Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Broken link.
BTW - it also depends on the lease rate.
New space is probably too expensive for some tenants.

Lack of space actually drives up the current pool of existing retail space leases, to an obscene level.

[jlousa]

The demand that exists for retail downtown isn't all that high. Sure there are a number of stores that would love space but they are the bigger format stores that are dependent on low psf lease rates and are the last type of tenant that most developers seek out. The exception being huge space owners that require a large draw tenant in order to drive traffic and in turn make up for it by leasing the remaining small spaces for large psf rates. Telus could not find any tenant willing to pay even modest psf rates along Robson that they were forced to convert the space to office, just shows the economics of the demand. They want space but not enough to pay for it.

[dleung]

pdf prices follow demand, so why are the prices so high then?

[jlousa]

Are they high? Lease rates along Robson are down quite a bit from their peaks. The retailers that can't find space is because they want AAA quality spaces at A prices and it's not going to happen. They need to step up and pay or move to a less desirable location. The multi ownership structure of Robson is both what creates it's success and it's headaches. I think if we saw consolidation of the properties it would provide a near term boost but followed by longer term decline of the area.

[jlousa]

Prezoning zoning proposal for 728-796 Main St. Combo of commercial at retail with SRO replacements and market units. Open house is at Telus Science World on Jan 24th.

[Hot Rod]

love the building but hate the setback. Why are all chinatown developments having setbacks like this? Why not at least continue all the way up with the same facade?

[WarrenC12]

Looks good. Great False Creek views will be had from this location once the viaducts are down.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

love the building but hate the setback. Why are all chinatown developments having setbacks like this? Why not at least continue all the way up with the same facade?

Totally agree!! Stop with these set backs. But if they do want setbacks just use the same materials (ie brick) as is used on the lower half. It looks ridiculous

[csbvan]

Didn't they already build this building one block north on Main?

....

[officedweller]

Looks good.

I like the chamfered corner - which is consistent with older buildings in Chinatown.

They setback the top to try to reduce the bulk, on the theory that the reflective glass and spandrel up top will meld with the sky.

************

Posted by Bob Ransford today:

Ormidale Block:


https://twitter.com/BobRansford

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Looks good.

I like the chamfered corner - which is consistent with older buildings in Chinatown.

They setback the top to try to reduce the bulk, on the theory that the reflective glass and spandrel up top will meld with the sky.

LOL! The whole downtown core melds with the sky (and water).

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

love the building but hate the setback. Why are all chinatown developments having setbacks like this? Why not at least continue all the way up with the same facade?

Good question. Linearity and complementary cohesion of lines are normally pleasing to the CNS. Take Rio de Janeiro. No big tall skyscrapers or tall groupings anywhere central.
A good Vancouver example is Howe St. E., from PC down to the end of Robson Square. It's same-level, similaly wiide buildings,look and feel,give it a cool, classy aspect. Linearity is so vital.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Prezoning zoning proposal for 728-796 Main St. Combo of commercial at retail with SRO replacements and market units. Open house is at Telus Science World on Jan 24th.

What are they going to do about that Jimmy Hendrix shrine?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

What are they going to do about that Jimmy Hendrix shrine?

If you mean the former taxi stand turned restaurant storeroom that an earlier owner of the corner building turned into a shrine, it goes (like the other two old but not heritage structures on the site). Apparently he resurrected the shrine in his Homer Street hostel, so there's that.

There's no established connection between the cab stand/storeroom and Jimi anyway, except that Jimi's grandmother sometimes used to help out washing dishes and prepping salads for her friend who ran the restaurant - but that was in the building to the east that was demolished many years ago. As Jimi started playing guitar at the age of 15, (so in 1957) when his grandmother would have been 74, it makes any potential connection even more tenuous.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by officedweller

They setback the top to try to reduce the bulk, on the theory that the reflective glass and spandrel up top will meld with the sky.

************

Oh yeah I know why they do it. I just don't get why they feel the need to reduce the "bulk" of the building, why is bulk bad?! Also, it's hardly in keeping with the historic feel of the area, tacking on glass spandrel mess on the top floors

[jollyburger]

It's set back for the electromagnetic field from the BC Hydro substation.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Changing City

If you mean the former taxi stand turned restaurant storeroom that an earlier owner of the corner building turned into a shrine, it goes (like the other two old but not heritage structures on the site). Apparently he resurrected the shrine in his Homer Street hostel, so there's that.

There's no established connection between the cab stand/storeroom and Jimi anyway, except that Jimi's grandmother sometimes used to help out washing dishes and prepping salads for her friend who ran the restaurant - but that was in the building to the east that was demolished many years ago. As Jimi started playing guitar at the age of 15, (so in 1957) when his grandmother would have been 74, it makes any potential connection even more tenuous.

Last I heard, the owner made the developer agree to install a 35' tall statue of Hendrix. He wanted 100', but that was a bit ambitious.

The connection was mostly that the owner of the property, an older italian fellow really liked Hendrix. I used to live in the Hendrix House on Georgia St. Thats where his grandparents used to live.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Dec.17 '16, my pic

41 East Hastings Street, the old United We Can bottle depot.



Jan.14 '17, my pics

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Prezoning zoning proposal for 728-796 Main St. Combo of commercial at retail with SRO replacements and market units. Open house is at Telus Science World on Jan 24th.

Here's the site as it is now looking at it at a similar angle as the rendering.



Jan.15 '17, my pic

Originally Posted by csbvan

Didn't they already build this building one block north on Main?

....

Deja vu?



Jan.15 '17, my pic
..

[connect2source]

Sad to see the old Puccini's, Hogan's Alley brick building going. Puccini's was an institution for over 60 years, had to book a table days in advance, packed every-night. My first job ever was a busboy there when I was 16. The Teti brothers ( the son's of the original owners ) went on to open Richards on Richards.