General Vancouver Updates

[hollywoodnorth]

Business in Vancouver January 8-14, 2008; issue 950

Real estate roundup: Peter Mitham

Billboards get bum’s rush

Roof-top signs that don’t comply with Vancouver municipal bylaws headed for the scrap heap in 2008

Seeking compliance

The new year has opened with Vancouver city staff readying a campaign to rid the city of non-conforming billboards following a Supreme Court of Canada decision in November.

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal regarding the billboard atop the Lee building at Broadway and Main, which must now be removed in compliance with a Vancouver bylaw prohibiting roof-top signs. The federal court’s decision upholds an earlier B.C. court judgment that ruled in favour of the city.

But Carlene Robbins, manager of the city’s property use branch, said at least 200 signs that fail to comply with the city’s existing billboard regulations could come down starting this year.

Municipal staff are surveying existing billboards to see how many don’t comply with current bylaws. Though many were approved by the city and received the requisite permits, they no longer conform with the city’s rules.

“We’re thinking we’ll have a voluntary phase-out period,” Robbins said, “and then if they don’t comply, we’ll have to look at enforcing, and we’ll start by enforcing the most offensive or the ones that most blatantly don’t meet the current bylaw.”

Staff will present a signs survey and phase-out strategy to council in the coming weeks. The news doesn’t sit well with local media buyers.

Carmen Hunt, media director with ad agency TBWA\Vancouver, said Vancouver already has less billboard space than surrounding municipalities. Any decrease in the number of boards will put upward pressure on the cost of space.

“The few remaining boards that are available will be in so high demand that the space will not often come available to advertisers – they’ll be booked on long-term contracts – and the space that is available will probably be prohibitively expensive,” Hunt said. “For a lot of advertisers, it’s the loss of a really strong media.”

Fraser Institute weighs in

Fraser Institute senior fellow Martin Collacott recently weighed in on Metro Vancouver’s Sustainable Region Initiative during a regional discussion at the Wosk Centre in Vancouver.

Residential developers are one of the few groups that benefit from immigration to a region that’s significantly challenged by the people it already has, said Collacott, a former diplomat who currently studies immigration policy for the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute.

With Statistics Canada reporting that nearly 70% of recent immigrants to Canada live in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Collacott said better immigration management could help manage urban growth.

“Shouldn’t Vancouverites be saying, ‘Well do we really want this? Are we going to benefit from it? What are the benefits, what are the downsides? And do we have to have it?’” Collacott said in an interview last month.

Developers might benefit from immigration, he said, but the average citizen is often left out.

“The real estate industry would like an endless increase in demands for housing,” he said. “The average Vancouverite is not in any of the categories that have a clear benefit. What’s the deal here? They’re simply being told they’ll have to have [immigration].”

While Collacott has questioned Canada’s immigration policies in the past, the Metro Vancouver forum was one of the first times he has publicly applied his concerns to regional growth issues.

Michael Alexander, a research analyst with advocacy group SmartGrowth BC who heard Collacott’s presentation, doesn’t think immigration is as big a factor as the shape of growth.

“We’re perfectly capable of continuing to sprawl without adding one more person to Vancouver.”

Kristall polishing plans

The Kristall Resort and Spa in Vernon was big news when it first cropped up in this space two years ago (see “Kristall clear” – BIV issue 764; June 15-21, 2004).

Then valued at $65 million, the project was supposed to be completed in spring 2006. Site servicing began three years ago, but construction of the main buildings never started. A call to project manager Jim Radford last year confirmed that plans were still on the books, but nothing was to be announced till January 2008.

Well, here we are – and the news is out.

In fact, construction of the project began in earnest last month. While the price tag has increased to $100 million, construction is still expected to take two years. The 150-room hotel, including a 20,000-square-foot wellness centre, is slated to open in late 2009 and be in full swing by the start of the 2010 golfing season.

The 174-acre property has approvals from Vernon for up to 300 units. A second phase of the master-planned project, a venture of Europe’s Swarovski Group, could include a resort-style residential community similar to the one at neighbouring Predator Ridge. •

[mr.x]

i like that Main Street billboard, don't know why people are complaining about it.

[SpongeG]

i would like to know who is complaining?

i haven't yet met anyone who says anything about it

its reached landmark status too as most locals know it

it brings in some good money for the building - they are losing a nice chunck of change

[mr.x]

there are thousands of signs in HK just like that, i really don't understand why the city is being such a dick about it. god forbid if this is a view issue.

[TwoFace]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

there are thousands of signs in HK just like that, i really don't understand why the city is being such a dick about it. god forbid if this is a view issue.

As you may know, the Indian Bands are pushing for LARGE advertisement signs on the south side of Burrard bridge This needs to be stopped and if Main and Broadway is part of that precedent, to me it's a noble cause.
I for one, don't care to look at a Giant McDonald's sign when driving over my favorite landmark.

[officedweller]

It's more an issue of control. It's also reflected in the City's strict controls on building and landscape design.

[cornholio]

Although i hate large advertisements, and well just about any advertisement as its main goal is to gain your atention at the expense of much more interesting things like architecture etc. and brain wash you. Anyways I agree that city goes way to far with its rules and thirst for total control over everything and anything. In the end its just going to make me move and leave the region which I love otherwise, well I dont care too much about the city but rather the almost unspoiled nature within a short drive and all the benefits of a city. Anyways my point is that all these rules regarding just about everything is just freaking insane in a country that prides itself on the freedom its people supposedly have. I mean all these liquor bylaws, smoking bylaws, billboard bylaws, dog bylaws, idling bylaws, the hate of gatherings, hate of events, dog bylaws etc. et.c just go way to far, this place feels like a totalitarian state, I mean in this city we have less freedom then people in a communist state where the control of the people is one of the main objectives to achieve its goals. I mean its way worse here then a communist state...I should know. I mean im really starting to have enough as I feel like a little child at times, no freedom, nothing, there are so many god dam rules that I cant live a day without technically braking one or many of them.

I guess my point is that the city is going way to far and although I hate advertisements I dont want the city making more bylaws and rules, I dont like them someone else might, I do something I like and someone else might not, its all about compromise because we all loose when the city or country go overboard trying to protect everyone from everyone.

[jlousa]

REceived the flollowing mass mailing from the mayor, in case anyone is interested.

Dear friends,

Let me begin my first communiqué of 2008 wishing you and your family all the best for the coming year. It promises to be an exciting one around City Hall!

For me, 2008 will be a year of delivering on initiatives to support the five goals we have established for Vancouver. I look forward to keeping you up to date on our progress and hearing your ideas.

One of the five goals we have established for our government is to make Vancouver a world leader in sustainable development and transportation. One of the key elements of our plan to achieve this goal is completion of the Millennium Line to central Broadway and UBC.
With over 60,000 passengers each day, Broadway is one of the busiest bus corridors in North America. Transit ridership on Broadway has doubled in the past decade and despite increased service, overcrowded buses often leave passengers waiting.

Last summer, our government identified Millennium Line completion as Vancouver's top transit infrastructure priority. Shortly after, Metro Vancouver and the City of Vancouver confirmed more than $2 million to develop a plan to consult stakeholders regarding the project's design - in partnership with Translink.

As part of that process, Councillors Suzanne Anton, Peter Ladner and I have initiated an outreach campaign to local Broadway businesses, students at UBC the provincial and federal governments. In October, we made the case for Millennium Line funding in our pre-budget submission to the BC Minister of Finance.

We followed that up with a November visit to Victoria and a December visit to Ottawa where we put the case for Millennium Line completion directly to Ministers and senior officials.

And to support all of this, I released a special survey on my website inviting local businesses, residents and community organizations to give us their ideas about the plan to complete the Millennium Line. Over 1800 people have responded to the survey, and support for completing the line to UBC was overwhelming.

Today, Premier Gordon Campbell and Transport Minister Kevin Falcon confirmed that they have been listening to all of us. They have confirmed that the Province of British Columbia will invest in a new $2.8 billion, 12km UBC rapid transit line from Broadway station to UBC by 2020.

The UBC Line was not the only bit of good news for Vancouver today. As part of the new province-wide transit plan we will see more new buses and a significant expansion of the Expo Line starting next year.

I want to thank Premier Campbell and Minister Falcon for listening to us and helping us achieve the goals we have established. I also want to remind you that you can still fill out the Millennium Line survey until the end of the month. We will be publishing final results in February.

Today's announcement is an historic one for the province – and our city. In addition to complementing our EcoDensity plan and the commitments we have made for more bike lanes in Vancouver, it is an example of what can happen when governments work together constructively.

We look forward to more progress in the months ahead.

City Council Motion Will Improve Animal Service Facilities & Licensing
This past weekend I had the pleasure to visit the Vancouver SPCA shelter with Councillors Kim Capri and Suzanne Anton. We were joined by Park Board Chair Korina Houghton and Commission Marty Zlotnik to thank volunteers and announce our plans to support a City Council motion to improve animal service facilities and licensing in Vancouver.

The motion will be introduced at City Council tomorrow. The new plan calls for:

development of a self-sustaining funding model for dog licensing, urban animal education, by-law enforcement & related programs in Vancouver
request for a new animal services facility for Vancouver in association with the 2009-2011 capital plan
community partnerships to assist in the City's delivery of services
Councillor Capri's motion builds on the work of various committees involving stakeholders, City Council, School and Park Board officials. It is based on other innovative animal licensing models in North America.

Responsible pet ownership contributes to neighbourhoods and communities that are safer, more enjoyable and more livable for everyone. I want to thank all the members of City Council, School and Park Board who have been working on the Dog Committee for the past year. These proposals are a tribute to their hard work and love for animals.

Expanded Street Cleaning Program Proposed in Downtown Eastside
Also this week, City Council will consider an expanded street cleaning project in the Downtown Eastside (DTES). This initiative will focus on lane cleaning, education and enforcement covering 4-6 blocks bordering Columbia and East Hastings Street in Vancouver.

Expanding street cleaning services in the DTES is another step toward achieving the goals and objectives of Project Civil City. In addition to delivering large investments in social housing, addiction treatment, mental illness and policing, we need to implement grassroots, street level solutions to public disorder.

My colleagues and I will be supporting a proposed investment of up to $200,000 in the 2008 municipal budget to significantly enhance street cleaning services. While many of the solutions to our social challenges fall under the jurisdiction of senior levels of government, street cleaning is a municipal responsibility.

I want to thank our community partners and the Clean Streets Task Force for their important contribution to make Vancouver a more civil city in all our neighbourhoods.

The proposal to expand street cleaning activities and enforcement in the DTES builds on a 2006 pilot project and on other initiatives to support Project Civil City goals and objectives that have been announced in the last 60 days, including:

development of over 1100 units of social and supportive housing on 12 city-owned sites across Vancouver
expansion of Downtown Ambassador program
plan to establish dumpster-free zones downtown
Granville Street closure on New Year's Eve
employment opportunities for inner city residents as part of Athletes Village construction in Southeast False Creek
Olympic Legacy Fund for public realm improvements in inner city neighbourhoods
proposal to relax height restrictions for new construction on signature sites in Gastown, Chinatown and Downtown Eastside

Sincerely,
Sam Sullivan
Mayor

[raggedy13]

^Thanks for posting that jlousa, some interesting stuff there. I'm really interested in finding out the actual dates surrounding construction of the M-Line extension. I would hope it would be completed several years before 2020, otherwise it would essentially be two decades overdue.

Originally Posted by jlousa

proposal to relax height restrictions for new construction on signature sites in Gastown, Chinatown and Downtown Eastside

Interesting.

[Coldrsx]

I used to work for Pattison Outdoor in Vancouver and i think outdoor advertising can be done right or very wrong. For the most part Vancouver does it right and i love the LEE building ad space.

[hollywoodnorth]

Business in Vancouver January 15-21, 2008; issue 951

Real estate roundup: Peter Mitham

Metro Vancouver residential real estate prices projected to rise again in 2008

Ontario property management company bullish on Victoria office market

Housing boom

The news last week that Bob Rennie is listing the penthouse atop the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton on West Georgia for $28 million is stunning, yet merely the most extreme tip of the upward trend in residential prices most brokerages were reporting last year.

Royal LePage Real Estate Services, for one, reported last week that home prices rose 10.8% in Vancouver last year and projected a further 4.8% gain this year (below Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. estimates but still firm). That sets Vancouver on track to see an average home price this year of $587,500.

Meanwhile, the CMHC reports that vacancies in rental units across the province fell for a fourth straight year, hitting 1% in October 2007. While conditions remained steady in Vancouver (CMHC didn’t consider the increase in vacancies to 0.5% from 0.3% an improvement), conditions tightened in centres close to the city core – most notably Richmond, where vacancies last year dropped to 0.7% from 2.4%. This had a knock-on effect on rents, which rose 4.5% across the region.

With power in the residential market remaining firmly in the hands of sellers and landlords, expect to see development plans holding steady this year, too.

The fact that Vancouver councillors approved plans for 1,200 new units of social housing across the city last month is as indicative of market conditions as it is good news for the people it will accommodate. As municipal homeless advocate Judy Graves remarked in this space last year, vacancies for the least fortunate throughout Metro Vancouver have been zero for quite some time. The next forecasts for the residential market will come at the January 17 Urban Development Institute luncheon (watch this space for a summary).

Investing in tight markets

Dropping office vacancies on the West Coast have drawn Mississauga-based TransGlobe Property Management Services Ltd. to Victoria.

Colliers International reports that Victoria office vacancies in 2007 dropped to 2.9% from 4%. With very little new product being built to serve the demand, TransGlobe president Daniel Drimmer believes the region is ripe for investment.

“We’re very bullish on offices in Victoria,” Drimmer said. “There’s not much new construction. … We like the fact that there’s not new property coming on board, we like the tight vacancy rate for office, and it’s a very good long-term investment to own offices in Victoria.”

TransGlobe acquired 31 Bastion Square last month for an undisclosed sum, a deal that followed the purchase in August of Upper Harbour Place II, the first new A-class office project built in Victoria in five years. Together, the two buildings account for 134,000 square feet of space.

TransGlobe is also interested in adding to its portfolio of three commercial properties in Metro Vancouver and continues to scout opportunities. While a lack of new product gives Victoria an edge from an investor’s point of view, Drimmer believes the environment in Vancouver is also strong.

While new projects are more common in Metro Vancouver, Colliers reports that regional office vacancies stand at 4.1%, while downtown Vancouver is tighter than the capital with a vacancy rate of just 1.9%. Analysts project further tightening in the market in 2008.

Pending further office acquisitions, Drimmer is focused on residential units.

TransGlobe acquired two apartment buildings in New Westminster on January 4 with a total of 69 suites. It also expects to close on two more transactions in Burnaby and New Westminster in the coming weeks, which will add a further 99 rental units to TransGlobe’s portfolio.

UniverCity wins award

Kudos to SFU’s UniverCity development, the sole project from Canada to win an award of excellence last month from the American Planning Association.

UniverCity was one of nine recipients of the 2008 National Planning Excellence, Achievement and Leadership Awards, taking home honours for “innovation in green community planning.” The award will be presented at the APA’s April 30 conference in Las Vegas.

[mr.x]

Didn't know where to put this....


During the News Hour, they showed Chevron Burnaby plant doing a routine burnoff:


They got a bunch of callers thinking it was some kind of big fire.

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

I used to work for Pattison Outdoor in Vancouver and i think outdoor advertising can be done right or very wrong. For the most part Vancouver does it right and i love the LEE building ad space.

I heard the owners made something like $8000 a year from that ad space. I could see why they fought to keep it.
But now the Lee is ad-less, unfortunately...

[quobobo]

Originally Posted by entheosfog

I heard the owners made something like $8000 a year from that ad space. I could see why they fought to keep it.
But now the Lee is ad-less, unfortunately...

The CBC says $8000 a month, which seems a bit more likely.

This is such a ridiculous case, and an example of NIMBYism at its worst. One person's desire for aesthetic perfection shouldn't interfere with another person's right to do whatever they want on their property.

If anyone truly feels that they would be better off without the billboard, they should compensate the owners of the Lee building accordingly.

Cornholio's rant might be hyperbolic, but I agree with the general sentiment.

[mr.x]

I don't have pictures, but work on the 2010 curling venue at Hillcrest Park, adjacent to Nat Bailey Stadium, is rapidly progressing. The roof of the building is already taking shape, half of it has been erected.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Didn't know where to put this....


During the News Hour, they showed Chevron Burnaby plant doing a routine burnoff:


They got a bunch of callers thinking it was some kind of big fire.

i was driving home from downtown just before 6 and i could see it for a long ways off

was kinda weird

a pulsating orange glow

i wondered what what was going on

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by quobobo

The CBC says $8000 a month, which seems a bit more likely.

This is such a ridiculous case, and an example of NIMBYism at its worst. One person's desire for aesthetic perfection shouldn't interfere with another person's right to do whatever they want on their property.

If anyone truly feels that they would be better off without the billboard, they should compensate the owners of the Lee building accordingly.

Cornholio's rant might be hyperbolic, but I agree with the general sentiment.

yeah i heard they were making $100,000 a year off it so $8000 a month is about that

stupid idea - huge loss of income for the building

[TwoFace]

Originally Posted by quobobo

The CBC says $8000 a month, which seems a bit more likely.

This is such a ridiculous case, and an example of NIMBYism at its worst. One person's desire for aesthetic perfection shouldn't interfere with another person's right to do whatever they want on their property.

If anyone truly feels that they would be better off without the billboard, they should compensate the owners of the Lee building accordingly.

Cornholio's rant might be hyperbolic, but I agree with the general sentiment.

Oh no, poor Mr. Lee. Not to worry, you will be able to champion the Native cause once they erect giant billboards on the Burrard and Lions Gate Bridge

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Didn't know where to put this....


During the News Hour, they showed Chevron Burnaby plant doing a routine burnoff:


They got a bunch of callers thinking it was some kind of big fire.

I first thought it was somthing photographrd by Hubble or somthing...

[quobobo]

Originally Posted by TwoFace

Oh no, poor Mr. Lee. Not to worry, you will be able to champion the Native cause once they erect giant billboards on the Burrard and Lions Gate Bridge

If they own the property, I'll do that.