North Shore Updates

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Vin

Is this municipality (District of N.V.) trying to become a city someday? This looks like a new mini downtown in the making, and I like the vision of it. It somehow reminds me of Bellevue as it is just by the highway.

Not really, just them realizing that losing an entire generation due to nothing but $1.5 million+ single family housing has been disastrous. I graduated in 1998 and almost never run into anyone I know on the north shore because they all have left. Schools are closing, parks are deserted, only senior citizens and their diminishing purchasing power remain.

Lions Gate, Lynn Creek, Maplewood and Lynn Valley town centres are their attempt at bringing back young people. But of course they are all still more expensive than any other urban area outside of downtown. I think Bosa in Lynn Valley was targeting an "affordable" starting price of $500k for condos.

None of these new town centres are anywhere near the scale of Lonsdale, so it will remain the north shore's "downtown," but it's a separate municipality so the district is trying its own thing.

The video again for those who only look at the last page:

Originally Posted by Pinion

Pretty slick video about Lynn Creek posted by DNV. It shows the towers planned south of Seylynn Village.

• Video Link

As usual though they're thinking too small with the tower heights. If Lonsdale can barely support retail there's no way it will thrive there, and this is the one place they can build without blocking anyone's views.

[LeftCoaster]

Why in the world are they keeping the SFH along the highway? Perhaps put some more of the residential towards the "light industrial" and commercial zoned area and shift some of that use towards the highway.

Otherwise its a welcome change for what has always been a pretty crummy part of town.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Why in the world are they keeping the SFH along the highway? Perhaps put some more of the residential towards the "light industrial" and commercial zoned area and shift some of that use towards the highway.

Otherwise its a welcome change for what has always been a pretty crummy part of town.

Those single family houses are part of a reserve

[Pinion]

Stumbled across this render/article on twitter. The construction boom of all these brand new condo/townhouse neighbourhoods in coastal north shore where nothing but forest was five years ago is pretty amazing. I would love to live here:


buzzbuzzhome.com

Cates Landing by Polygon is an exclusive collection of waterfront residences now selling in North Vancouver’s picturesque Deep Cove community.

With spacious apartment homes ranging up to 1,451 square feet and stunning two- and three-level townhomes ranging up to over 2,900 square feet, Cates Landing has something for all types of homebuyer. Artfully built alongside Cates Park in Deep Cove, the boutique community of just 95 homes is set to become the jewel of its Mount Seymour neighbourhood. Homeowners will enjoy panoramic views of the Burrard lnlet in a peaceful setting that’s just moments from everyday amenities, with easy access to Downtown Vancouver.

On the outside, the homes feature West Coast Modern-inspired architecture while interiors are defined by their spacious floorplans and thoughtful details such as kitchen islands, pantries, top-of-the-line appliances, spa bathrooms, and over-sized patios and terraces. Designed with homeowners in mind, residents will also enjoy access to an onsite fitness studio, meeting room, guest suites, dog and bike washing rooms, deluxe storage space and even kayak storage.

If you’d like to learn more about the homes and their waterfront community, the presentation centre is open from noon to 6pm daily (expect Friday’s) at 3919 Dollarton Highway in North Vancouver.

http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2015/08...ver-condo.html

Calling it Deep Cove is a bit of a stretch, but at least it's nicer than the other parts of eastern North Van that try to glom on to the Cove.

[officedweller]

Grosvenor to build Edgemont Village project.

62,000 sq ft of retail including a Thrifty Foods.

https://www.bisnow.com/archives/news...e-north-shore/

[djmk]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Not really, just them realizing that losing an entire generation due to nothing but $1.5 million+ single family housing has been disastrous. I graduated in 1998 and almost never run into anyone I know on the north shore because they all have left. Schools are closing, parks are deserted, only senior citizens and their diminishing purchasing power remain.

That is not my experience. I'm in blueridge and it's booming with new arrivals. It seems the boomers are leaving and they are being replaced with young families. It seems that a lot of them are from East Van who bought there pre-kid and then realized that East Van is possibly not the best place in the world to raise kids and it North Van is actually cheaper.

Blueridge elementary has 2 full kindergarten classes plus one K-1 split in fall. I believe it's the most kids that has been registered in K since my kids have been going to that school.

That being said, in the last year (maybe few months!), home prices are getting out of hand.

[Pinion]

That area (or at least to the south of it) is getting attention now. And as soon as it gets nice it will be like the rest of the north shore. It's always been undervalued.

I chose Lower Lonsdale for a similar reason. The best cheap area at the time - no longer cheap.

[Caliplanner1]

Originally Posted by Pinion

That area (or at least to the south of it) is getting attention now. And as soon as it gets nice it will be like the rest of the north shore. It's always been undervalued. I chose Lower Lonsdale for a similar reason. The best cheap area at the time - no longer cheap.

There's a "dark side" to fast rising home prices.....and that dark side tends to play out in disjointed/dysfunctional demographics/social structures which in turn could lead to an unsustainable local economy (especially if wealthy (foreign?) home owners are not around on a regular basis to shop locally or consistently support ordinary "mom and pop" stores!

[BodomReaper]

Originally Posted by Caliplanner1

There's a "dark side" to fast rising home prices.....and that dark side tends to play out in disjointed/dysfunctional demographics/social structures which in turn could lead to an unsustainable local economy (especially if wealthy (foreign?) home owners are not around on a regular basis to shop locally or consistently support ordinary "mom and pop" stores!

Yep, and the way stop prices from perpetually spiraling upwards is to actually allow the market to respond to buyers' demand.

[Klazu]

I already forgot the name of the new building going up at the eastern end of Lonsday Quay, but they have glass going up. There is some dark green spandrel, which seems to be some kind of trend right now. Not sure how the building will turn out.

Interesting detail is how the east side of the building is completely windowless blank concrete wall. Are they planning an expansion on that end or what is their logic there?

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I already forgot the name of the new building going up at the eastern end of Lonsday Quay, but they have glass going up. There is some dark green spandrel, which seems to be some kind of trend right now. Not sure how the building will turn out.

Interesting detail is how the east side of the building is completely windowless blank concrete wall. Are they planning an expansion on that end or what is their logic there?

I posted a photo and commentary about the same building (Trophy) in the proper thread three days ago.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...31#post7162731

The giant blank wall is due to the active shipbuilding/Wheat elevators (Seaspan is just ramping up with their new federal contract) and train tracks next door. It's gonna be noisy as hell.

[Klazu]

Ah, sorry for missing that. I don't always remember to follow all those smaller threads.

Yeah, I was thinking that is the case. So the city has no plan of extending the Quay eastwards in the foreseeable future? The wall is going to be totally blank. It must have the idea of being potentially extended in the future. Otherwise there would be at least small windows.

[Pinion]

Just because I'm the only one who posts in it or reads it these days doesn't make it small. Maybe I should just migrate over here while no one else is posting. It's sad to watch this forum slowly die

The quay never expanded east of Lonsdale. That area is called The Shipyards, and the industrial area east of that had its fate sealed with this news.

They won't even convert the few blocks of relatively useless light industrial a few blocks up the hill (mostly mechanic shops), so there's no way they'll re-zone the active oceanfront industrial - barring some kind of huge economic shift of course. Someone had to pick up the slack when False Creek and Coal Harbour were condo-ized.

There are of course still big plans for everything between the quay and Trophy, including two more similar condos to its west and this:



There's an ice rink under that tent. And the Polygon Art Gallery to the west of that:

[Klazu]

Cool. I noticed that the West Quay project is also breaking ground. A lot happening in the area. I just hope some towers would be a bit taller, but we have had this discussion. Exciting times nevertheless.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I already forgot the name of the new building going up at the eastern end of Lonsday Quay, but they have glass going up. There is some dark green spandrel, which seems to be some kind of trend right now. Not sure how the building will turn out.

Interesting detail is how the east side of the building is completely windowless blank concrete wall. Are they planning an expansion on that end or what is their logic there?

Here's the building - I'll be posting everything here from now on. No point in having three separate threads that are 80% my posts

Originally Posted by Pinion

Trophy

Trophy at the Pier, North Vancouver by chrisjohann, on Flickr

[urbancanadian]

I think merging the threads is probably a good idea. It would mean the north shore thread is usually going to be near the top of the list, which might spur a little more discussion.

Regardless, I just wanted to say that I do read each of the threads and greatly appreciate the updates that you provide, so thank you!!

[LowerLonsdaleMike]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Here's the building - I'll be posting everything here from now on. No point in having three separate threads that are 80% my posts

I actually like having the Lower Lonsdale page separate from the others. It's such a distinct area with a ton of developement and I think it's very well worthy of it's own separate thread.

[wrenegade]

I think the general North Shore thread should remain. The above posts regarding Trophy and Shipyard's Plaza in Lower Lonsdale should be merged into that thread.

[Pinion]

With the Marine Drive thread now unofficially retired, I thought I should mention here that construction has begun on x61 living (1061 Marine Drive, west of Indigo).


x61living.com

It's been a while since something new happened on Marine.

[Pinion]

North Shore News had a photo of the Horseshoe Bay proposal near the Boathouse... I had no idea they were trying something this big



https://westvancouver.ca/sites/defau....1%20plans.pdf