Cambie Corridor Updates

[Migrant_Coconut]

That said, if you're tired or busy, or it's raining, or any other kind of excuse to not leave the house for long, you'd need to be a special kind of dedicated to travel halfway across the city for (let's say) garlic, pasta and dish soap. As long as it's not one of the pricey chains, I'd expect a lot of local foot traffic for the Pearson location.

[GenWhy?]

If there was ample commercial space in either of these master planned communities and along Cambie, and a supermarket chain said we're thinking about competing with the supermarket that just opened up in Dogwood and then eventually declined, then I'd be okay with that. What I'm not okay with is the City dictating to the market what is "enough commercial" or "how many grocery stores (big or small)" is enough. If you cap retail, like housing, it becomes monopolized, expensive, and scarce.

Maybe by 2035 another grocery store is warranted. Can someone build one close by? No. Because zoning banned it. The City is gifting the chain that moves into Dogwood a monopoly (if and when they open).

I'll likely write in opposition as this is just vertical suburbia.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Changing City

If you compare to the Downtown peninsula, there are 12 supermarkets (once City Market opens in The Post) for 120,000 residents (and all those office workers, tourists etc.). It seems unlikely any of the supermarket operators would want to locate so close to Cambie Gardens store (whatever it turns out to be).

While we only have that many supermarkets on the peninsula, we have a lot more areas zoned for retail that have allowed grocers. I think 13 supermarkets and grocers exist in the West End alone for the odd 47k people there. Not to mention the butchers, bakeries, etc.

I'm not saying this area should be the West End, an area that's 100 years old, but the designs for new master planned areas and community plans like the Cambie Corridor should match the City's goals. Otherwise they're built and left to be as is for the next 60 years.

[seamusmcduff]

Originally Posted by Changing City

If you compare to the Downtown peninsula, there are 12 supermarkets (once City Market opens in The Post) for 120,000 residents (and all those office workers, tourists etc.). It seems unlikely any of the supermarket operators would want to locate so close to Cambie Gardens store (whatever it turns out to be).

Strand included a proposed grocery store in their Prior Street project next to the new St Paul's at rezoning, and removed it at DP, even though there's nothing close. New residents in the Strand rental towers will have a 20 minute walk to get to T&T and Rexall in Chinatown and a bit more to get to Urban Fare and London Drugs in the Olympic Village. Presumably no grocery store was willing to commit to a space there either, despite no obvious local competition, and all those underserved residents in Strathcona, Citygate and the New St Paul's staff. (There should be something in the next phase of St Paul's - obviously a drug store is a likely tenant).

It sucks that grocery stores basically aren't willing to open new stores now unless they're guaranteed no competition. It's likely part of why Canadian grocery prices are so high. If you're options are to go to the close grocer that's more expensive or the one that you have to travel 20 mins to, a lot of people are going to choose convenience and pay extra.

Although I would note that the residents in the prior street development will have plenty of produce options in Chinatown at least. Who knows how long they'll be around though

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by giallo

Interesting list, OD.

I shop at No Frills on Yukon/Broadway, Safeway at Commercial/Broadway, and Whole Foods and Save On on Cambie.

Every now and then, I'll grab stuff from PriceSmart if I'm in Metrotown (far prefer it to T&T), Sungiven near City Hall, and Kim's Mart on Broadway.

The No Frills are franchises, so they have different specialties (ethnic foods). The eastside / westside demographics of the areas also play in as well. Baked goods (i.e. carbs) don't sell well in Kitsilano and are often discounted for clearance at 4th. The 4th & Vine location does not impose limits, while the Broadway & Yukon store and the Fraser store do (i.e. the recent sale on corn on the cob saw a limit of 3 at Broadway and no limit at 4th). Budget-oriented items like pork picnic roasts sell out fast at Broadway, and last past the weekend at 4th. The reverse is also true - higher priced meats on sale (i.e. rib steaks) will sell out at 4th but last at Broadway (but Safeway has better quality meats). Safeway has also beaten No Frills on specials recently, like Dr. Oetker's pizzas at $3.49, Earth's Own Oat beverage at $2.88 and Chapman's Premium for $3.99. Save-on-Foods remains the most expensive, except their $1.49 days.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

If there was ample commercial space in either of these master planned communities and along Cambie, and a supermarket chain said we're thinking about competing with the supermarket that just opened up in Dogwood and then eventually declined, then I'd be okay with that. What I'm not okay with is the City dictating to the market what is "enough commercial" or "how many grocery stores (big or small)" is enough. If you cap retail, like housing, it becomes monopolized, expensive, and scarce.

Maybe by 2035 another grocery store is warranted. Can someone build one close by? No. Because zoning banned it. The City is gifting the chain that moves into Dogwood a monopoly (if and when they open).

I'll likely write in opposition as this is just vertical suburbia.

Reminds me of Olympic Village - I wonder how the Urban Fare is doing there? (though people I know who live there walk to the Cambie area to shop).

[giallo]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The No Frills are franchises, so they have different specialties (ethnic foods). The eastside / westside demographics of the areas also play in as well. Baked goods (i.e. carbs) don't sell well in Kitsilano and are often discounted for clearance at 4th. The 4th & Vine location does not impose limits, while the Broadway & Yukon store and the Fraser store do (i.e. the recent sale on corn on the cob saw a limit of 3 at Broadway and no limit at 4th). Budget-oriented items like pork picnic roasts sell out fast at Broadway, and last past the weekend at 4th. The reverse is also true - higher priced meats on sale (i.e. rib steaks) will sell out at 4th but last at Broadway (but Safeway has better quality meats). Safeway has also beaten No Frills on specials recently, like Dr. Oetker's pizzas at $3.49, Earth's Own Oat beverage at $2.88 and Chapman's Premium for $3.99. Save-on-Foods remains the most expensive, except their $1.49 days.

Good to know. I shop at Safeway the least despite it being the closest to my apartment. I'll check it out. The oat milk and pizzas are a great deal.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

It sucks that grocery stores basically aren't willing to open new stores now unless they're guaranteed no competition.

By "grocery stores" do you mean just the big chains? Because I think ethnic markets which do a great job at providing variety that chains do not, and sometimes offer better prices on produce, dairy, or meats are more than willing to compete if the rent is right.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Reminds me of Olympic Village - I wonder how the Urban Fare is doing there? (though people I know who live there walk to the Cambie area to shop).

I'm in OV and UF is really a last resort place to shop. We go to Costco, Whole Foods, and markets along Main St.

UF feels expensive for mediocre quality. But there are enough people in the area now that it's always pretty busy. Still nothing like the Yaletown location we used to visit more often when we lived there.

[jollyburger]

Rezoning application for Langara Gardens

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/7051-ash-cr

[svlt]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Rezoning application for Langara Gardens

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/7051-ash-cr

Associated DH article on more (editorialized) details on the development:
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/langara-...-rental-housing-rezoning-cambie-corridor.

Overall, looks good.

[jollyburger]

Development application

533 W 49th Ave - formerly 6409-6487 Cambie St (DP-2022-00868)



https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/6409-6487-cambie-st-2

[phesto]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Development application

533 W 49th Ave - formerly 6409-6487 Cambie St (DP-2022-00868)



https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/6409-6487-cambie-st-2

Very curious to see the level of demand for high end strata office space in this location.

[jollyburger]

It's being marketed as Marco Polo. Winter 2027/2028 completion so I guess they have some time for the market to recover

https://marcopolobygryphon.com/

Gryphon is an offshoot of Jinray (Taiwan)

https://blog.gryphonliving.com/2018/04/12/corporate-news-jinray/

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by phesto

Very curious to see the level of demand for high end strata office space in this location.

I could see most of the demand coming from medical/dental/specialist-type tenants. If it is strata office, it's all but assured that it will become a de-facto medical office building.

[s211]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I could see most of the demand coming from medical/dental/specialist-type tenants. If it is strata office, it's all but assured that it will become a de-facto medical office building.

Strata and a building filled with med offices would be an operational minefield.

[phesto]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I could see most of the demand coming from medical/dental/specialist-type tenants. If it is strata office, it's all but assured that it will become a de-facto medical office building.

Westbank sold a ton of strata office at Oakridge, one portion of which was geared towards medical tenants. I assume that absorbed a lot of the demand in this area?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by s211

Strata and a building filled with med offices would be an operational minefield.

A lot of medical professionals like to be able to own their office. Broadway Central has 127 strata units, almost all medical tenants, and seems to have not have problems in the past 9 years. There will undoubtedly be new strata office near ther new St Paul's too. Keltic offered a building on Prior Street a couple of years ago asd strata units, but then a buyer offered to take the whole building.

[jollyburger]

A total of 68 market strata units
A proposed floor space ratio of 2.7 (68,716 sq. ft.)
Two levels of underground parking accessed from the rear lane

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/7730-7772-cambie-st-2

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/7730-7772-cambie-st-2

Yawn. Another stop on the million dollars of banality tour along Cambie. Such a wasted opportunity.