Central Waterfront District | Waterfront Station - CRAB Park

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by s211

The more you look at it, the more I wonder if the fantasists have even seen the locale in person. Either that or it's a high school project run amok?

It's just bizarre, e.g. demo of the heritage building east of the old train station and replacing it with a modern mid-rise.

They had two Vancouver based people on the project I believe.. one from VIA Architecture.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They had two Vancouver based people on the project I believe.. one from VIA Architecture.

They reference Graham McGarva who retired from VIA some years ago. In fact, VIA no longer exist, having been swallowed up by Perkins Eastman of NY, with the principals shared with the Seattle office.

I don't recognize the other name.

[jollyburger]

Actually the other guy wasn't based in Vancouver but seems to be an ex-Farrells employee now at URBIS Limited in Hong Kong but spent some time at school in Halifax.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/macleodben/?originalSubdomain=hk

[jollyburger]

I guess we might hear something soon from the landowners if they made any progress on their planning for the waterfront.

Q2 2024
Formalize roles and funding into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Implementation Agreement (IA) including process, budget, staffing, roles and responsibilities

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/2023-11-1...erfront-district-planning-update-rts.pdf

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

What a mess.

They moved the seabus terminal into the middle of nowhere, are proposing demolishing full office buildings, some only 20 odd years old, are proposing bare bones density, and have yet again, no plan for the rail yard.

These unsolicited planning fantasies need to stop.

The location of the seabus terminal was the first red flag that caught my eye.

And yes, I would hate to see Granville Square demolished.

About the only decent thing in this proposal is it shows how well a tall signature tower suits the waterfront.

[jollyburger]

Never saw this quote from Eby back in January about the waterfront plans.

Describing the area as a “wasteland,” Premier David Eby hinted recently that while things were in the early stages, “very exciting discussions” were underway.

In a recent interview with Postmedia reporter Katie DeRosa, Eby said he sees a role for the province as a “facilitator” in talks between the various public and private entities “to work together on a vision for the waterfront that addresses some of the concerns that we have around, for example, a shortage of hotel rooms or extending the seawall or increasing tourism opportunities.”

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columni...n-vancouvers-central-downtown-waterfront

[Vin]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Never saw this quote from Eby back in January about the waterfront plans.



https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columni...n-vancouvers-central-downtown-waterfront

Wow I'm impressed that we are also getting what looks like British Javelin-class high speed intercity and French TGV bullet trains in the process. Looks like we are going full-European as a transportation hub.

Good job, Eby and NDP!

[griswold]

This is so cool. I hope they're serious about this development.

[Migrant_Coconut]

If they've convinced CP to store the hazmats elsewhere, kudos. If they haven't, they're wasting time on a pipe dream... again.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by griswold

This is so cool. I hope they're serious about this development.

A development of some sort, if the Port and CP are willing and able to cooperate, maybe. The development shown in the image? It's another architect's office with time on their hands playing architectural fantasies.

[Feathered Friend]

Peter Meiszner @PeterMeiszner
Received an update this morning from one of the groups working on a vision for Vancouver’s Central Waterfront. This multi-modal hub is unquestionably unique with transport by rail, air and sea, with so much potential to create an incredible new district for Vancouver. #vanpoli
10:22 AM · Sep 4, 2024

https://x.com/PeterMeiszner/status/1831382388829778110

[Migrant_Coconut]

Have they managed to bring CP to the table yet? If not, we'll all be back here in a few years when they come up with another conversation piece.

[jollyburger]

They were going to announce the governance group this year.

[WarrenC12]

What is it with random waterfront proposals recently?

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

What is it with random waterfront proposals recently?

They want to get their name out there for any future work?

[LeftCoaster]

ANother proposal, another proposal that fails to understand there are already significant office buildings at 200 Granville and PWC Place....

It's really hard to take these things seriously when that is a baseline assumption, especially when the replacement is so small.

[jollyburger]

Not sure if this was posted but from UBC SCARP in 2023 (with James Cheng/Downtown Waterfront Work Group)

https://scarp.ubc.ca/sites/default/files...ion_scarp_studio_final_report_2023_0.pdf

"Partnering with Uytae Lee of the CBC and About Here to produce a video that sparks conversation among the public and partners may get CP’s attention and provide the spark for a fruitful discussion about safety and the potential need to relocate the tracks."

Nice strategy.

[Migrant_Coconut]

CP's response (if any): lol no

[jollyburger]

This one flew under the radar.

Vancouver's last undeveloped waterfront site could house convention centre, hotel, according to city memo

An internal City of Vancouver memo reveals that the interested parties have signed a memorandum of understanding and expect to complete a vision for the site by early 2025.

Even if this effort does come to fruition — which is far from guaranteed — any development is years away. But observers say it’s significant that these public and private entities, after so many decades, are finally working on a shared vision.

The memorandum of understanding was signed in May 2024, but it was not made public. It bears the signatures of officials from the city, the province, Transport Canada, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway, as well as two landowners in the area: Cadillac Fairview and the holding company of the Vancouver Whitecaps owner, Greg Kerfoot.

In an email to Postmedia News, the planning alliance representing those parties said it is working to see if it can reach a shared vision that could lead to detailed planning work.

Redeveloping the area “represents a significant opportunity to create a special mix of supply chain activities, commercial spaces, a transportation hub, housing, and public amenities and parks,” the statement said.

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columni...e-hotel-undeveloped-waterfront-vancouver

Here's the memo

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/2024-11-1...central-waterfront-district-planning.pdf

[gaviscon]

Oh hooray, more unfeasible fantasy exercises for Urban Planners to justify their 6-figure salary.

I hope they pack the site with cheap-looking, rental and social housing towers with ugly protruding elevator bulkhouses on top so that it's actually realistic for this city.