Seymour & Davie (VAHA site)

[TangoSierra]

Hi All,

I'm curious if anyone knows the plans or time frame for the SE corner of Seymour and Davie. Currently its single level commercial but Townline is the property developer and there have been news articles saying that something is going up there in the next year or two. So far nothing has been filed with the City but I thought I'd ask the forum.

Many thanks!

[urbancanadian]

^All I know is that it is planned to be a "midrise", so it won't be very tall.
Which is a good thing, since it'll avoid casting big shadows over Emery Barnes park across the street.

Maybe someone else can add to that...

[TangoSierra]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

^All I know is that it is planned to be a "midrise", so it won't be very tall.
Which is a good thing, since it'll avoid casting big shadows over Emery Barnes park across the street.

Maybe someone else can add to that...

Thanks very much, I'm unfamiliar with the technical specs of "mid rise," the term seems to switch heights by city. Could you give an approx building height for it in Van?

[vanciti]

Originally Posted by TangoSierra

Thanks very much, I'm unfamiliar with the technical specs of "mid rise," the term seems to switch heights by city. Could you give an approx building height for it in Van?

Townline is working on something on that property, but there are tie in's from else where associated. I wouldn't suspect seeing that property start any form of construction for at least a 2-3 years.

[SeymourDrake]

Greetings all 1st post Great Forum.

I was wondering if anyone had any updates on the New Building going up on the corner of Seymour and Davie?

Any idea when construction will start?

it's currently 1 level commercial building and some of the tenants have moved out but there are still 3 or 4 left.

Thanks for your time.

s

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by SeymourDrake

Greetings all 1st post Great Forum.

I was wondering if anyone had any updates on the New Building going up on the corner of Seymour and Davie?

Any idea when construction will start?

it's currently 1 level commercial building and some of the tenants have moved out but there are still 3 or 4 left.

Thanks for your time.

s

Nothing has been submitted that's shown up on the City's website yet. Townline's last Downtown project was 999 Seymour that was completed several years ago. While they submitted an application for a tower on Howe Street, they sold the project on to another developer before starting construction.

[SeymourDrake]

"VAHA and City announce Community Land Trust will build 1,000 units of affordable rental housing on City land"

"1210 Seymour St and 560 Davie St

Approximately 146 units of new affordable rental housing in a mixed-use development in the Downtown South neighbourhood."

Source Article
No Author Listed
Posted on the City of Vancouvers site.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by SeymourDrake

"VAHA and City announce Community Land Trust will build 1,000 units of affordable rental housing on City land"

"1210 Seymour St and 560 Davie St

Approximately 146 units of new affordable rental housing in a mixed-use development in the Downtown South neighbourhood."

Source Article
No Author Listed
Posted on the City of Vancouvers site.

That suggests Townline have sold the site to the City then. New Jubilee House on Richards has 162 units, on a smaller site, and ended up at 13 floors. That suggests 146 units on the Seymour/Davie site might be 9 or 10 storeys. As non-market housing it can probably be built with a Development Permit, rather than requiring a rezoning.

[Feathered Friend]

Vanmaps confirms the sites are now owned by the COV (under the housing and properties tab).

http://vanmapp.vancouver.ca/pubvanma...ning_districts

[osirisboy]

Facing the park. Hmm I feel like the city could sell that land for a good amount of money and build non market housing outside of downtown on cheaper land instead

[domusile]

I believe this site was linked to the 1335 Howe Street development

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by domusile

I believe this site was linked to the 1335 Howe Street development

Looks as if you're right. From the rezoning report: "It is recommended that the Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) from this rezoning application, if approved, be allocated to the purchase of additional heritage density, the transfer of fee simple title to the property at 1210 Seymour Street and 560 Davie Street to the City for a nominal amount, and towards the provision of childcare in and around Downtown South. The future childcare, together with the secured market rental units, would achieve key housing and social objectives in the Downtown South neighbourhood. In addition, a purchase of heritage density will help support citywide heritage conservation by contributing to the reduction of the “heritage bank”.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Facing the park. Hmm I feel like the city could sell that land for a good amount of money and build non market housing outside of downtown on cheaper land instead

I agree. Governments don't seem to give a flying f*&k that the middle class gets priced out of downtown or OV, yet it seems to be of burning importance to them that the poor get the luxury of being housed in these areas. They should be forced out to the suburbs, as economics would dictate.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Facing the park. Hmm I feel like the city could sell that land for a good amount of money and build non market housing outside of downtown on cheaper land instead

Agreed.
Not even out to the suburbs, but the City should maximize the value of the prime park-facing lot by selling it and building in a less prime location
- maybe even a block away on Granville Street (double whammy with revitalization of the strip)
- or on a highly view cone / height restricted site (since this will be a short building)

[Prometheus]

The stupid waste of this site doesn’t come close to the irrationality of the city’s plan to build a small social housing building (with school) on that prime Coal Harbour seawall site (i.e., next to the Coal Harbour Community Centre). Sold to the highest bidder, and unencumbered by any of the city’s especially asinine height/density/shadow restrictions, that site must be worth +250 million (or much more).

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Agreed.
Not even out to the suburbs, but the City should maximize the value of the prime park-facing lot by selling it and building in a less prime location
- maybe even a block away on Granville Street (double whammy with revitalization of the strip)
- or on a highly view cone / height restricted site (since this will be a short building)

Isn't this Davie / Seymour site height restricted because of potentially shading the park?

The current assessed value shows it to be valued at only a few million more than the 125 foot frontage of Granville at Davie where there's approval for a 7 storey 94 unit building. There wouldn't appear to be any significantly greater land value on this site than on a site of the same size on Granville (if one were available for sale).

[SeymourDrake]

I don't know if you've ever been to that park, but there are huge towers on all 4 sides. With 8x on the park under construction. Which will be another monster tower.

10 floors won't cast any shadows...

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by SeymourDrake

I don't know if you've ever been to that park, but there are huge towers on all 4 sides. With 8x on the park under construction. Which will be another monster tower.

10 floors won't cast any shadows...

Yes, I know the park. I'm not sure when the concerns about shadowing parks, and the design guidelines that limit heights were introduced, but it's possible that some of those towers pre-date the policy. The rezoning report on 8X explicitly referenced shadows: "The extent of shadowing onto Emery Barnes Park is limited due to the site’s location at the north end of the park."

You misunderstood my comment; I wasn't suggesting that a 10 storey building would cast unacceptable shadows; I think anything taller (like another tower) probably would. That's why it wouldn't have the land value that might be created if a tower could go to the viewcone - presumably around 30 storeys - the height that the taller Brava tower achieved.

[officedweller]

Is it possible that a developer could design a taller (than 10) slender building on the site (maybe combined with the lot to the south) that would fall within the shadow of the taller Space or Elan buildings to the south when the sun is in the alignment that would otherwise cast a shadow on the park?

.. how many other contortions are required?



https://www.google.com/maps/place/11...4d-123.1236249

[SeymourDrake]

perfect shot of the surrounding buildings and in the upper middle where the building will go at the corner of Seymour and Davie.


Credit on Photo
Found on twitter.
https://twitter.com/IanOyeg/status/1083576354354847749