Suburban Updates - All Other Metro Vancouver Municipalities - Page 61

officedweller · #**1201** Posted **Sep 10, 2009, 8:27 AM**

Common sense letter to Richmond News:

Quote:

City needs planning advice

Richmond News
Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Dear Editor,

Two recent events in Richmond have me puzzled about thought processes at city hall.

This spring, Port Metro Vancouver purchased working farmland near the south arm of the Fraser River because there is a lack of industrial land with water access in Metro Vancouver.

The City of Richmond, as did other cities in Metro Vancouver, protested this incursion into the ALR, and rightly so.

Now, Richmond city council has given initial approval to a large housing development along the North Arm dyke between No. 4 and Shell roads, with a public hearing to be held on Sept. 9.

This industrial land has about a half a mile of river access on its north side. It is also very near the flight path for the Vancouver International Airport.

Does it make sense to decry the loss of farmland to industrial interests on the South Arm of the river, but allow the loss of industrial land to housing on the North Arm?

Can we really afford to lose industrial land at all, given that the redevelopment of the city centre will result in the loss of many businesses that won't fit into a revamped condo city?

Service industries like vehicle repair and auto body shops will be forced out as properties are rezoned.

And....no matter how seductive a river's edge or mountain view might be for the potential resident, it is irresponsible for any city to allow housing near the flight path, knowing that this will negatively impact quality of life for those buyers.

This isn't the first time Richmond has exhibited a buyer-beware attitude towards potential purchasers of similar properties.

With the Port Metro Vancouver looking for land with river access, and businesses losing their footing in the city centre, Richmond needs to find appropriate land for both, and quickly.

With these conditions, why would it allow the loss of a large river edge industrial area to housing?

And, why would it allow this high-density housing development at all, considering that it is nowhere near the city centre, nor to transit, and is situated under the flight path?

Richmond needs to bring back the Advisory Planning Commission, a group of citizen volunteers, who can look at the big picture and provide advice to city hall.

Marion Smith

Richmond

© Richmond News 2009

Vancity · #**1202** Posted **Sep 10, 2009, 9:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Came across this:

"West Cambie Town Centre" in Richmond. Click on "Portfolio" -> "Retail"

Where exactly is this - is this the project with Wal-Mart?
I can't make out the names of the streets, but the description says it's close to Alexandra Road.

http://www.caa-architecture.com/index2.html

Where exactly is this going to be? I'm pretty pumped with this new development, but I can't picture where this would be? Could someone provide a map with this development? Anyone know when this project is slated to start?

phesto · #**1203** Posted **Sep 10, 2009, 4:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancity

Where exactly is this going to be? I'm pretty pumped with this new development, but I can't picture where this would be? Could someone provide a map with this development? Anyone know when this project is slated to start?

It’s the whole north side of Alderbridge Way between Garden City and No.4 Rd.

This development has been proposed for over 5 years now. They were originally denied rezoning in 2003 and then the City of Richmond took a few years to figure out the OCP for the area and whether they wanted a Wal-Mart in that location.

Haven’t heard any news recently, but it will probably start in the next few years.

Vancity · #**1204** Posted **Sep 10, 2009, 5:01 PM**

Thanks for answering my question, Phesto.

SFUVancouver · #**1205** Posted **Sep 11, 2009, 7:13 PM**

Taken by SFUVancouver, September 11th, 2009

LeftCoaster · #**1206** Posted **Sep 11, 2009, 8:59 PM**

I believe that is perspectives... if not it is another 30ish storey by Leedingham. There are two going up in the area and I always forget which one is which.

SpongeG · #**1207** Posted **Sep 12, 2009, 5:56 AM**

yes that is perspectives - whats the other one just to the east called? is it going ahead? they cleared the area for it but not much else yet

vanman · #**1208** Posted **Sep 18, 2009, 7:26 AM**

^Would that be Lumiere?

Stumbled upon this:

Quote:

The Village at Fraser Mills is a mixed-use development on the banks of the Fraser River in Coquitlam, BC. The design, by HBBH, reinvents the 89-acre former brownfield site as a vibrant, public space that reconnects residents to the water and the historical nature of the site. The “village” will include town-homes, mid-rise and tower residential units, commercial and retail space, marine landscaping and a revitalized shoreline and creekbed.

More pics at http://www.hbbharc.com/projectdetail.php?pro_id=2859

officedweller · #**1209** Posted **Sep 23, 2009, 11:43 PM**

Coquitlam Centre - Global Air Photo July 1, 2009 - nice towers in behind...

SFUVancouver · #**1210** Posted **Sep 25, 2009, 5:41 PM**

Jewel (Patterson Station, Burnaby) | September 24th ‘09

Taken by SFUVancouver, September 24th, 2009

Citi and Motif (Brentwood Station, Burnaby) | September 24th ‘09

Taken by SFUVancouver, September 24th, 2009

Taken by SFUVancouver, September 24th, 2009

Plaza 88 (New West Station, New Westminster) | September 24th ‘09

Taken by SFUVancouver, September 24th, 2009

officedweller · #**1211** Posted **Oct 2, 2009, 11:43 PM**

FYI, the Chris Dikeakos Architects website is back up - includes:

http://www.dikeakos.com/

Under "Mixed Use" renders for:

Brentwood Town Centre - multiple towers up to 35 storeys at SW corner of Lougheed & Willingdon

Avra Senior's Residence - highrise in White Rock

Empress Commercial/Residential/Hotel - 34 floors on Kingsway @ Willingdon in Metrotown

Under "Entertainment" renders for:

Boulevard Casino Tower - 21 storeys

I think these have been previously posted but some of you may not have seen them before...

Metro-One · #**1212** Posted **Oct 3, 2009, 12:39 AM**

I want all of those projects to proceed!

Metro-One · #**1213** Posted **Oct 3, 2009, 12:58 AM**

Here are some of the renders.

Brentwood

Metrotown

The Casino Tower

Enjoy

metroXpress · #**1214** Posted **Oct 3, 2009, 1:14 AM**

Thanks for the renderings. It would certainly be great to see all those completed. Too bad they spelt Brentwood Town Center with an -er. The rest looks quite promising.

Also, thanks for the picture update, SFUVan!

LeftCoaster · #**1215** Posted **Oct 3, 2009, 1:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

FYI, the Chris Dikeakos Architects website is back up - includes:

http://www.dikeakos.com/

Under "Mixed Use" renders for:

Brentwood Town Centre - multiple towers up to 35 storeys at SW corner of Lougheed & Willingdon

Avra Senior's Residence - highrise in White Rock

Empress Commercial/Residential/Hotel - 34 floors on Kingsway @ Willingdon in Metrotown

Under "Entertainment" renders for:

Boulevard Casino Tower - 21 storeys

I think these have been previously posted but some of you may not have seen them before...

Great stuff, thanks OD

The metrotown Bosa building is the 150m tower which we had seen some info on before, this is just a much better rendering than we had seen previously. i don't know if the project is still looking at a 150m height, as it does not look that tall but we'll have to wait and see.

The brentwood project looks great, and if my eyes do not decieve me it appears as though the large office tower is a multi-phase building as the second rendering shows the office tower with the same design but half the height. in the main rendering it shows a distinctive split in the tower. This project is by far my most anticipated of the bunch, and one of my most anticipated in the next few years in all the metro.

the Boulevard looks great too, taller than your average 21 storey tower that's for sure.

officedweller · #**1216** Posted **Oct 3, 2009, 3:25 AM**

Good eye on that phasing for the office tower. Looks like there's just the one highrise office and the lowrise office with the other 3 towers being condo towers.
One comment is that the back on the project on Dawson St. does not have retail - if that's supposed to be the retail high street (continuing from Tandem @ Gilmore) then that'll have to change.

Not clear on the breakup of the Empress tower @ Metrotown - presumably the bottom would be office with the hotel in the middle and condos up top - but that looks ike only 6 floors of hotel based on the render and the podium look small (i.e. no meeting rooms/amenities?) Hotel could be on the bottom - the ceiling heights look lower for the bottom floors compared to the middle of the tower. The level of the cornice also varies between the renderings.

SpongeG · #**1217** Posted **Oct 4, 2009, 4:22 AM**

aren't they purring the retail/high street in the middle of the project? thuis steering pedestrians into it?

officedweller · #**1218** Posted **Oct 5, 2009, 7:36 PM**

Looks like it - but that wouldn't help Dawson if Dawson continues as a retail street east of Willingdon.

SpongeG · #**1219** Posted **Oct 5, 2009, 7:47 PM**

i don't think dawson will its pretty much established as is

officedweller · #**1220** Posted **Oct 5, 2009, 7:56 PM**

I would have thought that it would extend farther east.