Chinatown Updates Discussion

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Between this conversion, the ongoing conversion of 610 Main Street to 30 hotel rooms, and the new Keefer House, this a big shift in land use in Chinatown (some 140 new hotel rooms). If we get some of the Gastown hotel projects moving forward, we will hopefully finally be seeing the change over of our two most historically important neighbourhoods into vibrant tourist destinations.

There's no obvious sign of the 610 Main hotel conversion being built yet. It was approved in July 2024.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Changing City

There's no obvious sign of the 610 Main hotel conversion being built yet. It was approved in July 2024.

It looks like changes to the DP were approved summer 2025, and the Building Permit and associated permits (Sewer and Water Connection and Street Use Permits) were approved in late 2025. I expect construction will start soon.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Even with loosening height restrictions there's almost zero chance there will be anything allowed taller than those Main/Keefer projects in the core of Chinatown.

Why not? The Main/Keefer projects are already way taller than anything else in Chinatown. Studies indicate that structures or portions of buildings above 120 feet (approximately 36–40 meters) generally have negligible visual impact on the street-level experience, so putting a 60 story tower in Chinatown has no more impact than what is already there at Main and Keefer.

It is pure foolishness to let our most historic areas rot away because of politics.

Our research indicates that buildings (or the portion thereof) that reach up to 120ft. are what define the pedestrian's visual experience-- any area above that height has very little visual impact at the ground.

https://ui.kpf.com/blog/2017/12/20/x...to%20passersby.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by logan5

Why not? The Main/Keefer projects are already way taller than anything else in Chinatown.

Because the City put a stop to similar projects in the area after the locals complained about the ones that were built.
The one on the Jimi Hendrix shrine site was already in the works at the time.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Because the City put a stop to similar projects in the area after the locals complained about the ones that were built.
The one on the Jimi Hendrix shrine site was already in the works at the time.

Like I said, letting our historic areas get run down because of politics is extremely foolish. At some point you have to have the intestinal fortitude to do what’s right for Chinatown, and the rest of the dtes.

And isn’t there a new policy coming in that prohibits public hearings for rezoning applications that are consistent with the Vancouver ODP. That should ease public pressure in areas like Chinatown