Burnaby Updates

[officedweller]

By Yellow Fever Sept 25th:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/526920...h/29639634510/


https://www.flickr.com/photos/526920...h/29639634510/

[MetrotownMary]

Thanks!

[excel]

Hastings and Gamma:





Willingdon and Dawson:


mine.

[GilmoreStation]

Thats a nice looking building!

[vanman]

I'm liking most of the new lowrises on Hastings.


Metrotown from Market Crossing in Burnaby.



Metrotown and Brentwood from the Lionsgate Bridge.

[Klazu]

I went walking last night and there were people two blocks east of Metroplace handing out flyers to save the old buildings along Beresford Street from more high-rises. Needless to say that I didn't take a flyer and instead continued walking happy knowing that more high-rises are on the way also east of Metrotown station! Can't wait to start seeing more density on that side as well.

I do understand why those residents might be angry, but they have been living a prerogative life for decades, living next to a major Skytrain station and paying way under market price rents. I am sorry, but such entitlement is just not possible anymore at such location.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I went walking last night and there were people two blocks east of Metroplace handing out flyers to save the old buildings along Beresford Street from more high-rises. Needless to say that I didn't take a flyer and instead continued walking happy knowing that more high-rises are on the way also east of Metrotown station! Can't wait to start seeing more density on that side as well.

I do understand why those residents might be angry, but they have been living a prerogative life for decades, living next to a major Skytrain station and paying way under market price rents. I am sorry, but such entitlement is just not possible anymore at such location.

I'm not sorry the area is being redeveloped. The Metrotown town centre plan goes back to 1977 (and they were discussing it before that). They even have it online here (pdf). The Skytrain went live at the end of 1985 and then the mall in 1986. It's not like all these 'horrible' decisions have been rammed through overnight...

[sburnaby33]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I went walking last night and there were people two blocks east of Metroplace handing out flyers to save the old buildings along Beresford Street from more high-rises. Needless to say that I didn't take a flyer and instead continued walking happy knowing that more high-rises are on the way also east of Metrotown station! Can't wait to start seeing more density on that side as well.

I do understand why those residents might be angry, but they have been living a prerogative life for decades, living next to a major Skytrain station and paying way under market price rents. I am sorry, but such entitlement is just not possible anymore at such location.

I am disappointed that low-income residents of the area will be displaced. There should be more affordable housing solutions for these residents if they are displaced by development, close to where they have established their roots. In our society we treat people from the margins of society like dirt, which is not acceptable. Sucks that the federal government cancelled their housing program in the early 1990s and, to my knowledge, the provincial government never has had one. What this means is that there is a significant failure regarding policy at the provincial and federal levele. As we all know market mechanisms would be unable to fill this void given the need to make a profit when developing a site.

The developers are doing what is in their right to do, which is to purchase land that needs to be developed and shows massive money-making potential. The possibility of future densification in the Metro area is absolutely massive and unprecedented. The number of high-rises that could be built along Kinsgway is enormous and the number of mid-rises south of Central Boulevard that could be built is also very significant. It needs to happen.

The walk-ups currently in the area look decrepit and are past their best before date. If properly maintained I believe these buildings could last for upwards of 100 years, but I doubt landlords would be willing to allocate that much money for repairs as a building gets older, and have not yet maintained a proper maintenance schedule, hence why they are so willing to sell their plot of land to developers. The finances do not work for the continued maintenance of these buildings.

Places change and do need to change. To keep a place ossified in time, such as Grandview-Woodlands area, is not acceptable or desirable. To me, it indicates death and the romanticization of one specific historical understanding of a region. Seeing all the buildings being constructed in Brentwood and Metro indicates vitality and expectancy, a city constantly reborn into something new and different. It is through this process of rebirth that a city is allowed to thrive and prosper. There is always Detroit for people who want to see the end of development.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by sburnaby33

I am disappointed that low-income residents of the area will be displaced. There should be more affordable housing solutions for these residents if they are displaced by development, close to where they have established their roots. In our society we treat people from the margins of society like dirt, which is not acceptable.

Places change and do need to change. To keep a place ossified in time, such as Grandview-Woodlands area, is not acceptable or desirable. To me, it indicates death and the romanticization of one specific historical understanding of a region.

Nicely put. We need change, and we need to respect people who are affected by it. Though I'm not sure of the best way to do this, the current approach is clearly flawed.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I went walking last night and there were people two blocks east of Metroplace handing out flyers to save the old buildings along Beresford Street from more high-rises. Needless to say that I didn't take a flyer and instead continued walking happy knowing that more high-rises are on the way also east of Metrotown station! Can't wait to start seeing more density on that side as well.

.....

Do you know if any of those lots to the immediate East of your place at Metroplace and in between there and Moda are on deck for redevelopment any time soon?

The last I heard, the owners of those walk-ups and lots were not willing to sell for any price.

I know a bit farther East across the street from Bonsor park is and will be a mass of redevelopment over the next couple of years, and who knows, maybe Sears and Concord Pacific will finally get their Kingsway project off the ground.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I went walking last night and there were people two blocks east of Metroplace handing out flyers to save the old buildings along Beresford Street from more high-rises. Needless to say that I didn't take a flyer and instead continued walking happy knowing that more high-rises are on the way also east of Metrotown station! Can't wait to start seeing more density on that side as well.

I do understand why those residents might be angry, but they have been living a prerogative life for decades, living next to a major Skytrain station and paying way under market price rents. I am sorry, but such entitlement is just not possible anymore at such location.

That's why we love you here. Maybe next time hand them brochures supporting more tall towers and density.

We definitely need change in that area. The current buildings are starting to become rather 3rd world and I'm sure they would topple if a strong earthquake were to hit. They are also fire hazards. In 20 year's time, the new row of towers will essentially become the new stock of affordable housing. People who keep wanting to retain low density housing are actually depriving people of the future from getting more housing stock. I'm sure before the 3 storey walk-ups were built, there must be rednecks who opposed to them being built because their very affordable trailer park or farm barns or shacks would be demolished.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

Do you know if any of those lots to the immediate East of your place at Metroplace and in between there and Moda are on deck for redevelopment any time soon? The last I heard, the owners of those walk-ups and lots were not willing to sell for any price.

This was the point of my post that apparently something is now in works for that area which got me excited, as I have not heard anything previously. Those people didn't know any details, but apparently they have been made aware by their landlords that change is coming soon, which is great news!

Like Vin says, currently the area south of Beresford Street looks like a ghetto. I don't mean that the area would be dangerous (nothing like that), but the walk-up buildings look like third world country.

I really hope lots of new development is underway and I hope a new row of shorter towers and midrises south of the current row would get started soon. If the area east of Nelson Street shows anything, it's that the change can happen quickly!

I really like living in Metrotown as there is so much happening right now and the area is improving so quickly. In my opinion Metrotown (and Brentwood for that matter) is currently more interesting place to live than Downtown, wher changes are much more slower and careful. In Burnaby everything is big and bold right now, which is really exciting!

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Burnaby needs more bars and clubs

[excel]

I agree. I recently moved to North Burnaby and would like to see a couple more bars on Hastings. As of right now there is only 1 real pub east of Boundary on Hastings.

[red-paladin]

As someone that used to live in Metrotown, I think that a lot more commercial development needs to take place as well.
At 11pm there is almost nothing open, though the mini-bar at Element was a great improvement to that area.
I think the city should also force the Esso at Willingdon and Kingsway to have its store actually open 24/7. I think it's demeaning and dangerous to force people to transact through the window/intercom. There is surely enough profit made at that station to pay for a second clerk all night, so I wouldn't shed a tear at all if the city mandated a change.
(I remember eating at Trattoria there and upon leaving talking to one of the guys that was staying at the hotel. He couldn't believe that the only place to buy a coke around there was to buy it through the window at the gas station.) Either that or there should be a 24/7 Macs or 7/11 type store in that part of the community.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

Either that or there should be a 24/7 Macs or 7/11 type store in that part of the community.

There isn't any? That's odd considering their usual placement.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

Burnaby needs more bars and clubs

One of these days, one of the Lower Mainland metropolises east of Vancouver is going to realize that the Lower Mainland has room for an extra nightlife node outside of Granville Street and Gastown (,etc), and make a killing serving a nightlife to be enjoyed by locals... I'm looking at you Surrey.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by scryer

One of these days, one of the Lower Mainland metropolises east of Vancouver is going to realize that the Lower Mainland has room for an extra nightlife node outside of Granville Street and Gastown (,etc), and make a killing serving a nightlife to be enjoyed by locals... I'm looking at you Surrey.

Point well taken. In fact, I understand Brentwood Town Centre has a plan to install a large number of restaurants, bars, and high-end fashion, which ought to dynamize it.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2016/01/b...ing-brentwood/

[logan5]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

Burnaby needs more bars and clubs

Having lived in Metrotown as a kid, I can tell you there used to be plenty of bars and nightclubs. They are all gone now. The people that support these establishments are being evicted.

I don't quite get the zeal for demolishing all the 3 story walk-ups. Metrotown is destined to become the dullest place on Earth.

And this is not Democracy, otherwise those walk-ups would be protected, or at least replaced in these new developments, because the people who live in these buildings are the majority of society, and are suppose to be represented as such. Capitalism makes the decisions now.

[WBC]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

As someone that used to live in Metrotown, I think that a lot more commercial development needs to take place as well.
At 11pm there is almost nothing open, though the mini-bar at Element was a great improvement to that area.
I think the city should also force the Esso at Willingdon and Kingsway to have its store actually open 24/7. I think it's demeaning and dangerous to force people to transact through the window/intercom. There is surely enough profit made at that station to pay for a second clerk all night, so I wouldn't shed a tear at all if the city mandated a change.
(I remember eating at Trattoria there and upon leaving talking to one of the guys that was staying at the hotel. He couldn't believe that the only place to buy a coke around there was to buy it through the window at the gas station.) Either that or there should be a 24/7 Macs or 7/11 type store in that part of the community.

There is a Shoppers that is open 24x7 just three blocks down Kingsway from the Element (it comes with its own set of dedicated hobos now). There is also McDonalds in the mall that is open 24x7 nowadays.

There was a time 20+ year ago when the mall used to close at 5 or 6pm and when the whole area was absolutely dead before the nightfall. I would take today's situation as an improvement. This is likely going to continue with current massive development projects coming online in the next few years. The whole set of new restaurants are due to open in Station Square.