Cambie Corridor Updates

[Feathered Friend]

Treated Like Garbage – Vancouver’s UDP Requests Resubmission Of Pearson Dogwood Care Home

650 West 57th Avenue – DP-2019-00686 – Dogwood Care Centre – Pearson Dogwood Parcel B
As the rezoning application for the Pearson Dogwood site was approved just months before Hannah and I began to document our city’s growth, we often learn a lot at these Urban Design Panel reviews. Though even someone who had closely followed this proposal over these 6 years would be surprised, as plans for the new 150 bed Dogwood Care Centre have been seriously altered. Not only has the height been cut back ~18 feet, but the layout has essentially been flipped (pg 2).

The driving reason for this is twofold, as the applicant hoped to improve the quality of these residents lives by orientating the internal residential area southward for better sunlight exposure. Which is important, as it’s unlikely the people in need of these elder care and trach beds will have an opportunity to mingle with the public in the plaza. Even the building’s outdoor amenity space has been broken into three separate areas to facilitate this diversity of needs.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/11/19...submission-of-pearson-dogwood-care-home/

[Feathered Friend]

Urban Design Panel Envisions A Downtown Makeover For Oakridge’s Town Centre

325-343 West 41st Avenue & 357-475 West 41st Avenue
Admittedly, neither Hannah nor I understand why the city continues to insist on requiring open house events for rezoning applications in the Cambie Corridor. Even the open house for these two projects, put forward by the same applicant team, only drew an attendance of 53 people at the lively Jewish Community Centre. Simply put, a trio of buildings reaching 10, 14, and 22 floors isn’t controversial when the community has been consulted for almost a decade.

Though there has been some changes since this proposal’s pre-application event earlier this year, as the hotel space in the western building’s podium has been eliminated in order to offer more rental homes. That might spell trouble for Councillor Fry’s idea to incentivize rental buildings by permitting them to provide short-term rental units, like those run by Sonder. As for this project, its main problem was due to the applicant’s own mistake.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2019/11/27...town-makeover-for-oakridges-town-centre/

[cyclinginvancouver]

The City of Vancouver has received an application to rezone 6409-6487 Cambie Street from RT-1 (Two-Family Dwelling) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. The proposal consists of a 10-storey mixed-use building over two levels of underground parking with:

Commercial retail space at grade with live/work units at the lane;
Office space on levels two and three;
37-space childcare facility on level two;
127 strata residential units;
A building height of 39.83 m (130.7 ft.);
A total floor area of 10,417 sq. m (112,130 sq. ft.);
A floor space ratio (FSR) of 4.09; and
163 underground parking spaces and 306 Class A bicycle spaces.
This rezoning application is being considered under the Cambie Corridor Plan.

https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/6409-6487cambiest/index.htm

[WarrenC12]

That's a lot of parking across the street from rapid transit...

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

That's a lot of parking across the street from rapid transit...

Has a fair amount of office, retail, childcare and it's strata. Would have been probably more inconvenient and costly to do 1 1/2 instead of 2 lvls of parking. Considering most of the parkade is ramp, bikes, and services.

[SFUVancouver]

While it should be a lot larger of a project for its proximity to a rapid transit station, it's a good proposal and nice to see genuine mixed use on the Cambie Corridor.

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

While it should be a lot larger of a project for its proximity to a rapid transit station, it's a good proposal and nice to see genuine mixed use on the Cambie Corridor.

Should have been a rental building with a private park ride parking. Would have been a great investment property. That is one of the biggest things missing is the last mile or so service.

[squeezied]

I don't mind the midrise, but the taller corner building is just bland. Not a fan of the recessed balconies and blank walls.

[scottN]

The lowest portion of the parking lot is on a ramp so cutting part of a level would reduce the excavation depth.

55 of the parking spaces (all of P1) are designated as being for commercial use. I don't know what is typical for retail / office use. The residential portion is a bit less than one space per unit which seems fairly typical for a strata development.

IMO it makes more sense to have a single pool of parking for this kind of development to make more efficient use of the space. Office parking is only busy during the day and residential parking is busiest at night. Dividing the parking ensures it will always be underutilized.

[officedweller]

But exclusive use of a parking stall is a benefit of ownership.
Schedules change, people have flexible lifestyles, only use the car on weekends, sometimes take transit, etc. - you wouldn't want to come home during the day or during your vacation only to find there are no parking spaces available. And if you share a car with someone else in your household, it's useful to use the same parking spot every day so you know where the car is.
You don't want to be too precise, otherwise someone will get screwed at some point then a whole set rules will need to be developed, etc.

Likewise, communal laundry rooms may be more efficient for use of resources, space, etc., since your own machines are probably sitting idle most of the time, but I don't think you'd see many people jumping to do that, either.

[WarrenC12]

55 Commercial spots makes more sense with all of the office space there. Still, how many of those workers will Skytrain in? Parking will be there but certainly not free unless you're the boss.

Strata parking is a PITA in so far as it's very hard to change the usage once it has been set and stalls assigned. Who knows what the demand will be for both of these in ~5 years, but the development is stuck with it.

With respect to residential parking, planting multiple car share vehicles here would help alleviate a lot of parking requirements.

[cyclinginvancouver]

Bradbury Architecture has applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop a 6-storey residential building that includes:


• 51 secured market rental units;
• a building height of 20.65 m (67.75 ft.) from grade;
• a Floor Space Ratio (FSR) of 3.0; and
• 37 vehicle parking spaces and 65 bicycle spaces.


The application is being considered under the Cambie Corridor Plan and the Secured Market Rental Housing Policy.


The rezoning application was approved by City Council, following Public Hearing, on October 20, 2016. Among the conditions of Council’s enactment, the applicant must obtain approval of the development permit.

We welcome your written comments (letter or e-mail) on this development application. Comments should be received on, or before January 31, 2020, to be considered in the staff review. However, written comments will be considered up until the date of decision.

512 W King Edward Avenue

[cairnstone]

Who are all this people that are giving up there car? I dont see a huge surplus of parking spaces anywhere in the city except at shopping malls because it back in the day it was easier to pave than to cut the grass.

Many of my friends that live multi family have more than 1 vehicle and rent an additional space. When I moved recently I disqualified buildings without visitor parking or ample street parking. This city is 50 plus years away before we start to reduce car parking.

I don't really see what the trend is for the no car movement especially here. Sure a few millennial would sooner share a car and not leave the 20 blocks they live. But the greater area needs cars from working away from direct transit or moving kids to events to trades people going from job to job.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by cairnstone

Who are all this people that are giving up there car? I dont see a huge surplus of parking spaces anywhere in the city except at shopping malls because it back in the day it was easier to pave than to cut the grass.

Many of my friends that live multi family have more than 1 vehicle and rent an additional space. When I moved recently I disqualified buildings without visitor parking or ample street parking. This city is 50 plus years away before we start to reduce car parking.

I don't really see what the trend is for the no car movement especially here. Sure a few millennial would sooner share a car and not leave the 20 blocks they live. But the greater area needs cars from working away from direct transit or moving kids to events to trades people going from job to job.

There are numerous studies that have shown that municipalities in the Lower Mainland overprescribe the amount of parking.

Metro Vancouver Parking Study

[cairnstone]

you don't see them listed for rent. Friend is paying 175 a month so his GF has a place to park in his building. If it was over subscribed you would see craigslist full of adds and a much cheaper price

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by cairnstone

you don't see them listed for rent. Friend is paying 175 a month so his GF has a place to park in his building. If it was over subscribed you would see craigslist full of adds and a much cheaper price

Nice friend. Downtown spots rent for under $100 in a lot of buildings.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

There are numerous studies that have shown that municipalities in the Lower Mainland overprescribe the amount of parking.

Metro Vancouver Parking Study

And yet when I visit friends downtown, the parkades always seem pretty full....

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by whatnext

And yet when I visit friends downtown, the parkades always seem pretty full....

Same guy that did this study also did the count on the use of bikes in the city that indicates they are used 12 months of the year

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

And yet when I visit friends downtown, the parkades always seem pretty full....

I own in an older building that has about 1 parking space per unit. Plenty of available spaces down there.

It takes time for new owners to adjust, especially if they move from further out. They realize they don't need their own car.

YMMV of course.

[jlousa]

At Woodwards stalls are between $200-250month for whats it worth, which is in line with what they are renting for at Fairmont PacRim and Shaw Tower.