Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Stingray2004]

Canada Post has re-started the process for moving out of its downtown main branch. And that again leaves the question mark over the current status of the site/building whenever that happens:

DISTRIBUTION CENTRE Proj: 9122707-6
Vancouver, Greater Vancouver RD BC CONTEMPLATED

Vancouver Mail Processing Plant, site to be determined
$50,000,000 est

Note: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS for Project Manager with a sub-contractor(s) Advocate Consultant team closing at 14:00 August 25, 2010 at the Owner. Questions and Answers have been issued as of August 17. Reference Number:200796. Solicitation Number: 17NS10SMC. DOCUMENTS are available by calling 1-800-964-6379. Information: Stefano Manzoni at 613-734-3000 ext 55209, fax: 613-734-3148; Email: [email protected]. The Project Manager will develop the Owners Statement of Requirements to obtain the services of a Design/Build firm, provide support and represent CPC during the design, construction and equipment installation phases of the new mail processing plant. Project Schedule: Deadline for Questions: August 18, 2010. (NOTE: Questions and Answers # 2 have been issued, as of August 16.) Selection of Short Listed Proponents (Phase I) - September 15, 2010. Information Package for Phase 2 to Short Listed Proponents - September 20, 2010. RFP Deadline for Receipt of Questions (Phase 2) - October 4, 2010. RFP Closing Date and Time (Phase 2) - October 13, 2010 at 14:00. Conctract Award Date - December 1, 2010.
Project: proposed construction of a light industrial building that will house material handling equipment. The building will meet minimum LEED Certificate.

Scope: 700,000 square feet
Development: New
Category: Warehouse, storage bldgs; Government offices
First report Fri Jul 30, 2010. Last report Thu Aug 19, 2010.
This report Fri Aug 20, 2010.

Source: http://www.journalofcommerce.com/cgi-bin...28c7c28&projectid=9122707&region=western

[SpongeG]

where are the moving? surrey?

[LeftCoaster]

Last I saw of the project they were interested in space near the airport. That was a while ago so things may have changed, but I would suspect that is still their prefered location.

[AlexYVR]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Last I saw of the project they were interested in space near the airport. That was a while ago so things may have changed, but I would suspect that is still their prefered location.

Same - again, about a year ago. There were conceptual renderings being shopped to them, though.

That post office site is gorgeous. Can see it from the balcony and would love to have a 150m office tower there instead of a helicopter pad.

[wrenegade]

*crosses fingers for no native land claim*

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by AlexYVR

Same - again, about a year ago. There were conceptual renderings being shopped to them, though.

That post office site is gorgeous. Can see it from the balcony and would love to have a 150m office tower there instead of a helicopter pad.

I dunno, I've always liked the post office as an example of Fifties architecture. I'd like to see the VAG repurpose it for a new art gallery. The floorplate is huge, how many sqaure feet is the building?

[flight_from_kamakura]

^ i really like it too, on the georgia frontage (though the parking would have to go. the rest of it though, can't be razed soon enough, imo. still, i'd love to see a 200m office tower there, and it seems grotesque and morbid to imagine anything a design integrating the current facade.

[yogiderek]

lets go for 300 meters

[eduardo88]

Originally Posted by yogiderek

lets go for 300 meters

it's vancouver, that kind of thinking doesn't exist...yet

[vansky]

Originally Posted by eduardo88

it's vancouver, that kind of thinking doesn't exist...yet

van is like a woman, "preserve my beauty, everything i want is good looks, preserve the view cones....i want to be short and beautiful"

300 is a man's height, come on.

[jlousa]

Not really downtown but close enough. Salient Group has another project lined up on Carrall St. Can't confirm for sure which property but a walk along it this morning leads me to believe it's the Boulder Hotel/Pig and Whistle properties. They've been for sale forever and are now off the market.
Paris Block Annex is going ahead next month, prices now start at 370K well above the original attempt which had them priced at 300k.

[Conrad]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

I hate confusing bathrooms. At the W in Beverly Hills I spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to turn on the water.

Shangri-la looks quite nice ^^ So does Cactus Club. I wonder if they think by making it nicer, people will try harder not to trash it up?

As a general rule I will not use public washrooms in North America Nothing that humans do is more frightening.

There is no W in Beverly Hills. You were either at W Hollywood or W Westwood.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by Conrad

There is no W in Beverly Hills. You were either at W Hollywood or W Westwood.

Ok. If you want to play semantics. The hotel is referred to as the W Beverly Hills, whether or not that is really the name (which it isn't) because guess where Westwood is? Less than 2 miles from Beverly Hills.

It is also featured prominently on Beverly Hills accommodation guides.
http://www.beverlyhillsluxuryhotels.com/w-hotel-los-angeles.shtml

But thank you for feeling the need to dig this post up from way back when to pretend to be smart.

Please don't be shocked to find out Vancouver International Airport is in Richmond.

[flight_from_kamakura]

^ weird exchange.

thanks, j-lo.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Ok. If you want to play semantics. The hotel is referred to as the W Beverly Hills, whether or not that is really the name (which it isn't) because guess where Westwood is? Less than 2 miles from Beverly Hills.

It is also featured prominently on Beverly Hills accommodation guides.
http://www.beverlyhillsluxuryhotels.com/w-hotel-los-angeles.shtml

But thank you for feeling the need to dig this post up from way back when to pretend to be smart.

Please don't be shocked to find out Vancouver International Airport is in Richmond.

haha

i stayed at the W in san francisco an dthe bathroom door doesn't really offer complete privacy nice if you're with a partner but when with a few friends its like er um okay

[jlousa]

Crane should be being installed today at Comso (Spectrum 5).

Looks like only the base was installed today possibly due to the high winds. It's now scheduled doe next saturday.

[phesto]

I suppose it's public knowledge now that there is a for lease sign on the building - Oxford Properties bought 1133 Melville Street (the big parkade/office bldg) from Amacon.

The good news is that Oxford likely bought it in order to secure a site for a future office tower and would build 100% office (unlike Amacon who had proposed hotel on the lower floors).

The bad news is it will likely be at least 3 or 4 years (and probably longer) before they start planning redevelopment...

[whatnext]

So, looks like the STIR program and the Comox St project are on hold. Vision must be worried about Tim Stevenson gettign the boot next election:

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson is putting the brakes on a project to increase the number of rental units in the city’s West End so he can consult with the community members he called “hacks” during a council hearing in early July.

The project in question is a 22-storey tower on Comox Street. The building, which would replace a church, will have 193 units and is 30 feet taller and five times the density that current zoning allows...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...-community-members-hacks/article1691597/

[Chikinlittle]

Originally Posted by phesto

I suppose it's public knowledge now that there is a for lease sign on the building - Oxford Properties bought 1133 Melville Street (the big parkade/office bldg) from Amacon.

The good news is that Oxford likely bought it in order to secure a site for a future office tower and would build 100% office (unlike Amacon who had proposed hotel on the lower floors).

The bad news is it will likely be at least 3 or 4 years (and probably longer) before they start planning redevelopment...

Probably longer, I would think. Unless Oxford is willing to buy out the leases held by its tenants in there in order to redevelop.

As a note, Amacon took with them the sculpture/artwork in the lobby foyer. A shame - it actually looked relatively decent. Now it's a bare, plywood-looking wall.

[LeftCoaster]

Buying out leases is not a deal breaker. If the right tenant comes around, the developer will do anything to find a way to make the deal work.

Tough part is the tenant...