Chinatown Updates Discussion

[mcminsen]

source: https://changingcitybook.com/2015/10...stings-street/




288 East Hastings.




Mar.5 '18, my pics

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

April 11 '17, my pics

Originally Posted by mcminsen

450 Gore Avenue.
July 1 '17, my pics

Click on the links in the older quoted posts above for the back story of this building. Last spring a wind storm blew down the cinder block wall on the east side severely damaging properties next door.




Mar.5 '18, my pics

[Prometheus]

Great update.

A commercial street-facing facade not blighted by anti-urban balconies and setbacks is a refreshing sight. It’s a great shame for Vancouver that such a policy mostly applies only to rental or welfare housing projects.

[GenWhy?]

Kinda love this building but wish the cornice was there. A great addition.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Great update.

A commercial street-facing facade not blighted by anti-urban balconies and setbacks is a refreshing sight. It’s a great shame for Vancouver that such a policy mostly applies only to rental or welfare housing projects.

Are you sure there aren't balconies still to come? The façade on Gore doesn't look like there will be any, but the unfinished Pender openings look like they're larger.

Can you point to the guideline or policy that requires balconies? I know that on a project like this, with micro units, the City like the developer to add some way of making it feel bigger, like a 'juilet' balcony (which might be what's coming to the Pender façade?). In general though my understanding was that it was developers that wanted to add balconies, (which don't generally get counted in the FSR calculation) rather than being required to include them. Maybe somebody in the business like GenWhy? knows if they're a requirement, or a preference.

[Alex Mackinnon]

I have to wonder why it's progressing so slowly. I get that the block wall was a pretty major screw-up, but this one seems to be crawling along.

I walk past it every day and seldom notice much progress.

[officedweller]

Agreed, the unfinished strip on Pender looks like it'll have a Juliet balcony -
i.e. just a railing bolted to the façade.

************

Strangely, the extreme abundance of spandrel on the facade gives it a uniform look.

Originally Posted by mcminsen

288 East Hastings.

Mar.5 '18, my pics

[s211]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Great update.

A commercial street-facing facade not blighted by anti-urban balconies and setbacks is a refreshing sight. It’s a great shame for Vancouver that such a policy mostly applies only to rental or welfare housing projects.

What's an "anti-urban" balcony?

[SpongeG]

If its condos for sale most buyers would want a balcony.

[GenWhy?]

Balcony space is exempt as long as it doesn't exceed 8% of the unit's sf. Social housing you can get away with Juliette balconies and provide ample amenity space (roof top space). Typically a social housing is a minimum 250 sqft or micro-unit is under 375(ish) sqsf. Smallest, decent, studio rental is about 460 sqft (if you're not an evil shoe box developer) and has a balcony about 37 sqft, which is a good size. Most older units are smaller, narrower.

[GenWhy?]

The Gore building is a mix of rental and reduced/subsidized-rent units, no? And the Hastings project has subsidized rental on the first few floors?

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by s211

What's an "anti-urban" balcony?

The level of setbacks through by-law and planning usually leaves a 2 storey podium or street-wall structure before the rest of the building begins to be stepped back quite a bit. Or is stepped back from the 4-6th floor, instead of giving a consistent 4-6 storey, for instance, street wall (ie what you see along Water St).

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

The Gore building is a mix of rental and reduced/subsidized-rent units, no? And the Hastings project has subsidized rental on the first few floors?

450 Gore (at Pender) is all market rental. The bigger Wall building at Gore and Hastings is a mix of market and non-market.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Changing City

450 Gore (at Pender) is all market rental. The bigger Wall building at Gore and Hastings is a mix of market and non-market.

'Kay, yeah. Units are mostly under 500 sqft still, smallest 361, with 15 2-beds? There is some kind of exemptions in the DTES plan, and if there are no Juliette's there must be a hell of a amenity area(s). The DTES Plan and all the sub areas are chalk-full of exemptions or relaxations. Only balconies I know of are on the north façade.

[s211]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

The level of setbacks through by-law and planning usually leaves a 2 storey podium or street-wall structure before the rest of the building begins to be stepped back quite a bit. Or is stepped back from the 4-6th floor, instead of giving a consistent 4-6 storey, for instance, street wall (ie what you see along Water St).

And that is "anti urban" exactly how?

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by s211

And that is "anti urban" exactly how?

Merely responding to the other person's comment. Some feel a stronger street wall develops a more "intimate" enclosed street space and "urban atmosphere". Think of Gastown or the main segments of Chinatown vs even Main Street north of 12th ave. Usually it's a comment regarding 2-3 level podiums on wider roads that are stepped back up to the 6th floor and don't create that sense of closer, narrower streetscapes.

[Feathered Friend]

Chinatown Development Policies Update 溫哥華市華埠發展政策信息會議
City of Vancouver
Tuesday, 3 April 2018 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Vancouver, BC

PLEASE JOIN CITY OF VANCOUVER FOR AN INFORMATION SESSION ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHINATOWN DEVELOPMENT POLICIES

The session will provide an opportunity to learn more about the proposals, ask questions and offer feedback. A presentation will be made in English and Cantonese.

The proposed changes respond directly to issues over the form and pace of new development that the community has raised since the development policies were adopted in 2011, which aimed to maintain the special qualities of Chinatown while helping it to thrive. For more information, visit vancouver.ca/chinatown .

請參加溫哥華市華埠發展政策信息會議

溫哥華市政府已著手修改華埠發展政策，以至更加保護華埠的獨特風貌，調節發展的趨向。在過去三年，市府收集了社區對華埠新發展的意見，大家提出各樣的擔憂及想法，特別是關於2011年市議會通過的發展政策下，所容許新建築物的外觀及影響。

我們將會2018年4月3日星期二下午5:30 至7:00在中山花園 (Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens - 578 卡路街 Carrall st) 與公眾分享修改的華埠發展政策。本次會議將提供粵語翻譯。

如果您需要粵語或普通話翻譯服務，請電黃小姐: 604-829-9303

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/chin...ts-44658773594

I noticed this very late, but there's still a fair number of tickets available.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/chin...ts-44658773594

I noticed this very late, but there's still a fair number of tickets available.

An australian .com address?

[jlousa]

sigh... so the city of Vancouver is taking the one plan that they actually got right and is taking the axe to it and making it much worse. Some lowlights from the proposed changes.

Eliminate the sites of 120-150ft height and impose a 90ft limit.
Eliminate the uncapped FSR and cap it at 4.8 to 5.35.

There are a bunch of other changes, pretty sober reading and so sad to see a council cave in to protests. The election and certain changing of city staff can't come soon enough.

http://council.vancouver.ca/20180515/documents/p8.pdf

[GenWhy?]

Capped at 8 stories instead of about 12 or so I guess. Will be tough for concrete builds on such small lots for any kind of affordability that the area calls for.