Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Vin]

Originally Posted by rofina

This.

Top down, jackhammer, bobcat, small machines that can be supported by weight of floor plate.

Wont be seeing any big equipment.

Ah hah! Thanks.

[Feathered Friend]

Not sure why the Empire project is being discussed here instead of it's appropriate thread where there is reliable info from more than one source.

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

Instead, the demolition will use a combination of Mastclimbers and Brokk Demolition machines... The process should be completed by December 2018.

Video of a Brokk in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzsOp_QKfsE

[connect2source]

Some information on HBC's plans to redevelop the downtown Hudson's Bay store. Plans include using the bottom 4 floors for retail, subleasing the 5th and 6th floors to WeWork and re-zoning for potentially building atop the existing structure.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o...lagship-vancouver-store/article37544470/

[officedweller]

The view cone on the Granville side of the site is about 300ft - same as Canaccord Tower and The Hudson.
The other view cone on the Seymour side is - presumably - the same as over Holborn's Bay Parkade site - also about 300ft (?).

There's no vacant adjacent site to buy and erect a tower like at The Exchange
- unless the alley is closed and Gotham and the St. Regis Hotel are sold and facadectomied (they are also heritage, aren't they?)

.. which means any redevelopment could be similar to the Main Post Office in massing
which would also be very difficult to build and keep the Hudson's Bay store operating.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The view cone on the Granville side of the site is about 300ft - same as Canaccord Tower and The Hudson.
The other view cone on the Seymour side is - presumably - the same as over Holborn's Bay Parkade site - also about 300ft (?).

There's no vacant adjacent site to buy and erect a tower like at The Exchange
- unless the alley is closed and Gotham and the St. Regis Hotel are sold and facadectomied (they are also heritage, aren't they?)

.. which means any redevelopment could be similar to the Main Post Office in massing
which would also be very difficult to build and keep the Hudson's Bay store operating.

Noooooooooooo.....

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

My photos - Dec 24th, 2017

Excavation for 1355 Howe seems to be going ahead.



Jan.9 '18, my pics

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Some information on HBC's plans to redevelop the downtown Hudson's Bay store. Plans include using the bottom 4 floors for retail, subleasing the 5th and 6th floors to WeWork and re-zoning for potentially building atop the existing structure.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o...lagship-vancouver-store/article37544470/

Not to be a NIMBY, but unless it were a signature 200 meter+ office tower (which is deserving of such a transit hub in the heart of our city) I don't want to see the Hudson Bay Building butchered. Just not worth disturbing its elegance for a few stubs.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Not to be a NIMBY, but unless it were a signature 200 meter+ office tower (which is deserving of such a transit hub in the heart of our city) I don't want to see the Hudson Bay Building butchered. Just not worth disturbing its elegance for a few stubs.

This has the potential to be a landmark site if properly considered. A skinny tower on top would look great. something elegant - something like the Residences at Georgia.

However, realistically, I expect a 2 or 3 story glass addition on top.

[Vin]

Shouldn't a rare heritage building like the downtown Bay be FULLY protected?

No tower whatsoever on top pleeeez.

[phesto]

Originally Posted by Vin

Shouldn't a rare heritage building like the downtown Bay be FULLY protected?

No tower whatsoever on top pleeeez.

It's a Heritage A and has a legal heritage designation by the City, which is the most protected a building can be.

Doesn't mean it could never be altered or added on to, but makes demolition pretty much impossible.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Vin

Shouldn't a rare heritage building like the downtown Bay be FULLY protected?

No tower whatsoever on top pleeeez.

It's an 'A' Category Municipally designated heritage building, so in theory it's protected. However, it's also only 8.2 FSR in zone that allows 11 FSR under zoning, and more as a rezoning or HRA to protect the heritage (although that doesn't really apply in this case because it's already protected).

Given the investment into the façade in recent years, unless there's a seismic fix that would cost a lot of money, there wouldn't seem to be much basis for adding much on top. However, if the existing frame can take extra weight, adding another 200,000 sq ft+ to get to 11 FSR, which could be 4 floors set back about 20 feet from the facades, would add a lot of value and office space for a lot more jobs. That's bound to be a consideration for potential bidders for the property.

Adding a residential component would be more difficult in terms of adding separate entrances, services etc, even if rental rather than strata. If the upper floors are going to office use anyway, adding more should be more straightforward, and might justify a better office lobby, elevator bank etc at the same time.

[GenWhy?]

The back-of-house, basement, elevator work alone will be a major overhaul. Also could be questions over the original section and the newer section of the building, and the underground connections to the trains and malls.

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by privatejet

I noticed this project on Denman Street on Landa Global's site:

http://development.vancouver.ca/1810alberni/documents/renderings.pdf

http://development.vancouver.ca/1810alberni/index.htm



http://development.vancouver.ca/1810alberni/index.htm



http://development.vancouver.ca/1810alberni/index.htm

Landa Global Properties Ltd. has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop this site with a 21 storey mixed use building. The proposal includes the following:


• 60 dwelling units (36 market residential units & 24 affordable market rental housing units);
• 3906 sq.ft (363m2) ground level retail;
• Building height of approximately 210’ (64m);
• Total floor area of 130,322 sq.ft. (12,107 m2) ; and
• 3 levels of underground parking with 109 parking spaces all accessed from the lane.

The development application is now up for Landa Global's Alberni/Denman project. In what will appease many here, it will actually have ground level retail. Though it hasn't gone to UDP yet, it's hearing at the DP board is already scheduled for April 3rd, 2018.

[officedweller]

Nice, thanks.

The boxes do a good job of introducing solid surface into the facade
(to reduce solar gain) without too much spandrel.
I do see two large rectangles of spandrel facing Denman at mid-tower and above the podium.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

The development application is now up for Landa Global's Alberni/Denman project. In what will appease many here, it will actually have ground level retail. Though it hasn't gone to UDP yet, it's hearing at the DP board is already scheduled for April 3rd, 2018.

Actually it is merely replacing the retail already found there, so it will actually not add more to the number of businesses in the area, but an eventual reduction. I would like to see other developments on parallel streets also have retail. I don't get why the City's retail scene isn't allowed to expand accordingly with its population growth.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by phesto

It's a Heritage A and has a legal heritage designation by the City, which is the most protected a building can be.

Doesn't mean it could never be altered or added on to, but makes demolition pretty much impossible.

Can we have a Heritage A+ such that nothing can be added on? I mean this building was designed to look like what it is now in the past, and any add-ons will only ruin it.

Originally Posted by Changing City

It's an 'A' Category Municipally designated heritage building, so in theory it's protected. However, it's also only 8.2 FSR in zone that allows 11 FSR under zoning, and more as a rezoning or HRA to protect the heritage (although that doesn't really apply in this case because it's already protected).

Given the investment into the façade in recent years, unless there's a seismic fix that would cost a lot of money, there wouldn't seem to be much basis for adding much on top. However, if the existing frame can take extra weight, adding another 200,000 sq ft+ to get to 11 FSR, which could be 4 floors set back about 20 feet from the facades, would add a lot of value and office space for a lot more jobs. That's bound to be a consideration for potential bidders for the property.

Adding a residential component would be more difficult in terms of adding separate entrances, services etc, even if rental rather than strata. If the upper floors are going to office use anyway, adding more should be more straightforward, and might justify a better office lobby, elevator bank etc at the same time.

Hence I really hate this FSR crap. What makes some lots more superior to others in that they can have higher FSRs but not others? If the adjacent lots can be built up to 11 FSR or higher, this heritage structure can be protected without any greedy developer waiting to destroy it. Makes sense?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Vin

Hence I really hate this FSR crap. What makes some lots more superior to others in that they can have higher FSRs but not others? If the adjacent lots can be built up to 11 FSR or higher, this heritage structure can be protected without any greedy developer waiting to destroy it. Makes sense?

Er no, no it doesn't really make sense. All the sites in the CBD 'area A', the central part of the CBD, can theoretically go to 11 FSR.

By the way, that includes the block to the south, where not so long ago on a significant site the developer chose to only build 3 floors of retail, although they could have added a significant office component.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by Vin

Actually it is merely replacing the retail already found there, so it will actually not add more to the number of businesses in the area, but an eventual reduction. I would like to see other developments on parallel streets also have retail. I don't get why the City's retail scene isn't allowed to expand accordingly with its population growth.

Here is something we can definitely agree on.

The City is doing an awful job, infact all metro cities are, in allowing off arterial retail.

Let small retail shops expand accordingly. Off arterial retail, in small crammed spaces makes for amazing experience, between small cafes, to niche stores.

Its precisely this type of low rent, small space retail that provides unique flavor to neighborhoods.

[GenWhy?]

For 1810 Alberni, it's roughly a 17,300 sf site, with maybe 5,400sf of that is currently commercial space due to the parking/loading scheme, meaning the loss of commercial square footage is from the current building's second level... which I assume the levels 2-3 are the affordable housing in the new project. The new development proposes to activate both streets, as to what is currently only Denman.

Their stats page is missing info. So it's hard to say the layout, but I wonder if a Design Panel would bring up the 2,000sf loss of commercial space, weighing the fact of increased reduced rent residential units... the compromise and back-and-forth. Neat little project though.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Er no, no it doesn't really make sense. All the sites in the CBD 'area A', the central part of the CBD, can theoretically go to 11 FSR.

By the way, that includes the block to the south, where not so long ago on a significant site the developer chose to only build 3 floors of retail, although they could have added a significant office component.

You forgot about viewcones, and combined with FSR restrictions, are making developers prey on existing heritage buildings on vulnerable sites. In fact, we should take a step further to protect our old structures of aesthetic value, let's leave FSR 11 for all heritage buildings and FSR 15 for everything else.