Olympic Village & Southeast False Creek Updates Discussion

[Vin]

Originally Posted by logan5

It'd be nice if I could copy and paste the text from these documents. Oh well.



Their showcase building that stands out from the crowd will be clad with mostly metal panels with some brick accents, just like a thousand other designs out there. The future of architecture in Vancouver looks pretty hopeless when the developer considers metal cladding a high end building material.

On the positive side, there's some pretty good density coming to the area, and this development will solidify SEFC as a true neighborhood. I presume there will be retail along Quebec?

Really? Metal-clad buildings are bad? You would be singing a totally different tune if they were these:

The Petronas Twin Towers (photo below)

[Vin]

Source: http://www.aconex.com/Clients/Aconex-in-Action/Aconex-In-Action/Four-Seasons.html[/QUOTE]

[Vin]

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

I like the Concert proposal... it complements the area really well.

Overall, the concept is good. The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have any retail. It would be nice to have a mini plaza-type covered mall with indoor and street retail along the north side of the development along First Avenue to create a continuity of retail from the Main Street area to the Olympic Village retail centre where Urban Fare and London Drugs are housed. Mario's Gelato side is already retail, so I don't see any reason why they don't want to include retail on the south side of First Avenue.

Also on top of a retail podium, the tower could go up higher (like 30 stories and tastefully clad in metal) to complement Opsal nearby, thereby creating a landmark 'gateway' to the Olympic Village.

Does my wish sound too far-fetched?

http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...51quebec/documents/rezoningrationale.pdf

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by logan5

I presume there will be retail along Quebec?

Skimming through the material, I didn't see any plans for retail along Quebec, with the exception of a possible hot beverage kiosk (using an old interurban rail car) on a plaza on the northwest corner of Quebec & 1st.

[Vin]

Doesn't make sense to have a future tram system serving only co-op housing and townhomes along Quebec and 1st, if that would ever materialize.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Vin

Doesn't make sense to have a future tram system serving only co-op housing and townhomes along Quebec and 1st, if that would ever materialize.

??? I think the picture of the tram implies the buildout of the Vancouver streetcar that goes from Granville Island to Stanley Park, and potentially beyond.

[Kapten]

Originally Posted by Vin

Really? Metal-clad buildings are bad? You would be singing a totally different tune if they were these:

The Petronas Twin Towers (photo below)

Hard to believe that the same architect did the Sears on Granville (Cesar Pelli)...

[rsxstock]

Originally Posted by Vin

Overall, the concept is good. The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have any retail. It would be nice to have a mini plaza-type covered mall with indoor and street retail along the north side of the development along First Avenue to create a continuity of retail from the Main Street area to the Olympic Village retail centre where Urban Fare and London Drugs are housed. Mario's Gelato side is already retail, so I don't see any reason why they don't want to include retail on the south side of First Avenue.

Also on top of a retail podium, the tower could go up higher (like 30 stories and tastefully clad in metal) to complement Opsal nearby, thereby creating a landmark 'gateway' to the Olympic Village.

Does my wish sound too far-fetched?

http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...51quebec/documents/rezoningrationale.pdf

i agree, a mini plaza would complement the existing "rest area" by science world really well

[red-paladin]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Here's the boards (finally) for the Concert proposal on the old Translink property. I think it's pretty well thought out and will make a huge impact on the whole area, the current dead space just — energy from SEFC.

•Rezoning Rationale (16.7mb)
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...51quebec/documents/rezoningrationale.pdf

•Urban Context (3.2mb)
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...ns/1551quebec/documents/urbancontext.pdf

•Design Principles (143mb)????????!!!!!
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...551quebec/documents/designprinciples.pdf

•Open Space (5.52mb)
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...tions/1551quebec/documents/openspace.pdf

•Form of Development (58.2mb)???????
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...51quebec/documents/formofdevelopment.pdf

•Sustainability (7.63mb)
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan.../1551quebec/documents/sustainability.pdf

•Project Data (960kb)
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...ons/1551quebec/documents/projectdata.pdf

•Appendix (1.21mb)
http://former.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plan...ations/1551quebec/documents/appendix.pdf

Please note the above files are absolutely monsterous and there is no reason the city needed to keep them this size. They are doing a disservice to the public as many people just won't be bothered to look at them like this.

I love the new plans, and can't wait to see them built.

I was interested to see the heights planned for the empty lot + mcdonalds lots at south west corner of Main and Terminal. 9 building heights from 3-23 storeys in height. I can't wait to see what becomes of that also. This was from page 7 of the Urban Context pdf.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Kapten

Hard to believe that the same architect did the Sears on Granville (Cesar Pelli)...

I guess people's tastes do get refined with time, and that includes architects too.

[spm2013]

Well there's probably a limit to how much retail the area can support. At least stick some token retail near the water/main walkway. Or leave aside some space that could be built up in the future.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Here's the boards (finally) for the Concert proposal on the old Translink property. I think it's pretty well thought out and will make a huge impact on the whole area, the current dead space just — energy from SEFC.

Not a single square foot of commercial in 600,000 square feet of development?! At the very least the entire section fronting the seawall should be commercial units (restaurants!!)

[rsxstock]

would be nice if they add a bike rental there since it is a nice path around the whole area

[Vin]

Originally Posted by spm2013

Well there's probably a limit to how much retail the area can support. At least stick some token retail near the water/main walkway. Or leave aside some space that could be built up in the future.

The area would have a huge demand for retail in the next few years when all the condos are completed in the vicinity. The only reason why the retail sector was so slow to take root initially in the Olympic village area was because of a lack of residents moving in due to insane condo prices in the city-built development. However, my understanding of the latter phase condos built by other developers is that they are selling relatively well, meaning there would definitely be way more people moving there in the near future.

The area is served by an inter city train and bus terminal, and a sky train station nearby, and coupled with the tram system and new UBC sky train line planned for the future, would create an excellent node for a retail/commercial centre for that neighbourhood. In fact, a multi-storied mall, hotels or even office towers should be in the works as well, before too many residents move in and nimbyism takes root. But then again I am ahead of myself here.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Jebby

Not a single square foot of commercial in 600,000 square feet of development?! At the very least the entire section fronting the seawall should be commercial units (restaurants!!)

I agree! Too much wasted waterfront space for housing only. If Vancouverites have seen the new waterfront development of South-bank by the Yarra River in Melbourne, they would be awed by how people there could make a former warehouse district become so vibrant with a world-class casino, alfresco-style waterfront dining, and new condos, offices and hotels, with the Eureka tower reaching 88 stories in height, essentially creating two sets of skyscrapers on either side of the river. Vancouver City limitations, a refusal to think outside the box and nimbyism truly bog us down here.

[red-paladin]

Well, a casino and indoor malls would be the last things I'd want to see in SEFC. But I do agree ground floor retail should be present, even just 'nail salons and A&Ws' I am a big believer of the 'Eyes on the street' concept as much as I am of neighbourhood retail.

[easy as pie]

it's truly nuts not to include a large amount of commercial in a project of that size in that location, not only to bridge main st to olympic village and olympic village to city gate, but because of the potentially enormous local and destination demand, the proximity to skytrain, the location at a major crossroads in the center of vancouver, the traffic calming function of retail vis-a-vis mostly inactive residential uses, increased safety and neighborhood integrity, livening up that strip on quebec st or the waterfront or both so that it's not a through area, supporting existing area retailers by diversification and destination-building, and the simple fact that adding more commercial spaces is great in a city where the high cost of commercial space in the core is leading to an increasingly generic and chain-dominated retail scene.

planning, don't blow this one!

[giallo]

Obviously, I'm in agreement with everyone here regarding the complete lack of retail within a 600,000sqft. development. It should be 'patio city' along this waterfront development.

[spm2013]

What was that property used for before Concord bought it from Translink?

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by giallo

It should be 'patio city' along this waterfront development.

Exactly. The current patios seem to be always full and the location offers world-class views, so not including restaurants and patios is quite a miss!