North Shore Updates

[griswold]

Speaking of gondolas I watched this Youtube video the other day talking about gondolas as a transit system. Pretty interesting. I feel like we could use some of this on the north shore but I know it will never happen. SFU will be lucky if theirs ever gets built.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5126u88E7E

[mcj]

Originally Posted by griswold

Speaking of gondolas I watched this Youtube video the other day talking about gondolas as a transit system. Pretty interesting. I feel like we could use some of this on the north shore but I know it will never happen. SFU will be lucky if theirs ever gets built.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5126u88E7E

If anywhere in Canada makes sense for the application of gondolas it'll probably be here. Fortunately we don't experience anywhere near the same levels of unplanned development like South American cities do up our mountainsides, nor do we have the resulting traffic mess, nor do we have the same limitations in access to capital that makes building trains prohibitive for South American cities. So unfortunately for gondola enthusiasts the conditions that make them a viable transportation solution really don't exist here outside of very specific cases.

Fortunately for gondola enthusiasts the SFU gondola is one of those very specific cases (and at our many ski resorts where they also make sense).

[jozero]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Meet a bad contractor and voila. There's no decently priced food anywhere these days so you might as well just walk home and cook dinner at home.

I get the bad contractor thing, that really sucked for the Quay. But that was the issue in 2023 wasn't it? It's now more than 2 years later. We are talking little food kiosks here. Now what is the excuse?


Last year we were traveling and had some time in Bangkok, and discovered this mind blowing new mall called Em Sphere. Greatest food hall I've ever been in. It was a big mall so of course it had several entrances. Anyways, we leave to go to Vietnam for a month, and we then come back for a week in Bangkok. There was this particular awesome coffee spot I wanted to revisit at emsphere, I go thru the entrance to get there and get all confused because now near the front there was a Thai tea place

Yup, from nothing, during the one month we were gone, an entire gorgeous Thai tea place popped up near that entrance

Can't find a site that does that place justice, but just imagine like 50 food stalls all of this individual design and quality (look at the photos):
Em sphere food hall

[griswold]

North Harbour




Also construction on the 2nd new RCN Joint Support Ship is underway

[madog222]

Originally Posted by RedArbutus

Wow, that's way further out than I thought it would be. 5+ month lead time? Maybe King Taps won't be until summer proper then.

King Taps opening on the 27th.

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by madog222

King Taps opening on the 27th.

Cool. We went for a walk around the Quay Monday evening and there's still a ton of Quay renovation related scaffolding/fencing around the perimeter of King Taps. I'm assuming that's going to be gone by opening week because they're already taking patio reservations.

That patio looks killer incidentally.

Man I wish Tap & Barrel would get out of the Shipyards but I don't see what could afford to operate in a space that size.

[jollyburger]

I guess we'll see how much demand there is for casual dining down by the Quay

[s211]

Originally Posted by RedArbutus

Man I wish Tap & Barrel would get out of the Shipyards but I don't see what could afford to operate in a space that size.

I was not aware there were any issues with the Shipyards location. Too big? Too small?

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by s211

I was not aware there were any issues with the Shipyards location. Too big? Too small?

Oh I just think T&B is the stalest and least inspired of Vancouver's casual chain scene, particularly in contrast to elevated casual concepts KT and Joey at the Quay/Shipyards. It's pretty expensive for what you get - Cactus prices but Browns Social House microwaved food. As a relatively new North Van transplant, I'm not as nostalgic for old Lonsdale Quay as some people are, and I like that they're doing renovations, but even I agree that cookie cutter chains are getting a bit suffocating. I would love to see something more bold and independent in the space where T&B is, but as I said previously I don't see what could take up that space other than a very large hospitality group with a lot of capital.

Dream concept that would still be ever so slightly feasible would be like what Four Winds did with the Beach House in Tsawwassen. That was big and ambitious and I've loved visiting there since then.

In any case I don't think Daniel Frankl is losing his momentum any time soon, T&B is up to like 10 (?) locations now.

[RedArbutus]

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/lonsdale-quay-market-revitalization

DH is reporting - quoting a statement from Quay North which I can't find elsewhere - that the rest of the revitalized Quay will be opening this summer, with Oxygen Yoga opening May 19 and Fiorino slated to open "mid-June". So let's see if they move this date back again!

I'd be curious to know when the actual renovations (like the facade and stuff) will be done as this has been taking just as long as the interior/tenant upgrades themselves.

[jozero]

Originally Posted by RedArbutus

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/lonsdale-quay-market-revitalization

DH is reporting - quoting a statement from Quay North which I can't find elsewhere - that the rest of the revitalized Quay will be opening this summer, with Oxygen Yoga opening May 19 and Fiorino slated to open "mid-June". So let's see if they move this date back again!

I'd be curious to know when the actual renovations (like the facade and stuff) will be done as this has been taking just as long as the interior/tenant upgrades themselves.

Holy Smokes. This summer. I don't believe it but thats great news

You can see into the construction of Krave yogurt place, and it doesnt look close to being able to open. Surprised by the time frame given here

[jollyburger]

It looks like Chau Veggie bailed on a food stall?

[jollyburger]

A development application has been submitted for a project that would completely transform the Moodyville neighbourhood, and include buildings nearly four times the height than what’s currently allowed.

At the end of March, the applicant – Arcadis Architects on behalf of Wall Financial Corp. – submitted its application for The Trails (future phases) to the City of North Vancouver.

Two applicant-led information sessions were held in April, with a current comment period ending May 21. That will be followed by a public consultation period planned for this summer and fall, which will be captured in a report that will be made public on the city’s website.

https://www.vmcdn.ca/f/files/nsnews/news...bove-view.jpg;w=960;h=640;bgcolor=000000

[officedweller]

So they lined up the towers with the tallest part of the grain elevators?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Sure wouldn't want to be a resident on the south side...

[jollyburger]

It's on a fairly steep slope so from East 3rd they would probably be more in line with all the low rise buildings in the neighbourhood.

When it was brought up in 2024 there seemed to be a lot of resistance from council on any towers.

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/develo...y-for-last-moodyville-properties-8451971

Here's the CNV project page:

https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development.../Active-Applications/651-East-1st-Street

[jollyburger]

Crane up at that old gardening centre on Marine/Bewicke

https://www.instagram.com/p/DE8NRHbzDqp/

Good luck figuring out how to stick a Skytrain guideway through there

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

It looks like Chau Veggie bailed on a food stall?

Hm I forgot about them. Guess so. Weird that DH reported in November that they were slated to close for good in early 2025, but they seem to have changed their name to Chau Cafe. The Quay expansion was likely shelved either way I guess.

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

It's on a fairly steep slope so from East 3rd they would probably be more in line with all the low rise buildings in the neighbourhood.

When it was brought up in 2024 there seemed to be a lot of resistance from council on any towers.

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/develo...y-for-last-moodyville-properties-8451971

Here's the CNV project page:

https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development.../Active-Applications/651-East-1st-Street

It's probably a coincidence, but I wonder if the timing on this particular proposal was delayed to wait until Translink had released its own plans (with 16 storey towers!) for the bus depot.

[jollyburger]

Can't wait for Sager to come out crying about this.

The Park Royal plans are pretty pointless since most of the surrounding properties around the mall have been redeveloped in the past 10-20 years. Maybe Larco will try to push forward with a housing densification on the North Mall.

West Vancouver

By Sept. 30, 2026, amend its Official Community Plan Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw to modify Local Area Plans to increase density in Ambleside and Dundarave Village; and
By Dec. 31, 2026, amend its Official Community Plan and zoning bylaws to create a local area plan for the Park Royal-Taylor Way area, with additional, sufficient density to support its housing target order. The plan should enable housing that aligns with best practices for transit-adjacent housing as set out for transit-oriented development areas (TOAs) in the province.

https://storeys.com/west-vancouver-oak-bay-housing-targets/