The Independent (180 Kingsway) | 64.7m | 19fl | Completed

[mcminsen]

July 18 '15, my pic

[mcminsen]

This is going to be one huge pit in another month or two.



July 24 '15, my pic

[mcminsen]

And this was where the sales centre was. They left behind a big rock.




July 24 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

Aug.17 '15, my pics

[Klazu]

Any sign of hipsters chaining themselves to the excavators to prevent this project going up? Ah yes, they have been recently busy queuing to snap a condo in this development. After so much noise about this project ruining the whole neighbourhood, it seems that the sky didn't fall after all.

Looks like a large site. Thanks for the update.

[quobobo]

^I would characterize the opposition to this project as mostly (but not entirely) led by the over-60 crowd. There weren't that many "hipsters" at the meetings I attended.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Aug.17 '15, my pics

Blasting mats?
i.e. solid rock under the site?
(and the M-Line extension?)

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Blasting mats?
i.e. solid rock under the site?
(and the M-Line extension?)

No, I think they were stacks of metal grid-like framework sheets. Perhaps they imbed these into the sides of the excavation with the shotcrete? All I can recall seeing them dig throughout this site is that tawny coloured soil (so far).



Aug.17 '15, my pic

[officedweller]

Thanks!
That's a clearer pic.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by quobobo

^I would characterize the opposition to this project as mostly (but not entirely) led by the over-60 crowd. There weren't that many "hipsters" at the meetings I attended.

Thanks for that. I have been thinking that Little Mountain being the hipster capital in Vancouver, it has been them worried over the "loss of character" of their hip and funky neighbourhood (much like in Commercial Drive). Perhaps it was the elderly then.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Aug.17 '15, my pics

I found it odd that they are leaving the south and part of the east perimeter foundation wall in place from the former warehouse . They have now dug below the old basement level (when I thought they would remove the foundation wall for ease) but the pit appears to be leaving it in place as the shotcrete for the walls of the pit partially covers it. Will the foundation of the new building have a smaller footprint then the warehouse?


interesting to note the basement level of the former burned out building at the corner of kingsway and broadway is being uncovered from beneath that mini park, next door to the mini park was Dandelion records but prior to that was famous for having one of vancouvera first jazz clubs in its basement. Great story here https://vanalogue.wordpress.com/tag/vancouver-jazz-scene/




Pics from vanalogues wordpress page


Mural from inside the club, pic from http://theoriginalcellarjazzclub.blogspot.ca/


Beneath the former parking lot and then sales centre lot theres old bricks and other bits from the houses that were long since demolished. There were 3 identical single level houses where the corner parking lot was, one is still standing and its the back half of what is Caffe Barney and Bean around the World.

[mcminsen]

^^^ Thanks for the history and background. It's quite fascinating.

[s211]

I want that mural.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

I found it odd that they are leaving the south and part of the east perimeter foundation wall in place from the former warehouse . They have now dug below the old basement level (when I thought they would remove the foundation wall for ease) but the pit appears to be leaving it in place as the shotcrete for the walls of the pit partially covers it. Will the foundation of the new building have a smaller footprint then the warehouse?

Here's another look at some of those foundation walls.



Aug.21 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

Two more weeks of digging.



Sept.4 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

The former sales centre site at the southeast corner of Main & Broadway is now a parking lot.



Sept.4 '15, my pic

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

The former sales centre site at the southeast corner of Main & Broadway is now a parking lot.



Sept.4 '15, my pic

thanks for the updates mcminsen! I noticed after the sales centre site was cleared away, next to the bus shelter and billboard there was a lonely small Pine left from the landscaping they put in, but it didn't make it in the end. (still somewhat confused as to why they needed to remove absolutely everything before turning it back into a parking lot) the plants around the perimeter could have been kept because of the layout of the curbs, looks like it will become again, landscaped.

[mcminsen]

Sept.23 '15, my pics

[osirisboy]

A bit off topic but what are the plans for the mall across the street?

[Bankview]

https://www.biv.com/article/2015/1/public-get-say-potential-kingsgate-mall-redevelopm/

Development is the plan over the medium to long-term. The school board generates a reasonably healthy $750,000 in fees as the landlord of the land that the mall sits on. It's leased to the Beedie Group who operate and maintain the mall.

"It’s hard to imagine [the mall] staying the way it is for 50 or more years and there’s decades left in the lease,” Bacchus said. “It’s difficult [to redevelop] with a leased site. It’s easier with freehold land.”

Beedie told BIV January 16 that he did not want to comment “at this time” about how to redevelop the mall.