Downtown Vancouver Updates II

[jollyburger]

I assume you need space for portables that might not exist at some downtown Vancouver schools?

2023 portable numbers in school districts

2116 portables
Surrey 361
Burnaby 132
Vancouver 125

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...ture-1.6967543

Also VSB is still counting on a decline in the student population over the next 10 years overall (with some opposition to that projection)

More than 7,500 new residents moved into Vancouver’s bustling, culturally diverse Joyce-Collingwood neighbourhood between 2016 and 2021. At least another 1,800 are expected to come in the next five-year period, according to City of Vancouver data.

Besides the downtown core, the eastside Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood (of which Joyce-Collingwood is a part) has the highest population density in Vancouver, 2021 census statistics show.

The B.C. Ministry of Education estimates that schools in the Vancouver School District will see roughly 10,000 more students by the 2031/2032 school year.

But the Vancouver School Board’s data paints an entirely different picture, one of decline, not growth. And the difference in the visions has left parents of students attending schools the Vancouver School Board says it needs to shutter or sell off frustrated and confused.

Under its enrolment forecast for the area, student population is expected to drop by nearly 5,000 students between 2022 and 2032. The VSB says K-12 enrolment in its schools dipped below 48,000 in 2020, leaving elementary schools in some catchment areas operating at less than 60 per cent capacity and some high schools operating at less than 80 per cent.

As a result, the Vancouver School Board has proposed selling or leasing long-term a strip of land on the soccer field at Graham D. Bruce Elementary School and to permanently shutter Sir Guy Carleton Elementary. (Carleton Elementary has been temporarily closed since 2016 when it was damaged by a severe fire.) Both are in Joyce-Collingwood.

https://archive.is/20230908221127/ht...rd-land-sales/

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Changing City

/\
VSB has spare capacity outside the core, and insufficient capacity inside the core. They have a lottery for dealing with the excess demand. See this CBC article for more detail. "As for the province, there's no money in its capital plan for any new schools in Vancouver, only for replacing existing ones. Education Minister Rob Fleming told local politicians last year that the province's priority in Vancouver was seismically upgrading current schools — while building new schools in other areas of the province with population growth."

Outside the core should read "way outside the core".

I think Strathcona might have some space, but otherwise for parents living downtown/Fairview/Mt Pleasant they need to go several kms to get to a school with space.

[Zepfancouver]

VAHA Burrard this morning

3 levels of below grade parking, looks like they are, or almost there.





Slowly making their way through that shale rock, at a typical depth of 4 to 5 meters in this area.



• Video Link

[jollyburger]

I guess it's 2.5 levels of parking but it's still 3 levels down from the elevation drawings.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Progress is progress, and the new Bay Building will one day be built, but I'm kind of sad in a way. The original Bay store as is (or will have been, that is) echoes Selfridges, Oxford Street, in London.




4https://images.selfridges.com/is/image/selfridges/230108_RTV_HERO_TOP_REASONS_TO_VISIT_ASSET_UPDATE_HP_ASSET?scl=1&qlt=60,1

Totally agree. The interior columns and 6th floor ceiling are just two of the heritage elements that will be destroyed when the new building is placed within the facades: an abomination of original architecture which many other cities able to preserve, but sadly not in ours.

[Feathered Friend]

https://plposweb.vancouver.ca/Public...ctId=219786826

It’s been 5 years since we heard rumours that the Listel Hotel would soon be redeveloped, & now they’ve finally come true. With 174 hotel rooms, & 126 rental homes, this 30 floor building will fill more than one hole in Downtown.

https://x.com/City_Duo/status/1743073111782940685?s=20

According to the building grades permit the developer is Bosa Properties.

[seamusmcduff]

There's been a lot of movement on hotels recently. Makes me wonder how much of it is spurred on by the air bnb crackdown.

Seems like there's an obvious hole now that was previously filled by short term rentals located in much needed housing units.

[gaviscon]

Hope we get something fancy with good street-level design here..

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

There's been a lot of movement on hotels recently. Makes me wonder how much of it is spurred on by the air bnb crackdown.

Seems like there's an obvious hole now that was previously filled by short term rentals located in much needed housing units.

That combined with the City and Province buying up cheap hotels and converting them to shelters.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

There's been a lot of movement on hotels recently. Makes me wonder how much of it is spurred on by the air bnb crackdown.

Seems like there's an obvious hole now that was previously filled by short term rentals located in much needed housing units.

A lot of that was planned before any crackdown was announced.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

There's been a lot of movement on hotels recently. Makes me wonder how much of it is spurred on by the air bnb crackdown.

Seems like there's an obvious hole now that was previously filled by short term rentals located in much needed housing units.

And no one wanting to build offices is probably a thing in certain areas.

[urbanight93]

Anyone in the know care to comment on rumours that Simons is taking two floors of the old Nordstrom at PC and Zara and Nike filling the rest?

Not as exciting as getting experiential shopping like Eataly but would open up space on Robson for other retailers who have been looking.

[hollywoodnorth]

I did not know that 1830 Alberni St was primed for redevelopment (strata wind up) like the site next to it on Denman. Too bad they were not combined.

Info >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_U_3lNM-DU

[madog222]

Originally Posted by urbanight93

Anyone in the know care to comment on rumours that Simons is taking two floors of the old Nordstrom at PC and Zara and Nike filling the rest?

Not as exciting as getting experiential shopping like Eataly but would open up space on Robson for other retailers who have been looking.

There was some discussion in the retail thread.

EDIT, just realized that post is a few days old.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

I did not know that 1830 Alberni St was primed for redevelopment (strata wind up) like the site next to it on Denman. Too bad they were not combined.

Info >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_U_3lNM-DU

1818 Alberni next door has been 'selling' (at an average $2,700 per sq ft) for over 4 years, so presumably not well enough to be built. If they can't sell that, having a bigger combined site wouldn't seem to offer much benefit.

1830 was acquired for $52m in 2017, so the purchaser was no doubt hoping to tap into the same luxury market - which Anthem has most recently tapped, with their Park tower. It was 'only' $875 / sq ft buildable, so there could still be a good profit involved - if there's a market for expensive condos.

[jollyburger]

This is in 2018. Assume the FSR/height limit is the same since it's not in the Georgia Corridor of the West End plan?

The shortest dimension between the proposed tower and the interior property line to the west is 29’10. The site to the west, 1830 Alberni Street, zoned RM-5B, does not fall in the Lower Robson area of the WECP, and is limited to 2.75 FSR and 190 ft. in height. If 1830 Alberni were to redevelop with a tower form, the tower location proposed in this application would not limit or preclude tower development. 1830 Alberni Street has a frontage of 165 ft. and could accommodate a single tower which could comfortably achieve 80 ft. of separation between the proposed tower on its east and the existing tower at 1888 Alberni Street to its west.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/1810%20Alberni%20St.pdf

[gaviscon]

Anyone have any updates for the Hudson's Bay building redevelopment project? I think construction is supposed to start this year?

[madog222]

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Anyone have any updates for the Hudson's Bay building redevelopment project? I think construction is supposed to start this year?

The major redevelopment? Definitely not happening this year, nothing has been submitted to the city. It isn't likely to be anytime soon given the current office market.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by Zepfancouver

VAHA Burrard this morning

Cool pics, Zep.

Also Esso gas station in the background, the last one downtown, survives, for now. Assessed at $31 million will Esso "take the money and run" at some point?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

Also Esso gas station in the background, the last one downtown, survives, for now. Assessed at $31 million will Esso "take the money and run" at some point?

Already sold a few years ago. Initially Imperial Oil sold it to 7-11 in 2017, then they put it on the market. The rumour at the time was to Concord Pacific.