Olympic Village & Southeast False Creek Updates Discussion

[officedweller]

I don't think there is any retail on Quebec south of the viaducts (ie along CityGate).
VanCity may have some branch windows, but not active retail.
(McDonald's parking lot doesn't really count)

The only "sort-of" retail would be the mechanic's shop at Meccanica - and of course Mario's Gelato, which is really on West 1st Ave.

So there will be a retail "void" between Main St. and Olympic Village / West 2nd Ave.
Not sure about the new Bosa projects, but there will be a park, which doesn't lend itself to active retail.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I don't think there is any retail on Quebec south of the viaducts (ie along CityGate).
VanCity may have some branch windows, but not active retail.
(McDonald's parking lot doesn't really count)

The only "sort-of" retail would be the mechanic's shop at Meccanica - and of course Mario's Gelato, which is really on West 1st Ave.

So there will be a retail "void" between Main St. and Olympic Village / West 2nd Ave.
Not sure about the new Bosa projects, but there will be a park, which doesn't lend itself to active retail.

Do you mean the new Concord projects?

I feel like there isn't enough retail for the population that will be in the area in the next 5-10 years. But there are other blocks that can be redeveloped to fill that need.

[officedweller]

Sorry, my mistake, I meant Concert (the old TransLink property)
Doubt there'll be much retail in there, either.

Originally Posted by spm2013

Saw this cool map from Colliers for the OV:



Credit: Colliers

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

Source: Concert Properties website

The Concert property site, aka that current giant parking lot between Science World and the Olympic Village is coming up soon for a public hearing.

At the May 13, 2014 Regular Council Meeting, Council referred this application to Public Hearing.

PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED:
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 6 pm
Council Chamber, Third Floor
City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue

Source: City of Vancouver Rezoning webpage for 1551 Quebec Street

[Prometheus]

According to the last published plans, absolutely zero retail is planned for anywhere in the Concert development. The only thing they mentioned regarding retail was the possibility for a hot chocolate/coffee kiosk to sit in the small plaza on the corner of 1st and Quebec. Wow.

[logan5]

Does it really make all that much difference having retail on Quebec? It's just going to be more of the same. There's enough generic retail on 2nd for the immediate area. Chinatown is pretty close by, and will be an awesome place to shop or go out for food and drinks in a few years. Mt. Pleasant's just up the hill.

I've pretty much given up wanting retail in new developments. I don't think they do much to create vibrant, walkable streets. May even be better off with townhouses at street level, as opposed to an insurance office, a medical office, and a UPS store. Over and over and over again.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by logan5

I've pretty much given up wanting retail in new developments. I don't think they do much to create vibrant, walkable streets. May even be better off with townhouses at street level, as opposed to an insurance office, a medical office, and a UPS store. Over and over and over again.

If they are truly cheap and generic, with low-ceilings, aluminum window-frames and door-frames (i.e., the kind of place with no atmosphere which only a low-end convenience/lotto store would move into), then I agree with you.

But I have no doubt that if developers actually created more funky and unique spaces with higher ceilings and quality (or industrial) finishes, then retail spaces along Quebec and other side streets would add tremendously to this up-and-coming, creative, entrepreneurial and soon-to-be highly dense neighbourhood and would be highly coveted.

[SpongeG]

so maybe nail shops, a cupcake place and dog food stores would choose to move in? lol

[a very long weekend]

best sub forum ever

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I don't think there is any retail on Quebec south of the viaducts (ie along CityGate).
VanCity may have some branch windows, but not active retail.
(McDonald's parking lot doesn't really count)

The only "sort-of" retail would be the mechanic's shop at Meccanica - and of course Mario's Gelato, which is really on West 1st Ave.

So there will be a retail "void" between Main St. and Olympic Village / West 2nd Ave.
Not sure about the new Bosa projects, but there will be a park, which doesn't lend itself to active retail.

That's why the City has been failing to create any new retail hubs except for Cambie and Broadway: too many preplanned neighbourhoods which don't support any interesting organic growth of retail. One-street retail will never create a vibrant neighbourhood. Retail centres should be spanning across multiple streets.

Something exciting should be an anchor built on that empty lot beside Mc Donald's.

From the postings of some forumers, one can see that this city has indeed stifled the imaginations of how neighbourhoods can be vibrant.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Vin

Something exciting should be an anchor built on that empty lot beside Mc Donald's.
.

Yeah, you'd hope there would be some retail facing the SkyTrain station.
There likely would be some wrapping the corner around to Main Street.
Quebec side? hopefully.

[djh]

Originally Posted by Vin

That's why the City has been failing to create any new retail hubs except for Cambie and Broadway: too many preplanned neighbourhoods which don't support any interesting organic growth of retail. One-street retail will never create a vibrant neighbourhood. Retail centres should be spanning across multiple streets.

Something exciting should be an anchor built on that empty lot beside Mc Donald's.

From the postings of some forumers, one can see that this city has indeed stifled the imaginations of how neighbourhoods can be vibrant.

You have to plant healthy appleseeds before you can have a thriving wild orchard.

I think the city's plan of starting neighbourhoods works very well in a part of the world where the population is still so small. 640,000 people (Vancouver) is not that much, over the geographical area it covers. If you want a neighbourhood to appear, first you need population, then you need population density. Much of this city still lacks population density, so good luck with thriving retail neighbourhoods organically popping-up overnight.

Any of the other cities that you and others mention on here have enough people to support random retail districts. But for a few specific neighbourhoods in this city (the West End comes to mind), that can't yet happen because there's not enough, to be blunt, consumers within a walking distance to support them...yet.

So the city's approach of seeding specific neighbourhoods to encourage a focus of retail (and equally as important, to discourage retail from popping-up in places that will discourage the success of their seeded neighbourhoods) makes a lot of sense. Once these succeed, and we get enough people living here to warrant it, the hard zoning rules could be relaxed.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by djh

Any of the other cities that you and others mention on here have enough people to support random retail districts. But for a few specific neighbourhoods in this city (the West End comes to mind), that can't yet happen because there's not enough, to be blunt, consumers within a walking distance to support them...yet.

Sure density plays an important role in creating walk-able streets, but (imo) the environment plays just as important a role. Metrotown has as high a density as Kits, and probably higher than Mt. Pleasant. The strip of retail along Kingsway isn't a place people want to be though. It's completely blank looking, much like W. 2nd is becoming.

Now look at Burnaby Heights. Almost all single detached homes yet a great commercial street for the neighbourhood to gravitate to. Smaller scale shops of various colours, shape, and textures. Visual variety. That's what most businesses and customers are attracted to. Simple formula yet seemingly impossible to achieve with this city and these developers.

[osirisboy]

Also, a lot more areas could support street front retail/commercial if the city would allow more types of businesses to operate out of them. Having a mechanics in meccanica is a good start!

[Vin]

Originally Posted by djh

You have to plant healthy appleseeds before you can have a thriving wild orchard.

I think the city's plan of starting neighbourhoods works very well in a part of the world where the population is still so small. 640,000 people (Vancouver) is not that much, over the geographical area it covers. If you want a neighbourhood to appear, first you need population, then you need population density. Much of this city still lacks population density, so good luck with thriving retail neighbourhoods organically popping-up overnight.

Any of the other cities that you and others mention on here have enough people to support random retail districts. But for a few specific neighbourhoods in this city (the West End comes to mind), that can't yet happen because there's not enough, to be blunt, consumers within a walking distance to support them...yet.

So the city's approach of seeding specific neighbourhoods to encourage a focus of retail (and equally as important, to discourage retail from popping-up in places that will discourage the success of their seeded neighbourhoods) makes a lot of sense. Once these succeed, and we get enough people living here to warrant it, the hard zoning rules could be relaxed.

Can't even let Olympic Village, essentially an extension of downtown, be more vibrant with more retail anchors? I guess like I said earlier, you lack imagination of what this city is capable of. Good thing is that suburb cities do not think like that. Think about Gilmore, Lougheed, Breantwood, New West, Surrey Central, Lansdowne centre, Lonsdale, etc. What's happening to those 'low density' neightbourhoods with their exciting projects must seem very alien to you. I would think OV is a lot denser than those areas to have something more exciting than just Mc Donald's and cupcake shops, don't you think so?

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Yeah, you'd hope there would be some retail facing the SkyTrain station.
There likely would be some wrapping the corner around to Main Street.
Quebec side? hopefully.

At that location, a huge retail centre with one block of 50-storey and one 35-storey towers would be nice as you cruise on skytrain downtown, or travel north on Main.

[memememe76]

I would think OV is a lot denser than those areas to have something more exciting than just Mc Donald's and cupcake shops, don't you think so?

Do you really think McDonald's is the best thing going for Olympic Village? The OV is one of my favourite stops along the Seawall. Love the Canoe Bridge. Love the benches. It has the best Terra Breads location. I don't drink, but restaurants like Craft and Tap & Barrel are destination places.

Does OV even have a cupcake shop? I guess Luv Cravings can be considered one, but I wouldn't classify it as such.

[squeezied]

Originally Posted by Vin

Can't even let Olympic Village, essentially an extension of downtown, be more vibrant with more retail anchors? I guess like I said earlier, you lack imagination of what this city is capable of. Good thing is that suburb cities do not think like that. Think about Gilmore, Lougheed, Breantwood, New West, Surrey Central, Lansdowne centre, Lonsdale, etc. What's happening to those 'low density' neightbourhoods with their exciting projects must seem very alien to you. I would think OV is a lot denser than those areas to have something more exciting than just Mc Donald's and cupcake shops, don't you think so?

Thankfully the vast majority doesn't share your narrow-minded opinion that tall buildings and multi-level retail = good. Seriously enough of the mid-rise bashing, they have their place in the city. Does everything need to be "exciting" to you? Frankly I'd take OV over any of those town centres, half of which are just generic clumps of suburban high-rise condos and anything-but-exciting retail. If tall buildings and retail galore make you feel excited, than that's great for you, hopefully you don't need to venture outside of Yaletown. But not every neighbourhood needs to try to look like Yaletown. OV is turning out fine, thank you very much. It actually feels like a neighbourhood compared to those town centres and compliments both downtown and its surrounding areas. It doesn't need tall buildings to justify itself.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by squeezied

Thankfully the vast majority doesn't share your narrow-minded opinion that tall buildings and multi-level retail = good. Seriously enough of the mid-rise bashing, they have their place in the city. Does everything need to be "exciting" to you? Frankly I'd take OV over any of those town centres, half of which are just generic clumps of suburban high-rise condos and anything-but-exciting retail. If tall buildings and retail galore make you feel excited, than that's great for you, hopefully you don't need to venture outside of Yaletown. But not every neighbourhood needs to try to look like Yaletown. OV is turning out fine, thank you very much. It actually feels like a neighbourhood compared to those town centres and compliments both downtown and its surrounding areas. It doesn't need tall buildings to justify itself.

I'm really really narrow minded but you are certainly not. I wonder why you are always so riled up about my personal opinion, everytime, Mr Broad-mind. I reckon you realize that this is the 'skyscraperpage' forum?

[Homeowner]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Apparently Lido residents are moving in. Does anybody know what the deal is with the rentals? Were sales slow and they converted some to rentals? Any idea how many?

2 separate buildings. One for rental managed by BOSA and the other for sale.

[Homeowner]

Originally Posted by AudiA3

Wow... I would be very surprised if the sales are indeed weak for that development. I was expecting all the units to sell out without any problems.

They have less than 6 units available for sale. They are on the more pricey side because of the luxury finishes (A/C etc) and it's the BOSA brand.

Usually once a building is complete, it would sell faster as people see what the finished product is and sometimes the developer is willing to throw in more incentives to get the sale done.