General Vancouver Updates

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Most power lines and poles were also removed beside this building

Does anybody know what's going on with this building? I think it is complete but looks mostly empty so far, no signage of any tenants.

When you walk by on the Quebec side, there's an extremely loud exhaust fan, not sure if it's stuck on 100% or it's a poorly designed vent making it loud.

[Jimbo604]

Removed power poles, cool.

Now if they could only remove the unused ones at Quebec And East Georgia streets!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EABT7Y7ydCjW5Vfn8?g_st=ic

[jollyburger]

(edit)

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

Removed power poles, cool.

Now if they could only remove the unused ones at Quebec And East Georgia streets!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EABT7Y7ydCjW5Vfn8?g_st=ic

Do they spoil the view from your tent in the Chinatown Parkade?

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Do they spoil the view from your tent in the Chinatown Parkade?

Well.. I think they create a "dead-zone" with little vehicle or foot traffic, etc. The last thing Chinatown area needs is a zone like this with hardly any above board activity.

The city should work with Hydro to remove these unused poles, remove the ramp beside the substation, complete the street by putting in sidewalks on both sides and open the street.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

Well.. I think they create a "dead-zone" with little vehicle or foot traffic, etc. The last thing Chinatown area needs is a zone like this with hardly any above board activity.

The city should work with Hydro to remove these unused poles, remove the ramp beside the substation, complete the street by putting in sidewalks on both sides and open the street.

I think the City lease part of the street to Hydro. Long term, I'm sure what you suggest will happen, but I can't see any point to spending all that money until the viaducts are definitely being replaced, and BC Hydro are closing Murrin (which is in their longer term plans). In the short term it's about to be connected to Westbank's office on Burrard for their switch to electric powered steam, if they get regulatory approval. It's not as if the new street goes anywhere that badly needs access for vehicles that doesn't currently exist.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by Changing City

I think the City lease part of the street to Hydro. Long term, I'm sure what you suggest will happen, but I can't see any point to spending all that money until the viaducts are definitely being replaced, and BC Hydro are closing Murrin (which is in their longer term plans). In the short term it's about to be connected to Westbank's office on Burrard for their switch to electric powered steam, if they get regulatory approval. It's not as if the new street goes anywhere that badly needs access for vehicles that doesn't currently exist.

My tent? No got camper van in there under the 6'6 height limit and joke's on the parkade, if you don't leave then you don't ever pay.

I didn't know about Murrin closing, that is good news as that also contributes to the deadness of Main & E Georgia.

Well, obviously fixing this block of E Georgia can't be the city's number one priority. Maybe number 2?? lol.

Speaking of viaducts, ABC Vancouver already talking about revisiting Viaducts 2027 plan, I'll leave that for that Viaducts thread.

[jollyburger]

They need the new downtown substations so at this point you'll be lucky to see Murrin gone by 2040?

[GenWhy?]

Huh I either totally forgot or didn't know Barnes Park is getting a substation too.

Looks like Murrin might be gone by 2040. I assume Hydro would retain ownership of the Murrin lands.

[Changing City]

It'll be interesting to see if Union Allied can find buyers for this strata warehouse on 4 floors, with a 5th of office in South Vancouver. The market for investment strata industrial has apparently slowed significantly with the higher interest rates, but presumably owner-occupiers might find it worthwhile, if they can get a commercial mortgage that makes sense.


[source - DP Application]

[madog222]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They need the new downtown substations so at this point you'll be lucky to see Murrin gone by 2040?

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Huh I either totally forgot or didn't know Barnes Park is getting a substation too.

Looks like Murrin might be gone by 2040. I assume Hydro would retain ownership of the Murrin lands.

The current plan for Murrin's replacement is a new substation in East Van at 303 Vernon Dr. (near Clark & Hastings).

It seems the Emery Barnes Park substation plan has been completely shelved.

Edit to fix autocorrect

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by madog222

The current plan for Murrin's replacement is a new substation in East Van at 303 Vernon Dr. (near Clark @ Hastings).

It seems the Emily Barnes Park substation plan has been completely shelved.

He was Emery Barnes. The plan for that substation might reappear one day, but wasn't planned until 2041 completion anyway. The Nelson Park substation is needed more urgently, and will take a big chunk of BC Hydro's upgrading cash in the short term. The school they're paying for to allow the site to be freed up is progressing fast, in Coal Harbour.

[jollyburger]

The two components of the West End Substation property purchase are the purchase of subsurface land at Lord
Roberts Annex School, acquired from the Vancouver School Board for $66.8 million, and the acquisition of
distribution and transmission statutory rights of way through Nelson Park.504 The acquisition of the statutory
rights of way is ongoing, and expected to be complete by early fiscal 2021. The total cost of the property
purchase for the West End Substation is expected to be $80.7 million, which BC Hydro proposes adding to rate
base in fiscal 2020.505

East Vancouver Land Purchase
BC Hydro intends to build a new substation (East End Substation) in the Eastside/Strathcona neighbourhood of
Downtown Vancouver to replace the Murrin substation.510
BC Hydro purchased property for the anticipated East End Substation for $46.6M in fiscal 2017511
. The fiscal
2017 to fiscal 2019 RRA approved $25.0 million for the purchase; BC Hydro submits that the variance of $21.6
million was because “an acceptable property could not be acquired at the amount included in the Previous
Application”
512 due to “the high rate of property appreciation that was occurring in the Vancouver real estate
market at the time.”
513 The East End Substation is not anticipated to be in service within the timeframe covered
by the current 10-year capital plan.514
The property acquired for the East End Substation, 303 Vernon Drive, is currently leased to “a credit-worthy
commercial tenant” which minimizes BC Hydro’s holding costs until the construction of the substation is
initiated.515
BC Hydro submits, “the purchase of [the East Vancouver] property represented prudent management because
the need for a new site is clear, and suitable properties are scarce.” Similar to the West End land purchase, BC
Hydro submits that “acquiring the land well in advance provides certainty with respect to the site, cost and
schedule.” 516

https://www.ordersdecisions.bcuc.com/bcuc/decisions/en/486412/1/document.do

[GenWhy?]

Oh neat thanks!

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

The property acquired for the East End Substation, 303 Vernon Drive, is currently leased to “a credit-worthy
commercial tenant” which minimizes BC Hydro’s holding costs until the construction of the substation is
initiated.

Looks like their meanwhile tenant is United Rentals. Here's a reminder of BC Hydro's last full block substation, on W6th in Mount Pleasant. [source Changing City Blog]

[Feathered Friend]

Behind The Scenes Cutbacks Unlikely To Bring Relief To Fraserhood’s Middle Class Renters

3233-3245 Fraser Street
Would you be angry with your partner to learn the real reason you were driving down Fraser Street was not to have dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but rather to drop by the Polish Community Centre? I suppose your answer might depend on how much you like boxed coffee, or your interest in a pre-application open house for a 14 floor building, with 108 rental homes. Needless to say, I was pretty excited by Darren’s surprise announcement.

That set the tone for the night, as there was plenty of shocking revelations, even though only about 20 individuals attended this in-person meeting. While I do not know whether its ongoing virtual consultation is generating more attention, I can tell you what is detailed online pales to the conversations that we overheard. As is often the case, it turns out these homes were cutback long before people like you and I were able to weigh in.

https://cityduo.wordpress.com/2022/11/09...ief-to-fraserhoods-middle-class-renters/

[officedweller]

It'll be a bit of a hike to Mt Pleasant Station, but O guess there's the buses on Kingsway or Fraser..

[Migrant_Coconut]

At least it's mostly flat - 4th and 6th residents have a literal hike up the slope to the Broadway line.

[GenWhy?]

Plenty of close proximity jobs one doesn't need a SkyTrain for. Good to see this go through as we tried a MIRHPP close by but the site was constrained and the City squeezed us too much (potential neighbouring tower separation rules) and glad the previous owners finally sold. I really wanted to get a 6-storey there done for rental, but this is MUCH better!

[SpongeG]

Format Nov 8, starting to take shape

2022-11-09_05-46-54 by snub_you, on Flickr