population.

i would say its more of a shame it was built on a flood plain without a dyke. it was built with a "berm" to "dyke standards".

in other words, its not a registered dyke, so who knows what it'll be like in 20yrs... during the 2021 November floods, i know it came very close to the top. lets just hope that was a one off for the next 100yrs.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

The river district is really impressing me with the architecture, amenities (minus a school), and the public spaces. It's a shame that it will be completely disconnected from the rest of the City for the foreseeable future. Transit is just not good enough for the population.

Contrary to popular myth there are plenty of vehicles registered in the City of Vancouver and not everyone needs transit to get around. Just over 316,000. Interestingly, the most popular is Toyota Corolla.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Contrary to popular myth there are plenty of vehicles registered in the City of Vancouver and not everyone needs transit to get around. Just over 316,000. Interestingly, the most popular is Toyota Corolla.

Not everyone living here in River District has a car. What about those people? They don’t matter just because other people still drive?

At certain times of day, the 100 bus is passing people by because it’s too full.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

The river district is really impressing me with the architecture, amenities (minus a school), and the public spaces. It's a shame that it will be completely disconnected from the rest of the City for the foreseeable future. Transit is just not good enough for the population.

Being separated from the rest of the city has been a blessing in many ways though. It’s pretty tranquil and you get a reprieve from the impact of social issues found elsewhere.

I’ve noticed a security guard at times in the town centre area recently but I’ve never even seen someone I would classify as drunk, let alone dealing with full-blown addiction. I’ve never seen any shoplifters either and I’ve been here for 3 years now.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Not everyone living here in River District has a car. What about those people? They don’t matter just because other people still drive?

At certain times of day, the 100 bus is passing people by because it’s too full.

The 100 is VERY busy for a good part of the day.. and only going to get busier with all of the development in the area.. yet Translink buys a bunch of standard length electric buses for the route.. Doh!

The 80 however isn't that busy.. and is a great connection from Marine to River District.

Ron.