Downtown Vancouver Updates - Page 948

Changing City · #**18941** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vin

Perhaps the only reason why buildings are allowed to go over 30 storeys here.

And perhaps not, as there's a 43 storey tower opposite and another 43 storey tower on the same block - and neither are social housing.

MistyMountain · #**18942** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 10:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Changing City

And perhaps not, as there's a 43 storey tower opposite and another 43 storey tower on the same block - and neither are social housing.

Noticing a trend there... Its somewhat unfortunate that the viewcones force such a tabletop skyline.

Changing City · #**18943** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 10:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MistyMountain

Noticing a trend there... Its somewhat unfortunate that the viewcones force such a tabletop skyline.

I don't think the height is related to the viewcone - that's cutting right through the site and making the building a triangular shape. It's probably more related to the floorplate size and elevator core. It's surprising that a 40 storey tower can be made to work financially as social housing at all, but it probably helps that effectively there's no land cost as it's already the Ismaili Community Centre.

privatejet · #**18944** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 10:48 PM**

The economics would be interesting...but the Ismali community is prosperous. Interesting that Larco is the development manager.

officedweller · #**18945** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 10:48 PM**

Cool.
You can tell the tower floorplate is strained for sq ft, as it overhangs the podium levels on Richards and Drake.

MistyMountain · #**18946** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 10:54 PM**

Yeah you're right, the viewcone mainly affects the shape rather than height. I should have said viewcones and height policies.

If I had to guess, to make the financials work I'd say they're planning on renting the higher floors out for a pretty penny to effectively subsidize the rest. Social housing doesn't necessarily mean that all the units are going to be cheap.

No doubt the affordability of this building could be improved if they didn't have to maneuver around a dozen policies and deal with arbitrary lines chopping the building in half.

s211 · #**18947** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 11:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by privatejet

The economics would be interesting...but the Ismali community is prosperous. Interesting that Larco is the development manager.

Larco is owned by an Ismali family.

logan5 · #**18948** Posted **Nov 16, 2020, 11:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MistyMountain

Yeah you're right, the viewcone mainly affects the shape rather than height. I should have said viewcones and height policies.

If I had to guess, to make the financials work I'd say they're planning on renting the higher floors out for a pretty penny to effectively subsidize the rest. Social housing doesn't necessarily mean that all the units are going to be cheap.

No doubt the affordability of this building could be improved if they didn't have to maneuver around a dozen policies and deal with arbitrary lines chopping the building in half.

Yeah, the term “social housing” is vague. Anything below market value is considered social housing by the City. If you eliminate lots of parking and go no frills in the units, maybe the numbers work out.

Klazu · #**18949** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 12:27 AM**

As long as I as a tax-payer don't have to be subsidizing someone living on prime land in Downtown I am cool with it. Purpose-built below-market rental is a good thing but those living on social assistance alone should not have 40th floor units in middle of Yaletown. Not sure which one this is going to be but a lot of "social housing" in Yaletown to the extent that it is starting to change the social fabric if the neighborhood.

Vancouver_Highrise · #**18950** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 12:38 AM**

Luckily you don’t live in the city of Vancouver and therefore don’t have a say in where our taxpayer dollars are going to in terms of social housing. You sound like an elitist. This building looks great and look forward to another underutilized corner to be developed!

officedweller · #**18951** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 1:22 AM**

More pics from the Urban YVR website.

PS - the architects got the directions wrong with the slightly off kilter grid downtown.
Drake is parallel to Georgia and it's "West" Georgia, not "North" Georgia,
so looking towards Stanley Park is to the "west".

https://www.urbanyvr.com/richards-and-drake/

View looking east down Drake and aerial view looking south of upcoming social housing tower at Richards and Drake. Credit: DA Architects and Planners
https://www.urbanyvr.com/richards-and-drake/

View of corner of Richards and Drake and view looking west up Drake Street of upcoming social housing tower. Credit: DA Architects and Planners
https://www.urbanyvr.com/richards-and-drake/

View looking west up Drake and view looking east down Drake of upcoming social housing tower at Richards and Drake. Credit: DA Architects and Planners
https://www.urbanyvr.com/richards-and-drake/

Views looking west up Richards Street of upcoming social housing tower. Credit: DA Architects and Planners
https://www.urbanyvr.com/richards-and-drake/

And from the virtual open house pdf:

https://1317richards508drake.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Richards_Drake_Virtual_Open-House.pdf

https://1317richards508drake.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Richards_Drake_Virtual_Open-House.pdf

https://1317richards508drake.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Richards_Drake_Virtual_Open-House.pdf

There's a lot of window frontage (mitigated by LEED, no doubt) on some units.

https://1317richards508drake.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Richards_Drake_Virtual_Open-House.pdf

s211 · #**18952** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 3:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancouver_Highrise

Luckily you don’t live in the city of Vancouver and therefore don’t have a say in where our taxpayer dollars are going to in terms of social housing. You sound like an elitist. This building looks great and look forward to another underutilized corner to be developed!

There's nothing wrong with being economical. Sell the valuable land, purchase a less valuable site and use the savings to build even more social housing.

Or do you support that wasteful heritage hotel development on the DTES that was so expensive, it would have been cheaper on a per-unit basis to buy a downtown condo tower?

WarrenC12 · #**18953** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 4:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancouver_Highrise

Luckily you don’t live in the city of Vancouver and therefore don’t have a say in where our taxpayer dollars are going to in terms of social housing. You sound like an elitist. This building looks great and look forward to another underutilized corner to be developed!

Agreed! This will be a welcome addition to the area. The Ismali center is very busy with events but looks rather run down from the outside, and has for years. Too bad they aren't busy doing this construction in 2020, where I assume their events have been suspended.

csbvan · #**18954** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 4:48 PM**

Good to see social housing. Unfortunate that this section of the City, as viewed from False Creek, is becoming an eyesore, a muddle of grey and balconies.

GenWhy? · #**18955** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klazu

As long as I as a tax-payer don't have to be subsidizing someone living on prime land in Downtown I am cool with it. Purpose-built below-market rental is a good thing but those living on social assistance alone should not have 40th floor units in middle of Yaletown. Not sure which one this is going to be but a lot of "social housing" in Yaletown to the extent that it is starting to change the social fabric if the neighborhood.

A good chunk of social housing follow the BC Housing HILs rates which are gross family income maximums. Not all social housing is shelter rate.

2019 HILs Rates
1-Bed: $51,500 2-Bed: $63,000 3-Bed: $73,500

osirisboy · #**18956** Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 10:21 PM**

Size of the floor plate is ridiculous lol. Thx view cone.

Vin · #**18957** Posted **Nov 18, 2020, 2:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Changing City

And perhaps not, as there's a 43 storey tower opposite and another 43 storey tower on the same block - and neither are social housing.

One is fully rental and the other definitely contributes lots to the City, not to mention providing a daycare and a huge block of rental. Come on, we all know there is always a catch if something were to be allowed to go tall here.

Changing City · #**18958** Posted **Nov 18, 2020, 5:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vin

One is fully rental and the other definitely contributes lots to the City, not to mention providing a daycare and a huge block of rental. Come on, we all know there is always a catch if something were to be allowed to go tall here.

Wrong again. The Wall building was approved as condos. They decided to rent it instead of selling the units. They can still sell them in the future, if they choose to.

vanman · #**18959** Posted **Nov 18, 2020, 11:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

More pics from the Urban YVR website.

https://1317richards508drake.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Richards_Drake_Virtual_Open-House.pdf

Wow that corner studio is hilarious. Who wouldn't want to live in a 400 sqft hallway? The other units look only slightly less awkward.

WarrenC12 · #**18960** Posted **Nov 18, 2020, 4:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanman

Wow that corner studio is hilarious. Who wouldn't want to live in a 400 sqft hallway? The other units look only slightly less awkward.

That 380sf angled one will be far worse.

Long but square edges on a unit can be much better designed regardless of square footage. Once you put in closets and bathrooms, the main living area will be normal shaped, if small.