Downtown Vancouver Updates

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Northwest corner of Granville & Davie to be redeveloped.

For a prominent corner, the corner treatment seems non-existant.

Goodbye character, hello Starbucks (or whatever).



Aug.26 '15, my pics

[Klazu]

Some of those buildings look from the behind like a 3rd world country and definitely not Downtown Vancouver.

Good riddance, although the new building is generic meh.

[logan5]

Welp, just a new coat of paint would make all the difference in the world, and keep Granville street colourful and interesting. That corner is going to be a dead zone, and it this soon to be completely expressionless corner will be a dead zone 30 years from now.

This is a major architectural step backwards.

[mcminsen]

All I see is loss. Yes, it looks like a dump to some people but for a few of us who have lived here all our lives and have gone by this corner thousands of times, it's a loss. There are so many years of stories and people and history behind those walls. People live and work there.

When I was skulking around in the alley getting pics of the back, a nice, well dressed, normal looking lady came along with a bag of groceries. She crossed over to the wooden stairs and climbed up to what I presume was her home and went in. The one with flowers, pink flamingos and prayer flags. She probably noticed what I was doing and thought now they're coming to take pictures of it before it's gone.



Aug.26 '15, my pic

[osirisboy]

Well now people will work and live in a new building and have new stories

I think this is going to be a lot better than this mess. The only thing I wish is that retail units in new buildings werent so sterile. Hopefully something interesting will go in along davie/granville and it won't be a collection bland retail uses

Also, I find it hypocritical of the city that they won't allow residential along davie village because they are afraid it would be too loud for those residents. But then allow all this residential on this corner, which is a lot more busy/loud. What's the reasoning?

[Archtype]

Strange how different people's views of architecture differ. I have always found that that building on the corner of Davie and Granville to be one of the ugliest buildings in the neighbourhood. I also don't see that the other buildings to be redeveloped have any significant architectural significance. They are average buildings at best for the time and so many other early 20th century buildings have much more character.

I don't understand the doom sayers that the area will become a dead zone and that this is a major architectural step backwards. Or that you like they area as it is because you have so many memories of this. This sounds a lot like NIMBYism.

All this being said, I certainly agree that the new development adds nothing to the area except some building massing.

[Archtype]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Also, I find it hypocritical of the city that they won't allow residential along davie village because they are afraid it would be too loud for those residents. But then allow all this residential on this corner, which is a lot more busy/loud. What's the reasoning?

Nowhere in the West End Community Plan does it say anything about the area being too loud for residents. I believe that Davie Village is designed to be a space for celebrations, night-life and special events for the LGBTQ community. The idea is to create a vibrant neighbourhood and not a residential one.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by klazu

some of those buildings look from the behind like a 3rd world country and definitely not downtown vancouver.

good riddance, although the new building is generic meh.

+1

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Archtype

Strange how different people's views of architecture differ. I have always found that that building on the corner of Davie and Granville to be one of the ugliest buildings in the neighbourhood. I also don't see that the other buildings to be redeveloped have any significant architectural significance. They are average buildings at best for the time and so many other early 20th century buildings have much more character.

I don't understand the doom sayers that the area will become a dead zone and that this is a major architectural step backwards. Or that you like they area as it is because you have so many memories of this. This sounds a lot like NIMBYism.

Living in mt pleasant I see plenty of examples of these res com buildings that are getting close to 30 years old now. More specifically the stretch between 15th and 18th. The normally vibrant main street hits a dead spot here, so it's reasonable to predict that this development is going to create the same thing at davie and Nelson.

The 2 buildings with the bay windows are good character buildings worth saving imo. The other buildings at least provide a variety of colour and materials. Lining the street with glass is the worst thing you can do. Completely expressionless. This building is nothing but a big glass glop of shit.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Archtype

Nowhere in the West End Community Plan does it say anything about the area being too loud for residents. I believe that Davie Village is designed to be a space for celebrations, night-life and special events for the LGBTQ community. The idea is to create a vibrant neighbourhood and not a residential one.

Right but this location is also designed to be a vibrant entertainment area. If they can stick residential here or the strand for example than I think they can stick it up davie.

[Klazu]

My only regret with the new building is that it doesn't add anything to the Granville Street vibe (i.e. neon signs). I would love to see Granville Street renew itself, as it currently has many rundown buildings, but I wouldn't want to see it lose its character (again neon lights, not the rundowness).

That being said, I wouldn't want to live along it. That nightlife on Saturday is loud. We could hear it through three-pane windows on the 45th floor of One Wall Centre!

[hrhsheba]

Because I have another self-serving question, I'd like to pick everyone's brain a little... As we all know, 1070 and 1080 Barclay Street have been listed for sale (closing bid date is September 10th). We also know that two 60+ storey towers are already coming down the pipe for the 1000 block Nelson (one block south). Now then, the lot at 1060 Barclay is the same size as 1070 and 1080 put together. If a 50+ storey tower goes in on the 1070/1080 parcel AND being mindful that the Patina is at the end of the other end of the block, do you think the City would (at any time in the near future) permit a tall tower to go in on the 1060 parcel? If it did, that would mean three tall towers and one 10 storey all in a row on the same side of the street. Thoughts? You've probably gathered that there's a lot of paper being shuffled around the city right now about this block

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

My only regret with the new building is that it doesn't add anything to the Granville Street vibe (i.e. neon signs). I would love to see Granville Street renew itself, as it currently has many rundown buildings, but I wouldn't want to see it lose its character (again neon lights, not the rundowness).

That being said, I wouldn't want to live along it. That nightlife on Saturday is loud. We could hear it through three-pane windows on the 45th floor of One Wall Centre!

In the morning, the street smells like sewer too. Your buiding would need to dedicate a fair bit of strata funds just to hose down the sidewalk. Too many neanderthals making their mark there.

[trofirhen]

deleted

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

"Generic meh" is something Vancouver has a hard time shedding. There are exceptoions of course, but "generic meh" is rather a cardinal trait of Vancouver.

Seriously, why even bother posting? You have absolutely nothing to add to any conversation here.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Seriously, why even bother posting? You have absolutely nothing to add to any conversation here.

My apology. That was unnecessarily negative.

[officedweller]

Model pic by Changing City Updates:


http://changingcitybook.com/2015/08/26/717-davie-street/

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by hrhsheba

Do you think the City would (at any time in the near future) permit a tall tower to go in on the 1060 parcel? If it did, that would mean three tall towers and one 10 storey all in a row on the same side of the street.

I am not sure of the exact parcels, but there is going to be an impressive "super block" considering that Patina (which feels tall from street level) will be encircled with taller towers.

[wrenegade]

The model and rendering don't make it look too bad. The allowance for an 11,700 sf retail tenant on the ground floor is great, it gives options beyond your typical CRU tenancy.

As a former owner of the middle 50' of that site let me tell you that there is absolutely nothing in those buildings worth saving. They are complete and total pieces of garbage. The building is assuredly a positive for the neighbourhood. I agree that it doesn't really suit such a prominent corner however the zoning and Granville design guidelines don't really allow for anything very ground breaking. It is interesting to see only 8 residential parking stalls for 94 units. The city is finally allowing significant relaxation in parking spaces in practice instead of just in principle. This is certainly a site for it.

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Seriously, why even bother posting? You have absolutely nothing to add to any conversation here.

Dreambrother, what are _you_ adding to the conversation with your personal insults? This is extremely rude. Do you realize there are real human beings on the other end of the screen? Grow up.