Downtown Vancouver Updates

[Yume-sama]

A scatter junction would be really... odd... to have in Vancouver. It really doesn't seem necessary. The one in Shibuya, Tokyo, is there for a very good reason. It is literally right outside of the main entrance / exit for Shibuya station which handles upwards of 2.5 million people per day. Between lights (usually about a 90 second period) there is always a build up of hundreds of people waiting to cross the street from all directions. That just wouldn't be the case here... and would probably be more of an inconvenience. There are a few others in Tokyo in similar locations, such as outside Ginza station by the Sony Building.

http://tinyurl.com/2u6bga
^ A Google Map of the Shibuya Crossing for fun

[Rusty Gull]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

A scatter junction would be really... odd... to have in Vancouver. It really doesn't seem necessary. The one in Shibuya, Tokyo, is there for a very good reason. It is literally right outside of the main entrance / exit for Shibuya station which handles upwards of 2.5 million people per day.

OK, it may not have the volume of Shibuya, but Cordova Street in front of Waterfront Station seems to have a high volume of foot traffic, which will only increase once the RAV line, third seabus addition, and convention centre are complete in a couple years time.

Scatter junction at Cordova and Seymour, anyone?

[jjjb]

Originally Posted by Rusty Gull

OK, it may not have the volume of Shibuya, but Cordova Street in front of Waterfront Station seems to have a high volume of foot traffic, which will only increase once the RAV line, third seabus addition, and convention centre are complete in a couple years time.

The beauty is that there will be a bonus Skytrain entrance on Seymour.

Speaking of that corner, anybody know what's up with than slantey parkade across the street?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jjjb

The beauty is that there will be a bonus Skytrain entrance on Seymour.

That's on Granville south of Hastings.

[jjjb]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That's on Granville south of Hastings.

Yes, Granville not Seymour, but isn't that all you need to disengorge that corner? Hastings is where the entrance of Sinclair and the Fed building is.

[Rusty Gull]

Originally Posted by jjjb

Yes, Granville not Seymour, but isn't that all you need to disengorge that corner? Hastings is where the entrance of Sinclair and the Fed building is.

Exactly. The stretch of Cordova between Granville and Seymour is what I was referring to. Even now it's often a pedestrian free-for-all.

[jjjb]

Originally Posted by Rusty Gull

Exactly. The stretch of Cordova between Granville and Seymour is what I was referring to. Even now it's often a pedestrian free-for-all.

Yeah but it's total pandemonium down there - from a pedestrian's perspective it's really confusing because of all the construction. The access to Granville is so badly indicated that you'll often cross the street only to realize that the east sidewalk is closed.

It'll be interesting to see whether the office workers will opt to use the underground to get around once it's all built.

[officedweller]

Even at Pacific Centre (i.e. from TD Tower), it's often easier to walk at street level to get to Skytrain than deal with the congestion in the mall - unless it's raining.

[jjjb]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Even at Pacific Centre (i.e. from TD Tower), it's often easier to walk at street level to get to Skytrain than deal with the congestion in the mall - unless it's raining.

Pacific Mall has a lot more traffic all through the day by virtue of its retail offering. I've never seen Cordova without the "Don't run my mommy over" cabana and adjacent gash but it doesn't really have a very convenient look right now. Basically when you leave Waterfront, you're faced with the bum of Harbour Center and Sinclair with little indication as to where the entrances are (and they are ilttle anyways). The vastness of it makes it look like even more of an obstacle to get around. Not to mention the buses, bikes and traffic.

There also seems to be something with people and tunnels, however contrived the path is. Maybe it's got something to do with not having to wait for the light to change. Also if there's a place to get their coffee/muffin in the morning down in the tunnel then they're your slaves forever.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see what the effect is on pedestrian traffic.

[osirisboy]

i noticed today that the parking lot at the travel lodge (or whatever motel its called) at drake and howe is closed. the motel itself also looked closed, i was driving so i could only look for a second. does anyone know if that proposed development is starting now?

[SFUVancouver]

The tower for the Travel Lodge site is by Cressy developments and it is making its way through the development permit process right now. It has already gone before the Urban Design Panel once. It should be close to 300' tall if I'm not mistaken, and likely pretty average, but you never know.

[osirisboy]

^^^thanks for the info. i cant wait to see that place get torn down! drake street has so much crap that needs to be redeveloped.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jjjb

....Basically when you leave Waterfront, you're faced with the bum of Harbour Center and Sinclair with little indication as to where the entrances are (and they are ilttle anyways). The vastness of it makes it look like even more of an obstacle to get around.

The former PriceWaterhouse Building doesn't help either. Way back in the 80s, the City wanted the tower set back from Hastings Street behind the covered plaza. I think it would have been better the other way around, to create a public space in front of The Station (back then the Station wasn't the transit hub it is now). The orientation of Harbour Centre (also built in the early 80s) was in part dictated by the former Spencer's Department Store (also formerly Eaton's) which existed on the site and was incorporated into the project.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by marmorek

They should do that for cars too!

Like in Vietnam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oetF3UTIwbc&feature=related
It doesn't look like something I'd recommend.

[jjjb]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The former PriceWaterhouse Building doesn't help either. Way back in the 80s, the City wanted the tower set back from Hastings Street behind the covered plaza. I think it would have been better the other way around, to create a public space in front of The Station (back then the Station wasn't the transit hub it is now). The orientation of Harbour Centre (also built in the early 80s) was in part dictated by the former Spencer's Department Store (also formerly Eaton's) which existed on the site and was incorporated into the project.

Yeah, sounds like one of those 70s/80s schemes. We're lucky though, they didn't go too crazy with the backfacing like in other cities (I grew up in Ottawa/Hull, which pretty looks like the back of Harbour Centre all throughout). It shouldn't be so hard for Harbour Centre to open up to the street though, given more defined retail spaces - although that vent, as small as it is, doesn't really help the look of that wall. Kind of like the Granville Street side of the Sears.

[TZTag]

Hello- One of my friends bought in the Brava complex, and his realtor was talking about a potential expansion of the existing park to so that it would stretch from Richards to Seymour. There are currently some run-down buildings and a hertz rental lot there where the park would presumably expand. Anyone heard anything about it?

Tag

[androo3]

Originally Posted by mattropolis

A scatter junction is when all pedestrian crossing lights go green at the same time. So you can walk diagonally across the intersection if you want to.

Ahhh if all the lights went green then all the cars would go like in vietnam So I guess you mean all the lights go red and all the walking lights go on.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by TZTag

Hello- One of my friends bought in the Brava complex, and his realtor was talking about a potential expansion of the existing park to so that it would stretch from Richards to Seymour. There are currently some run-down buildings and a hertz rental lot there where the park would presumably expand. Anyone heard anything about it?

Tag

that park is being done in phases - what we have now is phase 1 - phase 2 is getting rid of the rest of those buildings and park space will take over great spot for one

i think they have to wait until the leases are up before they can move ahead

its been planned to take over the whole area since the beginning

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jjjb

Kind of like the Granville Street side of the Sears.

The Sears renos to the Eaton's didn't help - they closed up all of the long horizontal display windows so that they are just black strips.

[osirisboy]

(all pics taken by me feb. 1)