Downtown Vancouver Updates

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Never thought I'd see that many cranes in my life in the West End.

While I welcome the change, but I do hope the character of the West end doesn't change too much. I hope it becomes a nicer version of the West End, not another Yaletown clone.

Agreed. We will have countless neighbourhoods of new, glass condos. The West End stands out as Canada's first great high-rise neighbourhood, and has matured well.

These recent projects are all located in rezoned areas of the neighbourhood (Burrard, the slopes of Davie and Robson), which aren't really that extensive. Much of the rest of the neighbourhood will likely see little change. That being said, walking through it recently I noticed that a lot of the rental buildings in the neighbourhood are being renovated, at least on the exterior, which is great to see.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Never thought I'd see that many cranes in my life in the West End.

While I welcome the change, but I do hope the character of the West end doesn't change too much. I hope it becomes a nicer version of the West End, not another Yaletown clone.

Agree with both points.

[idunno]

I don't think it will too much. The key here is that all 5 of these buildings going up are rental! So we'll actually have people living in them, and they won't necessarily be the yaletown types.

Is there any other such cluster of rental U/C in the whole city?

[jollyburger]

Well even density along the main arterials will spill over into the type of businesses that can afford to operate in the area. That will be a huge impact on the character of the area even if you leave everything in the middle untouched.

[mcminsen]

If I could have gone into the middle of Davie Street to take a photo then there would have also been the crane on the tower going up on the old London Drugs parking lot.

And imagine this view with at least four more cranes in it. Two more for the two towers of the Mirabel, one more for the Safeway site and maybe one on the Rogers mansion site. And that's not including the crane that might eventually be on the corner of Denman and Davie where the old green high-rise will be redeveloped. And let's not forget the cranes that will be on the towers going up on Thurlow and Burnaby. I'd love to have a drone to get all that in one pic in another year or two.

Originally Posted by mcminsen

June 4 '18, my pics

[Otis_Van]

Remember, too, that the low rise in the foreground in the right of your photo (Davie at Nicola) also has an active dev app underway. I believe it was recently rejected by UDP due to podium issues? (too lazy to go back and check). That’s another crane in this view once they get their proposal sorted out.

Edit: Went back and dug it out

Oh, also, I saw a rumour on here some time ago that the crappy low rise condo (the faux Tuscan one) next to the mansion at the corner of Davie and Cardero was sold to a developer.

Originally Posted by mcminsen

If I could have gone into the middle of Davie Street to take a photo then there would have also been the crane on the tower going up on the old London Drugs parking lot.

And imagine this view with at least four more cranes in it. Two more for the two towers of the Mirabel, one more for the Safeway site and maybe one on the Rogers mansion site. And that's not including the crane that might eventually be on the corner of Denman and Davie where the old green high-rise will be redeveloped. And let's not forget the cranes that will be on the towers going up on Thurlow and Burnaby. I'd love to have a drone to get all that in one pic in another year or two.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Never thought I'd see that many cranes in my life in the West End.

While I welcome the change, but I do hope the character of the West end doesn't change too much. I hope it becomes a nicer version of the West End, not another Yaletown clone.

Agreed.

West end has a great character and vibe.

Such a distinct and fun neighbourhood.

Vital it remains so, as much as possible.

[tabris]

Here are some pictures of my view from Trump. Just maybe gives everyone different angles on buildings. Shangri-La looks very daunting and fantastic from my floor in comparison to seeing it from other perspectives:

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

April 20 '18, my pics

Originally Posted by mcminsen

April 25 '18, my pics

401 W. Georgia.



June 7 '18, my pics

[Feathered Friend]

http://development.vancouver.ca/688cambie/documents/projectstats.pdf


http://development.vancouver.ca/688cambie/documents/lscape.pdf

688 Cambie Street
It appears that, as Vancouverites become more experienced with the Temporary Modular Homes, the opposition to this new form of housing will continue to drop. Alternatively, it could be those in charge of finding locations know which areas are less tolerant of these needed services and simply avoid them.

Much like the recently approved Little Mountain TMH, these proposed homes at Larwill Park generated very little opposition at the proposals first open house event held on May 15th. In fact, there were barely any people in attendance at all, as only 30 people had come to the event before we left.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2018/06/08...nd-modular-housing-event-see-excitement/

[WarrenC12]

I'm disappointed in the sense that there's nothing more urgent happening at Larwill, like a new Art Gallery. These "temporary" homes go up fast though, it will be good to see some deserving people get them.

[jlousa]

So many better locations to put this where it wouldn't impede on expected development. We'll see if this one gets off the ground before council change.

[Feathered Friend]

Is 15 Floors Enough? Not in Vancouver’s Hot Economy – Tear it Down and Double it!
1166 West Pender
Major changes to the urban realm can be hard for anyone to adjust to. For instance, many in Vancouver were shocked to learn of the proposal to replace the Empire Landmark Hotel, built in 1973, with two new condo towers that will be slightly shorter, but will provide more homes and some social housing. While some felt that providing 300 new homes at the location was a better use of land, there were still many vocal critics who were upset over the loss of that iconic building.

That said, We would be surprised if any felt sorry to see the former home of Canadian Revenue Agency meet a similar fate.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2018/06/11...-hot-economy-tear-it-down-and-double-it/

[ericmacm]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2018/06/11...-hot-economy-tear-it-down-and-double-it/

A 31-storey office building in place of a 15 storey office building sounds like a pretty good deal. If the rezoning goes through, I'm hoping that design-wise, it ends up looking a little different than the current crop of office buildings that are proposed/under construction in Vancouver.

[logan5]

Not green is the pinnacle of architecture in Vancouver.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

A 31-storey office building in place of a 15 storey office building sounds like a pretty good deal. If the rezoning goes through, I'm hoping that design-wise, it ends up looking a little different than the current crop of office buildings that are proposed/under construction in Vancouver.

Is there a common theme among this round of office buildings? I'd say they're all pretty different from each other.

Also, I'm a little disappointed by the height. Isn't this in the viewcone shadow of 1133 Melville? This should be able to go much taller. .

[s211]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Is there a common theme among this round of office buildings? I'd say they're all pretty different from each other.

Also, I'm a little disappointed by the height. Isn't this in the viewcone shadow of 1133 Melville? This should be able to go much taller. .

Going from memory, this is a small site. Might have bearing on achievable floor plates and thus height?

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by s211

Going from memory, this is a small site. Might have bearing on achievable floor plates and thus height?

Could be. I was expecting Reliance to try for a rare stacked use here. Satisfy the City's 9.0 FSR minimum commercial (probably plus some just to keep them happy) then do 20 odd floors of executive rentals or something like that too. Could work with a small floorplate.

[uzi]

I went to the building next to 1166 west pender for American Visa 3 years ago. I believe at that time this building was owned by oxford.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

A 31-storey office building in place of a 15 storey office building sounds like a pretty good deal. If the rezoning goes through, I'm hoping that design-wise, it ends up looking a little different than the current crop of office buildings that are proposed/under construction in Vancouver.

Hardly a good deal when merely couple of blocks away there are blocks of 1 to 3-storey woodframe shops or apartments on lands that are severely underzoned.

Which is a better deal?

1. 1-storey building in risk of collapsing turning into a 31-storey modern office tower with retail below

OR

2. 15 storey mid-century office tower with retail below turning into a 31-storey modern office tower with retail below

You decide....