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[officedweller]

Onni floats hotel idea for Steveston
Developer is considering asking for rezoning again for controversial, vacant boardwalk site
Graeme Wood / Richmond News March 15, 2017 10:44 AM
http://www.richmond-news.com/news/onni-floats-hotel-idea-for-steveston-1.11873995

[SpongeG]

why is richmond being so stubborn over the retail? I think tourism helps bring in more these days than the marine industry does.

A hotel would be a good addition there.

[officedweller]

The project was presented and approved on the basis of providing maritime commercial space.
I think Richmond may have viewed it as a cultural amenity (but commercial tenancies) for retaining the character of the Steveston waterfront
and now view ONNI as renegging on that obligation.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

why is richmond being so stubborn over the retail? I think tourism helps bring in more these days than the marine industry does.

A hotel would be a good addition there.

Yup, baffles me all the time about the rigid ego of those in charge. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.

Originally Posted by officedweller

The project was presented and approved on the basis of providing maritime commercial space.
I think Richmond may have viewed it as a cultural amenity (but commercial tenancies) for retaining the character of the Steveston waterfront
and now view ONNI as renegging on that obligation.

Traditionally, wouldn't that area be simply marshland with mosquitoes and frogs? If maritime-related businesses see no profit, why insist on that? I think the City and developer need to sit down, remove their egos and compromise to do something beneficial for the community. It should be as simple as that.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Vin

Yup, baffles me all the time about the rigid ego of those in charge. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.



Traditionally, wouldn't that area be simply marshland with mosquitoes and frogs? If maritime-related businesses see no profit, why insist on that? I think the City and developer need to sit down, remove their egos and compromise to do something beneficial for the community. It should be as simple as that.

I believe they want to try and preserve what makes Steve stone different and interesting...and that is industrial/fishing/boat building. I think it is a reasonable plan myself.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Rico

I believe they want to try and preserve what makes Steve stone different and interesting...and that is industrial/fishing/boat building. I think it is a reasonable plan myself.

Darn auto fill

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Rico

I believe they want to try and preserve what makes Steve stone different and interesting...and that is industrial/fishing/boat building. I think it is a reasonable plan myself.

Darn auto fill

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

The bid call for 400 new homes in the high rises — ranging from 23 to 46 storeys tall — in the Lougheed neighbourhood, which is currently undergoing a visioning study by the municipality in conjunction with the Burquitlam neighbourhood.

Nice to hear about plans on Coquitlam side of Lougheed. 46 storeys will look pretty conservative in case the planned 70-storey skyscrapers on the Burnaby side end up happening as planned.

[libtard]

Originally Posted by Vin

Yup, baffles me all the time about the rigid ego of those in charge. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.



Traditionally, wouldn't that area be simply marshland with mosquitoes and frogs?

Traditionally Steveston is a fishing village.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Vin

Yup, baffles me all the time about the rigid ego of those in charge. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.



Traditionally, wouldn't that area be simply marshland with mosquitoes and frogs? If maritime-related businesses see no profit, why insist on that? I think the City and developer need to sit down, remove their egos and compromise to do something beneficial for the community. It should be as simple as that.

There was a binding agreement, Onni tried to pull a fast one. The city should bleed them for the next 50 years if that is what it takes. The city should under no circumstances set a precedent and allow to be screwed like this. They better bleed them till they cry.

Or better yet, until they lower lease rates and fill the places as per the original and binding agreement. They can fill them all up overnight if they wanted to be a little honorable.

I am certain Onni knew the situation and thought they would commit a bit of fraud / corruption or what ever you call it and get away with screwing over the city and its citizens for some extra profit. Deal is a deal. Make it work. Or keep it empty and bleed money for eternity. In fact the city should pass a by law to target this bs and start levying some sort of fines against Onni if they don't pretty up the empty units. Compromise for the sake of compromise in this case is absolutely not logical nor should it be a option. /rant

[urbancanadian]

^Absolutely. Totally agree.

Originally Posted by Vin

Yup, baffles me all the time about the rigid ego of those in charge. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.

You should write a follow up to Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by libtard

Traditionally Steveston is a fishing village.

I don't think the village extended to that area where the broadwalk with the vacant shops are now. That used to be marshland I think.

Originally Posted by cornholio

There was a binding agreement, Onni tried to pull a fast one. The city should bleed them for the next 50 years if that is what it takes. The city should under no circumstances set a precedent and allow to be screwed like this. They better bleed them till they cry./rant

Yeah, it's a deal, but hasn't the developer suffered enough with the units being vacant for so long? For the sake of the community, they should be more flexible and compromise by doing something positive instead of posturing their ego all the time.

At the moment, no one is benefiting from this: the public can't access the potential services there, the owners can't receive rental revenues, and the City is losing tax revenue and its reputation for not being flexible. Truly lame.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Vin

I don't think the village extended to that area where the broadwalk with the vacant shops are now. That used to be marshland I think.



Yeah, it's a deal, but hasn't the developer suffered enough with the units being vacant for so long? For the sake of the community, they should be more flexible and compromise by doing something positive instead of posturing their ego all the time.

At the moment, no one is benefiting from this: the public can't access the potential services there, the owners can't receive rental revenues, and the City is losing tax revenue and its reputation for not being flexible. Truly lame.

No they have not suffered enough. They should suffer for eternity, or until redevelopment of the lot. Onni knew what they were doing and I am certain they went into it planning to let the units sit empty until the city caved, They took a calculated risk, and they need to pay.

I believe the city is absolutely benefiting here, they are strengthening the power of all their future agreements. The power of their word. That is much more valuable then a couple empty store fronts.

Also keep in mind Onni CAN lease them out immediately, they just need to lower the lease rates that they are keeping high apparently in order to pressure the city. It is fair to say Onni is keeping those units empty on purpose. Those units can have mom and pop marine related shops right now, they do not need to be empty. Its on purpose I tell you. Onni is literally screwing over the citizens of Richmond for minuscule amount of extra profit. Zero corporate ethics.

Also like I said the city should pass a bylaw to levy some sort of fines towards Onni if they don't pretty up the store fronts. Easy bylaw to pass and logical, if a store front is empty for say 12 months or 24 months it must look a certain pleasing way so as to not degrade the neighborhood. Failure to comply leads to fines. Do it Richmond! Those store fronts can be empty and still enhance the neighborhood, takes little effort for Onni as a good neighbor. Through in some art displays, some historical pictures over the windows etc. flowers.

[Bdawe]

There should be an argument in there somewhere as to why this sort of municipal micro-management is a good idea in the first place.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Bdawe

There should be an argument in there somewhere as to why this sort of municipal micro-management is a good idea in the first place.

That was a discussion that could have been had before Onni decided to build.

[SpongeG]

If you go further east in Steveston, towards that farm house place, there are marinas and marine based services shops mixed with food places and other types of businesses.

The old part of steveston itself has only a few marine based stores left now. If that type of business were wanting to locate in steveston they would be filled by now but it doesn't seem there is a need for them. Richmond should stop living in the past.

Anyway, I wonder what kind of commercial will go in the project at north road and trans canada.

They really should consider an underpass or overpass somewhere in that area, there are always pedestrians dodging the traffic as they run from the one korea plaza to the other. The one traffic light they have there is really awkward and cars always end up blocking that area as they get caught at the red light for lougheed and north road which is only a 100 feet or so.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by cornholio

That was a discussion that could have been had before Onni decided to build.

That's the City's point - it WAS discussed, and ONNI agreed to comply.
Now they are reneging.

[libtard]

Yes let's let Onni rezone it so they can fill the building with a Subway, dental office, and a hair salon. The good people of Steveston are being deprived of these necessary amenities

[GeeCee]

I agree with SpongeG's point about demand, but Onni DID agree to the zoning terms before they went ahead and built the shopping centre, so it's on them to fufill the terms of the agreement.

As to libtard's post, I'd argue that a dental office IS a maritime oriented business, at least for sailors coming ashore with a nasty case of scurvy.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

why is richmond being so stubborn over the retail? I think tourism helps bring in more these days than the marine industry does.

A hotel would be a good addition there.

Onni went ahead and built the retail space knowing that it wasn't zoned for what they wanted. They obviously felt Richmond council would just rubber stamp it. Such arrogance cannot go unchallenged by an elected body, otherwise every developer would do that. Onni could have negotiated for ground floor residential or office, but instead tried to force the city's hand and backed themselves into a corner, too bad so sad.