General Vancouver Development Updates II

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

And yet they're still holding onto Kingsgate.

That's also leased to a developer on a 99 year lease, (since 1972, so there are 47 years left on the existing lease).

[officedweller]

Form

From Lawrence Black twitter Oct 2nd:


https://x.com/LawrenceBlackTV


https://x.com/LawrenceBlackTV


https://x.com/LawrenceBlackTV

[officedweller]

Frame
(Kingsway)

https://www.instagram.com/p/DAo0C8uvOzA/?img_index=1

[whatnext]

Okay, am I the only one who thinks the Westbank thing at Broadway & Alma is not turning out well? There's something off about it. And why is the first floor space so high?

[IMG]IMG_2247 by bcborn, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_2248 by bcborn, on Flickr[/IMG]
my photos

[jollyburger]

There's some mezzanine retail or something on the main level. I don't think it looks that bad from the renderings.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I don't see the problem, the storefront's raised to adjust for the slope.

[seamusmcduff]

I think the cladding is going to make or break it, but I've never been a fan of glazing only first floors

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

I think the cladding is going to make or break it, but I've never been a fan of glazing only first floors

The previous cladding proposals. Fin matrix 2019, precast concrete in 2020. They changed the colour of the concrete for the finalized design.



https://www.urbanyvr.com/west-broadway-alma-rentals-2/

The current cladding



https://www.urbanyvr.com/new-renderings-of-broadway-alma-rental-tower/

The commercial ground floor has double-height glass walls which permit a
high degree of porosity between the shop interior and the sidewalk. These glass-walls are also
recessed further in, compared to the residential floors above, to expand the ground plane to allow for
more planting, seating and patio. City Engineering has required a Public Bicycle-Share (PBS) station
on the southwest corner of the site as a Rezoning Condition of Approval. A future emergency exit for
the potential Skytrain is also anticipated and provided for.

With regards to the question of residential expression, it should be noted
that the Development Permit Application’s version uses punched-windows with larger openings. (See
Figure 5 for illustration of the punched-windows.) Staff note the proposed concrete-panels with the
punched-windows reference the vicinity’s towers built in the 50s, 60s and 70s. (See Figure 6 of the
concrete panel’s details.) Furthermore, the concrete-panels do not extend out 2 feet (like the early finframe version), hence it does not ‘balloon out’ the building’s perceived bulk. The punched-windows are
also a closer reference to the style of windows found on towers in the vicinity. In addition, the windows
having wider openings allow lighting and activities from the interior to animate the broader streetscape.
. As such, these gestures can be considered as interpretations of the established context of traditional building
construction, without wholly mimicking the neighbourhood’s dominant building-typologies, massing and
motifs. Nonetheless, Condition of Approval 1.3 recommends further refinement of the materiality and
architectural expression to more closely reference the local area. Architecturally, the stacked offset
volumes, instead of all floors arranged in a uniformed single column, introduces a new interpretation of
the “tower-typology” at this key junction and terminus of Broadway.

: The proposed concrete panel is similar in texture – notably a fluted surface – to those used on nearby
residential towers. This is one of the applicant’s interpretation of “contextual fit”, without mimicking the West Point
Grey and Kitsilano’s dominant building typologies. The applicant’s choice of materials include some wood-texture
and metal panels to draw contrast to the concrete.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/3701-w-broadway.pdf

[osirisboy]

What looks off is the building to the right of this.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

What looks off is the building to the right of this.

Which was probably built quickly after WWII, fills the whole lot and has room sizes future dwellers of the Westbank building can only dream about.

[Migrant_Coconut]

If only BC had kept building them (but slightly taller every decade) long after that - everybody would have one, and they'd all be affordable.

[officedweller]

Streetfront retail needs high ceilings. Just look at the retail along The Heights in Burnaby compared to most neighbourhood retail strips in Vancouver.
It's much nicer out there.
As for all the glass, be glad there's no spandrel glass at grade.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Which was probably built quickly after WWII, fills the whole lot and has room sizes future dwellers of the Westbank building can only dream about.

Yes, and you can hear your neighbours having 🞵🞵🞵 too!

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Okay, am I the only one who thinks the Westbank thing at Broadway & Alma is not turning out well? There's something off about it. And why is the first floor space so high?

[IMG]IMG_2247 by bcborn, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_2248 by bcborn, on Flickr[/IMG]
my photos

Because that's where the transfer slab (looks like ~4' depth) seems to be located.

You can see it in your second image.

Which means that that first floor is probably going to be anywhere between 12' to 16' clear ceiling height depending on how much the site slopes down on the other side.
(also depending on whether they have mechanical ducts running underneath that slab, which is likely)

That pretty standed for retail/commercial floors.

[GenWhy?]

Is there a tenant committed for the CRU? I assume it's just one

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Is there a tenant committed for the CRU? I assume it's just one

I believe it's around 10K square feet with the main floor+mezzanine levels.

They broke it up into four commercial units. They all have tiny mezzanines attached to them with staircases.

https://web.archive.org/web/202101050403...wbroadway/documents/FloorandRoofPlan.pdf

Elevations

https://web.archive.org/web/202101050403...broadway/documents/BuildingElevation.pdf

Maybe closer to 20 feet on that lowest corner depending on where they stick the floor slab.



Credit: FeatheredFriend https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10259700&postcount=596

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I believe it's around 10K square feet with the main floor+mezzanine levels.

They broke it up into four commercial units. They all have tiny mezzanines attached to them with staircases.

https://web.archive.org/web/202101050403...wbroadway/documents/FloorandRoofPlan.pdf

Elevations

https://web.archive.org/web/202101050403...broadway/documents/BuildingElevation.pdf

Maybe closer to 20 feet on that lowest corner depending on where they stick the floor slab.



Credit: FeatheredFriend https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10259700&postcount=596

Our of curiosity are those mezzanines required to have an elevator for accessibility? if not, I'm surprised.

PS I notice that in between FeatheredFriend's photo and mine the owner of that small building has spruced it up!

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I believe it's around 10K square feet with the main floor+mezzanine levels.

They broke it up into four commercial units. They all have tiny mezzanines attached to them with staircases.

Thanks! Definitely then not something you can assemble easily, which I assumed happened. Quite awkward spaces. So maybe 203 CRUs at the end of the day.

EDIT: looking at the elevation drawings I now understand you cannot assemble these

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Our of curiosity are those mezzanines required to have an elevator for accessibility? if not, I'm surprised.

PS I notice that in between FeatheredFriend's photo and mine the owner of that small building has spruced it up!

Rules on mezz spaces are designed in a way to capture tall ceilings and add floor area, while avoiding it being considered an additional floor or level to the building. It's my understanding that if the floor area is substantial (over 1/3 of the CRU) then it's technically another level and requires elevator access.

Lets say the mezz is a dinning area and there is a dinning area on the lower floor. Both levels offer the same service. for offices for instance I think we were not allowed to put the washroom on the mezz level, for example.

[jollyburger]

Just noticed they have emergency staircase for the subway station inside one of the CRUs on that corner near that old apartment building.