River District (East Fraserlands) Updates

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by cornholio

In case anyone thought I was exagerating about the 24 7 noise there is a article in the Sun specifically about noise in the Fraser view area from Marine Drive and port/industrial operations accross the street.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/met...707/story.html

I read that article and while I feel bad for people who are having their lives disrupted, it strikes me as naive that one should expect peace and quiet when they live in close proximity to industrial land. The nature of industrial land near the mouth of the Fraser River has changed quite a lot in the quarter century that the residents have lived there. There is a lot more trucking now, particularly Third Party Logistics (3PL) firms that move containers throughout Metro Vancouver, as opposed to mills and plants that were the previous mainstay of lower Fraser. I can see how residents could have been quite content to live with their former industrial neighbours, especially those that may have kept regular daytime business hours, while 24/7 trucking operations are another animal entirely.

[Vancity]

Originally Posted by Klazu

This is the latest rendering used in marketing this project. They marketing is quite interesting, focusing on making an example how Yaletown used to be industrial waste land, but look at it now! As if this area would ever really be anything like Yaletown.


http://www.wesgroup.ca

Rendering looks great.

But. Are there going to be schools in the area? Grocery stores? Shops? Coffee shops? etc, etc. If those elements are all in place. It'll be a great area, where residents don't have to drive to get anywhere. They can walk to get their groceries, or go shopping, etc.

Offices in and around the area? Probably not. In that sense, people will still ahve to commute to work. But that's kind of like everywhere else in the city.

[Tetsuo]

The area will need another High School, Killarny is jam packed and Burnaby South + David Thompson are quite the ways away.

I calculated the time it took me to get from the Self Storage to Metrotown, it came in at 7 minutes. This was at 5:45 PM on a weekday

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by Vancity

Rendering looks great.

But. Are there going to be schools in the area? Grocery stores? Shops? Coffee shops? etc, etc. If those elements are all in place. It'll be a great area, where residents don't have to drive to get anywhere. They can walk to get their groceries, or go shopping, etc.

Offices in and around the area? Probably not. In that sense, people will still ahve to commute to work. But that's kind of like everywhere else in the city.

The Official Development Plan for the River District (née East Fraserlands) does indeed plan for retail and two schools.

Here's the link to the policy documents, including the policy statement, official development plan, and design guidelines: link

The ODP calls for 163,000 ft2 of retail in sub-areas 1-3 of the Central Town Square Precinct.

[apesta]

There is an elementary and a high school planned for this district. But no one knows when it will be built. However the current vision of the whole district is shaping up pretty good. There is little bit of everything and it's walkable distance.

About the noise issue, I'll probably know in 3 months time and see if it's really that disturbing. The one potential worrisome I have currently is the frequency of the trains at night running along river road.

[Homeowner]

Originally Posted by cornholio

In case anyone thought I was exagerating about the 24 7 noise there is a article in the Sun specifically about noise in the Fraser view area from Marine Drive and port/industrial operations accross the street.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/met...707/story.html

Would this noise be equivalent to people living near the SKYTRAIN? When you live in the city, you have to expect that it's not all peace & quiet.

[Homeowner]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

The area will need another High School, Killarny is jam packed and Burnaby South + David Thompson are quite the ways away.

I calculated the time it took me to get from the Self Storage to Metrotown, it came in at 7 minutes. This was at 5:45 PM on a weekday

7 minutes is not bad. I would guess it would take about 15 minutes.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Homeowner

Would this noise be equivalent to people living near the SKYTRAIN? When you live in the city, you have to expect that it's not all peace & quiet.

Industrial noise is much worse than skytrain, and that's not the city.

[Vancity]

Originally Posted by Homeowner

Would this noise be equivalent to people living near the SKYTRAIN? When you live in the city, you have to expect that it's not all peace & quiet.

city noise is a part of living, well, in the city. LOL.

I suppose, if they aren't happy with their situation, they can move out of the area.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by apesta

There is an elementary and a high school planned for this district. But no one knows when it will be built. However the current vision of the whole district is shaping up pretty good. There is little bit of everything and it's walkable distance.

About the noise issue, I'll probably know in 3 months time and see if it's really that disturbing. The one potential worrisome I have currently is the frequency of the trains at night running along river road.

I am sure it will be fine if you are not overly sensitive to noise like some people. Its just I get this feeling they are marketing this like this quite next to the river development overlooking tranquil farm land. Well that's just not the case (and to be fair the Richmond mayor is right, this area never should have been rezoned, its a flood plain, silt, in a industrial area). As for the trains you can definitely hear them at night because they blow their horn 3 times at the crossings they pass but I dont see how it can wake someone up, having said that its impressive how well the noise carries because I am talking about the rail tracks across the river north of the south arm. The ones through the development are not really used, and certainly not at night.

Originally Posted by Homeowner

Would this noise be equivalent to people living near the SKYTRAIN? When you live in the city, you have to expect that it's not all peace & quiet.

a) skytrains don't run at 3am
b) industrial noise is louder

But like I said, I am ok with it, but not everyone grew up in environments like me so who knows.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by cornholio

I am sure it will be fine if you are not overly sensitive to noise like some people. Its just I get this feeling they are marketing this like this quite next to the river development overlooking tranquil farm land. Well that's just not the case (and to be fair the Richmond mayor is right, this area never should have been rezoned, its a flood plain, silt, in a industrial area). As for the trains you can definitely hear them at night because they blow their horn 3 times at the crossings they pass but I dont see how it can wake someone up, having said that its impressive how well the noise carries because I am talking about the rail tracks across the river north of the south arm. The ones through the development are not really used, and certainly not at night.



a) skytrains don't run at 3am
b) industrial noise is louder

But like I said, I am ok with it, but not everyone grew up in environments like me so who knows.

INCORRECT ......The trains may not run .... but Skytrain maintenance, rail repairs, etc happens OVER NIGHT. grinding of rails .... definitely not a "quiet" thing

[hollywoodnorth]

also this from a similar NIMBY rage story last year >>

http://globalnews.ca/news/1442723/ri...mmunity-awake/

Ray-Mont has been in operation for 23 years in an area that is zoned light industrial. The City of Richmond says the business is needed to grow the local economy.

“We’ve done noise readings and they are in compliance with the city’s noise bylaw in terms of decibel levels where operations are both during the daytime and the evening,” says Ted Townsend, City of Richmond.

“However the owner has been very cooperative and has met with the residents to come up with a resolution.”

[Pinion]

Until the new Low Level road was built near my place, trains blowing their horns at intersections was bothering people many hundreds of feet away up the hill. The only solution was to remove the intersections. West Van somehow passed a law against train horns many decades ago but you can't do that anymore.

And I walked in the park once near the wheat elevators and never again. I cannot believe anyone lives anywhere near them.

[Tetsuo]

At night the air is colder and thus denser and noise can go further, especially in the fall/winter. I used to be able to hear the train horns all the way up to where I lived (Eastern top of the Metrotown Ridge)

Same can be said for MARK I Skytrain cars, although ever since they've upgraded portions of the Expo Line track it has quiet down

[missbailey]

Originally Posted by BodomReaper

The public realm looks very well-done here but the tower + midrise are deathly boring. Do we know who the architect is for this one?

Originally Posted by missbailey

I think it's GBL

woops, no I double checked, its IBI.

I hate both of their CAD plans equally as much, so I couldn't quite remember

[apesta]

Originally Posted by cornholio

I am sure it will be fine if you are not overly sensitive to noise like some people. Its just I get this feeling they are marketing this like this quite next to the river development overlooking tranquil farm land. Well that's just not the case (and to be fair the Richmond mayor is right, this area never should have been rezoned, its a flood plain, silt, in a industrial area). As for the trains you can definitely hear them at night because they blow their horn 3 times at the crossings they pass but I dont see how it can wake someone up, having said that its impressive how well the noise carries because I am talking about the rail tracks across the river north of the south arm. The ones through the development are not really used, and certainly not at night.

Yes Im actually referring to the trains across from the river. I've been to the district many times mainly during afternoons. I hear the trains couple times. But i wouldn't say that will affect me too much. Im hoping living in a concrete building would be little better than wood frame. As for the container company across the river making noise during night time, I've actually didn't take that into consideration when i purchase the apartment. Hopefully it won't be much of an issue.

[jbrizzy]

Picture Update:

Looking up Kerr with Romer's on the left - no development there.



Looking the other way at the four story that must be very near completion now.



Along the river with a close up of the building - with none of these buildings having curtain walls they've been able to have quite a variety of finishes on the buildings, including wood and stone.



Looking the other way we can see the two newest buildings, the first concrete structures of 5 and 7 stories I believe.



Looking in between the developments.



Close up of the 7 story building.



A little walk down the river past an empty development site and we arrive behind the small Rhythm sales center out of frame to the left, with the new, larger River District sales center ahead. In between is a lower empty grassy area that I believe will be left as park.



Up to the corner of Kent and Kinross - I believe this is the Rhythm site that was discussed not too long ago in this thread. Excavation underway.



As I walked back, a view of the other side of the two concrete buildings.

[apesta]

The first building is already in occupancy. The 2nd building which where I'll be moving into is due August.

[Klazu]

On Saturday I cycled through the area damn it's huge! You can really see it now that they have cleared the whole area in the rendering. So far not much construction has commenced and it will be a while before the area will resemble anything planned. It will feel strange for the first people that will be living there in the next couple of years.

I have never cycled the north side of the Fraser before and it is actually quite nice. There is a lot of new development that has taken place next to the river and there is some nice public waterfront. I think Vancouver is taking a much better use its riverfront compared to Richmond on the other side (excluding Steveston area).

I just so hope there would be a streetcar through this area one day, as it is so car-dependent today.

[SpongeG]

most of the water front parks, walks etc have been there for decades