General Vancouver Updates

[BodomReaper]

Great shots, thanks mcminsen.

[officedweller]

Thanks!

The dark spandrel mitigates its impact.
But boy, are those ever small windows on the floors below.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks!

The dark spandrel mitigates its impact.
But boy, are those ever small windows on the floors below.

Yeah i liked it better when they had the dark upper section in 2 sections, more eye catching before. I would have liked to see the upper section all black aswell instead of the medium grey spandrel in the black section.

Most disappointing is it appeared in both renders to have 60's style vertical fins on the upper section similar to what The Exchange office development has.

original iteration:

http://www.wallacegreen.ca/static/images/buildings/med/1478_bbc554fab_Rendering_2013.JPG

As built: (minus fins)

from: http://www.wallacegreen.ca/static/images/buildings/med/1478_b3c59364d_spot-cambie-12th-2015.jpg

Further disappointing, this is the density first proposed for this site...


from:http://www.vancouvernewcondos.com/proper...ancouver-presale-condo-on-cambie-street/

[officedweller]

This was the first iteration:

http://www.vancouvernewcondos.com/proper...ancouver-presale-condo-on-cambie-street/

I like the current version(s) better than either the first or second (brick) ones.
The second version was a [misplaced?] intention to add "heritage" to the design (when nothing in the area had that type of DTES heritage design).

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

I went to the open house at the ANZAC today. It was packed with people. I would estimate anywhere between 50 - 100. It far out-paced what city staff had expected. As you can see from the notices they handed out, they are quite against the proposal due to how it affects their community group. For those who want to see the proposal go forward, I highly urge you to voice your opinions on the online questionnaire.

http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/mount-pleasant-industrial-area.aspx

Why are these holy rollers complaining. It looks like the City is trying to save that building...

The City is exploring the retention of the Simon Fraser Annex on the City owned site at 123 E 6th Avenue. Additional height is proposed as a way to redistribute floor area and make retention feasible.

http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/mount-plea...2016-open-house-information-displays.pdf

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by officedweller

This was the first iteration:

http://www.vancouvernewcondos.com/proper...ancouver-presale-condo-on-cambie-street/

I like the current version(s) better than either the first or second (brick) ones.
The second version was a [misplaced?] intention to add "heritage" to the design (when nothing in the area had that type of DTES heritage design).

Oh i agree totally. Ideally IMO they would use the final design style but with the density of the second iteration. Agreed the random articulation of the brick proposals was weird and not for the neighborhood (though still better then the existing Pacifica leaky condo building from the early 90's across the street). Imagine if they had the same white base but with 3 or 4 additional 2-4 floor stacked and angled varied grey tone boxes on top, maybe a red section for fun? bringing it in the 10-15 storey range which is much more appropriate.

I wonder why the nixed the fins though

[logan5]

I liked the brick design. Less massive looking. Whether the the brick "faux heritage" design fits into the area or not seems irrelevant. The 3rd and final design doesn't fit in any better, so may as well go with the best looking design.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by logan5

Why are these holy rollers complaining. It looks like the City is trying to save that building...


http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/mount-plea...2016-open-house-information-displays.pdf

I was thrilled when I saw this during the survey. Not only will the heritage building be saved and repurposed, but we will likely get at least one taller building in the area due to the density transfer. Win-win.

[dleung]

Re Spot on Cambie: That looks more like a $600psf development rather than the $1000psf that is sold for. Man do I ever miss seafoam spandrel. At least we could pretend it was glass with the blinds drawn. Who decided that grey or white would be better?

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Duke and it's smaller wood frame neighbour, Vya/Portliving(?) on Kingsway just south of Kingsgate Mall.



Oct.6 '16, my pics

Oct.25 '16, my pics

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

I love the spread of density going southward towards Mount Pleasant. I prefer more housing going towards that area where there isn't much but car dealerships and some industrial buildings rather than going to Chinatown/Strathcona, which are heritage neighbourhoods that should be preserved. With the addition of the Broadway Skytrain, there will surely be more demand.

On the other hand, does anyone know where a suitable place to put a Main Street Station would be? This empty lot seems like a good place https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2629292,-..._-0YoDV-MX1PwR2Ty9K-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Or they could repurpose that old Cash Money building. That'd be interesting to see done.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I love the spread of density going southward towards Mount Pleasant. I prefer more housing going towards that area where there isn't much but car dealerships and some industrial buildings rather than going to Chinatown/Strathcona, which are heritage neighbourhoods that should be preserved. With the addition of the Broadway Skytrain, there will surely be more demand.

On the other hand, does anyone know where a suitable place to put a Main Street Station would be? This empty lot seems like a good place https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2629292,-..._-0YoDV-MX1PwR2Ty9K-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Or they could repurpose that old Cash Money building. That'd be interesting to see done.

I'm guessing where the temporary sales centre for the Independent used to be.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by csbvan

I'm guessing where the temporary sales centre for the Independent used to be.

I thought they were developing that site?

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I thought they were developing that site?

I believe either translink or the city owns the SE corner parking lot. I remember reading that they were thinking of having the future station there, i believe they also own the low rise restaurant buildings next to it and would be redeveloped as a whole.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Vancouver market.ca has posted a rendering pf the first phase of Arbutus Village:


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2015/05/28...to-build-first-phase-of-arbutus-village/

Originally Posted by mcminsen

I wonder if the first phase will be in the northeast corner of the larger site as the new development application sign seems to suggest. Maybe they'll leave the original building intact until the first phase is finished.

June 12 '15, my pic

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Thanks for the non-stop updates mcminsen. Much appreciated!

I just noticed your post now - here is a link to the phasing:
http://former.vancouver.ca/devapps/4188yew/documents/phasingpls.pdf

I would have taken screen grabs but I couldn't read anything unless it was really zoomed-in. Cheers!

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Thanks! That's exactly what I needed to see to explain the 7 year phasing. I've been going to Arbutus Shopping Centre once or twice a week for years now so it will be very interesting to watch it completely morph into something different. It's an interesting site because of how it drops down away from Arbutus Street. The new Safeway will be much more prominent, and goodbye surface parking lots!

Sixteen odd months later. I stopped by the Arbutus Shopping Centre for the first time in a long time and it still looks the same from the outside. They seem to be picking away at the inside, though. I wonder if it's slow going because they are dealing with asbestos. The Safeway is still open as well as some other businesses like the liquor store in the back end of the mall. You have to go through the Safeway to get at them.



Oct.26 '16, my pics

[Jebby]

Is the A&W still there?

Great to see this redevelopment. Hopefully it starts to shut people up about there being no density in that neighborhood and becomes a catalyst for even more.

[quobobo]

Regarding the Mount Pleasant rezoning: did anyone else notice that the 2.0 FSR bonus only applies to industrial or "digital" uses?

I am pretty uncomfortable with the city picking one sector over another (even though I am a "digital" worker), so odd that they aren't just allowing the extra FSR for any office use.

I also really wonder how this will work in practice. Like, is a company in a more traditional sector allowed if they have a certain number of "digital" workers in their office? What if a company's "digital" status changes halfway through their lease?

All of these complications would go away if they just allowed general office use...

[s211]

Originally Posted by quobobo

Regarding the Mount Pleasant rezoning: did anyone else notice that the 2.0 FSR bonus only applies to industrial or "digital" uses?

I am pretty uncomfortable with the city picking one sector over another (even though I am a "digital" worker), so odd that they aren't just allowing the extra FSR for any office use.

I also really wonder how this will work in practice. Like, is a company in a more traditional sector allowed if they have a certain number of "digital" workers in their office? What if a company's "digital" status changes halfway through their lease?

All of these complications would go away if they just allowed general office use...

Another municipality in the region is driving me crazy with the same issue right now.

[officedweller]

WRT Arbutus Village -

Is that pyramid / peaked vault style roof a characteristic BC style?

i.e.
Arbutus Village
Park Royal South
Coquitlam Centre
Guildford Town Centre

I've seen lots of barrel vaults in other cities, but not pyramids.

[Vancouver_Highrise]

I live behind the Safeway/Arbutus Village on Valley dr. So hopefully they don't tear it down during construction. Very convenient when I need something to cook lol + the BCL. Although it wouldn't make sense to renovate just to tear it down.