Broadway Corridor Updates

[DavidK93]

Originally Posted by seamusmcduff

This project really limits the density that can go on the corner lot along Alberta. Wonder if Council/Planning will have any concerns about that

Would that be such a bad thing though? A city can build great density with these kinds of buildings, not every building in Vancouver needs to be a 75 story tower, we can leave that for Burnaby and Surrey.

[whatnext]

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a market tower, it's a subsidized housing tower...

Nearly finished Broadway tower pivots again, from medical care rooms to hotel
Originally, it was proposed with 200 rental units.
Brendan Kergin Brendan Kergin
21 minutes ago

The future of a nearly finished tower in Vancouver's Fairview neighbourhood may be changing again.

When the redevelopment of the former Denny's site at 2538 Birch St. (formerly 1296 West Broadway) was first proposed, a 16-storey tower with 153 rental units was pitched.

Several project pivots
In 2019, that was changed to a 28-storey tower with more rental units and commercial space under the city’s moderate income rental housing pilot program, which was aimed at increasing the city's supply of rental units....

....Now, the plan for the tower is changing yet again, as a new rezoning application has been submitted to the city with a proposal "to allow for hotel, group child care (2.5 years old to school age) and occasional child care."

The revamped plan would create 202 hotel units and 56 moderate-income rental units....

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/broadway-tower-pivot-hotel-vancouver-12284724

[csbvan]

Hotel will add more vibrancy than the previous use. Happy to see it.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Hotel will add more vibrancy than the previous use. Happy to see it.

Makes more sense in that area thanks to the skytrain extension too.

[jollyburger]

The revised application

https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/2538-birch-st/revised-booklet.pdf

They are back in court by the end of the month for the the insolvency filing so who knows who is behind it.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2538-birch

https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/jamesonbroadway

[jollyburger]

The 1745 West 8th Avenue project has no speakers but it includes an ODP Amendment to change it from Mixed-Use High-Rise 1 to High-Rise 2

Vancouver ODP Amendment and CD-1 Rezoning: 1745 West 8th Avenue

The proposed height exceeds the ODP height range of the Mixed-use High-Rise 1 designation
and both the height and density exceed what was anticipated under the Broadway Plan.
As this rezoning application requires an amendment to the Vancouver Official Development
Plan, a Public Hearing is required in accordance with section 559.02(1) of the Vancouver
Charter.
The review of this application was predominantly guided by processes and policies in effect
prior to enactment of the ODP on March 31, 2026. Following enactment of the ODP By-law, this
application is now subject to the requirements of the ODP and the Vancouver Charter with
respect to additional consultation and ODP review. The General Manager of Planning, Urban
Design and Sustainability recommends approval in principle subject to conditions contained in
Appendix C.

So it requires a hearing but they don't need to allow speakers?

https://council.vancouver.ca/20260519/documents/rr1.pdf

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

The 1745 West 8th Avenue project has no speakers but it includes an ODP Amendment to change it from Mixed-Use High-Rise 1 to High-Rise 2

Vancouver ODP Amendment and CD-1 Rezoning: 1745 West 8th Avenue

So it requires a hearing but they don't need to allow speakers?

https://council.vancouver.ca/20260519/documents/rr1.pdf

As in the past, there's no speakers permitted on a referral (to public hearing) report, but if passed, then members of the public can register to speak at the future public hearing.

[whatnext]

I wonder where they think they’ll scare up presale buyers for 441 strata units?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I wonder where they think they’ll scare up presale buyers for 441 strata units?

When did you think they were intending to sell these towers?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

When did you think they were intending to sell these towers?

The document says 441 strata units. Isn’t the standard development path to sell about 70% of the units before construction can proceed?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The document says 441 strata units. Isn’t the standard development path to sell about 70% of the units before construction can proceed?

Yes. Does it say when they are going to offer any homes for sale?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Yes. Does it say when they are going to offer any homes for sale?

So in other words this is just a paper project with no foreseeable start date (if ever).

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

So in other words this is just a paper project with no foreseeable start date (if ever).

It's no different from the 100+ Broadway Corridor rental towers that have been approved. There's only a finite amount of demand, so at any point in time only a few of them will be being built. The developers of those, and here, have their rezoning in place to allow the project to be built when they think there's sufficient market demand.

It's also no different from any other condo projects across the city, or even the whole of the region. Getting enough sales to go ahead with a project is very difficult in the current market. That situation has existed before, and it will probably exist again in future. Unless you somehow think 'it's different this time' in which case there are many sites that will sit undeveloped. It's not a vacant site, or an abandoned excavation that has become a temporary lake, so it's not a big deal.

[Lexus]

2026, May 16

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2538-birch

2538 Birch Street (formerly 1296 West Broadway)

DJI_0439 by Lexus LX 700, on Flickr

DJI_0441 by Lexus LX 700, on Flickr

DJI_0442 by Lexus LX 700, on Flickr

2511 SPRUCE ST

DJI_0443 by Lexus LX 700, on Flickr

DJI_0444 by Lexus LX 700, on Flickr

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I wonder where they think they’ll scare up presale buyers for 441 strata units?

It's true, nobody wants to live here, it's too crowded.

[griswold]

There's still going to be busses running directly above the subway. Are they still running the 99 all along Broadway?

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by griswold

There's still going to be busses running directly above the subway. Are they still running the 99 all along Broadway?

The 99 will be shortened to just run between Arbutus Station and UBC.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by griswold

There's still going to be busses running directly above the subway. Are they still running the 99 all along Broadway?

As GlowFun says, but they will obviously be running the 99 until the SkyTrains are operating, and after that the #9 will still run along Broadway, as it does today.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Changing City

As GlowFun says, but they will obviously be running the 99 until the SkyTrains are operating, and after that the #9 will still run along Broadway, as it does today.

#9 is slated to get extended to UBC and Brentwood based on the Burrard Peninsula Area Transportation plan, as well as higher frequency.

[GenWhy?]

If you all want to participate in a big waste of time you can check out the City's start to plan the new VCC campus

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/vcc-plan?fb...QEFJyljIQfcS3_aem_2Dys6wwOImSFFOC-HP3zLw