Downtown Vancouver Updates

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

I'm sad they moved. would have been nice to leave their post office in that building even if it was redeveloped into condos/art gallery/whatever else.

ummmmmmm ya. the building is going to be gutted to rebuild it in the current proposal. I can only imagine how much $$$ it would cost to do what you suggested. who do you suggest pays for that? The Canadian tax payer? .... oh ya that's a smart idea ......

I am sure they will move back in the 3 or 4 years it takes to finish the project.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

I'm sad they moved. would have been nice to leave their post office in that building even if it was redeveloped into condos/art gallery/whatever else.

As am I, some great mid-century details in the lobby that we may never get to see again.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Been gone for 3 years, but all I ever see on the retail and update sections of this forum is older buildings with independent shops and downtown convenience stores being redeveloped into luxury brand stores and condos with a Starbucks or a Donelly Group lounge. Visited this August and many of my favorite old haunts were gone.

And by Ice obviously not a carbon copy for Van but something a little more towards that direction around Rogers Arena would have been nice.

London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Marts are everywhere. Ditto dollar stores. Yaletown even has one. There's no shortage of places to get basic necessities for good prices.

If you saw every single redevelopment or retail change here, it would be a flood of boring posts.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Been gone for 3 years, but all I ever see on the retail and update sections of this forum is older buildings with independent shops and downtown convenience stores being redeveloped into luxury brand stores and condos with a Starbucks or a Donelly Group lounge. Visited this August and many of my favorite old haunts were gone.

And by Ice obviously not a carbon copy for Van but something a little more towards that direction around Rogers Arena would have been nice.

But that's retail, I've been gone for over 10 years, most of my favourite places are gone, but my friends all show me tons of new ones and they are just as good if not better than my old favourites.

Lux and new gets posted here because that's what this forum is all about, the cool hip places are still rampant in Vancouver, they just change every few years, like every big city.

Except Stephos, that place will be here forever.

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

smart move by Canada Post. good move just a block away from their old location. I guess we will see the Canada Post HQ product moving ahead fairly soon.

Doubtful, it isn't approved in any capacity at this point and Quadreal has a lot of hiring to do before they embark on something this large.

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

I'm sad they moved. would have been nice to leave their post office in that building even if it was redeveloped into condos/art gallery/whatever else.

Well they could still put a postal location in the new building, but this is going to be a decade long buildout, they need somewhere in the meantime.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by logan5

You know your downtown has crossed the threshold of greatness when it has a 2 level Shoppers Drug Mart in the works. An 11 000 sq foot Dollarama store is just the icing on the cake.

You see the huge Shoppers and Dollarama but can't see (or blind to) the new arena, the JW Marriott hotel, the new elevated food centre, the revamped mall and one of western Canada's tallest skyscrapers in the works?

Originally Posted by retro_orange

It seems kinda amateur in comparison to whats being built in Vancouver's suburbs. Brentwood, Lougheed etc. Kinda dated looking too IMO

Yup, but not amateurish when compared to Vancouver's downtown. Furthermore, all the new works in downtown Edmonton would be complemented by the existing infrastructure surrounding it. Our suburb cities are just starting to build up, and would take at least another 2 decades before they would feel like proper downtowns.

Originally Posted by Metro-One

The Ice district is a fantastic development and would be wonderful to have (and it makes our stubby Frankenbuildings next to Rogers Arena look that much worse.)

Also actually having such retail downtown would be welcome. Unlike many of you on here most of my friends and I (who are all working professionals) can rarely shop at all the luxury brand stores in downtown Vancouver (if ever).

Nice thing about Japan is that in the urban retail cores there is a healthy mix of luxury stores and dollar stores, convenience stores, and cheap hole in the wall restaurants and bars for normal people. Not everything is geared towards the super rich. That keeps a downtown area interesting and alive.

Great to hear from someone with a more global outlook when it comes to what we can have in downtown Vancouver.
Honestly speaking, retail downtown hasn't really grown. New chain ones just replace old ones at outdated spaces. In fact, compared to the 80s/90s and population of downtown, retail has shrunk. With all the chain starbucks, dollaramas and shoppers, you basically get the same things within a few blocks. Recently went to Park Royal mall and actually felt that they had quite a few chains not found downtown, albeit higher end retail as well. With our population density downtown, we need to add a lot more in the city centre, and encourage small shops to be built to cater for more interesting retail varieties.

Looking forward to the General Post Office site to be redeveloped into major retail, although the current design in nauseating.

I find the ICE-type development would be suitable at the new art gallery site or even Main Street skytrain station lands.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by logan5

You know your downtown has crossed the threshold of greatness when it has a 2 level Shoppers Drug Mart in the works. An 11 000 sq foot Dollarama store is just the icing on the cake.

Downtown Vancouver got it's first 2 level Shoppers and Dollarama years ago!

Ron.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Downtown Vancouver got it's first 2 level Shoppers and Dollarama years ago!

Ron.

I guess Vancouver had "crossed its threshold of greatness" long time ago.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Well they could still put a postal location in the new building, but this is going to be a decade long buildout, they need somewhere in the meantime.

hopefully, i am hoping they keep some of the details, i always liked some of the mid-century details it had. hopefully they maintain the post-office portion the same while doing what they want with the other interior areas. i think they were all just ramps anyways. i still say that is where the VAG should go.

anyone know how much sqft the post office building is? it must be massive being a square building of an entire city block.

[a very long weekend]

it's always so mindbending how canadians talk about massive retail chains, like discussing their favorite ones, which one would do well where, etc. i guess the mom-and-pop culture was decimated so long ago that a non-chain hardware shop or grocery is inconceivable to most people in most places?

since it all seems so normal, there seems to be virtually nothing in your programs to try to protect small business, entrepreneurship, neighborhood character from the cultural flattening these represent. new buildings often are allowed not to build commercial space, which keeps the cost of existing spaces nice and high, a boon for owners that raises the barrier to the small entrepreneur. when the developers are forced to build commercial space, it's usually in large floorplans that command top dollar, another barrier to the small entrepreneur. there are no city restrictions whatsoever on formula retail anywhere in canada, only use restrictions.

the sorts of policies that would reduce commercial rental costs (as above, that would be mandatory commercial in new construction, small spaces, formula retail controls) aren't on the map at all. and why? because so few people see a problem, because it's just considered normal up there that most shops would be chain shops. it's not considered the "job" of planning and public policy (and politics) to give promote entrepreneurship, diversity of commercial offerings, and a flourishing/sophistication of the culture more generally.

baffling and sort of depressing.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

it's always so mindbending how canadians talk about massive retail chains, like discussing their favorite ones, which one would do well where, etc. i guess the mom-and-pop culture was decimated so long ago that a non-chain hardware shop or grocery is inconceivable to most people in most places?

since it all seems so normal, there seems to be virtually nothing in your programs to try to protect small business, entrepreneurship, neighborhood character from the cultural flattening these represent. new buildings often are allowed not to build commercial space, which keeps the cost of existing spaces nice and high, a boon for owners that raises the barrier to the small entrepreneur. when the developers are forced to build commercial space, it's usually in large floorplans that command top dollar, another barrier to the small entrepreneur. there are no city restrictions whatsoever on formula retail anywhere in canada, only use restrictions.

the sorts of policies that would reduce commercial rental costs (as above, that would be mandatory commercial in new construction, small spaces, formula retail controls) aren't on the map at all. and why? because so few people see a problem, because it's just considered normal up there that most shops would be chain shops. it's not considered the "job" of planning and public policy (and politics) to give promote entrepreneurship, diversity of commercial offerings, and a flourishing/sophistication of the culture more generally.

baffling and sort of depressing.

There are instances where retail space sq footage is limited in order to encourage new small businesses.

I'm not sure how you got the idea that everybody here likes big chain stores. The vast majority here look at Commercial Dr. or Main St. as examples that we should be trying to duplicate in newly developing neighbourhoods.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

1171 Jervis (The Jervis).

Oct.9 '16, my pics

Nov.1 '16, my pics

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Vin

Yup, but not amateurish when compared to Vancouver's downtown. Furthermore, all the new works in downtown Edmonton would be complemented by the existing infrastructure surrounding it. Our suburb cities are just starting to build up, and would take at least another 2 decades before they would feel like proper downtowns.

have you been to deadmonton? downtown new west is more lively than downtown edmonton

[SpongeG]

does anyone know why this alley has been painted all pink and yellow with basketball nets and stuff?


my pic

[Vin]

I really dislike those colours. To me it really makes the heritage building north of the alley look tacky. This building deserves more dignity than having this fluff thrown on its side. City of Vancouver, sigh.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

have you been to deadmonton? downtown new west is more lively than downtown edmonton

All I care is how a city improves itself, and do not care about dwelling in the past. Deadmonton or not, it will become alive with all the improvements it is having today, and that's what we need to delve into.

Cities and neighbourhoods do change. Take for instance, East Hastings was the high street of downtown Vancouver for decades in the yesteryears, but look at what it has turned into today. Complacency is what makes a loser.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Vin

I really dislike those colours. To me it really makes the heritage building north of the alley look tacky. This building deserves more dignity than having this fluff thrown on its side. City of Vancouver, sigh.

maybe this will make you like it lol

• Video Link

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

it's always so mindbending how canadians talk about massive retail chains, like discussing their favorite ones, which one would do well where, etc. i guess the mom-and-pop culture was decimated so long ago that a non-chain hardware shop or grocery is inconceivable to most people in most places?

since it all seems so normal, there seems to be virtually nothing in your programs to try to protect small business, entrepreneurship, neighborhood character from the cultural flattening these represent. new buildings often are allowed not to build commercial space, which keeps the cost of existing spaces nice and high, a boon for owners that raises the barrier to the small entrepreneur. when the developers are forced to build commercial space, it's usually in large floorplans that command top dollar, another barrier to the small entrepreneur. there are no city restrictions whatsoever on formula retail anywhere in canada, only use restrictions.

the sorts of policies that would reduce commercial rental costs (as above, that would be mandatory commercial in new construction, small spaces, formula retail controls) aren't on the map at all. and why? because so few people see a problem, because it's just considered normal up there that most shops would be chain shops. it's not considered the "job" of planning and public policy (and politics) to give promote entrepreneurship, diversity of commercial offerings, and a flourishing/sophistication of the culture more generally.

baffling and sort of depressing.

I don't understand how chain stores are a Canadian phenomenon? I would say Canada is less saturated by chains due to a preference of many global chains passing by Canada in favour of the US.

Furthermore, there is a glut of small retail space in Vancouver, with much of it falling into the same boring routine of nail salons, dry cleaners and whoever else will keep the lights on. Nearly every single point tower on a commercial street is FORCED to build small shop commercial fronting the street, so I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about in your second paragraph. It is categorically wrong if you look at City of Vancouver planning documents, or even just take a walk down any given street of downtown.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

maybe this will make you like it lol

• Video Link

LOL! Ohhhhhhh, that's a totally different ballpark altogether.

[wrenegade]

1045 Haro Street is up for sale. This will be a pretty big one in the next couple years. Height will be restricted somewhat due to shawdowing issues on Robson Street, but I'm sure whatever gets built will be a big improvement. Especially with the revolving door of retail uses on the corner on Thurlow.

[LeftCoaster]

You sure height will be restricted? It's noted as Zone E of the Burrard corridor in the West End OCP, which allows for height of up to 167.6M.

Shadowing on Robson is of course an issue, but the OCP does set a precedent, as does the First Baptist proposal which exceeds the 167 and goes up to 177.