Downtown Vancouver Updates

[mcminsen]

Here's the new crane at Hamilton and W. Hastings. What's this type of crane called?


June 25 '15, my pic

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Here's the new crane at Hamilton and W. Hastings. What's this type of crane called?

Ghetto?

[vanciti]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Here's the new crane at Hamilton and W. Hastings. What's this type of crane called?


June 25 '15, my pic

remote controlled self erecting crane.

[mcminsen]

I noticed the building that used to have Ingledew's shoe store is getting stripped to the bone. I think the address is/was 535 Granville.



June 28 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Ghetto?

Originally Posted by vanciti

remote controlled self erecting crane.

Thanks!

remote controlled self erecting ghetto crane

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

I noticed the building that used to have Ingledew's shoe store is getting stripped to the bone. I think the address is/was 535 Granville.



June 28 '15, my pics

Good, that was a depressing building at best. Hopefully the new facade will be much more inviting and friendly to the street scape.
Also that deco facade thats been attached to the PC mall HR building needs to be lowered or added to and possibly made into an attractive entrance for Holt's. Its so sad looking... theres another similar deco facade thats tacked on ranďomly in the same manner just a few blocks away, can't remember exactly where it is at the moment. Neither can be properly appreciated and are difficult to see from street level.

[vanciti]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

Good, that was a depressing building at best. Hopefully the new facade will be much more inviting and friendly to the street scape.
Also that deco facade thats been attached to the PC mall HR building needs to be lowered or added to and possibly made into an attractive entrance for Holt's. Its so sad looking... theres another similar deco facade thats tacked on ranďomly in the same manner just a few blocks away, can't remember exactly where it is at the moment. Neither can be properly appreciated and are difficult to see from street level.

The property was purchased by the Bonnis Family (Future Shop Property on Granville) last year for 10 + million.

Interesting fact the building was designed to connect to the breezeway running in behind where the Sport Check used to run. It was built to be an extension of Pac Centre Mall. The structure of the building is built to a standard to hold mall traffic vs office traffic.

[Archtype]

Rendering of the facade. (535 Granville)


Source: http://changingcitybook.com/2014/09/05/535-granville-street/

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by Archtype

Rendering of the facade. (535 Granville)

Thanks!

[officedweller]

Thanks for the pics.

It would be interesting if the back were connected to Pacific Centre.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

Good, that was a depressing building at best. Hopefully the new facade will be much more inviting and friendly to the street scape.
Also that deco facade thats been attached to the PC mall HR building needs to be lowered or added to and possibly made into an attractive entrance for Holt's. Its so sad looking... theres another similar deco facade thats tacked on ranďomly in the same manner just a few blocks away, can't remember exactly where it is at the moment. Neither can be properly appreciated and are difficult to see from street level.

Going from granite to glass is a major step back imo. There's so much glass in Vancouver, it makes people physically ill.

[Vin]

That's a really boring glass facade design. I don't mind the glass but there are a million-and-one better ways they can design how the facade looks like. Is this another safer-than-sorry design to ensure DP orBP is approved?

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Vin

That's a really boring glass facade design. I don't mind the glass but there are a million-and-one better ways they can design how the facade looks like. Is this another safer-than-sorry design to ensure DP orBP is approved?

No, it's undoubtedly because the developer is cheap.

[SpongeG]

whats moving in the space? or is it just for lease?

[officedweller]

I agree it's a step back.

But the Ingledew's recessed entrance wasn't very inviting
- presumably that's what they are "correcting".

Bonnis also owns many retail properties on Granville - Urban Outfitters, etc., so they must know what will appeal to retailers.
(Looks like a double height ceiling in there post-reno)

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I agree it's a step back.

But the Ingledew's recessed entrance wasn't very inviting
- presumably that's what they are "correcting".

Bonnis also owns many retail properties on Granville - Urban Outfitters, etc., so they must know what will appeal to retailers.
(Looks like a double height ceiling in there post-reno)

That's very true. The Ingledews had poor street presence.

[phesto]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks for the pics.

It would be interesting if the back were connected to Pacific Centre.

Back in the 80's when Cadillac Fairview was planning the "Block 32" extension to Pacific Centre, it was anticipated that they would acquire 543 Granville and that the mall would have an entrance right next to Ingledews. There was even a covenant between Cadillac and Ingledew's that if the expansion was successful, Ingledew's would've been allowed interior connections to the mall.

Ultimately, Cadillac was not able to acquire the lot at 543 Granville and the development of the expansion/atrium went ahead without it. 543 Granville was developed about 10 years later with the 17-storey office tower. The Ingledews lot became orphaned and their business steadily declined over time. Amazing the difference a half a block makes in the retail world...

[Spork]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

whats moving in the space? or is it just for lease?

Clearly a sign store.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by phesto

Back in the 80's when Cadillac Fairview was planning the "Block 32" extension to Pacific Centre, it was anticipated that they would acquire 543 Granville and that the mall would have an entrance right next to Ingledews. There was even a covenant between Cadillac and Ingledew's that if the expansion was successful, Ingledew's would've been allowed interior connections to the mall.

Ultimately, Cadillac was not able to acquire the lot at 543 Granville and the development of the expansion/atrium went ahead without it. 543 Granville was developed about 10 years later with the 17-storey office tower. The Ingledews lot became orphaned and their business steadily declined over time. Amazing the difference a half a block makes in the retail world...

Thanks for the info! Street retail can be pretty dead unless there is an immediate anchor like a mall or department store close by, preferably within the block. Retail can also draw lots of foot traffic if it has the continuity, with similar stores all along a stretch (essentially like a shopping mall). The old Ingledews was just not in a prime shopping area because Pacific Centre never expanded there. It also didn't help that the building never got renovated and people do get tired of old retail stores, especially those without historical values.

[officedweller]

I think the Ingledew's building was built in the 1990s along with the atrium expansion of Pacific Centre (originally pink granite), Bower Building, and Bower Building II across the street.

All of these had "matching" granite facades and they looked quite cohesive along Granville.

Then Pacific Centre was renovated with the Holt Renfrew relocation - which completely changed the look of the area.