Downtown Vancouver Updates II

[kikin]

Originally Posted by DavidK93

Personally I like the reddish one, for the same reasons as mentioned earlier by UrbanKnight. It's nice to see some color. we have an awful lot of gray, or very light green/blue.

agree with you, it is a good looking building for sure

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I always assumed they were smaller but some of the larger Shoppers locations are in that square footage range. The Reddit poster seems to work in the industry so it might be correct.

Probably because of the massive cosmetics area they force everyone to walk through on the way to the rest of the store.

[jollyburger]

Their Burrard store is 11,000 sq feet. Granville would obviously close but I wonder if Burrard is also open for consolidation.

Back in 2014 when it opened:

"They'll be paying a very high lease price for that space," London Drugs CEO Wynne Powell told BIV.

"If a prime location results in you having to raise your prices too much, then it's not a prime location."

London Drugs operates a store two blocks west, on Robson Street near Bute Street, at a site where it has operated for decades and has a long-term lease fixed at a reasonable rate, Powell said.

He expects SDM's Burrard Street store will initially cut into London Drugs' sales, as usually happens when new competition sprouts. Powell added that, after a few months, he expects customers to return when they realize that London Drugs' prices are lower than SDM's.

"We do regular surveys across the board on basket of goods between ourselves and SDM," Powell said. "There's a 10% to 14% extra cost to buy at SDM. We're not prepared to raise our prices on average."

https://www.biv.com/news/retail-manu...-secre-8238925

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Their Burrard store is 11,000 sq feet. Granville would obviously close but I wonder if Burrard is also open for consolidation.

Back in 2014 when it opened:

https://www.biv.com/news/retail-manu...-secre-8238925

Is Burrard (old library) a regular SDM?
I always thought it was a beauty-only store.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Is Burrard (old library) a regular SDM?
I always thought it was a beauty-only store.

The pharmacy and food etc are upstairs.

[jollyburger]

Anonymous donor bought 1220 Homer and is donating it to and organization for a youth mental health and substance use clinic

https://www.westerninvestor.com/brit...linic-11712891

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The pharmacy and food etc are upstairs.

Thanks. Never knew that!

[idunno]

I really dislike that Shoppers on Burrard next to the Hotel Vancouver. But I think it's a little far away to consolidate that location. Perhaps the location at Dunsmuir/Granville - though I think that store gets a lot of foot traffic due to all the transit connections there.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by idunno

I really dislike that Shoppers on Burrard next to the Hotel Vancouver. But I think it's a little far away to consolidate that location. Perhaps the location at Dunsmuir/Granville - though I think that store gets a lot of foot traffic due to all the transit connections there.

As far as I know, each Shoppers is independently owned (like City Market and No Frills). You might expect the agreement with Loblaws to guarantee protection from another similar store within a certain distance, but I don't know what the process would be to 'consolidate' stores.

[kikin]

Originally Posted by idunno

I really dislike that Shoppers on Burrard next to the Hotel Vancouver. But I think it's a little far away to consolidate that location. Perhaps the location at Dunsmuir/Granville - though I think that store gets a lot of foot traffic due to all the transit connections there.

I like that Shoppers on Burrard. The pharmacy people are great and they always tend to have sales on some staples I need that make it worth going to. I go there and London Drugs to get the best deals on what I need at either store.

would be a shame for the Granville London Drugs to close, that is a huge location that is perfectly suited for a London Drugs type store. Would hate to see it empty for any extended period of time.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by DavidK93

Personally I like the reddish one, for the same reasons as mentioned earlier by UrbanKnight. It's nice to see some color. we have an awful lot of gray, or very light green/blue.

Agreed. Especially on days like today.

Speaking of which. Yet another bleak revision. 516-534 W Pender st.

Previous proposal.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/516-...hotel-approved

Current.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/516-534...-richards-st-2

[RDW989]

1818 Alberni
pix by me, today Jan 13
[IMG][url=https://flic.kr/p/2rRGqKm]

[jollyburger]

981 Davie topping off

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTRHVpJEqn6/

[jollyburger]

The Scotiabank lights are on right now maybe they're doing work on the signs.

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by officedweller

VAHA Burrard

By me today.

Must be full height now.

[img]...jpeg[/img]

[img]...jpeg[/img]

Yesterday morning Jan 14, 2026


https://makeagif.com/i/VjcprE
















• Video Link

[kikin]

Originally Posted by Zepfancouver

Yesterday morning Jan 14, 2026
...

I've been curious about that building and wonder what effect it will have on the neighborhood? Hopefully it is an improvement as that should be a nice area but in recent years it has been pretty sketchy with the proximity to people camping by the hospital and the Murray Hotel and safe supply and the crowd coming down that way from the Granville SRO etc.

Isn't there a big residential tower proposed for the corner across the street on Burrard? That will be nice, and hopefully also the Butterfly starts to actually fill up with people. Will be very interesting to see what becomes of the hospital once it closes, and how that will affect business like Elysian and Starbucks across the street, etc.

[officedweller]

I wonder why some windows go down to the floor, and others do not?
Just style?

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by kikin

...Will be very interesting to see what becomes of the hospital once it closes, and how that will affect business like Elysian and Starbucks across the street, etc.

I am trying to sell my vision of the St-Paul's hospital redevelopment to Concord Pacific...I haven't heard back from them yet


https://makeagif.com/i/cDRN_f

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I wonder why some windows go down to the floor, and others do not?
Just style?

I think the "windows to the floor" ones are the units with Juliette balconies?

https://council.vancouver.ca/2021070...hea5report.pdf

[jollyburger]

Cohen Block also going to council

Two rental housing towers, hotel proposed for former Army & Navy store site

Though both applications have elements that are inconsistent with the Downtown Eastside Plan and heritage policies — and propose heights and densities in excess of the plan — staff said they support the proposal.

“The closure of the Army & Navy department store in 2020 has left a shuttered building that is slowly deteriorating and difficult to repurpose in a profitable manner according to the developer,” said the report, noting the project’s public benefits, including 20 per cent of the floor area for below-market rental units, approximately two-thirds of which will be operated by a non-profit operator.

In addition, the report continued, below-market rental commercial space and the retention of the heritage façade of 8-36 West Cordova St. were other factors that led to support for the project.

“The staff analysis of the projects’ proformas indicate that no further public benefits can be anticipated from these proposals,” the report said. “No other viable alternative has been advanced to revitalize or reopen the vacant space left by the closure of the Army & Navy store at this location.”