Downtown Vancouver Updates

[entheosfog]

Looks like most of the tenants are out of this building at the corner of Robson and Granville. Any idear on when this building will come down??


Boarded Up by entheos_fog, on Flickr

[Yume-sama]

Damn, I never did get around to trying Babylon Cafe. It was always so lined up.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Damn, I never did get around to trying Babylon Cafe. It was always so lined up.

go to the one on Denman its the best one.

Babylon Cafe
1156 Denman Street, Vancouver

[dreambrother808]

The Robson Market one is better, IMO. The old guy who runs it is a pro.

[SpongeG]

i think it comes down in september or at the latest october

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by agrant

Haha!!!! Quite the contrast.

To be fair, I think the google street view was taken before the bike lane went in.

[Hed Kandi]

..

[leftside]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

To be fair, I think the google street view was taken before the bike lane went in.

Yes, it is actually a little better now! Couldn't have been much worse... The Brickyard is no longer there and has been converted into social housing with nice restaurants such as the Nelson and Seagull at street level.

I often speak to the police patrolling that street. They do what they can, but without the support from the courts/system it is just like "herding cats".

I am very intrigued on what is happening to that building right now. It is starting to look quite nice.

[flight_from_kamakura]

that babylon cafe was alright, but damn did the street smell great walking past, almost made up for the loss of falafel house on granville. and i almost can't believe that sentimental attachments that i have to that block: i bought my first pair of eyeglasses at that optical shop; i was a frequent patron of charlie's, it was the place where my bicycle was stolen for the first time and also the place where i sold a good portion of my cds when i went all-digital in 2000 (zulu took the good stuff). i bought my first pair of used jeans and my first leather jacket at that vintage shop downstairs; for a first date with this cute radical troskyist babe we went to this communist meeting/potluck thing in one of the rooms upstairs - the genesis of a very stormy 5-month relationship. all on just one block! there probably isn't another commercial space in the city in which i've so many memories, and surely i'm not the only one. very strange.

one thing that i'm really looking forward to though with this project is the significant expansion of the sidewalks, that'll be great. baby steps, vancouver, baby steps.

[PaperTiger]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

What's going here again?

Source: Gordon Price, Pricetags blog.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by PaperTiger

Source: Gordon Price, Pricetags blog.

Why the little arcade on the Granville side? It makes no sense whatsoever. A perfect place for some street kids to curl up and some Friday night D-bags to urinate behind. That's about it. It makes a classy storefront impossible.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by entheosfog

Looks like most of the tenants are out of this building at the corner of Robson and Granville. Any idear on when this building will come down??


Boarded Up by entheos_fog, on Flickr

I am actually very sad to see this go. The shops along that corner were very interesting. I use to love going into the underground thrift store there, great place for movie costumes and to see some funky people. Made it feel big city to me.

To me, this project actually takes away some of the flavor and variety of the Granville area.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I am actually very sad to see this go. The shops along that corner were very interesting. I use to love going into the underground thrift store there, great place for movie costumes and to see some funky people. Made it feel big city to me.

To me, this project actually takes away some of the flavor and variety of the Granville area.

all the good stores or what not have relocated ... Puff for example just around the corner on Granville.

as for TVV according to their Twitter >>

TVVClothing True Value Vintage
we have a new location! grand opening September 21! 400 West Broadway at Yukon!

great score for that part of Bway as it's really coming alive right now and has SO very much potential

Charlies is DOA from what I gather though ...

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I am actually very sad to see this go. The shops along that corner were very interesting. I use to love going into the underground thrift store there, great place for movie costumes and to see some funky people. Made it feel big city to me.

To me, this project actually takes away some of the flavor and variety of the Granville area.

agree 100%

[Sir Conga]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

Charlies is DOA from what I gather though ...

The currency exchange (which offers some of the best rates in town, btw) is going to open a few doors down, and I believe the newer Barber Shop is going to be relocated. The music side is DOA though, yes.

[jlousa]

The owner of Charlies is retiring from the business but still wants to run the currency exchange business to keep entertained, the barber place is run by his son.

The best rates though by far are at VBCE on Pender St, no one else is even close.

The pic of the proposal above though isn't from Gordon Price, it was taken by BuiltForm on this forum. I'm sure he asked permission to us it.

[jlousa]

Probably could've gone in the restaurant thread but this is more development oriented then about the restaurants themselves.
Boneta finally closed down and will be reopening within the Garage artrium in a couple of weeks. Sounds like they are holding onto the old spot as well for the next 2 years and it will be for private functions for all of the Mark Brand restaurants in the area. A little disappointed in that as the area needs energy and I'm not sure a private function space is going to provide it, guess we'll see.

The other bittersweet news is that the guy behind 100 nights at the Opus is taking over the old Pig&Whistle space next door. Good to see that space used, a shame it couldn't have been redeveloped and tied in with it's neighbour though and I really hope this isn't a sign of a Yaletown invasion into Gastown.

[frank]

Originally Posted by jlousa

The owner of Charlies is retiring from the business but still wants to run the currency exchange business to keep entertained, the barber place is run by his son.

The best rates though by far are at VBCE on Pender St, no one else is even close.

I find that Charlie has the best rates; for those interested, this can be easily tracked:
Charlie: http://www.charliescurrency.ca/otherpages/world.html
VBCE: http://www.vbce.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=Major_Currencies
ING: http://www.ingdirect.ca/en/save-invest/usisa/index.html (click on exchange rates)

[s211]

Originally Posted by Sir Conga

The currency exchange (which offers some of the best rates in town, btw) is going to open a few doors down, and I believe the newer Barber Shop is going to be relocated. The music side is DOA though, yes.

I recall seeing something on their Granville window that said they were also relocating to the 1000 block of Davie, or is that a second currency exchange?

[Sir Conga]

Originally Posted by s211

I recall seeing something on their Granville window that said they were also relocating to the 1000 block of Davie, or is that a second currency exchange?

There is an adress on Davie listed on their website, so perhaps there will be two shops. There is a little storefront just south of the old Charlies, where a sign says Charlies Currency Exchange.