[Burnaby] Gilmore Place | 214.8m | 64fl | Phase 1 Completed

[squeezied]

Originally Posted by Vin

squeezied logic...malls and tall towers = calamity

No Vin, I like malls and tall towers (believe it or not). You're drunk on malls and tall towers given how impaired your logic is.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by squeezied

No Vin, I like malls and tall towers (believe it or not). You're drunk on malls and tall towers given how impaired your logic is.

Maybe he's from Dubai?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

it's for residents mainly, its not a destination, the movie theatre will be one and most people go in the evening when it's going to be/appear dead.

It's busier during the daytime.

Thanks. Guess I'll try again earlier sometime.

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by Vin

Marine Gateway is one of very few examples of how we successfully densify a former no-go-zone.

This kind of Fox News-tier drivel has no place on this forum.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Vin

Don't disagree with you, and I never said Mt Pleasant isn't urban. The last 10 years had been fairly good as we are seeing quite a few mid-density type housing coming into the Mt Pleasant neighbourhood, but I also don't disagree with you that this area could have done much much more, and that's what I was alluding to. Mind you that for its geography, Mt Pleasant should've developed way more than any of the suburb neighbourhoods, but it certainly hasn't.

As for what you say regarding malls and towers not being urban. Sure, but you can't expect the suburbs to build wood shacks do you? It's just that malls and towers are able to allow high density residences, commercial/retail spaces to come onto a relatively small lot really quickly, and it is economical for developers to do so.

DTES is also very urban, but nothing has changed much in this urban decay, and it won't change much for decades to come. Same applies for other Vancouver neighbourhoods if the same old formula is applied to how we see development in this city.




You have to start somewhere right? In time Gilmore buildings will get older, and more various forms will be built in and around it, creating that urban fabric. Like I've said many times, it's the direction the city is going that impresses me, and not necessarily what it is now. And now Brentwood area will get the tallest skyscraper in BC! That's gotta count for something.

Originally Posted by Vin

Mt Pleasant only seems urban because of a century of build-up and proximity to downtown Vancouver. But it is heading in a very slow direction towards being more urban. Most of the buildings along Main and Kingsway are still wood-shacks. City policies and nimbiyism are also not helping in enticing developers to come in droves to build around here. In fact, many of the newer buildings are not at all impressive, and can be described as suburban. Small commercial buildings line the streets with suburban SFHs sitting right behind them. This is kinda sad as the area has so much potential being so close to downtown Vancouver but there had been many wasted opportunities.

Quite a few of the suburb town centres are only developed merely a couple of decades ago, and I do agree that they are still not on par with some of the Vancouver neighbourhoods on street level at the moment, but at the current rate they will definitely outstrip Mt Pleasant in urbanity.

Metrotown and Brentwood, as well as Coquitlam centre and Surrey Town Centre, are starting to develop cross streets of retail, commercial and residential buildings to create a more downtown-like node. The Station Square and Sears land development are good examples. Brentwood mall, Solo District and subsequent developments away from the major roads like Willingdon and Lougheed highway will also make that area feel more urban than it is now. The latest Gilmore development will only add to the footprint of this urbanity.

Mt. Pleasant is mostly industrial, it's a bad neighborhood to compare anything too.

[bluefox]

Back on topic with the project itself...

Does anyone else feel like GP is going to be a major boondoggle?

The media would be doing us a great service reporting on the fact that a developer is still trying to build semi-luxury condos on a floodplain right at the start of a major downturn in real estate, instead of getting caught up in the "zomg tallest tower in the province" hype.

Unlike nearby projects like Brentwood and Solo which are almost complete or well into their project timeline, this just doesn't feel like it has good timing. We're either going to end up with a significantly shrunken-down finished product or a complete bail-out by the developer unless some changes are made to this project IMO.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Or have the biggest tower in BC constantly rained out. Yeah, like with Richmond, I don't think anybody thought this one through (much of journalism has basically devolved into "he said, she said," so don't expect anything from that angle).

Originally Posted by fredinno

Mt. Pleasant is mostly industrial, it's a bad neighborhood to compare anything too.

The Broadway/Main/Kingsway area is pretty much Gastown - that's what most people see and compare to.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by squeezied

No Vin, I like malls and tall towers (believe it or not). You're drunk on malls and tall towers given how impaired your logic is.

You're not losing a single strand of hair with my logic, so no need for your constant jabs. I like the way Brentwood area, and many other suburb cities, in the direction they are heading, more so than Vancouver's, so just leave it at that.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by fredinno

Mt. Pleasant is mostly industrial, it's a bad neighborhood to compare anything too.

Metrotown was industrial, and Brentwood is still industrial in many parts. It is fast changing though.

Interesting also that metrotown used to produce military vehicles back during the second world war.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Vin

Metrotown was industrial, and Brentwood is still industrial in many parts. It is fast changing though.

Interesting also that metrotown used to produce military vehicles back during the second world war.

Yes, and Mt. Pleasant is going to stay industrial because of an industrial land shortage- artists, repair shops, and tech companies should not be forced to move to the suburbs (not to mention there's no land left for them to go.

It's not Metrotown, and that's ok.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Well that's my point. Some people are acting like Marine, Brentwood etc ARE as busy as Metrotown. I believe you when you say most homes are occupied, but commercially those areas are just not "there" yet. Sorry if you felt like I was attacking your 'hood.

Maybe it was the wrong time of day for me? Went to see a movie on a Tuesday a few months ago, early evening; A&W and T&T were busy, but most other stores and the streetfront itself had around a dozen or so people total - same as the last time I went for a movie in 2016. Definitely better than it was during the Olympics, but IMO not by much.

Well you made a patently false claim about my home turf. Forgive me for being defensive. "Four blocks of empty modern highrises" is the furthest thing from the truth.

[e-clam9]

Just want to say some facts.

Metro town has the biggest mall and many people visit it from different area of BC, including the tourists. It is a tourist attraction in many vacation ad.

Park Royal is the 2nd biggest mall in BC, how often do you visit it ?

Guildford mall is the 3rd biggest mall in BC, I guess even less of you visit it if you don't live near it.

I mean mall size does not always attract visitors/shoppers from other area after the initial excitement and exploration.

Nonetheless, I like these local malls (big or small), it can serve the local area very well and help to develop the area.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by e-clam9

Just want to say some facts.

Metro town has the biggest mall and many people visit it from different area of BC, including the tourists. It is a tourist attraction in many vacation ad.

Park Royal is the 2nd biggest mall in BC, how often do you visit it ?

Guildford mall is the 3rd biggest mall in BC, I guess even less of you visit it if you don't live near it.

I mean mall size does not always attract visitors/shoppers from other area after the initial excitement and exploration.

Nonetheless, I like these local malls (big or small), it can serve the local area very well and help to develop the area.

Except for people with their own cars, most people don't bother going to Guildford and Park Royal malls due to the hassle of getting there on public transit. Therefore they already lose perhaps 50% of the number of customers setting foot in there compared to Metrotown, Surrey Central or Richmond Centre. Furthermore, Park Royal and Guildford areas don't have the kind of residential/commercial densities like other town centres. Tsawwassen Mills would be another huge failure in the long term.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by fredinno

Yes, and Mt. Pleasant is going to stay industrial because of an industrial land shortage- artists, repair shops, and tech companies should not be forced to move to the suburbs (not to mention there's no land left for them to go.

It's not Metrotown, and that's ok.

Most of Mt Pleasant isn't industrial. A large part is residential/commercial. except they are low-rise and city policies don't support change there. Worst still is Nimbyism. The blatant opposition to the Independent when it was first proposed many years ago is just one prime example.

[logan5]

There was opposition to The Independent, but other than that, every other building has gone up with very little opposition, and there have been a lot of development in Mt. Pleasant. The Kingsgate Mall site is planned to have towers, so there might be another protest there.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by logan5

There was opposition to The Independent, but other than that, every other building has gone up with very little opposition, and there have been a lot of development in Mt. Pleasant. The Kingsgate Mall site is planned to have towers, so there might be another protest there.

The Independent is the most prominent and tallest. Therefore you can see how the people there hate going tall, even though it could actually free up the large bulk of the current building and provide a higher FSR. For an area which is basically an extension of downtown, there shouldn't be such animosity towards development.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Vin

Most of Mt Pleasant isn't industrial. A large part is residential/commercial. except they are low-rise and city policies don't support change there. Worst still is Nimbyism. The blatant opposition to the Independent when it was first proposed many years ago is just one prime example.

The industrial part is the part closest to downtown, and thus under the most upwards pressure.

As far as I know, the area wasn't really considered for higher density until recently. NIMBYism used to be stronger, and there was much less of a counter-reason for higher density until now (Downtown Peninsula minus West End filled out- which is comparatively NIMBY, no housing/employment space crisis, no Skytrain in the region.

The City tried to get people to invest into the nearby Flats for decades- no one bit, until now. Now that that's finally happening, they can focus on the higher-hanging fruit- ie. the SFHs and commercial areas of Mt. Pleasant, as it provides an anchor of density that can spread and support remaining density.

Kingsway-Main is somewhat dense, despite the limitations, though.

[GilmoreStation]

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[skylinegazer]

hmm nice look thanks for posting :-)

[Klazu]

I got claustrophobic from seeing how crammed all of those units are. Windowsless bedrooms galore.

Noise will be significant on those units facing the SkyTrain station.