Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 637

Klazu · #**12721** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 1:13 AM**

What a lovely building it used to be (and still could become)!

urbancanadian · #**12722** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 4:19 AM**

Yeah, I think you have to keep the original wings (red in the map below). You could convert the building into a number of things, but I don't think residential would be ideal. The current ER/ambulance area could become a plaza (white), as well as the current main entrance.

Everything else could be demolished. Then you could add a modern extension to the back of the building (light blue), for whatever the use. And there's also space for 5 or 6 residential towers, which could have pretty hefty podiums.

Quick map I made to explain:

osirisboy · #**12723** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 4:35 AM**

Could/would the city not allow an increase in density so Providence could sell it for more money and thus could spend more on the hospital?

I'd love to see pendrell street reconnect to burrard again

NewWester · #**12724** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 4:54 AM**

I'd think they'd have to put some pretty serious incentives to get a developer to retain the facades/renovate the building. Saint Paul's is basically a death trap between the seismic instability, utilities deficiencies, and probably the generations of toxic crap woven into the structure (I've spent some time in the research wing and it is, like all research buildings at least 20 years old pretty nasty). To make the historic areas safe is going to take a complete gut job and substantial structural upgrades. I suspect that what gets saved will be a facade.

logan5 · #**12725** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 4:56 AM**

Maybe not a 1000 foot tower, but some serious bonus density if we could have something similar to this...

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galleria_Alberto_Sordi_2918-20.JPG

Jebby · #**12726** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 6:11 AM**

lol, logan. St. Paul's Hospital doesn't have any charm to be able to pull something like that off.

logan5 · #**12727** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 6:33 AM**

well, for Vancouver it would be a neat shopping experience. I'm sure tourists would like it. Add high quality materials like that to the floor and ceiling and you'd have something pretty spectacular.

trofirhen · #**12728** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 6:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

well, for Vancouver it would be a neat shopping experience. I'm sure tourists would like it. Add high quality materials like that to the floor and ceiling and you'd have something pretty spectacular.

Seconded. Something like that would be really neat; a "period" piece, if you will.
However, you'd have to do a lot of (among things) design consulting to make it authentic looking and feeling.
The Galleria Vittorio Emaneule in Milan is about as ultimate as you can get .... but imagine a fake one!!?? Yeeesh!!

WarrenC12 · #**12729** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 3:01 PM**

Providence Healthcare needs to make $800M off of this land to make the new hospital deal work. To be honest, if that means the whole thing need to be bulldozed, so be it.

Vin · #**12730** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 4:52 PM**

Probably a bizarre idea for many, but this building would make a pretty nice Art Gallery as well, especially if there is a modern extension at the back of the original wing, like the Royal Ontario Museum.

officedweller · #**12731** Posted **Nov 4, 2015, 7:23 PM**

Using UrbanCanadian's pic, I could see paring back the middle block to its origibal façade (orange line, below, and adding a couple of tower where marked in green.
That would preserve the prominence of the 3 end facades.

NewWester · #**12732** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 1:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

well, for Vancouver it would be a neat shopping experience. I'm sure tourists would like it. Add high quality materials like that to the floor and ceiling and you'd have something pretty spectacular.

The problem is the inside of the building is like, standard hospital and grungey lab space. From the inside, the building is a lot more like The Royal Columbian than a Gastown loft. It has a charming exterior, but the inside of the thing is basically a write off.

Also, given it's small hospital rooms interior, I'm not sure it would lend itself to being a gallery space. (Not to mention that the cost of making the building, like, actually safe would I think make the cost part of this completely unrealistic.)

logan5 · #**12733** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 1:44 AM**

Really just need to save the facades to create a fantastic interior space. The retail suites themselves would be brand new.

The 2 recessed spaces off Burrard are 70' x 100' each. That's plenty big enough. There could be 2 more plaza/galleria areas at the (north) west side of the building.

Heritage retention is expensive, but the city could easily make it worthwhile with a generous relaxation of density and height restrictions.

Prometheus · #**12734** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

Heritage retention is expensive, but the city could easily make it worthwhile with a generous relaxation of density and height restrictions.

It could and should but the city has shown great resistance in relaxing density/height restrictions even when doing so could bring great benefits/amenities to the city at no financial cost to anyone but the developer itself.

wrenegade · #**12735** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 4:39 AM**

Not exactly Downtown, but close enough. Molson has sold its Burrard Street Brewery for an undisclosed amount. While the site is zoned industrial, let the redevelopment speculation begin. lol

http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=11496283

Klazu · #**12736** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 4:46 AM**

Aren't they just completing a new office (?) building on the lot?

Jebby · #**12737** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

Aren't they just completing a new office (?) building on the lot?

Wasn't next door at the Canadian forces compound?

Jebby · #**12738** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrenegade

Not exactly Downtown, but close enough. Molson has sold its Burrard Street Brewery for an undisclosed amount. While the site is zoned industrial, let the redevelopment speculation begin. lol

http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=11496283

It'll be sad to see that close down.

WarrenC12 · #**12739** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 5:19 AM**

The Canadian Forces regiment is adding the staff that is/was vacating the Jericho Garrison.

The Molson lands have been for sale for some time. Is there any claim from First Nations on that land?

logan5 · #**12740** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 5:45 AM**

Quote:

Munro said the city doesn’t view the area as being appropriate for more condos.

“Any intensification of industrial or employment uses would be bang on and we would be supportive of it,” he said. “I think it is the city’s intent to keep it as employment-generating land use down there in a great location, close to where people live and close to the city centre.”

No condo's, and I can't see old style factories being built there. Maybe a Renfrew Station type office park?