Downtown Vancouver Updates

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I ask this in good faith: what makes the west side unique?

It's not downtown apparently.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I ask this in good faith: what makes the west side unique?

What makes any neighbourhood unique? I’m guessing the people

[officedweller]

Richards & Smithe Park

Plants have been planted.

The protrusion has a cargo net floor:

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by csbvan

No.

Maybe if some different persons get elected this October.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Downtown still has surface parking lots and tons of 1-2 story buildings, there's room for growth.

Not our heritage surface level parking lots! We just gave up a very senior classic at Pender and Richards streets.

[officedweller]

Looks like the panels on the Davie St. Safeway have been displaying the Ukrainian flag:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_z_XPLYD3/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY

[whatnext]

One would think a lot of the syncophantic bureaucrats at City Hall would question how they can make Vancouver the "Greenest City in the World" (lol) by clearcutting the treed areas of the city. Perhaps they want to follow the shitty example of Richmond, MetroVancouver's laggard with the lowest municipal tree canopy coverage. Or maybe they think a few straggly cedars in a planter is equivalent to a mature tree.

[cov]

Originally Posted by whatnext

One would think a lot of the syncophantic bureaucrats at City Hall would question how they can make Vancouver the "Greenest City in the World" (lol) by clearcutting the treed areas of the city. Perhaps they want to follow the shitty example of Richmond, MetroVancouver's laggard with the lowest municipal tree canopy coverage. Or maybe they think a few straggly cedars in a planter is equivalent to a mature tree.

syncophant isn't a world, it's sycophant

Environmentalism also isn't literally the colour green. It's about carbon we emit by our lifestyles, namely transportation methods. You are against the greenest transit method, via cycling, and pro car-use. Not only is gasoline consumption way worse than cutting down a couple of trees, but the energy use to mine the materials that made the cars, the smelting of metals, the carbon emissions by the construction and operation of auto manufacturing equipments, all translate to a significant source of our carbon footprint.

Stop pretending you care about the environment. It's just obviously dishonest. If Vancouver literally became the greenest city in the world and you will be far angrier.

[MIPS]

Looks like demolition started. It stopped briefly because people went through the fence and had to be forced back out.

I don't like it. The lower businesses are insured but the fact that a robot says that you're going to lose everything and regardless of what floor you are on, you get to watch everything you worked for get crushed because "it's not safe" just rubs me the wrong way.
Lytton got the same treatment and there's a lot of bitter people up here.

Edited: Demolition was delayed again this morning due to people trying to recover their belongings.
CTV also now confirming the cause of the fire was unattended candles.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Looks like demolition started. It stopped briefly because people went through the fence and had to be forced back out.

I don't like it. The lower businesses are insured but the fact that a robot says that you're going to lose everything and regardless of what floor you are on, you get to watch everything you worked for get crushed because "it's not safe" just rubs me the wrong way.
Lytton got the same treatment and there's a lot of bitter people up here.

That’s sad and a good reminder to have rental insurance. Unfortunately, that’s something that people living in low-income housing are unlikely to have.

[Feathered Friend]

Jen St. Denis @JenStDen
The demolition of the Winters Hotel is now speeding up. The heritage SRO building in Vancouver’s Gastown neighborhood was gutted by a fire last week.
3:14 PM · Apr 21, 2022

https://twitter.com/JenStDen/status/1517265564636377089?s=20&t=VcJC1McPfYc-ktvUgdwPFQ

[jollyburger]

I guess that's why that excavator was smashing out all the windows for that VPD drone to look inside the rooms.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I guess that's why that excavator was smashing out all the windows for that VPD drone to look inside the rooms.

For this:

Vancouver fire crew finds body in demolition of Winters Hotel in Gastown
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/body-found-winters-hotel-gastown

[ericmacm]

Vancouver City Council Seeks to Restart Waterfront Station Hub Planning

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/central-...vancouver-transit-hub-planning?auto=true

I'd been hoping for some movement on this ever since I first learned about it a few years ago. Seems like a great space for some high-profile office tower developments, despite the inevitable opposition this will receive like that seen at 555 West Cordova. I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with for the area.

Maybe we can even dream a little bit of an MLB stadium over the tracks someday too.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

Vancouver City Council Seeks to Restart Waterfront Station Hub Planning

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/central-...vancouver-transit-hub-planning?auto=true

I'd been hoping for some movement on this ever since I first learned about it a few years ago. Seems like a great space for some high-profile office tower developments, despite the inevitable opposition this will receive like that seen at 555 West Cordova. I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with for the area.

Maybe we can even dream a little bit of an MLB stadium over the tracks someday too.

That ain't movement. Unless CPR is on board in some capacity it's still all a pipedream and the only thing that will be built in the next 10 years is possibly 555 West Cordova.

[Feathered Friend]

First submitted, & rejected as a rezoning enquiry back in 2019, this small Downtown Vancouver office building finally won the support of the Development Permit Board earlier this month. However, due to a last minute setback, its struggles are far from over.

Noting the Vancouver Heritage Commission’s praise for its authentic look, the applicant asked to wave the Urban Design Panel’s demand to pull back the modern upper floors from the retained historic façade. Ultimately, the Board sided with the latter approach, & denied their plea.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcyrL_RP8Dt/...oVJHyCDn_BcChvNTEx2GwkYr4LXq8klocJ9zd3ok

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

That ain't movement. Unless CPR is on board in some capacity it's still all a pipedream and the only thing that will be built in the next 10 years is possibly 555 West Cordova.

The actual report should make it clear why the Whitecaps gave up on the idea. It's not just "build the stadium, profit."

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

The actual report should make it clear why the Whitecaps gave up on the idea. It's not just "build the stadium, profit."

But the Whitecaps bought air rights while the actual engineering to build anything pretty much gives CPR a veto of the project if it means them losing any track space?

The structural feasibility study included a preliminary investigation of the impacts on the rail yard likely to result from the
development anticipated in this framework document, using the Illustrative Concept Plan as a basis for the analysis. It
was initially thought that some portions of the rail tracks would be able to pass below the development sites, however on
further exploration it was determined that the required structural components for earthquake resistance would preclude
the ability to maintain rail lines under the buildings. The study concluded that there would be a loss of up to one third of
the existing rail track length within the yard to accommodate the development in the Illustrative Concept Plan.

https://guidelines.vancouver.ca/policy-plan-central-waterfront-hub-framework.pdf

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

But the Whitecaps bought air rights while the actual engineering to build anything pretty much gives CPR a veto of the project if it means them losing any track space?

The Whitecaps (and now GHD Equity Holdings) bought the land under the tracks, but CPR control the tracks and have the rights to retaining and operating them. It's not totally impossible to design structures that span the rail tracks without interfering with the operation of the railyards, although it's very expensive. Exchange House was designed by SOM in London to do exactly that, over the tracks of Liverpool St Station (illustration below - basically it's a giant bridge built over 30 years ago). It's doubtful that Vancouver office rents would make the project viable, while in London it made sense.

Even if it was possible from an engineering perspective, CPR have never indicated any willingness to discontinue having dangerous cargo sitting in the sidings, and that is pretty much a deal killer for any development over the tracks. It was an aspect of the purchase that Greg Kerfoot probably had no idea would be such a problem.



[bdc network]

[officedweller]

Richards & Smithe Park

Opens tomorrow April 29th:

Big new park in Vancouver with elevated walkways and washrooms opens


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/smithe-richards-urban-park-vancouver-opening


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/smithe-richards-urban-park-vancouver-opening


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/smithe-richards-urban-park-vancouver-opening


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/smithe-richards-urban-park-vancouver-opening


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/smithe-richards-urban-park-vancouver-opening