Downtown Vancouver Updates

[officedweller]

Noticed that there's dark brown brick on the base/podium of Raffles (Robson & Cambie) - looks good! Works well with the colour of the stone tile on the Rosedale porject next door.

[jlousa]

Interesting that they release this over a long weekend

Vancouver Aquarium Expansion Proposal, 845 Avison Way $120Million
Start 08 finish 2010

Project:expansion would encompass 1/2 acre of land adjacent to the existing aquarium. It would include a new Steller sea lion, sea otter and sea birds exhibit (rebuilding Wild Coast pool area), construction of a new pool for the Wild Coast exhibit on land, expansion of the Arctic Canada Exhibit & pool where the Beluga whales are currently held, relocating the Salmon Run Exhibit into the proposed Wild Coast pool and changes to accommodate some beavers, two new public plaza areas, new public washroom facility, new restaurant & concession.
150,116 square feet; 2 storeys; 3 structures

It's alot bigger then I thought, should be world class upon completion.

[mr.x]

^ sounds impressive, i'll definitely take a peak in there when it's done...haven't gone there since i was a little kid, back when the zoo was still around - and even then, i don't remember much of it.

can't wait to see the beavers!

[Hot Rod]

On that note, I wish the zoo would come back. Every big city should ahve a nice zoo, and it's interesting how Vancouver doesn't anymore.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

On that note, I wish the zoo would come back. Every big city should ahve a nice zoo, and it's interesting how Vancouver doesn't anymore.

i agree....but on the bright side, we do have a big aquarium - which sorta is like a zoo - and not every big city has one.

[Hed Kandi]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

On that note, I wish the zoo would come back. Every big city should ahve a nice zoo, and it's interesting how Vancouver doesn't anymore.

Vancouver has a zoo. It's called East Hastings!

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

On that note, I wish the zoo would come back. Every big city should ahve a nice zoo, and it's interesting how Vancouver doesn't anymore.

We can do without an animal prison.

[giallo]

^No doubt.
I understand that zoos promote awareness, but in this day in age with information so readily available do we really need an animal exhibition? I usually walk out feeling much worse than I did walking in. San Diego's Wildlife Park is the only 'zoo' I've ever really enjoyed.
I'd rather spend the extra money and go in to the world's jungles, forests and sea floor for a chance encounter than peeking at them behind gates, bars and glass.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I bet it will be back up there soon... its about to start some decent renovations.

they lost it because the bathrooms are too small apparently and in order to get it back they would need to lose a large amount of rooms to make the bathrooms bigger and the hotel doesn't want to lose the rooms

[vitc]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

they lost it because the bathrooms are too small apparently and in order to get it back they would need to lose a large amount of rooms to make the bathrooms bigger and the hotel doesn't want to lose the rooms

What are they now using the average girth of North Americans in there formula's now

[officedweller]

Apparently 5 diamond properties now require a separate shower stall and bathtub in each suite. Plus, AAA did not like the parkade level entrances, which are not impressive enough - and largely out of the Pan Pacific's control to change.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

On that note, I wish the zoo would come back. Every big city should ahve a nice zoo, and it's interesting how Vancouver doesn't anymore.

theres the greater vancouver zoo in Aldergrove

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

theres the greater vancouver zoo in Aldergrove

now there's a true animal prison. never been there, but how many animals have died there in recent years? too many. they need to put more work and care into their exhibits and animals.

being out in the middle of nowhere, there's less people going there - as supposed to the aquarium.....i'd like Hastings Park to be transformed into a new home for the zoo and maybe move the amusement park elsewhere.

[hollywoodnorth]

Business in Vancouver November 13-19, 2007; issue 942

Real estate roundup: Peter Mitham

Metro Vancouver housing sales slowdown looming

But Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. analyst predicts seller’s market will continue in 2008

Sellers still favoured

Housing markets promise to remain in seller’s territory next year, but they’re definitely losing some of the steam they’ve had in recent years.

Robyn Adamache, senior market analyst covering Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., told CMHC’s recent housing outlook conference in Vancouver that she doesn’t expect a lot of growth in housing markets in 2008. Indeed, housing starts are on track to drop from approximately 19,000 units this year to 18,500 units in 2008.

But with home prices still rising, Adamache forecasts another decent year – for sellers, at least.

While listings in Vancouver are trending upwards, Adamache notes that home prices are set to rise an average of between 8% and 10% over the next year. That puts the cost of the average apartment at $408,000 next year, while the average single-detached home will rise in value to $887,000.

Adamache considers any price increase beyond 7% indicative of a seller’s market, so next year still promises vendors a healthy return on residential properties despite a moderation from the 12% increase seen this past year.

Adamache added that approximately a third of homes are selling at or above the asking price.

SkyTowers set record in Surrey

One of the hot spots in the Lower Mainland housing market is Surrey and White Rock, where speculators have been doing a brisk business.

During a panel discussion at the CMHC housing outlook conference, Mark Belling of Fifth Avenue Real Estate Marketing Ltd. said investors are driving condo markets in the South Surrey and White Rock areas.

Belling reported that a recent condo project in White Rock sold at $1,100 a square foot. Units in the concrete building easily fetched more than traditional woodframe homes, which are going for between $330 and $500 a square foot.

The investors have effectively seized upon condos, Belling said, leaving other forms of housing for what he termed, “real buyers.” He expects a longer-term perspective to characterize buying decisions next year, as confidence in the strength of the market slips.

A long-term perspective is already characterizing buyers in the Sky Towers project planned for central Surrey, which sold out the weekend after the CMHC conference.

Buyers of more than 500 units in the project stuck out assignment privileges from their contracts, according to Cam Good, a partner in MAC Marketing Solutions Inc., which handled the sale.

While Belling cited central Surrey for a high incidence of flipping, Good said that just wasn’t the case at Sky Towers, which will have 901 units overall. Several buyers bought units for children, Good added, while many others either plan to occupy or rent the units. Those who did keep their assignment privileges are prohibited from exercising them for 15 months.

Good said SkyTowers is scheduled to be completed in late 2010.

Hawaii’s star shines

A shift in real estate investors is also taking place in Hawaii, where Vancouver-based S&P Destination Properties recently sold 51 resort-style residences at the Koloa Landing development on Kauai for an average price of US$1.5 million apiece.

The recent sales event attracted few buyers from Canada, but S&P principal Sid Landolt expects to see more over the winter so long as the exchange rate favours Canada.

“We see [this coming season] as one of the strongest buying periods for Canadians in Hawaii that we’ve probably seen in decades,” he said. “We’re at the very front of that interest.”

Units in the second phase of Koloa Landing are due for spring 2008, and there are a handful of units available for purchase in Koloa’s first phase. Next month, S&P will begin marketing the Residential Suites at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, a project offering 107 suites with full ownership on Maui.

The buyers are also going to be wiser to the dynamics of real estate investing, Landolt said.

“It’s now moving towards a much more sophisticated investor. It’s a different buyer than the ones who are buying when the markets are racing up. … [It’s] a more opportunistic buyer – not a speculator, but someone who really understands real estate.” •

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

now there's a true animal prison. never been there, but how many animals have died there in recent years? too many. they need to put more work and care into their exhibits and animals.

being out in the middle of nowhere, there's less people going there - as supposed to the aquarium.....i'd like Hastings Park to be transformed into a new home for the zoo and maybe move the amusement park elsewhere.

i've only passed it a few times - have some friends who live way out there

it looks pretty dull and sad when passing

[SpongeG]

B.C. pledges $49M for downtown Vancouver arts campus

Premier Gordon Campbell was in Vancouver Tuesday to announce the province will contribute $49.3 million toward a new art school that will be part of the Woodward's redevelopment project in the Downtown Eastside.

Campbell said the new campus for Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts will help British Columbia recruit and retain creative, talented people and support the renewal of the troubled neighbourhood.

The 11,845-square-metre school, scheduled for completion by late 2009, will fill five storeys and will include public space, performance venues, teaching studios, a 400-seat theatre and a multimedia lounge and lab for new media.

The state-of-the-art performance spaces will engage the community and showcase creative works by some of Canada's most accomplished students and faculty in the arts, said Campbell.

The university will pay for the remaining $22 million cost of the school through a fundraising campaign.

When it is completed, the school is expected to increase economic activity in the Downtown Eastside by up to $7.5 million per year.

The campus is part of the larger Woodward's redevelopment built on the former site of the heritage building. A portion of the original building has been incorporated into the new development, which will include a market and social housing as well as office and retail space, childcare and City of Vancouver services.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/11/13/bc-sfuartschool.html

[Rusty Gull]

^^SFU is fast-becoming the NYU of Vancouver.

The Harbour Center campus is bustling, the business school building is stunning, the Wosk Centre for Dialogue is a terrific city amenity. And now this Woodwards development, which is huge.

But unlike NYU, SFU also has a (somewhat) impressive stand-alone campus on the top of a mountain (and don't forget the Surrey outpost either -- no slouch itself).

[leftside]

^^^Awesome news. With that amount of students in the neighbourhood I expect that block to change pretty quickly. Coffee shops, small restaurants, etc, between Abbott and Cambie along Hastings?

Would be nice to see some of the places such as Abbott Mansion converted to student housing...

[raggedy13]

^I agree. Students should certainly be a significant catalyst for change. They'll certainly increase business initially in the area as students (and especially art students I imagine) are quite accepting of urban grit. Students love the idea of finding cheap hole-in-the-wall places with a lot of 'character' as well, and I'm sure most of the places in that area fit the bill and then some. Won't take long for retailers/developers to take note and set some new things in motion.

Not to mention there will be more people like me going to check that area out once the Woodward's development is done.

[SpongeG]

Premier Gordon Campbell (left) and MLA Lorne Mayencourt inspect a model of the SFU contemporary arts school to open downtown.
Photograph by : Jon Murray, The Province