Chinatown Updates Discussion

[osirisboy]

Apologize if this has been stated already. However, doesn't this new proposal fall within existing zoning? What are they trying to get approved?

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Apologize if this has been stated already. However, doesn't this new proposal fall within existing zoning? What are they trying to get approved?

yes, it does fall under existing zonng. As such, I would expect things should be approve once due process takes its course..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...oversial-chinatown-development-1.4276210

Anita Molaro, the city's assistant director of urban design, said the development permit board typically looks at 30 to 50 projects a year that need approval but don't require rezoning.

"They're often more complex [projects], and in some cases, less complex but have a lot of public interest in the application," she said.

The permit board will receive a staff report later this month and is scheduled to make its ruling, Oct. 2.
■The current application submitted to the city

Molaro said amendments are often made to proposals but full rejections by the board are rare.

"Pretty well all projects that go to the [board] have had enough input and direction provided by staff to an applicant that they are approvable under the parameters of the zoning and guidelines," she said.

"It's generally refinement at that point."

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I used to take a dim view on protesters like this, but I realize that the back-and-forth is important to the city and the neighbourhoods. their more aggressive actions IMO just reflect poorly on them.

If the issues is rezoning, that's a different bar to match as you would be need a compelling reason to circumvent pre-established rules. this proposal isn't calling for a rezoning and is in line with the development plan.

[teriyaki]

Didn't they protest and shut down earlier proposals, that would have provided for more social housing etc??

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by teriyaki

Didn't they protest and shut down earlier proposals, that would have provided for more social housing etc??

yes, because it wasn't ALL social housing. it was too big, didn't fit into the area, and didn't provide enough social housing.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

WTF do these people want!?!

A lot of these people are just seeking a personal identity and sense of belonging . A cause celebre to fill a void in their life. Try to find things to rally for/against in the name of "social justice". A reason to justify their unemployment and uselessness, by taking up such "virtuous" battles. LOL @ them taking the food.

Willing to bet more than half don't live anywhere close to the neighbourhood.

Ron.

[mezzanine]

Funny, it seems to me that a fair number of people that oppose this development seem to be low income Chinese seniors that live in the area.

beedie asking for rezoning was a big ask and fairly risky as it would involve more process with a determined opposition. that's the process. Do I think that "100% social housing" is realistic? no. beedie isn't getting all that they wanted and neither are advocacy groups in Chinatown. that's the process.

IMO the Chinatown development plan is there and on both parties, there is no reason to re-invent the wheel. of course the plan will always be subject to change. that's the process.

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a lot of people on this forum lament other changes to Vancouver from growth. ask yourself why some people think differently on this one.

[Feathered Friend]

So, the team behind this building designed it with the fall-out from 105 Keefer in mind; Namely it's designed to fit under the additional restrictions of the new Chinatown rezoning scheme. Apparently the new zoning was due to be in front of council this summer, but it will now likely be there by the end of November. Members of the UDP didn't seem overly impressed by this conservative approach by the team or, for that matter, the new Chinatown plan. Efforts to ensure the building complies with the new policy range from the low FSR, to the inclusion of the courtyard and office space. It's also possible for the ground level to be altered to incorporate a mezzanine.

That said, the UDP didn't seem impressed by most aspects of the current vision on this project. While there was support for the form, massing, height, as well as the courtyard, that's essentially were the support ended. Unfortunately, city staff took this support of the form as a sign that the restrictions they're about to impose on Chinatown are heading in the right direction.
The treatment of the office space was one of the focal points. Members brought up the lack of light, and how the bamboo did nothing to make the space more pleasant. Suggestions were to either open up the side walls more, or add a light well. Increasing the amount of office space was also supported, but that additional FSR could run afoul if the new zoning is. The retail, with it's two exit points, was another bone of contention. Ultimately though, it was the mishmash of design language, the uniformity in expression across the residential/office/retail spaces, and the bland, stereotypical choice (Chinatown Red) for a colour palette that sealed this projects fate. Re-submission with the incorporation of the panel's comments was the verdict.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

288 East Hastings

By City of Rain SkyRise Cities taken April 30th:

Originally Posted by mcminsen

July 1 '17, my pics

Originally Posted by Vanville

A couple shots of 288 East Hastings, my pics.
July 8

July 25

Originally Posted by Vanville

288 East Hastings Aug.12, my pic:

I spotted 288 East Hastings from Cambie Bridge yesterday.



Sept.27 '17, my pics

[Feathered Friend]

Here are photos and some info from the open house held on Sept 26th.

First, about the meeting itself. After the 105 Keefer meeting was essentially co-opted as a political rally, I had low hopes for this meeting. Happily I was wrong; while Jean Swanson's shelter rate protesters / political rally were at the event, they most consigned themselves to a quite protest in a corner of the auditorium. While the protesters were decked in sandwich boards, there was nothing close to the intimidation tactics used at the previous open house. On a lighter note, the fellow that runs the Jimmy Hendrix Shrine was at the event. He is a firm supporter of the new project, but seems to be under the incorrect assumption that a new 30 ft Jimmy Hendrix statue will be included as a public art contribution.

The proposal itself has been reduced from an FSR of 9.04 to 8.12, with a corresponding reduction in units from 140 to 118. It's important to note that the amount of social housing units remain the same from the first version of the project. The social housing is a direct replacement of the square footage of the existing social housing building. Frankly, the photos of that existing units prove that the new units are a drastic improvement.

While it's tentative, there's a desire to retain and reincorporate the materials from the facades of the Brickhouse and the Taxi Stand buildings. Personally, I feel that the Taxi Stand portion is really hurt with how it's framed by glass/spandrel, and needs a second look.

Link to the previous open house
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=7690725&postcount=413

Feedback form
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/728-796main/feedback.htm

[osirisboy]

Thanks so much for all your info!!!

Why did they reduce the number of units?

Also, I wish the top set back would also be done in brick, why the city thinks that making the top floors a glass/spandrel mess somehow minimizes its impact is ridiculous

(Edit. I'm assuming the bottom parts have brick)

[Jebby]

The top looks terrible

[logan5]

Maybe the top looks terrible, but you won't even notice it, just like you don't notice the glass tower sections on the other Main Street projects. The 600 block of Main Street looks and feels like brick mid-rise street. Far superior to anything built anywhere else right now. I like thatbreak up the massing of the residential section, but would also like some visual distinction between the retail suites. It sounds like there's a chance of that happening here, with maybe the Brickhouse being retained.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

On a lighter note, the fellow that runs the Jimmy Hendrix Shrine was at the event. He is a firm supporter of the new project, but seems to be under the incorrect assumption that a new 30 ft Jimmy Hendrix statue will be included as a public art contribution.

He was the previous property owner. I believe the giant Jimmy was a condition of the property sale. He had argued for 100' previously.

I'm hoping it happens. Keep the neighbourhood weird, you know?

[jollyburger]

Earlier this year, Fodera sold the building to Bonnis Development Corp. for $3 million on the condition that the new owners agree to preserve the shrine and help pay for the statue, which he estimates will cost about $20,000 to manufacture in Cuba. He turned down another potential buyer who had offered more, but wouldn’t guarantee the shrine stays.



Any new development remains in the early stages — no development permit application has been submitted to the city and owner Kerry Bonnis said they are only in “exploratory discussions” with the city.

But Fodera is already planning ahead. The new shrine will shift about 20 feet toward the alley, with a garden in back and the statue in front. If and when the viaducts go down and Station Street is extended, the statue could be seen all the way from Thornton Park, said Fodera. Since the statue will be on private property, Fodera said he doesn’t think he needs a permit.

Not so, said the city. A development permit may be required depending on factors such as the statue’s height and to ensure it’s not obstructing access, said city spokesman Jag Sandhu.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/vancouve...+hendrix+statue+east/11183847/story.html

[Vin]

Previously posted by: Feather Friend


I wish the building can be designed in such a way that the corner is chamfered to allow a triangular plaza (partially covered by high upper floors) so that the promised Jimmy Hendrix statue can be included there. Nicely terraced landscaping can also provide a bit of a more unique feature to highlight the space as a heritage corner, albeit lost from past developments.

The currently design will not make anyone notice the uniqueness of that particular lot.

And yes, I do agree with most here that the top part looks horrible. Continuing the brickwork up there, with a better designed crown, will make this building a landmark tower in that area.

[officedweller]

I think the top would look better - even in the same materials
- if it replicated the chamfer at the corner and was proportionately set back on both sides.
But passersby on the street probably won't notice anyways.

[LeftCoaster]

Thanks FF, I always appreciate your contributions from the open houses. Still have yet to come across you at one of them though.

I'll echo what I'm sure will be a common thought, the bottom looks pretty good but the top is quite poorly thought out. Hopefully the UDP can recommend some changes to fix the top... even though that's not part of their mandate.

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Why did they reduce the number of units?

(Edit. I'm assuming the bottom parts have brick)

My understanding is that the bottom would have been brick. What I hear is that the reduction in density is due to fall out from the backlash around 105 Keefer, but other than the proposed revisions to the Chinatown Policy there's no hard evidence of that fact.

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Thanks FF, I always appreciate your contributions from the open houses. Still have yet to come across you at one of them though.

I'll echo what I'm sure will be a common thought, the bottom looks pretty good but the top is quite poorly thought out. Hopefully the UDP can recommend some changes to fix the top... even though that's not part of their mandate.

It's odd that we've never bumped into eachother; I would have thought a large walking duck taking photos of the project model, and getting yelled at by Nimbys, would have stood out more. Let me know the next one your heading out to, and I can shoot you a pm letting you know what sort of feathers you should be watching for.

I personally thought the UDP would support this project with a list of recommendations. However, I was wrong as the verdict was for the project to be resubmitted. In response, the applicant has now shelved the project. I don't have the details, as I missed the meeting held yesterday (apparently they got wise to me showing up on Wednesdays?).

At the Urban Design Panel meeting on October 2, the Panel reviewed the proposal and suggested resubmission. The applicant has responded by putting the rezoning application on hold while studying their design options. Staff will update this website when there is additional information available.

http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/728-796main/index.htm

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

My understanding is that the bottom would have been brick. What I hear is that the reduction in density is due to fall out from the backlash around 105 Keefer, but other than the proposed revisions to the Chinatown Policy there's no hard evidence of that fact.

I personally thought the UDP would support this project with a list of recommendations. However, I was wrong as the verdict was for the project to be resubmitted. In response, the applicant has now shelved the project. I don't have the details, as I missed the meeting held yesterday (apparently they got wise to me showing up on Wednesdays?).


http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/728-796main/index.htm

sigh, i thought we had a housing shortage in this city? i guess it isn't as bad as people say if we are saying no to places that are already bellow what they should be in density.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

It's odd that we've never bumped into eachother; I would have thought a large walking duck taking photos of the project model, and getting yelled at by Nimbys, would have stood out more. Let me know the next one your heading out to, and I can shoot you a pm letting you know what sort of feathers you should be watching for.

Will do!