The Ultimate Vancouver Rumour Thread!

[djmk]

Apparently I'm out of the loop.

[officedweller]

Are there plans to expand 401 West Georgia northwards to Dunsmuir?
If so, they should use the same window pattern with the bevelled corners.

These screenshots of a rendering are from an Oxford projects video (1:38 mark) posted at Urban TO (see below).

You can see the existing windows of the 401 West Georgia tower at the upper right background of the first screenshot.
The concrete elevator core must face the alley towards Holy Rosary Cathedral.





Here's a combination of the two screenshots:



• Video Link

[BodomReaper]

Nice find, thanks for sharing! 401 West Georgia is one of the most under-built office tower sites in downtown, really hoping that these plans are real.

[hollywoodnorth]

I always hoped 401 West Georgia would just get demoed as it meets Georgia and Dusmuir so poorly. But this seems like it would be interesting I hope some $$ is put into the georgia st side also.

[phesto]

Had heard that the plans for 401 West Georgia also include a potential large-format restaurant on the Georgia frontage where the BMO is. The expansion had been mentioned a couple of years back, so I'm not sure if these plans are imminent or just a concept to make an application when there is a tenant lined up. Probably the latter.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by phesto

Had heard that the plans for 401 West Georgia also include a potential large-format restaurant on the Georgia frontage where the BMO is. The expansion had been mentioned a couple of years back, so I'm not sure if these plans are imminent or just a concept to make an application when there is a tenant lined up. Probably the latter.

A large format restaurant would complement the future mall next door.

[officedweller]

A friend of mine has a friend who lives in a condo on Alberni near Denman (I think it must be at Bidwell). Apparently, the suites in the condo building, which has 1 suite per floor (11 floors), have been the subject of offers from a developer buying up the block.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Are there plans to expand 401 West Georgia northwards to Dunsmuir?
If so, they should use the same window pattern with the bevelled corners.

Yes there are. No idea of the final design but they are looking to expand the lower floors to create large floor space podium space similar to what is seen at 725 Granville/Nordstrom.

The space will be particularly attractive to tech firms who greatly value large open floorplates. No idea on their timeline but they've been kicking the idea around ever since the success of 725.

[officedweller]

Cool, thanks for the info.

They'd better get on it before the large floorplates at the Main Post Office are up for lease.

[officedweller]

Japanese architect known for paper and cardboard structures to design new Coal Harbour tower
By Kenneth Chan
4:12 PM PDT, Fri April 08, 2016
...
Local real estate developer PortLiving has announced that Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has been contracted to design a luxury residential tower in downtown Vancouver’s Coal Harbour neighbourhood. No design or site location has been made public at this time, but the proponents are promising that it will set a new standard in the city for sustainability and engineering innovation; it will resonate with the growing global green architecture movement.
...

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2016/04/shigeru-ban-vancouver-coal-harbour-tower/

Press Release:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release...ban-architects-first-project-2112555.htm

Port Living has a location at 1250 West Hastings it bought in 2014:

http://portliving.com/commercial/

It's the site behind Erickson's Evergreen Building (site of defunct project "The Views")
This quote is from 2014 - hopefully they'll go higher.

...
But Macario (Tobi) Reyes, CEO of Vancouver-based Port Capital Group, which bought the site, said the allowable density on the land means the deal is actually close to current Coal Harbour real estate values.

The site has development permits in place for a 14-storey tower with 25 condominiums and 3,500 square feet of office space. A heritage density allocation negotiated with the City of Vancouver added 10% to the existing 5.7 floor-space-ratio (FSR) allowed on the land. “The density works out to about 6 FSR, which is the maximum we will go,” Reyes said.

This would translate into 49,500 square feet of space, equal to a buildable-per-square value of $264, still at the top end of the Vancouver market.

http://flre.ca/coal-harbour-development-site-breaks-record-sale-price/


This article, Coal Harbour land sale pushes record price by Frank O’Brien, was originally published in Business in Vancouver on October 23rd, 2014
http://flre.ca/coal-harbour-development-site-breaks-record-sale-price/

[urbancanadian]

Info on the Bay Parkade site, including the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir. No way they're breaking ground in 2018 though...

Son of one of Malaysia's wealthiest tycoons planning Vancouver developments

The son of one of Malaysia’s wealthiest tycoons has finished selling the $360-million Trump Tower and is now preparing rezoning applications for the rest of his family’s Vancouver landholdings.

...

Joo Kim said he plans next to develop the $300-million, 15-acre Little Mountain site his family bought from the B.C. government in 2007, with hopes to market the first residential units in spring 2017. After receiving initial city approval in 2013 for his plans to build up to 10 mid-rise towers with 234 social-housing units among about 1,400 new homes at Little Mountain, Joo Kim applied for increased height and density last fall. A public hearing is due this summer.

Simultaneously, Joo Kim is working on plans for a major rezoning at Vancouver’s prime downtown redevelopment site, the block bounded by West Georgia, Seymour, Dunsmuir and Richards streets, on lots mostly owned by his family. He hopes to break ground in 2018 for a large mixed-use development that will include retail, office, hotel and residential units.

He will have to decide how to proceed with 500 Dunsmuir, a large plot that houses a heritage-designated and social-housing-encumbered building. The Dunsmuir Hotel has been vacant since 2013 when impoverished residents were moved to other sites. The developer would have to obtain a permit from the city to demolish or repurpose the building for market housing.

“We are exploring all options with regards to what is the best use of 500 Dunsmuir building,” Joo Kim said.

...

Sam Cooper
May 1, 2016
The Vancouver Sun

http://vancouversun.com/business/local-b...-tycoons-planning-vancouver-developments

[s211]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Info on the Bay Parkade site, including the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir. No way they're breaking ground in 2018 though...



http://vancouversun.com/business/local-b...-tycoons-planning-vancouver-developments

If they fund the Bay site the same way as they did Trump, then I look forward to the development proforma reported in the on-line disclosure statements.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Info on the Bay Parkade site, including the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir. No way they're breaking ground in 2018 though...

Why not?

No faith the City can expedite the process?

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Info on the Bay Parkade site, including the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir. No way they're breaking ground in 2018 though...

http://vancouversun.com/business/local-b...-tycoons-planning-vancouver-developments

It's actually disappointing to hear they are planning to move so quickly on the Bay site, given the current political environment. The city has conclusively demonstrated that they have fully adopted the stubbornly rigid and inflexible approach to the application of the viewcone guidelines, without nuance, subtlety or thoughtfulness. That means the tallest structure on such a prime and large Central Business District site will be a maximum of 88 metres, without exception.

Something truly ambitious, iconic and astonishing ought to be part of such a large and potentially transformative project, and the original plan did include a proposal for Vancouver's tallest tower. That's since been ruled out by the city with its biased viewcone poll it conducted a few years ago, and especially now with its recent reaffirmation of the extreme rigidity of their application of the viewcone guidelines.

If that's the case, it will constitute an irrevocable, tragic loss of opportunity for something truly special and city-changing.

I would so love to be proved wrong, however.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

It's actually disappointing to hear they are planning to move so quickly on the Bay site, given the current political environment. The city has conclusively demonstrated that they have fully adopted the stubbornly rigid and inflexible approach to the application of the viewcone guidelines, without nuance, subtlety or thoughtfulness. That means the tallest structure on such a prime and large Central Business District site will be a maximum of 88 metres, without exception.

Something truly ambitious, iconic and astonishing ought to be part of such a large and potentially transformative project, and the original plan did include a proposal for Vancouver's tallest tower. That's since been ruled out by the city with its biased viewcone poll it conducted a few years ago, and especially now with its recent reaffirmation of the extreme rigidity of their application of the viewcone guidelines.

If that's the case, it will constitute an irrevocable, tragic loss of opportunity for something truly special and city-changing.

I would so love to be proved wrong, however.

Makes my blood boil....

Prometheus, I may have a solution to that. Build an 88m tower that has the capability to go WAY TALLER in the future should the future City council relax the current rigid policies.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by Vin

Makes my blood boil....

Prometheus, I may have a solution to that. Build an 88m tower that has the capability to go WAY TALLER in the future should the future City council relax the current rigid policies.

It makes me wonder why more buildings aren't built with the same thought in mind, especially downtown. The Bosa office building in Burnaby was built with that in mind.

I suppose if they plan on selling the building shortly after completion, it wouldn't make sense for the extra investment of building a stronger structure, even if it gets marketed as able to go higher. Market conditions may be completely different in 10-20 years and short term profits are all the rage in the business world these days.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Info on the Bay Parkade site, including the heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir. No way they're breaking ground in 2018 though...



http://vancouversun.com/business/local-b...-tycoons-planning-vancouver-developments

It might just be me, but I love the Dunsmuir Hotel Building. It is such a large and intricately designed building for 1908 Vancouver. Over the years they somehow managed to make it extremely ugly at street level, but properly restored it would be amazing. The architects (Parr and Fee) also built the building that is now the Moda hotel (as well as many other buildings in Vancouver, like the Vancouver Block), which I find to be an extremely adorable hotel.

I would be more than willing to give up density and height on the Parkade lot in exchange for restoring a heritage building that could become a great Boutique hotel and restaurant spot in the heart of downtown. Something akin to the Hotel Georgia, but not as expensive.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

It might just be me, but I love the Dunsmuir Hotel Building. It is such a large and intricately designed building for 1908 Vancouver. ...

Yeah, it's got the best and most extensive preserved/retained cornice in the City from what I can see.

Plus it has the classic "big city" lightwell massing.

[urbancanadian]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

It's actually disappointing to hear they are planning to move so quickly on the Bay site, given the current political environment.
... I would so love to be proved wrong, however.

While I don't fit entirely into the scrap-the-viewcones camp, I have to agree with you on this one. This is one of the sites that I think could benefit greatly from the added height and density. It may be the block with the biggest potential upside anywhere downtown due to its centrality, its potential impact, and its ability to meet so many of the city's overall goals.

It's essentially a full block, right on the edge of the busiest part of the city. It could be integrated with Granville Station, and would incorporate a range of uses that would keep the area active 24 hours. The very high level of pedestrian activity in the Granville & Georgia area begins to peter out once you reach this block; a large-scale development would really help to draw people further east and expand the shopping district.

It could also act as a catalyst for the revitalization of the area between the main shopping district and Gastown/Victory Square, a district which has tremendous potential BTW. Sort of like what Woodward's did for its neck of the woods.

***I would actually recommend to everyone to write to the COV about the site's economic, cultural, and strategic importance, and that it is crucial that they get this right since this really is the last opportunity for something of this scale in such a prominent location. AND to keep writing to the City everytime this project comes up over the next several years so that they get the point and so that they don't forget (you can just resend the same email, if you're lazy). As frustrating as the political process can be, you will be heard.***

Originally Posted by BCPhil

It might just be me, but I love the Dunsmuir Hotel Building. It is such a large and intricately designed building for 1908 Vancouver. Over the years they somehow managed to make it extremely ugly at street level, but properly restored it would be amazing. The architects (Parr and Fee) also built the building that is now the Moda hotel (as well as many other buildings in Vancouver, like the Vancouver Block), which I find to be an extremely adorable hotel.

I would be more than willing to give up density and height on the Parkade lot in exchange for restoring a heritage building that could become a great Boutique hotel and restaurant spot in the heart of downtown. Something akin to the Hotel Georgia, but not as expensive.

Completely agree with you on the Dunsmuir Hotel, on all points. Also, I had no idea that all of those buildings were designed by the same architects. Easily some of my favourite architecture in the city!

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Completely agree with you on the Dunsmuir Hotel, on all points. Also, I had no idea that all of those buildings were designed by the same architects. Easily some of my favourite architecture in the city!

Yeah, Parr and Fee were pretty prolific in the day and pretty much are responsible for setting the tone of Vancouver architecture for most of the 20th Century. Their designs were very utilitarian, yet still good looking.

Nice list of buildings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parr_and_Fee

You can find plenty of good articles if you just google Parr and Fee.

In addition to the Vancouver block, they are responsible for the Hotel Europe (probably the most unique, and frequently forgotten building in Vancouver).

But this was a good looking building in the day. They need to put those huge windows back in the shops. Imagine sitting for a coffee or a beer in that shop on the corner!


(source vancouver archive http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/dunsmuir-hotel-502-dunsmuir-street-vancouver-b-c )
Larger version:
http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploa...5-e736-463b-8bb0-7e77e99369eb-A02824.jpg