General Vancouver Updates

[Feathered Friend]

Ah well, I had a headache at the time so maybe that explains the fowl visions. When I left apparently only 13 members of the public had passed through.

[officedweller]

The Duke
by City of Rain at SkyRise Cities:

Taken Sept 24th:

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1264490, member: 70034

IMG_3928 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3933 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3935 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3942 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1264492, member: 70034

^^^^

IMG_3944 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3946 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3948 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3951 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

[officedweller]

Ellsworth
By City of Rain, SkyRise Cities.

Taken Sept 24th.

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1264771, member: 70034

IMG_3975 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3980 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3984 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_3995 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

Originally Posted by City Of Rain, post: 1264773, member: 70034

^^^^

IMG_4009 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

IMG_4011 by Hung Lam, on Flickr

[csbvan]

Thanks for sharing.

Hard to believe that Ellsworth was once, in its first iteration, going to be a nice building.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Thanks for sharing.

Hard to believe that Ellsworth was once, in its first iteration, going to be a nice building.

Just what I was thinking. This looks sad. At least its future neighbors to the north are more attractive. Wasn't the original glazing colour supposed to be similar to Parq?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

Just what I was thinking. This looks sad. At least its future neighbors to the north are more attractive. Wasn't the original glazing colour supposed to be similar to Parq?

It was always going to have some sort of 'looks like wood but it isn't actually wood' finish. This is the first design, by a different architect, for a different developer. It was marketed as Focal about 4 years ago, and then relaunched as Paragon - and both times apparently failed to get sufficient sales to allow it to go forward. The version being built today has the same massing, but a less expensive glazing system.

[osirisboy]

What a difference. They could have at least gotten rid of the wide horizontal spandrel at the bottom of the windows. Totally unnecessary

[truenorth44]

The south half of the Heather Place site has been demolished, except for one small corner of foundation - are they keeping it, and calling this a reno? This phase will be the 5 storey building.

My pics from yesterday:










This morning they were starting to haul away the pile of pulverized concrete.

[officedweller]

Granville & 68th

Westland Corporation has submitted a rezoning application for a 20,030 SF site at the corner of 68th and Granville, next to the Safeway. The plan for 1506 West 68th Avenue is to rezone from C-2 and C-2C (Commercial) District to CD-1 to allow a 10-storey mixed-use building that includes:
◾45 market residential units;
◾11 one-bedrooms, 26 two-bedrooms and 8 three-bedrooms;
◾a total of 12,603 SF of retail at grade;
◾a total of 15,477 SF of office space on the 2nd floor;
◾a total density of 3.60 FSR;
◾a maximum building height of 135 ft. from grade;
◾138 underground vehicle parking spaces and 112 bicycle parking spaces.

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/10/18/10-storey-building-planned-for-granville-68th/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/10/18/10-storey-building-planned-for-granville-68th/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/10/18/10-storey-building-planned-for-granville-68th/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/10/18/10-storey-building-planned-for-granville-68th/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/10/18/10-storey-building-planned-for-granville-68th/

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

As I mentioned in the 425 W 6th post, these two were put forward by the same applicant team at today's UDP Meeting. This one passed through, with not too much difficulty.

Had this project waited for the newly approved False Creek Flats policy, it would have been allowed more height (up to 139 ft). That said, it would have faced other new requirements as well.

The recommendations were not onerous. Simple requests were for more coverage of the rooftop amenity space, more bike storage space, and to spread the solar shades along the entirety of the west face.

The two bigger instructions were to increase porosity for east - west travel to enable easier access across lots and to the brewery. The other was for changes to the bunker like west wall, either to pull it back, or preferably lower it. As it is the number of parking stalls that enforce that aspect, instructions to city planners were to reduce the maximum requirement for parking. This would also allow for an increase of bike stalls, and be a better fit given the future nearby transit station.

[officedweller]

The parkade wall can be opened up, can't it? There's not need for it to be solid.

[Vin]

339 East 1st EAve: Funny the picture shows the street name : East Firsth Avenue.


For the Marpole project: Glad to see another taller building popping up in that neighbourhood. However, the renderings are showing giant pedestrians and cyclists.

[Feathered Friend]

http://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/47258.aspx

Heather Lands project open house
Join us at the second set of open houses to learn more about the Heather Lands project, see how your feedback has influenced preliminary concept plans and tell us what you think.

Date and time
October 28 2017, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location
VanDusen Garden Floral Hall, 5251 Oak St

There is also a second date for those who can't make the first event.
November 2 2017, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

I was wondering when this would come back to the public, and I'm eager to see where its at now.

[jbrizzy]

Granville & 68th — 45 units but... 138 parking spaces? What the hell?

[officedweller]

There's office space as well, and maybe they're aiming for a restaurant in the retail space.

[Feathered Friend]

http://council.vancouver.ca/20171017/documents/rr2.pdf

http://council.vancouver.ca/20171017/documents/rr2presentation.pdf

I'm surprised no one has brought up the City Core 2050 report that was brought to council on Tuesday. There are lots of interesting goodies; such as review of the Waterfront Transit Station Hub (not dead after all), possible streetcar stations and density locations in South False Creek, and the talk of enhancing the Civic/Health precincts.

Also mention during the meeting by Gil Kelley is that the Broadway funding agreement is expected to be signed later this Fall. At that time, the city will start a Broadway Corridor planning process that will take into account land speculation.

http://council.vancouver.ca/20171017/regu20171017ag.htm

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

There's office space as well, and maybe they're aiming for a restaurant in the retail space.

Well the parking plan says:

P1 29 Commercial + 3 residential (HC spots)
P2 20 Commercial + 33 residential
P3 53 residential parking

89 residential/29 office/20 retail

They are required 20 for their retail and 26 for the offices (based on sq feet)

http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/8405-8465granvillest/documents/parkingplan.pdf

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

September 23rd, 2017

My photos

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Well the parking plan says:

P1 29 Commercial + 3 residential (HC spots)
P2 20 Commercial + 33 residential
P3 53 residential parking

89 residential/29 office/20 retail

They are required 20 for their retail and 26 for the offices (based on sq feet)

http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/8405-8465granvillest/documents/parkingplan.pdf

Thanks.

89 for 45 units (mostly 2 and 3 bedrooms)
- probably reflects a west side demographic wanting 2 parking spaces.
- I would expect a few visitor spaces (separate from the retail/commercial)

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

This reasonable project at Hull and East 20th had it's open house on October 3rd.
Link to the pre-app info
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=7762931&postcount=6062

Link to the rezoning application and comment form
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/3560hullst/index.htm

This goes to show that, no matter how badly rental housing is needed in Vancouver, projects still find ways to be delayed. The UDP should, of course, be more geared to careful planning, as these projects have big impacts to their urban area and will ideally will be around for decades. That said, one cannot help but feel a little frustrated.

To me it felt this rejection was more a critique of the planning department rather than the applicants. I don't say that lightly, as I believe city staff do a darn good job, but perhaps this time they listened too much to the conservative tones of the neighbourhood. The UDP's chief complaints were that this project should have been taller; that having basement suites in a 3 and half story development is just faulty logic. The consensus was the buildings should be allowed to go to 4 or 5 stories to get rid of the basement suites, and create an improved and more sunny courtyard.

It was felt that the project connected badly to the neighbourhood, and that it looked more like a project out of 1992 suburbia, rather than something that belonged in 2017 Vancouver. I found this funny, as I got the impression that more than a few people at the open house would have preferred a development out of 1970s suburbia.

Lastly, it was felt that the treatment of the heritage house was unneeded. There was no point in wasting money in restoring the home to what it originally looked like when it is today's vision of the house that people hold in their memories. Originally, the motion was made to pass the project with recommendations, however that failed. It was then motioned to recommend the project to resubmit, and that passed with a majority of the panel in favor.