Vancouver House (1400 Howe St) | 151.5m | 52Fl | Completed - Page 27

phesto · #**521** Posted **Oct 16, 2014, 4:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanciti

The property has been sold 2 times since 2011.

Beach Place Ventures owned it from 1991 to 2011 (Black Top Cabs)

A numbered company bought it in 2011

Vantage Pacific Developments bought it in 2013

The fact that the city didn't force Gillespie to buy it is actually quite sickening, there are almost no other developers in the City that could have gotten away with this. The site is massively contaminated from the former gas station which SHOULD have been a factor in the City forcing Westbank to purchase it and remediate it and the adjacent City lands as part of the Development Approval.

The City had already sold their land directly to Gillespie in 2010 without going through a public tendering process which in itself is highly suspicious since the policy that allows City-owned properties to be sold directly to a single developer requires the developer to prove that a site is too small to support an economically viable project, or one that "benefits" the neighbourhood by introducing "needed" commercial space. The sale was actually formally completed this year, since the sale was conditional on City rezoning approval. This is why I found it laughable that people thought the rezoning might not be approved; if there was ever a rubber-stamped rezoning, this was it! Why would Vision councilors potentially diminish the value of City-owned land by rejecting the rezoning. Furthermore, I've written here before about the fact that the City's only significant increase to height limits under the 2011 Vancouver view cone review just happened to include this site, one year before the rezoning application was to be made. Coincidence? I could also get into an analysis of the CAC for this project, which was simply too low, but that is a topic for another discussion.

Back to the point though, forcing the acquisition of the corner lot would've actually weakened the City's ability to rationalize sole sourcing the sale of City-owned property on the Northern part of the block to Gillespie and would've certainly delayed the project. Clearly a delay was not desirable to Gillespie and the City acquiesced.

I wouldn't say there are almost no developers that would get away with this, I would say there are definitely none that would.

Klazu · #**522** Posted **Oct 24, 2014, 1:11 AM**

Demolition of the car repair shop is completed. The lot is now empty.

Jimbo604 · #**523** Posted **Nov 11, 2014, 5:10 AM**

Garages, etc all gone. No sign of demo of storage building though.

Orphan property at south end of block that will probably sit like this for the next forever. COV should have expropriated it to be part of the development of the rest of the block. This would be demo'd be now if that was the case. Bah.

Source: me

jb1969 · #**524** Posted **Nov 17, 2014, 6:12 PM**

there does seem to be a special relationship between West Bank and COV or Vision. Don't get me wrong, West bank does some spectacular developments with interesting architecture, but the apparent speed of the approvals, almost under the radar is some instances, and the variances granted also with lightning speed should be questioned.

SFUVancouver · #**525** Posted **Nov 17, 2014, 7:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb1969

there does seem to be a special relationship between West Bank and COV or Vision. Don't get me wrong, West bank does some spectacular developments with interesting architecture, but the apparent speed of the approvals, almost under the radar is some instances, and the variances granted also with lightning speed should be questioned.

Could you an example or two of expedited approvals and variance accommodation for Westbank and how they compare to the industry average?

Klazu · #**526** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 4:59 AM**

It seems that they have revamped the whole website and there is loads of new renders and videos of this project! Sorry for the random order of these, but there is just so much material to paste here.

http://vancouverhouse.ca

Video Link

csbvan · #**527** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 6:00 AM**

Thanks for posting! This is by far the boldest project in the city right now.

Joat · #**528** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 10:00 AM**

Damn all these pretentious rich beautiful render people. I want to live in their world..

Really excited about this one though. Also excited about the elevated walk/bike way on the bridge. I have to imagine Gregor will get it done so he can cement his amazing legacy.

giallo · #**529** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 10:07 AM**

Wow. If everything promised in these renderings come to fruition, we are going to have a very special development in our city.

Klazu · #**530** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 3:18 PM**

If you watch those buildings, you will hear that Vancouver House was inspired by the legendary Flatiron Building in New York.

Also, they mention that there will a grocery store, a liquor store, a pharmacy and 8 restaurants in the new Beach District area under the bridge, which is drawing its inspiration from Granville Island. The public art pieces hanging from the bridge ceiling will be called Sistine Chapel of Street Art.

Bold plans for sure and it is interesting to hear Bjarke Ingels explaining different design decisions. Well worth watching.

trofirhen · #**531** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 7:27 PM**

I love the plans for the use of the bridge ramps, in particular the spaces underneath !!!! Awesome !!!
Go show that to the people who want to tear down the Viaducts!!!!!!
Something similar could be done there, too!!!
We don't HAVE to be BLANDSVILLE-BY-THE-SEA, and this project shows that !!!

Smooth · #**532** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 9:03 PM**

Is there a new twerking dance studio going in next door?

Klazu · #**533** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 10:44 PM**

Walked by the site today. Nothing much going on. Only an excavator working on a pile of concrete rubble. A vandalist seem to have painted big on the sales center wall.

I hope they will get the scale correctly with this place. I have rarely walked on the Granville Bridge, but it is a very open area and I hope the tower and especially the lower office buildings will be able to live up to the scale needed.

Based on everything it sounds like there would be no phasing between the office space and the condo tower, but everything would be built at once? That would be fantastic.

Klazu · #**534** Posted **Nov 26, 2014, 10:57 PM**

Pretty cool detail from the website:

"Vancouver House will have a fleet of BMW vehicles available for reserve through the Concierge, including the latest i3 and i8 models."

Trump Tower has Rolls Royce chauffeur service, but I don't think one will be able to rent/drive one.

Bcasey25raptor · #**535** Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 1:32 AM**

This looks incredible.

Very excited.

Metro-One · #**536** Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 7:38 AM**

I think this is the most amazing project that has ever been proposed in Vancouver. I really hope it is true to the renders in every last detail.

And yes, I also love the idea about the pathways / bikeways in the middle of the bridge. The Granville Street bridge is a structure with enough excess room that a couple car lanes can be taken away without causing any problems. (thank goodness they thought ahead on that project). I just hope there is a ramp system and / or stairs that leads directly to Granville Island.

This project demonstrates the exact type of urban realm I love. So much more interesting and engaging than the big empty grass field that is being proposed for another set of elevated roadways in Vancouver...

I can't wait to see this project rise.

nds88 · #**537** Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And yes, I also love the idea about the pathways / bikeways in the middle of the bridge. The Granville Street bridge is a structure with enough excess room that a couple car lanes can be taken away without causing any problems. (thank goodness they thought ahead on that project). I just hope there is a ramp system and / or stairs that leads directly to Granville Island.

I went for a summer walk and decided to cross the granville bridge with my sister. Not the smartest decision of my life. Super narrow sidewalk (on the east side of the bridge at least). If someone was coming at me in the opposite direction, I would have to stop and hold onto the rail and let them go around me for fear of not bumping into them and falling into traffic

Although the views were great and I got some nice pics, never again

I hope they can turn the bridge area into something nice. It feels very dingy under it at the moment. Hopefully they do a good job on this, because there are not many bridges that are desirable to be located next too.

AudiA3 · #**538** Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 8:15 PM**

Oh gawd... That lobby floor is hideous!

officedweller · #**539** Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 10:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I think this is the most amazing project that has ever been proposed in Vancouver. I really hope it is true to the renders in every last detail.

And yes, I also love the idea about the pathways / bikeways in the middle of the bridge. The Granville Street bridge is a structure with enough excess room that a couple car lanes can be taken away without causing any problems. (thank goodness they thought ahead on that project).

...

Did you notice the ramp from the courtyard of the lowrise to the west of the bridge to the outside bridge sidewalk,
with cross walk to the middle and ramp up to the path? Hopefully it will be well signed so people can find it.

Quote:

http://vancouverhouse.ca

Metro-One · #**540** Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 11:54 PM**

Yeah I saw that, looks very interesting. The railings might need to be a little more sturdy. Agreed, hopefully it is lit well and well signed.