Downtown Vancouver Updates

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

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.

You got that right !!! For several years, way back in time, I was on a committee trying to do just that: makeover the Georgia Street plaza of the VAG. Nothing much really ever came of it.

And yet there is that magnificent façade, the columns and stairway, the stone lions, all - among other things - crying out to be lit up at night, the Centennial Fountain which might do better with a new home, the potential of a true "heart" of downtown Vancouver, all kinds of designs brought up .... then nothing.

[easy as pie]

it's like the bike helmet issue. if you want a great animated public space, let vendors set up, etc. vancouver is one of the only cities, probably on the planet but at least that i've ever been to, that does not have a central square. it's a shame that this space - the obvious choice for the job - hasn't worked, but i'm guessing that rather than the space itself, it's an series of overly restrictive uses for that space that are the issue. i can pretty much guarantee that if there were a row of food vendors set up there every day and an even partially covered pod area (too bad that clamshell idea of gordo's didn't fly) then this place would probably become a beloved vancouver institution.

another example of a good idea brought down by insane over-regulation.

[TwoFace]

No doubt the north side is lacking to say the least.
As we know they will be tearing the place apart to address the old water leakage issues pretty soon.
Most likely or hopefully, once that is done they will tile the whole place make all those mobile food wagons park on it, build a permanent sound stage, throw lots of picnic tables around and have something for everyone.

[officedweller]

The main problem with the north side of the art gallery as a square is that there are absolutely no permanent establishments that open onto it.
All you have are food vendors.
The VAG has no entrance there.
Three other sides are bordered by sidewalks and roads.
Those are basic deficiencies in the infrastructure of the space that will not be cured by a pretty design.

Personally, I think that the sunken plaza at Robson Square has more potential
- if you got some top notch retailers on the sunken plaza level rather than institutional uses and add some retail pavillions at grade (together with closure of Robson Street)... and add escalators down to the plaza.

Likewise, Jack Poole Plaza has more potential - once the Cactus Club and the Tap & Barrel open up on opposite sides of the plaza. Unfortunately, Harbour Green 3 does not contribute retail space to the area and the plaza is fronted with active uses on only 2 sides since the north side is open to the view.

Olympic Village plaza also suffers for being disconnected from the retail spaces - it too is bordered on 4 sides by roads.

The only other hard-surface plazas I can think of that buck the trend are:
- the Roundhouse Plaza (and that would have been forced on the designers because of the adaptation of the space).
- Woodward's Building atrium.

EDit - Plaza of Nations would have fit the bill - but it suffered from an isolated location.

[Bankview]

1100 block of Davie (Burrard) - Facade upgrades to the existing office building.



1134 Burrard St - One of the 14 supportive housing sites.



1024 Hastings St - Office tower.

[LotusLand]

From Vancity Buzz. Looks like massive renos. Some renders posted there

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/11/harbour-centre-unveils-redevelopment-plans/

Once again they failed to source someone from this forum.

[dreambrother808]

Funny, I was just walking through there the other day thinking about how dated everything looked.

[Pinion]

Last time I ate in that food court, the cashier was too distracted to take my order because someone snatched her purse from behind the counter.

It's embarrassing how many tourists wander into that dump.

[trofirhen]

Nice that they're planning to refurbish the interior. Nice if they could refurbish the exterior, too .... but that would mean blowing it up. (it's got to be one of the ugliest buildings in Vancouver ... like Soviet-era Brutalism, with a revolving restaurant)

[wrenegade]

There is a lot worse than the Harbour Centre. An upgrade to the entrance and interiors is great to see, definitely a step in the right direction.

And if we're blowing things up, the United Kingdom building (409 Granville @ Hastings) has got to be on the list.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

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.

It's not like there isn't plenty of room on the sidewalk to walk through there. It's not worth inconveniencing thousands of transit users for another pointless Vision pet project.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by wrenegade

There is a lot worse than the Harbour Centre. An upgrade to the entrance and interiors is great to see, definitely a step in the right direction.

And if we're blowing things up, the United Kingdom building (409 Granville @ Hastings) has got to be on the list.

i love that building

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by LotusLand

Once again they failed to source someone from this forum.

Call the police!

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i love that building

Me too. It was one of Vancouver's first downtown highrises, and goes waaaaay back to the 60s. And it's got kind of an understated look to it, almost in the International Style.

[Jebby]

What's the old building attached to Harbour Centre?

[officedweller]

I think they're talking about the UK Building, rather tha Harbour Centre.

The old building at Harbour Centre is the former Spencer's Department Store (then Eaton's, then Sears, now SFU). Info here:

http://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/hastings-and-richards-2/

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think they're talking about the UK Building, rather tha Harbour Centre.

The old building at Harbour Centre is the former Spencer's Department Store (then Eaton's, then Sears, now SFU). Info here:

http://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/hastings-and-richards-2/

I know they were talking about the UK Building, which I personally find hideous, but I can understand why someone might like it in Vancouver. After living in London, though, you get sick of that 1960s office block architecure.

Thanks for the info on the Spencer's building. It's a nice building, unfortunately the street level has been renovated horribly.

[dleung]

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/11/harbour-centre-unveils-redevelopment-plans/

Talk about extremely tacky... Dundas square style. Can't we let a honest brutalist building be, without raping it with glowing halos and Sears-style crown moldings?

[TwoFace]

Looks like they have their priorities strait ...

"Sequel 138 has riled poverty and drug-user rights activists, who say gentrification at Main and Hastings streets will disrupt the area’s drug market and displace impoverished residents."

http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Vancouver+Downtown+Eastside+housing+activists+target+developer+controversial+East+Hastings+condo/7690444/story.html

[s211]

Originally Posted by TwoFace

Looks like they have their priorities strait ...

"Sequel 138 has riled poverty and drug-user rights activists, who say gentrification at Main and Hastings streets will disrupt the area’s drug market and displace impoverished residents."

http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Vancouver+Downtown+Eastside+housing+activists+target+developer+controversial+East+Hastings+condo/7690444/story.html

And with that, Vancouver formally takes the prize for the most seriously fcuked up city in the country.