Downtown Vancouver Updates

[ketty20]

But leasing is better option for increasing business.

Developer need to wait for right tenant.

[yogiderek]

Originally Posted by 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/

at the base of the article in the 24hrs it gives you a link to apply for a position on that committee. Wouldn't it be ironic if a skyscraperpage member was able to get on that board.

[SpikePhanta]

Originally Posted by yogiderek

at the base of the article in the 24hrs it gives you a link to apply for a position on that committee. Wouldn't it be ironic if a skyscraperpage member was able to get on that board.

Can you supply the link?

[punface]

Originally Posted by yogiderek

at the base of the article in the 24hrs it gives you a link to apply for a position on that committee. Wouldn't it be ironic if a skyscraperpage member was able to get on that board.

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

Can you supply the link?

Here is the link to apply for the West End Advisory Committee: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/westend/advisory.htm

I am considering applying, my only qualification being that I live less than a block from the proposed Maxine's tower and I would really like to see it built.

Has anyone here ever been on something like this before? Would an average-Joe have any chance of being selected? Can I expect any problems from my neighbors in WEN (they collect signatures at the nearest intersection to my front door?) It says my name will end up public - can I expect my opinions and minutes of everything I say to end up public as well? etc.

[vanhattan]

They are starting to dig at the site of The Mark at the corner of Pacific and Seymour Streets.

[eduardo88]

Originally Posted by vanhattan

They are starting to dig at the site of The Mark at the corner of Pacific and Seymour Streets.

Great to hear!

[LotusLand]

Looks like Robson Square Ice Rink will be closed this year http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2010/09/robson-square-ice-rink-closed-re.html

I guess it makes sense as the place is disaster zone with all the "work" being done to it lol

[officedweller]

The rezoning for 1304 Hornby Street (at Drake) is before City Council for final approval:

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20100921/documents/p3.pdf

[Dylan Leblanc]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

http://ahamedia.ca/category/wendy-pedersen/

binners bill of rights? really they do it already - now they need a bill of rights to do it?

Oh no! When I lived in Vancouver, during my college days, I worked for the Trash Busters. One of our jobs one day was to clean out the apartment of a "binner." It was that scuzzy building beside that park on Broadway just west of Clark. Ever seen the TV show Hoarders? Well if you have you know what the apartment of the binner looked like! We were wading waste-deep through junk and trash in there. We took one truck-load of garbage and told the landlord to find someone else to do the rest of the job. We ain't going to clean up after those types of people!

Nasty binner!

[ckkelley]

Nelson Place plaza renewal nearing completion w. bonus emergency response.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5002151447_e1bec289b9_b.jpg

Photo by me.

[red-paladin]

http://www.vancouversun.com/Noxious+fumes+close+Nelson+Hornby+third/3545385/story.html

VANCOUVER — Several streets remained closed even to foot traffic in downtown Vancouver Sunday after a residential tower at the corner of Burrard and Nelson Street was evacuated twice over the weekend owing to a mysterious chemical spill.

Three major streets in the downtown core — Hornby, Nelson, and Burrard — were closed Saturday morning as fire crews once again felt the need to assess smoke and fumes being expelled from the basement of the Pattison adult learning centre in the 900-block of Nelson.

On Friday, the fire department determined renovation crews used too much urethane foam product to raise the concrete floor and it somehow overheated. The resulting off-gases caused a black smoke to pour out of the doors of the building.</P><P></P><P>Rod MacDonald, battalion chief for the Vancouver Fire Department, said after two firefighters were treated for chemical exposure the building was evacuated late Friday, but residents were allowed back in soon after. But by Saturday morning the situation had once again taken a turn for the worse.

Based on additional information we determined we now believe we have to do a more thorough examination,&quot; MacDonald said.

What exactly the fire department is dealing with is still a mystery, MacDonald said Saturday afternoon. But a report on Global News Sunday confirmed that hydrogen cyanide, a highly poisonous gas, was confirmed as being among the off-gases, and was feared to have potentially contaminated everything from rugs to curtains in the building. MacDonald said the foam product decomposed due to heat and crews are determining if chemicals have leaked into the walls. The Hazmat team was conducting on-site tests as well.

The situation was declared a four-alarm emergency by MacDonald, meaning the potential of its severity required ambulance crews to stand by as dozens of firefighters entered and exited the old BC Hydro building with gas masks. Police were on the scene re-routing traffic.

The foam beng used in the cleanup efforts has left a strong chemical odour and has covered some parts of the road.

Work Safe BC will also be conducting an investigation into the spill.

[jsbertram]

Why can't the news writers say this was The Electra (formerly the BC Hydro Building) that was evacuated?

This is certainly a more recognizable name than "Pattison High School".


I saw the end of a news clip last night at six, and after interviewing the on-scene commander, the reporter said something like " ... so all the streets around me are blocked off for this hazmat incident, and nearby streets within two blocks are also closed down". Then the news anchor thanked the reporter & said something like "if there is any new developments, we'll bring them to you in this newscast"


All I could think of was "Thanks for the useless info" - you could have at least said where you were standing so anyone who missed the beginning of the story would know you were on the courthouse steps and nearby blocks on Burrard, Nelson, Howe and Hornby were shut down.

[whatnext]

I feel sorry for all those who live in the Electra. Apparently they have to test carpets etc. to see if the chemicals have gotten into them. And they don't even know what chemicals they're dealing with! Its still not clear to me - was this work was being done in the Electra building basement, or the Dal Grauer substation?

[SpongeG]

was down by emery barnes park this afternoon - must say everytime i have been down that way since the extended part opened its been very busy wioth people, lots of kids and residents - before it was pretty still sketchy and the people hanging out there gave off the vibe that you weren't welcomed down there - can't wait for the final part to open

[SpongeG]

took these today...
pics by me

[officedweller]

I've copied those pics to the Dolce Vita / Symphony Place thread.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I've copied those pics to the Dolce Vita / Symphony Place thread.

thanks i couldn't find that thread

[trofirhen]

This is an appropriate thread as any, and few will bother with it anyway, But ... Oh, how I'd love to see just a couple of blocks of Toronto-type density downtown. Howe north of Georgia? Consolidating blocks? Eliminating lanes? Just an illusion of a pulsing, thriving CBD.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

This is an appropriate thread as any, and few will bother with it anyway, But ... Oh, how I'd love to see just a couple of blocks of Toronto-type density downtown. Howe north of Georgia? Consolidating blocks? Eliminating lanes? Just an illusion of a pulsing, thriving CBD.

Give it time... only 2.5M in the GVRD means it will take time and another significant economic boom...

[dleung]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

This is an appropriate thread as any, and few will bother with it anyway, But ... Oh, how I'd love to see just a couple of blocks of Toronto-type density downtown. Howe north of Georgia? Consolidating blocks? Eliminating lanes? Just an illusion of a pulsing, thriving CBD.

Consolidating blocks, in a time when cities across North America are trying to restore the finer-grain street-grid they once had pre-1960's??