Downtown Vancouver Updates

[PaperTiger]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I'm not even going to waste my time...

Dammit. Shoulda taken the high road too...

[flight_from_kamakura]

patina seems really tall though, and feels pretty massive to me. and speaking of concert and the udp, the new concert proposal over on horby sailed through udp, and the renders i've seen look are just appalling, like yaletown park bad. damn.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by PaperTiger

Prometheus YOU just don't get it...if we didn’t have the UDP we might have one or two “innovative” buildings , but we would have vastly more buildings that are absolute shit. As a society we said we would rather have a city made up of buildings that are pretty decent, rather than a couple of standouts in a sea of awful.

You are making my job easy.

Apart from your unfounded assertion that the UDP has blocked only "one or two" very good buildings while saving us from "a sea" of very bad buildings (when the actual truth is much more balanced), you just made my very point: Eliminating the very good along with the very bad in order to create a safe, mushy, monotone ("decent") middle is the very definition of bland. And, as you proudly admit, the UDP is responsible for that. Q.E.D., my friend.

[Metro-One]

Hed I agree some buildings have gotten past that were quite shoddy, but none this tall. I disagree that Shangri-La is a poor btw. It may not be innovative or futuristic, but it looks great from most angles and all in all works quite well... I wish I could say the same for Capitol or Patina, Patina especially.

I think this building will see changes based off what happened to The Ritz. This is the tallest building proposed since the Ritz, and as we all know we have the UDP to thank for the current (still unused) design of the RC. I think this being such a prominent building they will demand more than the status quo... keep in mind Patina and Capitol really arent that tall, no bigger than the mark or West one.

I also like the Shangri-La (except for its bizarre absence of a lighting feature, especially considering it is our city's tallest), but I am the reverse in regards to Patina and Capitol. I actually like Patina, it is nothing special but I think it works, but i absolutely hate Capitol, probably the worst new tower in Vancouver in the last 10 years.

[whatnext]

Interesting little sidebar - I see in BIV that the strata owners of One Wall Centre have launched a lawsuit against various and sundry alleging that the window seals were done improperly and have become brittle (don't walk too close to get photos!) and that the switch from dark to translucent glass has caused the HVAC system to be overloaded and inffective at cooling the units.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Interesting little sidebar - I see in BIV that the strata owners of One Wall Centre have launched a lawsuit against various and sundry alleging that the window seals were done improperly and have become brittle (don't walk too close to get photos!) and that the switch from dark to translucent glass has caused the HVAC system to be overloaded and inffective at cooling the units.

The HVAC deficiencies have been known since day 1 (which I suppose supports the proposition that the tower was originally designed for dark glass).

Interesting about the seals. Isn't that supposed to be some mullion-free silicon bonding (or was that the first two shorter towers?)

[jlousa]

Some news on the downtown front.

Community Area: Downtown
Status: Proposed
Location: 800 GRIFFITHS WAY/150 Pacific Boulevard North
Project Type: Rezoning
Department: Planning Department
Application Date: 2010/10/25 No: 2010037

Description:

The purpose of this rezoning is to permit the addition of 2 residential buildings and 1 mixed-use building to the current CD-1 zoning. The 3 new buildings are 104, 100 and 97 meters in height. The proposal will include 58,608 square meters of residential density and 520 square meters of new commercial density. The proposal also includes 755 residential units and 205 parking and 5 loading spaces.

Community Area: Downtown
Status: Proposed
Location: 1025 ROBSON ST
Project Type: Rezoning
Department: Planning Department
Application Date: 2010/09/02 No: 2010033

Description:

Brook and Associates, on behalf of West Coast Projects Ltd., have applied to the City of Vancouver to rezone this site from DD (Downtown) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to change the permitted uses within the currently allowed density of 3.0 FSR. Non-residential uses would increase from 1.0 FSR to 1.8 FSR to allow for the expansion of the retail spaces within the existing building. The balance of the 1.2 FSR permitted would be for residential or other non-retail commercial uses (e.g. office, service) allowing for possible future redevelopment at 3.0 FSR. The currently allowed height limit of 21.3 m (70 ft.) is to remain.

Go UDP Go

[SpongeG]

the robson one sounds good - the way it is now its pretty dead to the street hopefully they bring it all the way

[SpongeG]

did anyone see science world ball last night?

it was lit like a rotating jack o lantern - it was so cool! yay something cool in the city!

[SFUVancouver]

This is a sight that will make many people happy. The last outstanding buildings at the corner of Seymour and Davie are coming down and Emery Barnes Park will be expanded to its full size.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

A caboose is loose in Yaletown.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.


Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

Info about the caboose.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

A renovation/vertical expansion in Yaletown.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

This isn't really a construction shot but I just like it. It reminds me of an isometric perspective landscape architect's illustration of an ideal residential sidewalk, except that it's real.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

Cosmo

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

A video billboard has been installed in Tinseltown at the corner of Pender and Abbott.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

A brief shot of the progress on replacing the sails at Canada Place.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

East Asiatic House on Pender at Bute is getting a well deserved power washing and, wow, what a difference it makes.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

[LeftCoaster]

Love the caboose, so random. Do you know if it is permanent?

BTW thanks for all the pics, I really appreciate all the work you put into your constant updates, and I'm sure most of the other fourmers do as well.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

A caboose is loose in Yaletown.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

A video billboard has been installed in Tinseltown at the corner of Pender and Abbott.

Taken by SFUVancouver, November 9th, 2010.

These two updates

See how a video billboard can add some nice livery to an entertainment complex. Also love the caboose! I just hope no vandals get to it (and if they do that it is cleaned up immediately).

Thanks for all the updates!

[Locked In]

Thanks for posting the Emery Barnes demo photo SFU. I walked by the corner of Davie and Seymour the other day and could not believe how much of a difference removing that structure has made - the block feels so open and airy now with the uninterrupted views. Looking forward to the completed park, surrounded by towers on all sides. Very cool addition to the neighborhood.

[city-dweller]

Was there any issue of the soil and the old dry-cleaner at the park demo?

[officedweller]

Thanks for the pics - I was wondering why the caboose was there - although it would really make more sense on the west side of Nelson - up against the loading docks were the tracks were located.

[itinerant]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the robson one sounds good - the way it is now its pretty dead to the street hopefully they bring it all the way

I am actually quite disappointed that the various attempts at deepening the retail experience from Robson into side gallerias has failed. There are 3 that I know of in the two blocks between Burrard and Bute n the past 15-20 years. This one where Tsunami Sushi is located upstairs, The one where Below The Belt is located, and the final one where Moxies/Bread Garden is located.

If developers are still interested in trying this, maybe a solution would be to go right through the block to Alberni to connect to something 'worthwhile' on the other side. The Alberni side of 1025 Robson on Alberni is the Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, Coast, Italian Kitchen.

I doubt this will happen any time soon, but it would be great to see Robson as more than a single-road strip.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by itinerant

I doubt this will happen any time soon, but it would be great to see Robson as more than a single-road strip.

I think that's exactly why those two blocks of Robson are so successful - the blocks are long and there's no where to divert to. Once you hit Bute, people start diverting into the residential areas.
And east of Burrard, the long blocks run the other way.

[Built Form]

Originally Posted by itinerant

I am actually quite disappointed that the various attempts at deepening the retail experience from Robson into side gallerias has failed. There are 3 that I know of in the two blocks between Burrard and Bute n the past 15-20 years. This one where Tsunami Sushi is located upstairs, The one where Below The Belt is located, and the final one where Moxies/Bread Garden is located.

If developers are still interested in trying this, maybe a solution would be to go right through the block to Alberni to connect to something 'worthwhile' on the other side. The Alberni side of 1025 Robson on Alberni is the Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, Coast, Italian Kitchen.

I doubt this will happen any time soon, but it would be great to see Robson as more than a single-road strip.

It's been reported in the Colliers Int'l Q2 Retail report that Forever 21 is moving into 1025 Robson between Kiehl's and Aldo taking up a total of
26, 762 sq ft over 2 floors. This should animate that section of Robson alot! So don't look for any redevelopment plans after that.

[SpongeG]

that probably explains why they are redeveloping it now - closing it in to make way for Forever 21

[Locked In]

My photos today of the much improved-view at the corner of Davie and Seymour:


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