Well I just got back from Japan again, I was there for 4 weeks and took many photos. Instead of striking the usual areas in Osaka and Tokyo, I focused on smaller city areas (2 million and under) to better compare and contrast with Vancouver.
Also, instead of trying to find the craziest areas, I went for more calm streetscapes that couple possibly work for Vancouver.
These pics come from downtown Kobe (city population of 1.6 million) and while it is part of the Kansai region, it is a good 1 hour to 1 hour and a half away from Osaka, and is a far secondary commercial centre in an area loaded with massive commercial areas. So one could argue that downtown Vancouver, being the largest commercial centre of a metro of 2.5 million and indeed the largest commercial centre in the entire province, is equal, if not above the commercial heart of Kobe. (Akin to how large Yellowknife's commercial centre is for a population of only 18 000, compared to how small an 18 000 person community's commercial centre would be in the lower mainland).
In Japan, almost every train hub has a large department store above it, around it, or has a few near it. The following store/station demonstrates how only adding a few lights and banners can really change the flavour of a building (and note this building is also big and white, similar to our Sears) Also this is one of the most plain buildings in the area for lights, again why i think Sears in Vancouver can at least do this!
And the "Loft" department store beside it, which Sears could also do without needing to be torn down.
I would love for Vancouver to have a Loft (or Uniqlo) as an anchor tenant in a downtown department store.
Notice it is nothing to fancy but sufficient (trust me, these are not my favourite buildings, I am just trying to meet Vancouver half way).
Notice it has one large sign, a couple banners, some ground level retail windows, and one simple ground level LED screen at the corner.
just for fun, down the street from the last is this department store which i think is really nice (and much cleaner then any department store we have inside)
And this is what Japan does with their alley's in shopping/transit areas (this is also Kobe)
Notice that instead of dumpsters and crack heads there are canopy covered (all weather) walkways with retail and entertainment down the sides.
here is another pic of the area from one of the pedestrian overpasses linking the station to a department store, this picture does not do the area justice.
Again, this is only a minor centre a good distance away from Osaka, yet its commercial district is far more alive than ours with foot traffic, transit connections (at grade, underground and above ground), clean department stores, bars, and lights (but again, not as many lights as other areas, trying to meet van half way!)
If Sears is going to be around for 10 years or more, I would at least like to see that much detail (first 3 pics), especially along the Granville side.
All pics are my own
Cheers
These pics are all my own taken late at night on a tuesday.
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