Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Was that before or after your beloved Daily Hive said "With a population density of 18,837 residents per sq km, downtown Vancouver is the densest city centre of all primary downtown areas in Canada’s census metropolitan areas (CMAs), according to newly released Statistics Canada data."?

Our downtown is kept miniscule to inflate the density I bet. We certainly had a good headstart at the beginning: thanks to earlier planners, but we have been on the decline for quite a while now. The rate of growth just isn't there anymore, not just in population density, but in terms of business investments, etc. Thanks to people like yourself who always think that we are well ahead of others.

[Migrant_Coconut]

StatsCan begs to differ: downtown's growing faster than the CoV, and the CoV's growing faster than any of its suburbs (except probably Surrey).

For the umpteenth time, growth rate starts lying the bigger a city gets. And obviously tower height is a horrible metric.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Vin

Our downtown is kept miniscule to inflate the density I bet. We certainly had a good headstart at the beginning: thanks to earlier planners, but we have been on the decline for quite a while now. The rate of growth just isn't there anymore, not just in population density, but in terms of business investments, etc. Thanks to people like yourself who always think that we are well ahead of others.

Downtown is the size it is because it's on a peninsula. Unless we fill False Creek, it can't grow any bigger (and Citygaters would be very unhappy!)

We haven't been on a decline - that's just your mental health. It's not just me that thinks we're ahead of other Downtowns in terms of residential density - that's Statistics Canada, who measure things, like people, and jobs.

There aren't too many people who oppose business investment, but one comes to mind who preferred an 'iconic' glazed zit to a new office building on West Hastings, and another glazed pimple instead of the new Apple store, and doesn't want a million square feet added to the Sinclair Centre

[Changing City]

There's a new rental tower in the West End proposed instead of a stalled condo project. Burnaby and Thurlow. 287 market and 24 social units in 34 storeys.



[Changing City blog]

[hollywoodnorth]

didnt see this posted yet ... but I figure lots of you will fully support this as do I. This sort of thing is badly needed/sadly lacking in our so called "entertainment district".

897 Granville St Sign By-law amendment


The City of Vancouver has received an application to amend the Sign By-law to allow a rooftop digital billboard sign at the northwest corner of Granville St and Smithe St. The application proposes:

An 8 ft. by 29 ft. curved convex digital screen
LED backlit showing static images
3rd party advertising

The application is being considered under the Sign By-law(External link).

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/897-granville-st-sign-by-law-amendment


please send in your support at the link above!

[zahav]

Definitely support that!! I wonder when a tenant will take over Champs, hopefully soon. Having a nice catchy billboard about a vacant space isn't ideal, having a tenant in there would make it much better

[whatnext]

Just bulldoze that whole sad corner.

[zahav]

Originally Posted by Changing City

There's a new rental tower in the West End proposed instead of a stalled condo project. Burnaby and Thurlow. 287 market and 24 social units in 34 storeys.



[Changing City blog]

This looks like a throwback to the 70s rental towers in the west end, and I don't mind it, because it is in the west end. This looking building anywhere else would be questionable, but it suits the area

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

didnt see this posted yet ... but I figure lots of you will fully support this as do I. This sort of thing is badly needed/sadly lacking in our so called "entertainment district".

897 Granville St Sign By-law amendment


The City of Vancouver has received an application to amend the Sign By-law to allow a rooftop digital billboard sign at the northwest corner of Granville St and Smithe St. The application proposes:

An 8 ft. by 29 ft. curved convex digital screen
LED backlit showing static images
3rd party advertising

The application is being considered under the Sign By-law(External link).

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/897-granville-st-sign-by-law-amendment


please send in your support at the link above!

Obviously I support this.

Such features should be all over the soon not to be Nordstrom building on the Robson / Granville corner. Not to mention the blank wall above London Drugs.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Changing City

There's a new rental tower in the West End proposed instead of a stalled condo project. Burnaby and Thurlow. 287 market and 24 social units in 34 storeys.



[Changing City blog]

So I took the rare moment to read-up on a downtown rental project...

Something odd popped out and it looks like they are only providing 24 below-market units (10% social housing) as opposed to the policy's required 20% below-market (roughly 58 units).

I assume they're going for 50% below CMHC, but I can't find anything conclusive.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

So I took the rare moment to read-up on a downtown rental project...

Something odd popped out and it looks like they are only providing 24 below-market units (10% social housing) as opposed to the policy's required 20% below-market (roughly 58 units).

I assume they're going for 50% below CMHC, but I can't find anything conclusive.

They seem to be using the "Criteria for 100% Secured Rental and Below-Market Housing as an Alternative to Inclusionary Social Housing in the Burrard Corridor of the West End Community Plan" policy, so I think the 24 are required one-for-one replacements of the existing rentals as social housing, and the rest can be market.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Changing City

They seem to be using the "Criteria for 100% Secured Rental and Below-Market Housing as an Alternative to Inclusionary Social Housing in the Burrard Corridor of the West End Community Plan" policy, so I think the 24 are required one-for-one replacements of the existing rentals as social housing, and the rest can be market.

Exactly, which is why I'm confused why it's only 24 and not 58 (20% of units).

"Housing Affordability Criteria – A minimum of 20% of the residential floor area is secured as below-market rental (BMR) units, or one-for-one replacement of existing rental units with below-market rental units, whichever is greater"

Chee, the Planner is on holiday, so I'll find out soon, but it just struck me as odd. maybe they talked to Real Estate before Rezoning application, but I guess the City weighs the pro / con of 20% mildly discounted units or 10% deeply discounted units.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Exactly, which is why I'm confused why it's only 24 and not 58 (20% of units).

"Housing Affordability Criteria – A minimum of 20% of the residential floor area is secured as below-market rental (BMR) units, or one-for-one replacement of existing rental units with below-market rental units, whichever is greater"

Chee, the Planner is on holiday, so I'll find out soon, but it just struck me as odd. maybe they talked to Real Estate before Rezoning application, but I guess the City weighs the pro / con of 20% mildly discounted units or 10% deeply discounted units.

I guess they also get the 24 units as an air rights parcel, like the units under Mirabel and Jervis, on Davie, and The Landmark on Robson, rather than 58 owned by the developer, offered at higher rent than the social housing would likely rent at. Presumably the proforma and negotiation with the City's real estate group will determine if 24 is a 'good enough' deal.

The previous 2017 application had 82 condos and 39 social units to go to the City, so with this version they're getting 15 fewer social units but a big increase in market rental, so that might be good enough. It's also not a huge shift in policy with implications for the future as almost all the projects that can take up the new policy have already been submitted.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Changing City

I guess they also get the 24 units as an air rights parcel, like the units under Mirabel and Jervis, on Davie, and The Landmark on Robson, rather than 58 owned by the developer, offered at higher rent than the social housing would likely rent at. Presumably the proforma and negotiation with the City's real estate group will determine if 24 is a 'good enough' deal.

The previous 2017 application had 82 condos and 39 social units to go to the City, so with this version they're getting 15 fewer social units but a big increase in market rental, so that might be good enough. It's also not a huge shift in policy with implications for the future as almost all the projects that can take up the new policy have already been submitted.

Good point. I forgot about the City then getting them legally.

[Feathered Friend]

As our primer for Tuesday’s public hearing won’t be ready until early tomorrow morning, we thought you might enjoy these scale model photos of the 5th item on its agenda. 1040-1080 Barclay St provides 1,100 homes, & over $70 million in public benefits

You can click the link below to send city council your thoughts on this, or any of the other items on the May 9th agenda.
https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-council-public-hearing.aspx

or register to speak in-person or over the phone here
https://vancouver.ca/your-government/speak-at-city-council-meetings.aspx

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsAQs5wR6uZ/

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Salvation Army plans new Harbour Light facility on East Cordova
November 19, 2019 By Peter Meiszner
[IMG]...[/IMG]
[IMG]...[/IMG]
bigger colour render: https://urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New-Harbour-Light-rendering.jpg
https://urbanyvr.com/new-harbour-light-vancouver

Originally Posted by Changing City

[IMG]...[/IMG]
from Changing City blog

Originally Posted by Zepfancouver

Feb 01, 2023
Construction workers on site, also spotted 3 or 4 white hats earlier in the morning on the site.
[img]...[/img]
[IMG]...[/IMG]
https://makeagif.com/i/uWhk_Y

Today

[officedweller]

double post

[officedweller]

WRT the Barclay towers...

I can't help but think that some massing from the west tower should be shifted to the east tower to avoid the table topping and to give Curv some breathing room.

[idunno]

This is going to be such a cool cluster of towers at almost the highest elevation of downtown.

Too bad for Patina folks!

[urbanight93]

The models do make it seem like this development is right in front of Curv but the fly through shows that the little parkette helps offset the tight spacing.

• Video Link

I'm excited for this new cluster of architecturally unique buildings. Hopefully the Barclays tower stick to their red cladding and that the developer picks quality materials overall and stays away from spandrel.