General Vancouver Updates

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I wonder what the redevelopment is going to be, residential? or what? anyone know anything? I heard about this location closing just the other day.

The corporate HQ moved around the back side of this location in a new office and it looked like they renovated some light industrial units on the back side of the lot. Seems like they also own that parking lot behind the White Spot. I'm guessing it will be some kind of offices/light industrial?

[Ailurus]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I wonder what the redevelopment is going to be, residential? or what? anyone know anything? I heard about this location closing just the other day.

A longstanding Vancouver White Spot location is set to close permanently this spring
The impact of COVID-19 was part of the decision to accelerate the redevelopment of the site.
about 13 hours ago By: Lindsay William-Ross

Another chapter is ending in the story of the Vancouver-based White Spot family restaurant chain, as the company prepares to close the doors for good at one of its longstanding locations.

The White Spot at 1126 SE Marine Drive, near Knight Street, will close down permanently on April 10, 2021.

The property has been sold and is slated for redevelopment; a new White Spot is not in the works for the location.

...

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/food-...to-close-permanently-this-spring-3367681

I have an inkling of knowledge about this one.

I was involved in a feasibility study for renovating the old building, which happened right after White Spot moved the head office into their new building. It was determined to be unfeasible. The building has been sitting empty (except for the restaurant frontage) for some time now. I toured the empty building once White Spot had moved out. Some areas of the building hadn't been occupied in decades, and it was some of the most decrepit stuff I'd ever seen (Like abandoned-hospital-in-a-horror-movie decrepit).

The rumour at the time was of selling to build a new car dealership building (I think Tesla was floated a potential option). Not sure if that was the final plan.

[Feathered Friend]

February 11th 2021 Public Hearing – Moderate Income Rental Homes Face Danger In Vancouver’s Quiet Place While A Landmark Rises From the Ashes

Public Hearing – February 11th, 2021
It’s odd to write about a public hearing where several city councillors have already made quite clear they have no interest in what you have to say. I don’t mean Hannah or I specifically, rather every Vancouverite, as a couple of our elected officials voted against even listening to the general public on two of these items. Councilor Hardwick was the lone vote against the referral of Item #1, a social housing project near Commercial Drive that isn’t even the tallest structure in the area.

Unlike city staff, apparently she feels strata homes, and those that are non-profit, should be forced to compete as equals under the same rules. The Grandview Woodland Community Plan, which some continue to dedicatedly protest, recognizes that’s unviable, and allows the latter a little extra height to compensate. After all, it’s far better to keep people housed, as any resident living in Strathcona can attest to, whether they’re securely housed or living in a tent city.

The closer of shelters due to the pandemic has caused a schism in this community, as both sides live with mistrust and fear. So, there’s a chance there may be some opposition to a new mixed housing, and shelter proposal that sits opposite to the Raymur strata shipping containers. That said, even adding housing for households with moderate incomes in Kitsilano has proven controversial in the past, and that history looks set to be repeated with Item #3.

Despite city staff conceding to many of their demands with cutbacks to this structure that could be found on any major street in Vancouver, already nearly 90 letters (1, 2, 3) have been submitted that oppose it. That doesn’t include an internet petition, nor Councillor Hardwick, or Councillor Kirby-Yung, who refused to hear any other opinion about this concept after the opponents submitted an alternative design. Given that, it’s easy to see how your opinion may swing the remaining councillors into either supporting or finishing it off.

Backlash Expectations

Item #1 – 1766 Frances Street – Moderate
Some are upset about the extra height needed to make this social housing viable, and growth in general

Item #2 – 1015 E Hastings Street – Low
Nearby tent cities have been a source of anxiety, but these homes promise stability

Item #3 – 3084 W 4th Ave & 2010 Balaclava St – Very High
Most of their requested cutbacks have been met, but dozens of letters now demand even more

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2021/02/10...e-while-a-landmark-rises-from-the-ashes/

[officedweller]

It would be nice if the rail corridor at the Hastings site was bridged over
- for noise and for open space.
It might encourage a homeless camp underneath it, but with constant rail traffic, probably not so much.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

I was there last weekend too, very impressive excavation.

I got a few workers in my shot for scale:

[squeezied]

Given how much of the original houses have been stripped and gutted, is there any practical value in retaining these heritage houses? At this point it seems like the developer has taken advantage of a heritage preservation loophole. It seems like it would have been more practical and cost-effective to build a new replica of the heritage houses... even if it's taboo to do so.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by squeezied

Given how much of the original houses have been stripped and gutted, is there any practical value in retaining these heritage houses? At this point it seems like the developer has taken advantage of a heritage preservation loophole. It seems like it would have been more practical and cost-effective to build a new replica of the heritage houses... even if it's taboo to do so.

It's the developer's choice to retain the heritage buildings. It's not a rezoned project - it's being developed at 1.5FSR which is exactly what the FM-1 zoning here allows. Because these were rental, six of the 9 units in the rebuilt heritage homes will be rental, and there's a Housing Agreement in place to ensure that. To meet code for both energy and fire safety the ceiling levels will be different from the original, so what they've retained is basically done to ensure that when they're sat down on their new foundations and new first floor, the upper floors are an accurate representation of the houses before they were moved. They're going to be a different location on the lot anyway - they used to be set back quite a bit, and further apart.

[officedweller]

I suppose this is progress in densifying around Broadway & Commercial:

2037-2061 East Broadway


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2021/02/11/54-condos-slated-for-east-broadway-site/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2021/02/11/54-condos-slated-for-east-broadway-site/

[officedweller]

2098 West 7th Ave.

140 homes for the homeless proposed next to future Arbutus Station in Kitsilano
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing

I wonder if there will be objection because it's across from an elementary school?


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing

Sister project:

1406-1410 East King Edward Ave.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing

90 homes for the homeless proposed for King Edward Avenue and Knight Street corner
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by officedweller

2098 West 7th Ave.

140 homes for the homeless proposed next to future Arbutus Station in Kitsilano
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing

I wonder if there will be objection because it's across from an elementary school?


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing

Sister project:

1406-1410 East King Edward Ave.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing

90 homes for the homeless proposed for King Edward Avenue and Knight Street corner
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1406-1410-east-king-edward-vancouver-supportive-housing

I don't understand why they don't build housing with the station buildings... seems like wasted space to not do anything above. That is unless there's something planned like King Edward Canada Line station.



Ron.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

I don't understand why they don't build housing with the station buildings... seems like wasted space to not do anything above. That is unless there's something planned like King Edward Canada Line station.



Ron.

I guess it complicates the construction of the station? And the station houses are so small I don't think it's a huge loss.

[Galaxy]

A modular building assembled on top of the station might have worked to keep a tight timeline while also making great use of air space above the station. It's really disappointing though that government is not taking advantage of the space to create affordable housing in spots like at the station and integrating that into planning...

[officedweller]

The Finning Station will have a building above it.

See station info at the Broadway Subway thread:

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9118812&postcount=10977

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by officedweller

2098 West 7th Ave.

140 homes for the homeless proposed next to future Arbutus Station in Kitsilano
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2086-209...-8th-avenue-vancouver-supportive-housing

I wonder if there will be objection because it's across from an elementary school?

OK let me be the first to say it: why are we giving a prime site on a transit line to house those who are unlikely ever to be working? This should go to those who work somewhere along the line. By all means house the homeless but it can be locations Main and Marine that have transit etc but are worth far less.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by whatnext

OK let me be the first to say it: why are we giving a prime site on a transit line to house those who are unlikely ever to be working? This should go to those who work somewhere along the line. By all means house the homeless but it can be locations Main and Marine that have transit etc but are worth far less.

There's endless amounts of redevelopment room along the Broadway corridor.

[officedweller]

Maybe it'll break the ice and the NIMBY neighbours will be glad to get density that's not social housing?
(though there is a midrise already proposed for the corner of Broadway)

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

OK let me be the first to say it: why are we giving a prime site on a transit line to house those who are unlikely ever to be working? This should go to those who work somewhere along the line. By all means house the homeless but it can be locations Main and Marine that have transit etc but are worth far less.

This site is a couple of blocks from the station, and valued at $6.2m. If you look at similar sized sites a couple of blocks from where the new Main St station will be in Mount Pleasant, they're more like $8m. Some sites near Marine Drive station are also worth more than $6m. So the land value near transit is just as high, or higher in the south and to the east of here too.

This will presumably be targeted at homeless or at risk of homeless that are already in the area. Sadly, there are plenty of Kitsilano-based homeless. Some homeless (and more at risk of homeless) have jobs, and if they have decent housing they're more likely to be able to get, and keep a job. There's an employment support part of the services intended here.

We either try to provide support and housing for people who need it throughout the city, or we concentrate it in the Downtown Eastside. There are plenty of new DTES projects already planned with over 1,000 new apartments. How many more are there on the west side?

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by whatnext

OK let me be the first to say it: why are we giving a prime site on a transit line to house those who are unlikely ever to be working? This should go to those who work somewhere along the line. By all means house the homeless but it can be locations Main and Marine that have transit etc but are worth far less.

One of the biggest issues over the last few decades with TOD was that it was so "successful" that it was accidentally making living near transit too expensive for those that needed it (close access to good transit and affordable rent) and rely on transit.

These folks rely on transit, so it's good to see government making this move and let private industry build homes for other folks. Really excited to see MIRHPP-style rezoning policies in the Broadway Plan so it'll all come out dandy for working class folks or the "moderate-income" category laid out by the City.

[Migrant_Coconut]

So long as we're sheltering people who are still people, if that makes any sense. The last thing we need is to export the human waste/random screaming/violence problem south of False Creek.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

... The last thing we need is to export the human waste/random screaming/violence problem south of False Creek.

Too late.
A co-worker moved to North Vancouver because it was "just too much" around Broadway & 16th area.