Vancouver Infill & Lowrise Updates Discussion

[Feathered Friend]

Vancouver’s Urban Design Panel asks Broadway Mid-rise to take a Difficult Step Back

2209-2249 East Broadway
It’s no secret that Hannah and I strongly feel that it’s senseless to require every 6 story mid-rise proposed in Vancouver to be reviewed by the Urban Design Panel. This one is particularly irksome, as it’s coming under the relatively new Grandview Woodland Community Plan, and a nearby application that was similar in height was approved by our recently elected city council earlier this year.

On a positive note, the meeting gave me a chance to get a look at the project’s scale model, as I wasn’t able to attend the open house. I soon learned the reason the east and west sides of the building looked so different is because of the curved boulevard along East Broadway. This feature has also forced the design team to seek a small 5 foot relaxation, which proved too much for most of the panel.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/05/02...-mid-rise-to-take-a-difficult-step-back/

[GenWhy?]

That Open House was super quiet. And 5 feet?! Jesus people. If that stretch from Victoria to Naniamo had these it would be a game changer. Even with a recent OCP done it still takes 4 years to get anything finalized. What a joke. What's the point of the OCP if you do all the same work through rezoning as if a plan doesn't exist?

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/05/02...-mid-rise-to-take-a-difficult-step-back/

Off-note here, but Templeton Dr. really needs to be extended north for a more complete grid in this area...

[Galaxy]

I am not sure where the crane count thread is or the Cambie corridor one. Lol! some times wish there was an easier way on this forum to find threads cause we have so many. In any case, just wanted to mention Cocoa had its crane raised today and I updated the spreadsheet to show that and increase our crane count. the following is an image of the crane going up today.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/04/30...ng-narrowly-wins-the-support-of-the-udp/

A more reasonable question to ask is why not require the building to be more than 6 stores given the skytrain is a block or two away.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by casper

A more reasonable question to ask is why not require the building to be more than 6 stores given the skytrain is a block or two away.

No really, this site is far from an employment hub, why on earth have highrises.

I realize this is SSP, but some people need to rethink the notion that every rapid transit stop needs a forest of skyscrapers. It's not the norm in Europe, why should it be here?

[Feathered Friend]

One could argue about the potential of the nearby Broadway Tech Centre, or even the film studios, which are only a couple minutes away.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

One could argue about the potential of the nearby Broadway Tech Centre, or even the film studios, which are only a couple minutes away.

The Broadway Tech Centre could have had a few more floors added to it.

[retro_orange]

Just looking at a satellite image of the area, it's hard to say really what it will be like in 10 or 20+ years. From basically Nanaimo to Boundary and 8th ave to 14th ave there are tons of under utilized lots in the area. Not only commercial strips and older buildings with big parking lots but most of the houses along Broadway and Grandview in that vicinity are already owned by developers as they have been selling as big parcels of land in the past few years instead of individual houses yet has been mostly untouched in this boom that's coming to an end.

The Broadway tech centre is also another future mystery, the buildings are mostly typical, quick to build commercial structures that don't come close to fronting on the streets surrounding them and can easily be upzoned in the future to a higher density development that has better connectivity to the neighborhood. It's laid out like it should be in Surrey or something. Same with that ugly mega-church; that can't last much longer.

As precedent for what can go in the area in the future; there's already that multi-level Canadian tire, Save-on that's an anomaly as the adjacent wal-mart and Lowes are still typical big boxes in parking lots. The Italian cultural centre had proposed towers on their site as well. Plus just across boundary is Gilmore and Brentwood stations which are getting heavily densified and feel like the same neighborhood.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by casper

A more reasonable question to ask is why not require the building to be more than 6 stores given the skytrain is a block or two away.

Policy stated 6-storey max rezoning due to current zoning. There is no area plan in the area beyond may 6-storey and townhome projects in the area. The only real plan that exists is for the employment lands in the corridor, which are to be retained and enhanced. The issue is more-so that rezonings and 6-storey buildings are allowed on the major roads in the area (Renfrew, Nanaimo, Grandview, and Rupert) on commercial properties only and not really on the majority of land (SF homes).

[Feathered Friend]

Vancouver’s UDP Hopes Fantastic Homes will Brighten the Lives of our Senior Citizens

2010 Harrison Drive (German Canadian Care Home)
After Hannah and I attend a contentious open house, I often find myself anticipating the Urban Design Panel‘s review afterwards. These volunteer experts might sometimes blur the line between urban design and personal taste, but it’s reassuring when they share our feelings about a proposal. So, unlike those who called both the project and I ugly, the panel’s feelings were summed up by one member who described it as a fantastic building in the right location.

No one on the panel questioned the appropriateness of the project’s height or density. In contrast, the design team actually won praise for their skillful handling of this difficult site. Many acknowledged the building was shaped not only by the steep terrain, but also by the site’s large trees, which will be preserved. While one member worried how the building’s expression fit into the area, others praised it for taking care to preserve the surrounding private views.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/05/06...ighten-the-lives-of-our-senior-citizens/

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by casper

The Broadway Tech Centre could have had a few more floors added to it.

It could, but it's already 4-6 stories. When was the thing built? That might impact if it'd be upzoned.

Originally Posted by retro_orange

Just looking at a satellite image of the area, it's hard to say really what it will be like in 10 or 20+ years. From basically Nanaimo to Boundary and 8th ave to 14th ave there are tons of under utilized lots in the area. Not only commercial strips and older buildings with big parking lots but most of the houses along Broadway and Grandview in that vicinity are already owned by developers as they have been selling as big parcels of land in the past few years instead of individual houses yet has been mostly untouched in this boom that's coming to an end.

The Broadway tech centre is also another future mystery, the buildings are mostly typical, quick to build commercial structures that don't come close to fronting on the streets surrounding them and can easily be upzoned in the future to a higher density development that has better connectivity to the neighborhood. It's laid out like it should be in Surrey or something. Same with that ugly mega-church; that can't last much longer.

As precedent for what can go in the area in the future; there's already that multi-level Canadian tire, Save-on that's an anomaly as the adjacent wal-mart and Lowes are still typical big boxes in parking lots. The Italian cultural centre had proposed towers on their site as well. Plus just across boundary is Gilmore and Brentwood stations which are getting heavily densified and feel like the same neighborhood.

I think the mixed-industrial designation is the bigger thing here. It's going to be converted into either industrial or Business Parks. So much of the area is composed of auto-dominated-commercial retail or parking lots that you could quintuple the employment with only False Creek Flats-style 8-10 story business parks, and not touch ANY of the 'true' industrial lands. The megachurch is pretty small in comparison to all the other major commercial/non-profit uses in the area.

The Flats is a pretty good model to go for this area in the future- it's already partially there.

https://vancouver.ca/docs/planning/renfrew-collingwood-community-vision-full-report.pdf
However, the current Renfrew-Collingwood plan, which I think was made in the early-mid 2000s, after Millennium Line Phase 1, pretty much states status quo. it might be revisited considering its eventual age, and higher support for encouraging employment uses and density following the financial crisis and housing crisis- this is pretty much what happened to the Flats.

The Woodlands region was already upzoned by Vision: <From City of Van Website>

They rezoned a TON of land- mostly for 6 story apartments, a far cry from the SFHs previously. Considering this is one of the most NIMBY parts of Vancouver, I'm pretty happy with the results. This is actually more ambitious than most of the Cambie corridor outside the immediate FTDAs and town centres.

Note that these areas in the Woodlands being rezoned are mostly on SFHs or existing 4-story apartments.

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/05/06...ighten-the-lives-of-our-senior-citizens/

I just have one question. Why is it named the German Canadian Care Home?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by fredinno

I have just have one question. Why is it named the German Canadian Care Home?

Seriously? I know you don't know how to use Google, but even Bing could tell you:

"Our Home has been providing compassionate care for over 40 years, and we have adopted the Eden Alternative approach. Residents are ethnically diverse, including approximately 30% of German descent.

Our strengths include long-term, experienced staff members, an in-house rehabilitation department, recreation and music therapy, as well as a number of other in-house services for the convenience of the residents. The Home has been accredited continuously since 1979.

The Home is supported by the German-Canadian Benevolent Society, which provides volunteers, activities and fundraising to enrich the lives of the residents and enhance the care home. The Society is currently fundraising towards a longer-term goal: the redevelopment of the entire care home."

It would help if you could either repost huge images as resized smaller, or just include a link without actually including the image. Having a huge image doesn't help as it can't actually be seen.

[GenWhy?]

Areas around Renfrew and Rupert SkyTrain stations have almost been completely rezoned to CD-1. Some have 200 foot height limits with 3 FSR (3030 E Broadway), or are C-1 or I-2 where the BCLB and distribution is.

Renfrew-Collingwood Community Vision was approved by council in 2004 which is not anything that really afffects zoning and is more of a guideline for changes / growth.

The Grandview-Woodlands Plan is almost the opposite of ambitious and in actuality hardly any land was rezoned or "upzoned". Almost all projects must go through a rezoning process and are limited to a few per radius to limit growth. The Plan limits growth very well.

[fredinno]

....

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

again with the massively wide images? seriously, scale them down. and learn to google, bing, or whatever you use, more effectively.

[mcminsen]

I wanted to see that image more easily so I copied it and resized it.

Originally Posted by fredinno

It could, but it's already 4-6 stories. When was the thing built? That might impact if it'd be upzoned.



I think the mixed-industrial designation is the bigger thing here. It's going to be converted into either industrial or Business Parks. So much of the area is composed of auto-dominated-commercial retail or parking lots that you could quintuple the employment with only False Creek Flats-style 8-10 story business parks, and not touch ANY of the 'true' industrial lands. The megachurch is pretty small in comparison to all the other major commercial/non-profit uses in the area.

The Flats is a pretty good model to go for this area in the future- it's already partially there.

https://vancouver.ca/docs/planning/renfrew-collingwood-community-vision-full-report.pdf
However, the current Renfrew-Collingwood plan, which I think was made in the early-mid 2000s, after Millennium Line Phase 1, pretty much states status quo. it might be revisited considering its eventual age, and higher support for encouraging employment uses and density following the financial crisis and housing crisis- this is pretty much what happened to the Flats.

The Woodlands region was already upzoned by Vision:
<From City of Van Website>

They rezoned a TON of land- mostly for 6 story apartments, a far cry from the SFHs previously. Considering this is one of the most NIMBY parts of Vancouver, I'm pretty happy with the results. This is actually more ambitious than most of the Cambie corridor outside the immediate FTDAs and town centres.

Note that these areas in the Woodlands being rezoned are mostly on SFHs or existing 4-story apartments.



I just have one question. Why is it named the German Canadian Care Home?

[officedweller]

Thanks.
I didn't even bother to look at it the first time because it was too big.

The amount of office space allowed is ridiculously small.

[scryer]

The amount of office space allowed is ridiculously small.

Yeah... And the amount of 10+ stories allowed around Commercial-Broadway Station should have the folks that proposed that 🞵🞵🞵🞵 burned at the stake.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks.
I didn't even bother to look at it the first time because it was too big.

The amount of office space allowed is ridiculously small.

Because you want more places to live?

This was never an office district to begin with, and it's a fair distance from Downtown. How well could offices compete vs Broadway-Renfrew or the Flats?

Originally Posted by scryer

Yeah... And the amount of 10+ stories allowed around Commercial-Broadway Station should have the folks that proposed that 🞵🞵🞵🞵 burned at the stake.

This is the Woodlands. The residents here are infamous for protesting Skytrain and any sort of new development. Also, it's not part of a Town Centre.