Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Migrant_Coconut]

From the usual suspects:

The vote was 7-3, with councillors Adriane Carr, Jean Swanson, and Colleen Hardwick opposed, and councillor Christine Boyle absent...

... “I’m very torn about this, because as I said I love the Passive House so much, but that does not seem like we’re getting significant public benefits in terms of the number of units, the cost, and what could be done with the $70-million in community amenity contributions otherwise,” said Carr, who took issue with the building’s tall height partially shadowing the nearby public park, playground, and elementary school at certain times of the day.

Hardwick deemed the height and density at the location to be “over the top,” and questioned the need for the new housing given the impact of the current health crisis.

“We still don’t know [what] the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is going to be on our housing situation, and certainly the form of the 60-storey building is going to involve a lot of elevators,” said Hardwick.

A motion proposed by Swanson to request the developer to make the social housing component more affordable was ruled out of order.

“I know staff are going to work hard to make it more affordable, but there’s no guarantee of that,” said Swanson. “I think this project shows where our definition of social housing is a problem… I don’t think I can vote for it when the main public benefit isn’t even guaranteed to replace the affordability of the units that we’re losing.”

Then a hard rebuttal:

Councillor Melissa DeGenova countered Swanson’s point of view, stating that “there has to be a conversation that we’re meeting our targets on certain income levels, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t support projects that benefit other income levels as well.”

She was also at odds with how some councillors previously said they support height and density in the “right neighbourhood,” but then are opposed to these forms of developments in the West End, noting that the public speakers opposed to the project were able to move to the area because of density.

“I think it’s important that we’re encouraging more families to be able to live in our city, and we’re saying that not only do we want them to live in our city, but we’re showing them with our actions by creating family-friendly housing in walkable neighbourhoods,” said DeGenova.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

From the usual suspects:

Adriane Carr, Jean Swanson, and Colleen Hardwick

Such a weird NIMBY trifecta.

[Anorak]

There's quite a few rezoning open houses on shapeyourcity.ca. It takes a few seconds to drop a comment at each, and they can make a big difference.

The rezoning at 450 W Georgia is closing this weekend, so I'd strongly urge members to leave a comment if they're opposed to the form. You could say something as simple as "a taller, more slender tower with a more interesting design would be much better in this location".

[jollyburger]

Event:Tower Crane Lift on See-Em-La Lane from Bidwell St to Cadero St
Location:
See-Em-La Lane from Bidwell St to Cadero St
Expected Schedule:
Jul 6, 2020 - Jul 11, 2020; M - Sa; 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Status:Approved
Description:
Crews will be on-site to complete crane lifts in the laneway north of Davie St from Bidwell St to Cadero St.

Traffic Impacts:
- Reduced travel lanes in the See-Em-La Lane from Bidwell St to Cadero St
- The upper and lower driveways will remain accessible for residents to access both towers from their underground ramps.
- Traffic control personnel will be on-site to support lane closures during deliveries.
Posted:Jul 2, 2020
Updated:Jul 2, 2020 2:50 PM

[Klazu]

That's an interesting name... See-Em-La Lane. Is that a name for a laneway?

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Klazu

That's an interesting name... See-Em-La Lane. Is that a name for a laneway?

yes, the laneways/back lanes/alleys in the West End received names about 2yrs ago now.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Klazu

That's an interesting name... See-Em-La Lane. Is that a name for a laneway?

Yeah they renamed eight of them in the West End in 2017.

[officedweller]

Ugly murals invade Yaletown...


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/staircase-murals-yaletown-photos

[Klazu]

I like the idea of murals but those are not up to the snuff and look like they were made by children. Some high-quality and unique designs would be cool to see but this is "The Charleson" level of quality.

[s211]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Yeah they renamed eight of them in the West End in 2017.

I'd love to know how many full-time bureaucrats it took to undertake that.

"Say, I'm world-travelled, and in city "X", their alleys have names. It's important we do that too! Form a committee, and make sure we have a sensitivity counsellor handy."

[Otis_Van]

Originally Posted by s211

I'd love to know how many full-time bureaucrats it took to undertake that.

"Say, I'm world-travelled, and in city "X", their alleys have names. It's important we do that too! Form a committee, and make sure we have a sensitivity counsellor handy."

The west end community plan allows for small infill buildings in certain locations/situations. Those buildings front the laneways, so they named the laneways to give the buildings street addresses. The fact that they’re named to recognize local figures, etc., is a nice way to help foster a sense of community.

Your critique is unoriginal and uninformed.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by s211

I'd love to know how many full-time bureaucrats it took to undertake that.

"Say, I'm world-travelled, and in city "X", their alleys have names. It's important we do that too! Form a committee, and make sure we have a sensitivity counsellor handy."

Your cynicism is showing again. (That's a polite version of what I would have said to you directly). They're unpaid volunteers, advised by the Fire Service and other emergency services to make sure that the names aren't easily confused with any other names. Council usually (but not always) agrees with their suggested names.

The West End lanes had to be given names because under the West End Plan developments can now be built with no access to the street, and new buildings need an identifiable address for the emergency services. That's because West End lanes are wider than in the rest of the city, so fire trucks can use the lane. Everywhere else fires are accessed from the street.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Otis_Van

The west end community plan allows for small infill buildings in certain locations/situations. Those buildings front the laneways, so they named the laneways to give the buildings street addresses. The fact that they’re named to recognize local figures, etc., is a nice way to help foster a sense of community.

Your critique is unoriginal and uninformed.

Do laneway houses outside the downtown area have laneway addresses? Hmmm?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by s211

Do laneway houses outside the downtown area have laneway addresses? Hmmm?

No. Laneway homes outside the West End don't have laneway adresses them because they don't need them. The fire trucks or ambulances will be in the street, so they need a street address and access from the street. In the West End the lanes are the same width as streets. Fire trucks and ambulances can use them. If there's an emergency call they need to be able to find where to go from the address. Some of the new laneway 'infill' buildings in the West End are quite big, with multiple units and sometimes only access from the lane, not from a street. So the lanes need to have a name. You seem to be struggling to understand a perfectly simple explanation.

[jollyburger]

This one actually has a laneway address:

https://www.urbanyvr.com/west-end-laneway-rentals/

Any idea why the laneways were built so wide?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

This one actually has a laneway address:

https://www.urbanyvr.com/west-end-laneway-rentals/

Any idea why the laneways were built so wide?

I don't know, but I'll take an educated guess. The West End was initially bought in 1862 by Morton, Brighouse and Hailstone long before the CPR arrived in the city. They had already had the area surveyed and plotted before Hamilton's survey for the CPR. Burrard Street was their boundary, and quite a few CPR streets don't line up with West End Streets. Often they actually line up with West End lanes. In the CPR survey lanes were 20 feet wide, but the earlier West End survey for what was initially (and unsuccessfully) marketed as "New Liverpool" had 33 feet wide lanes. Part of the 'deal' to secure Granville (renamed as Vancouver in 1886) as the rail terminus saw CPR given a third of the West End.

[officedweller]

Smith & Richards Park

Pics by me Sunday July 5th:

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

401 West Georgia / 402 Dunsmuir

Pics by me yesterday May 28, 2020

Some pics from today.

I would have gotten more pics but after that last one on Dunsmuir Street two security guards came barreling out the door and ordered me to stop taking pictures. They said it wasn't allowed.

I said I'm not on your property, I'm on the sidewalk and one of them (he looked like a security supervisor) said if I took any more pictures he would call the police and have me arrested. I just walked away.

Anyone else have an experience like this? On what basis would they be justified for calling the police to stop me? Again, I was on the sidewalk, near the curb.






July 7 '20, my pics

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Some pics from today.

I would have gotten more pics but after that last one on Dunsmuir Street two security guards came barreling out the door and ordered me to stop taking pictures. They said it wasn't allowed.

I said I'm not on your property, I'm on the sidewalk and one of them (he looked like a security supervisor) said if I took any more pictures he would call the police and have me arrested. I just walked away.

Anyone else have an experience like this? On what basis would they be justified for calling the police to stop me? Again, I was on the sidewalk, near the curb.

I don't have any expertise to offer, but I just wanted to express my sincere sympathy that you had to go through such a nasty experience. We deeply appreciate your contributions here, and it sucks that your generous efforts were met with such treatment.

Frankly, given the quality of your photos, I'm surprised developers aren't
offering to pay you for your efforts, let alone chasing you off. I would reach out to the developer, and failing that, the media.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Some pics from today.

I would have gotten more pics but after that last one on Dunsmuir Street two security guards came barreling out the door and ordered me to stop taking pictures. They said it wasn't allowed.

I said I'm not on your property, I'm on the sidewalk and one of them (he looked like a security supervisor) said if I took any more pictures he would call the police and have me arrested. I just walked away.

Anyone else have an experience like this? On what basis would they be justified for calling the police to stop me? Again, I was on the sidewalk, near the curb.

I doubt you would be in any problem if you were on the sidewalk. I mean even then most security guards wouldn't probably pull out the police card on something so benign.