Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by nova9

I've never been to a UDP meeting but I like how you chose to bold the "but..." statement and not the part that says "often, [the UDP] help cut out the worst design..."

Nice.

Well, if I had, it actually would have made my point even stronger: that the UDP compresses diversity of architectural design into a homogeneous medium. Hence, the true culprit of Vancouver's architectural homogeneity is the UDP.

Do you follow?

[SFUVancouver]

We have a difference of opinion and I am not going to argue the point.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I am not going to argue the point.

Well, how could you anyway? So, good decision.

[LeftCoaster]

^Class act

[DsZ24]

Originally Posted by AlexYVR

Does anyone remember how tall the P&A social housing is? (Lazy today, sorry!) Will it compete with Sun Tower for height? Would be a shame being so close.* It's going to block out a lot of light for those gardens behind ST.

*I do understand that social housing is more important than preserving aesthetics. But it's so pretty!

I'm working at the social housing site at pender and abbot. It's going to be 10 floors, 13 units/floor. The site is called Atira. It's going slow so far but once the 2nd half of the basement floor is poured things should speed up.

[AlexYVR]

Originally Posted by DsZ24

I'm working at the social housing site at pender and abbot. It's going to be 10 floors, 13 units/floor. The site is called Atira. It's going slow so far but once the 2nd half of the basement floor is poured things should speed up.

Thanks man and welcome to the board.

[SpongeG]

in case you don't follow the retail thread... looks like WIND is opening in Pacific Centre and Park Royal and also Sophia books on hastings is shutting down soon

[SpikePhanta]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

in case you don't follow the retail thread... looks like WIND is opening in Pacific Centre and Park Royal and also Sophia books on hastings is shutting down soon

OMG NOOOOOO


Sophia Books is where I go when I need my monthly fix of french books

[SpongeG]

someone mentioned a tent near GM Place - its for the Vancouver Marathon on May 2 - there was/is a huge crowd there today with all kinds of sponsor tents and giveaways and stuff - a lot of road cloasures tomorrow... so pay attention if out and about

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

OMG NOOOOOO


Sophia Books is where I go when I need my monthly fix of french books

relax you can order all that online

[CPE]

I think that tent will also double for the sun run tent.

[SpikePhanta]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

relax you can order all that online

Nope I don't have a credit card.

[Canadian Mind]

Paypal.

[flight_from_kamakura]

just noticed this bit from the courier article on the creekside expansion:

"So why reconfigure the park site?

Meehan's explanation is the city wants to build a large plaza and pier on the waterfront near the Plaza of Nations, which would effectively cut through Concord's property and eliminate its ability to build three highrises on the land.

Knowing that, Concord hired architect Gregory Henriquez to consider a reconfiguration of the park that would allow for the three highrises lost under the city's plaza plan to be moved elsewhere.
Hence, Concord's desire to build three highrises that back up against the Georgia viaduct and reshape the park so it is longer and narrower, still with roughly the same square footage. "There's some issues with it, but overall we think it has a lot of merit," said Meehan, noting the reconfigured design could include a soccer field, a feature not considered in the current shape of the park.

Either way, the park is estimated to cost up to $20 million to build. When built, the park is expected to include a reconstructed seawall, cafe, picnic area, a water play feature, washrooms, storage for dragon boats and access to a non-motorized boat dock."
http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/...40da-855b-e6ba5a96cdfb&p=3#ixzz0muL8gmgi


a pier! great. anyone know more about this?

[officedweller]

That's the Georgia Street steps / axis park.

It's been on the UDP agenda recently and planned for the past 10 years or more.

It was also in Bing Thom's proposal for having the Convention Cnetre on the current Costco/Spectrum site.

[flight_from_kamakura]

wow, i'm pretty surprised that i didn't know about that.

the concord plan, courtesy of hollywood north



and a render from rennie's site:


that said, i'm not sure about concord's vision of creekside park here. and the quasi-private feel that we're seeing here really doesn't seem likely to fly with the neighbors...

[jlousa]

The plan is Richard Henriquez's not Gregory's. I would argue that the elongated proposal for Creekside park is a vast improvement over the original, you end up with a buffer from Pacific, and twice as much water frontage with the same sqftage.
Plus it allows for the park to be constructed years earlier.

[BCPhil]

Water Play Feature?!?! I hope they are talking about recreating UFO-H2O. They should also bring back Highway 86 as part of the park.

[Smooth]

I'd love to see Highway '86 back... although with this city council it would have to include a bike lane.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by flight_from_kamakura

that said, i'm not sure about concord's vision of creekside park here. and the quasi-private feel that we're seeing here really doesn't seem likely to fly with the neighbors...

Really no different than Cooper's Park just east of Cambie Bridge or George Wainborne Park near Granville Bridge - both have townhouses fronting onto the parks - with the separator being a concrete pathway, rather than a street.

In each case, though, there is a direct access to the street - sort of like a grand entrance to the park. So maybe the pathway between the condo towers shown on the model should be widened a bit - like the "mews" to Marinaside Crescent.
... or are those roads?