Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 465

jlousa · #**9281** Posted **Nov 9, 2012, 5:59 AM**

A new development being proposed in the DTES. We'll have to see how the locals react. It's impressive that it packs an FSR of over 8 in a modest height.

Quote:

Rezoning Application - 41 East Hastings Street

Atira Development Society has applied to the City of Vancouver to rezone 41 East Hastings Street from DEOD (Downtown-Eastside/Oppenheimer Official Development Plan) to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. The proposal is for a 14-storey mixed-use building, with commercial/retail space at the ground and second (mezzanine) floors and a total of 169 residential units from floors 3 to 14. The proposed 169 units include: 52 self-contained rental units; 49 Housing Income Limits (HIL) units; 68 affordable home ownership units, of which 32 units will be guaranteed as rental units for a minimum of 15 years. The proposal includes a floor space ratio (FSR) of 8.11, a floor area of 9,190 m² (98,926 sq. ft.), and a total of 16 underground parking spaces.

dleung · #**9282** Posted **Nov 9, 2012, 6:12 AM**

^^I wish they'd simply set back the upper half of the building instead of some garish attempt to "human-scale" the facade. Never quite understood the bylaws that make developers pile the density at the front of the site while leaving the rear 1/3 as luxurious airspace to daylight the alley...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

Put me in the camp that doesn't like the design. The FSR can easily be squeezed onto the site and view cones. Think a terraced design would fit better then the stubby tower sticking out of the heavy podium. Maybe Dleung could grace us with his artistic vision. The current design just seems like a 70's Hawaiian resort.

Should've been an office building at such a noisy and LED-blasted location. Especially considering how quickly we're running out of sites to build office space downtown.

mr.x · #**9283** Posted **Nov 9, 2012, 6:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIMBAM

Hey, whatever happened to the idea of putting the VAG in that proposed location in Northeast False Creek? Why did the idea die, I thought it'd have excellent tourist synergy with science world and the public spaces around the Olympic Village, a kind of museum district.

The gallery would be building its vaults underground, it didn't think building underground vaults right next to False Creek was the best idea.

leftside · #**9284** Posted **Nov 10, 2012, 6:47 PM**

Nice to see the 41 E Hastings proposal. Things have been a bit quiet development wise in the hood for a while.

greg_a · #**9285** Posted **Nov 11, 2012, 10:16 PM**

30 second video of available space Downtown Vancouver, from Altus InSite and Cube Cities:

• Video Link

www.cubecities.com

Locked In · #**9286** Posted **Nov 12, 2012, 6:35 AM**

^ Interesting animation.
The Rogers Arena tower is at the wrong end of the arena.

wrenegade · #**9287** Posted **Nov 12, 2012, 7:26 PM**

That proposal for 41 E Hastings is one of the worst things I've seen in a long time. I actually don't have much issue with the layout of the tiny suites, but the facade treatment is absolutely awful. I understand the city is now enforcing maximum glazing requirements but there has to be a way to accomodate that better than thick panels of brick all the way up the building. How about staggered windows like the buildings next door, and like everything built from 1910-1940? I don't get it. And Dleung, I agree with you, the setbacks on the lane don't make much sense to me in urban area (C-2 zones is a different story). The city seems to like it's design guidelines though forcing higher, heavier streetwalls and larger rear setbacks, so developers and their architects sorta have to work to those guidelines. At least that is what I have found in my experience. I'd much rather have a stepped building on the street, especially in this case where it is south facing.

And that 68 Smithe proposal is crap. Jlousa was spot-on with the 70s hawaiian resort comment. I also can't imagine living that close to BC Place with how bright the LEDs are when lit up at night. I look across false creek at it and love seeing the lights but I am fairly far removed. It would be something totally different when it is pretty much RIGHT outside your window. No doubt there will be complaints when people move in.

Klazu · #**9288** Posted **Nov 16, 2012, 12:52 AM**

Crane went up today on the Artemisia site at Hornby & Helmcken.

trofirhen · #**9289** Posted **Nov 16, 2012, 1:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Crane went up today on the Artemisia site at Hornby & Helmcken.

I'm sure the units will be fabulous, luxurious, and expensive (of course). However, IMO, the building itself looks like something out of Bucharest or such.

ckkelley · #**9290** Posted **Nov 16, 2012, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Crane went up today on the Artemisia site at Hornby & Helmcken.

Any idea if the public art component is still part of this development? I'm guessing not.

dreambrother808 · #**9291** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 2:23 AM**

Quote:

Vancouver to reopen Robson Street Dec. 1

FRANCES BULA
The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Nov. 23 2012, 8:52 PM EST

Vancouver has temporarily bailed on its plan to shut down Robson Street in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery for open public space and will be reopening the street Dec. 1.

That follows three months of city consultations on what to do with Block 51, as the art gallery block is called, and considerable uproar among West End residents irate about the loss of a bus going directly along Robson to Granville. They said that forced too many elderly people, who are a big part of the population in the West End, to walk an extra two blocks to get to shopping and medical appointments.

Transportation engineer Jerry Dobrovolny, in a report issued late Friday, said there is strong public support for having the street become part of a permanent public square but also lots of significant other issues that came up during the consultation.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/brit...open-robson-street-dec-1/article5630302/

osirisboy · #**9292** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 4:45 AM**

Thank friggin god!!! It's about time. What an asinine idea to keep it closed. Noone ever used it. Even on nice days noone used it. Although they said they would reopen it immediately. Why are they waiting till dec first?

SpongeG · #**9293** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 5:06 AM**

maybe a union issue

logan5 · #**9294** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 6:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Thank friggin god!!! It's about time. What an asinine idea to keep it closed. Noone ever used it. Even on nice days noone used it. Although they said they would reopen it immediately. Why are they waiting till dec first?

I'm not sure if you live downtown, or close to downtown like I do, but I can assure you that the Robson Square area is quite busy.

jlousa · #**9295** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 7:49 AM**

I live and work downtown and agree completely with Osirisboy, even in summer there wasn't enough volume of people around to justify keeping it closed, once September ended the place has been vacant. Long overdue decision to reopen the road, glad they finally listened to the Robson BIA.

entheosfog · #**9296** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 8:37 AM**

I think if they got rid of the curbs and made it an actual square people might at least walk on it more. But even I found myself sticking to the sidewalk on this block, just out of habit...kind of a psychological thing.

IanS · #**9297** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 2:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

I live and work downtown and agree completely with Osirisboy, even in summer there wasn't enough volume of people around to justify keeping it closed, once September ended the place has been vacant. Long overdue decision to reopen the road, glad they finally listened to the Robson BIA.

I too live and work downtown. I walk along that stretch of Robson at least twice a day, often more, and it's just dead space the way it is now. I'm not a big fan of the summer closings, but at least it was put to some use during that period. It's just a wasted space now. Glad to hear it's reopening.

osirisboy · #**9298** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 4:55 PM**

I wish they would focus on the front of the art gallery instead and making that a proper square! There is so much potential there. for the robson stretch just close it temporarily during summer weeks for festivals etc.

dreambrother808 · #**9299** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 5:03 PM**

There's nothing there in the winter so what could people use it for? As for the summer, it was generally quite busy and most certainly justifies a closure. I walk through there a couple of times per day at least.

logan5 · #**9300** Posted **Nov 24, 2012, 7:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

I live and work downtown and agree completely with Osirisboy, even in summer there wasn't enough volume of people around to justify keeping it closed, once September ended the place has been vacant. Long overdue decision to reopen the road, glad they finally listened to the Robson BIA.

Even in the summer? There were always lots of people occupying the street. I'm not sure what your definition of a justifiable volume is though.