Downtown Vancouver Updates

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The Central Heat (Creative Energy) Westbank office project has been submitted.

Thanks!
Great to see that it is an office block, not residential
- so there shouldn't be any conflicts with the BC Place Northern Lights display.

The Entertainment Pod doesn't look big enough to house all the uses they suggest.
Even looking at the floorplans, there's no "back-of-house" space (kitchens, storage etc.) on each floor.

Floorplans:
https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/720beatty2/documents/720Beatty-FloorPlan.pdf

[WarrenC12]

Interesting, thanks for posting. I was hoping to get a bit more detail on the upgrades to the energy plant. I was disappointed their proposal of a few years back didn't happen.

Interesting to note they list St. Paul's as a big energy customer. Who or what is going to serve the new campus?

[osirisboy]

35,000 sqft floorplates. Good to finally see that. Hope the city doesn't scare it up

[s211]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Entertainment Pod doesn't look big enough to house all the uses they suggest.
Even looking at the floorplans, there's no "back-of-house" space (kitchens, storage etc.) on each floor.

Presuming the demographic, Uber Eats will be the back of house.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Nov.20 '18, my pic

About ten weeks later...




Jan.31 '19, my pics

fullsizeoutput_6bd3 by mcminsen, on Flickr



fullsizeoutput_6bd7 by mcminsen, on Flickr

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Jan.1 '19, my pic

One month later...




Jan.31 '19, my pics

fullsizeoutput_6bda by mcminsen, on Flickr



fullsizeoutput_6bd8 by mcminsen, on Flickr

[connect2source]

Thanks for the updates!

Curious as to whether Sobeys Inc. will put a Safeway back in the new space or another Sobeys banner? I think a new Freshco might make far more sense in the West End rather than having two Safeways 6 blocks apart. Sobeys seems to be keen to roll out Freshco's in Metro Van.

[officedweller]

I think the West End is a bit of a captive market, though, so they can charge the higher prices of Safeway, rather than Freshco.

[Tetsuo]

Plus they'd have to compete on slimmer margins with a discount banner vs. Nofrills and even Independent.

[whatnext]

Isn’t Freshco just a way for Sobey’s to get around Safeway’s union agreements?

[SpongeG]

Its also their version of no frills where things are cheaper than a regular Sobeys.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Isn’t Freshco just a way for Sobey’s to get around Safeway’s union agreements?

A statement issued Tuesday by UFCW 1518’s president, Kim Novak, took another shot at Empire, the Canadian conglomerate which owns Sobeys Inc, saying that “Empire has made it clear that their bottom line comes before the interests of their hard working and dedicated employees.

“Their desire to move to a discount banner has led to challenges in these existing, established Safeway stores.”

FreshCo, said Novak, will be represented by UFCW 1518, however “there are issues with the collective agreement issued by (mediator Vince Ready) and the ability for Sobeys to convert; both issues are being appealed to the BC Labour Relations Board and the BC Court of Appeal.”

“There’s been a lot of uncertainty around the buyout offer since Mr. Ready handed down his ruling in December,” explained Novak.

“We’re glad the offers are finally being made, but our legal counsel needs to review everything. We’re working as quickly as we can to ensure that things proceed legally and that members are properly informed.”

https://www.richmond-news.com/news/richmond-s-safeways-to-re-open-as-freshco-1.23616283

[officedweller]

PriceSmart was Pattison's way of getting around the Save-on-Foods collective agreement (new stores under a discount banner), but then they ended up converting PriceSmarts to Save-on-Foods and converting PriceSmart to their Asian-focussed stores.

Save-on-Foods and Safeway are the most expensive "regular" grocery stores, so it's conceivable that Safeway can't compete in certain markets. I don't know how Save-on-Foods survives with so many of its own stores in close proximity to each other.

[officedweller]

Terrace House
Jan 31, 2019


https://twitter.com/jacgarvin

[mcminsen]

A new toilet on Bute Street just north of Davie. Handicap accessible and bigger than the one just nearby on Davie.




Feb.9 '19, my pic

[SpongeG]

is that little stretch of street still going to get closed and made into a plaza?

[scryer]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

is that little stretch of street still going to get closed and made into a plaza?

One can dream...

[jlousa]

Looks like they will do some updates to 333 Seymour while they construct the new tower at 601 W Hastings.

REPORT SUMMARYThis report assesses an application to amend the CD-1 (164) By-law for 333 SeymourStreet. The CD-1 By-law permits a floor space ratio (FSR) of 11.17, or 16,194.3 sq. m(174,320 sq. ft.) for all uses combined. This text amendment proposes to increase the maximum floor area to 18,442.4 sq. m (198,514 sq. ft.) and the FSR to 12.73. This would allow for additional office floor area on levels zero, one and two; updated fitness amenities and retail floor space; improvements to the public realm at grade; and a public bike share station at the lane.

They also have to pay an additional $500K for the extra 24,000sqft. Quite the bargain as at 1768 Cook St the city is seeking $5.7M for an additional 11sqft.

333 Seymour
https://council.vancouver.ca/20190212/documents/p2.pdf

1768 Cook St
https://council.vancouver.ca/20190212/documents/p4.pdf

[Changing City]

Here's the next residential tower rezoning proposal - this one for 1290 Hornby (across from Tate, and Salt). More on the Changing City blog, and the City's website.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Looks like they will do some updates to 333 Seymour while they construct the new tower at 601 W Hastings.


They also have to pay an additional $500K for the extra 24,000sqft. Quite the bargain as at 1768 Cook St the city is seeking $5.7M for an additional 11sqft.

If it was 11 square feet, that would be expensive space! It's actually 11,197 square feet of penthouse residential space, while 333 Seymour is adding extra space in a commercial podium, so it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison.