Downtown Vancouver Updates

[jollyburger]

From the development permit:

"The cherry blossom trees will be retained"

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

I wonder if all these trees along the alley by the 401 W. Georgia development will get the axe.

What does "Inspired by Vancouver" mean? Overpriced and undersized? Shallow and flashy?

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

From the development permit:

"The cherry blossom trees will be retained"

Thanks. I always think it's regrettable when mature trees in a public space are considered disposable, or are replaced by spindly young ones.

[s211]

Originally Posted by whatnext

What does "Inspired by Vancouver" mean? Overpriced and undersized? Shallow and flashy?

It may mean that Oxford is about a decade behind the times. Most people have already moved on from the Vancouverism circle jerk, once they found out it was hollow.

[whatnext]

Frances Bula has a good article in today's Globe & Mail on strata sold at 1075 Barclay. As with most real estate stories these days, it ends with local developers walking away and a China-connected developer paying a ridiculous sum, adding to the inflationary spiral of housing prices:

Two leading Vancouver developers are selling several adjacent buildings in the city’s downtown for $105-million to a Hong Kong-based buyer, one of the biggest land deals in the region in the past two years.

In 2015 and 2016, Westbank Corp. and Bosa Properties Ltd. had independently set out to buy up units in a seven-storey condo building at 1075 Barclay and four adjacent townhomes in the city’s West End, a largely residential neighbourhood on the downtown peninsula that has seen a recent push for increased density. Together, the land at and beside 1075 Barclay could be rezoned for a tower of some 50 storeys under the City of Vancouver’s new West End Community Plan, which allows for major redevelopment on the area’s main streets.

But the rival developers couldn’t work together, or agree on a deal with each other, and instead decided to sell. The buyer is Grand World Holding Ltd. Corporate records show the entity was incorporated in the fall of 2016 and is registered at the offices of Richmond’s largest law firm, Pryke Lambert Leathley Russell LLP. Grand World has one listed director, Hong Qing Zhang, based in Hong Kong...

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/b...eal-reveals-hot-vancouver-markets-inner/

[rofina]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Frances Bula has a good article in today's Globe & Mail on strata sold at 1075 Barclay. As with most real estate stories these days, it ends with local developers walking away and a China-connected developer paying a ridiculous sum, adding to the inflationary spiral of housing prices:

Two leading Vancouver developers are selling several adjacent buildings in the city’s downtown for $105-million to a Hong Kong-based buyer, one of the biggest land deals in the region in the past two years.

In 2015 and 2016, Westbank Corp. and Bosa Properties Ltd. had independently set out to buy up units in a seven-storey condo building at 1075 Barclay and four adjacent townhomes in the city’s West End, a largely residential neighbourhood on the downtown peninsula that has seen a recent push for increased density. Together, the land at and beside 1075 Barclay could be rezoned for a tower of some 50 storeys under the City of Vancouver’s new West End Community Plan, which allows for major redevelopment on the area’s main streets.

But the rival developers couldn’t work together, or agree on a deal with each other, and instead decided to sell. The buyer is Grand World Holding Ltd. Corporate records show the entity was incorporated in the fall of 2016 and is registered at the offices of Richmond’s largest law firm, Pryke Lambert Leathley Russell LLP. Grand World has one listed director, Hong Qing Zhang, based in Hong Kong...

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/b...eal-reveals-hot-vancouver-markets-inner/

Why bother with development risks when you can reap similar profits flipping land.

Twisted market.

According to court and property records, Westbank and Bosa paid as much as $47-million for the properties. In fewer than three years, they have together doubled their money with the sale to Grand World.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Changing City

It's obviously not ideal - but at least the lights were there first, so tenants will be going in with their eyes open (or not).

It's interesting that the Bjarke Ingels design appears to be very similar to the first time it was seen several years ago - although then it was mixed use. There were rumours of a new design with a different architect, but it would seem that isn't the case. Assuming it goes forward as illustrated, that's another big chunk of Downtown office space, and another innovative design from Westbank.

Agreed, that I would have expected a redesign for all office, as the curvy floorplate leans towards open concept plans only.

[officedweller]

Tom Lee Building renos from Granville twitter:


https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet


https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet


https://twitter.com/GranvilleStreet

[officedweller]

Executive Group Hotel next to The Exchange has been approved:

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2018/03/23/revised-plan-for-hotel-on-edward-chapman-site-approved/

[SpongeG]

The old Tom Lee reno is looking good. thx for the pics

[truenorth44]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Here's the section of the article talking about the crane foundation:

https://www.equipmentjournal.com/on-the-job/the-right-crane-for-high-rise-renovations-in-vancouver/

Thanks for that, very interesting!

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The report didn't quite say that. It said that Westbank proposed two buildings with 300,000-350,000 sq ft of commercial and 300,000-400,000 sq ft of residential. There was a also a 25,000 sq ft retail building, and 70,000 of steam plant.

The report said that to be allowed any residential they would be required to first deliver 7.0 FSR of non residential. That would be 510,000 sq ft+. The rezoning was at that time considered acceptable because the public benefit would be the shift away from the existing relatively inefficient gas boilers.

It's not clear from the release so far whether that fuel switch is going ahead. It's equally unclear if that amount of space was achievable. The report didn't confirm the Westbank aspirations were achievable, and I don't think the Ingles design ever had any solid numbers attached to it.

Looking at the two images in the UrbanYVR story, the floorplate looks to be less than half the 73,000 site footprint, so perhaps 30,000 sq ft each? There look to be 19 floors, so that would be a 570,000 sq ft building, which would still be one of the biggest built Downtown. Some would be steam plant space, but 500,000 sq ft of office space would be slightly bigger than 1133 Melville for example.

I think the last proposal for using biomass was rejected by the BCUC for something along the lines of not being a net benefit to the consumer.

I'm not sure I'd want to build a office tower in such proximity to a large boiler though. I'd imagine they must have some pretty thick walls to mitigate any failure risk.

[LeftCoaster]

Tom Lee is looking great, went past it today. Now if only they could get the old cinema fixed up there may be some hope for Granville retail yet!

Originally Posted by officedweller

Agreed, that I would have expected a redesign for all office, as the curvy floorplate leans towards open concept plans only.

I think that simply is the old design, perhaps the new design is still under wraps and this is still just a place holder. It is very un-Westbank to reveal a design with just a crummy rendering and no fanfare.

[Vin]

This is a win regarding parking removal in Yaletown

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4595761

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by Vin

This is a win regarding parking removal in Yaletown

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4595761

That's disappointing. A real lack of courage from the city.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Vin

This is a win regarding parking removal in Yaletown

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4595761

That's encouraging. A real example of the city listening to reason and coming up with something that makes sense

[Vin]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

That's encouraging. A real example of the city listening to reason and coming up with something that makes sense

Oh totally. So their previous claim that the fire trucks needed the entire lane width for staging was kinda bogus.

[Vancouverstuff]

1100 block of Nelson street has been contacted by developers to sell their land. Does this company know something about rezoning that we don't? Current zoning is 2.75FSR, can this be changed?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Vancouverstuff

1100 block of Nelson street has been contacted by developers to sell their land. Does this company know something about rezoning that we don't? Current zoning is 2.75FSR, can this be changed?

Welcome to the forum.

Looking at the West End Plan, there's no change anticipated in the 1100 block of Nelson, so current zoning applies. A couple of the strata buildings on that block are under 2 FSR and one is 38 years old, and the other 43, so given current market values might be considered for redevelopment. That would be more likely if either are facing major expense for repairs. They're only 4 storey, which is what the zoning allows, but it also has a clause that says "The Director of Planning or the Development Permit Board, as the case may be, may permit an increase in the maximum height of a building to a height not exceeding 58.0 m provided that the livability and environmental quality of the surrounding neighbourhood is not unduly harmed".

As the site presumably looks at the Lord Roberts Annex across the street, and the park beyond, it's possible a developer might think it's worth trying for a boutique strata tower under zoning. The recently completed Bing Thom designed tower on Harwood Street was built at only 2.2 FSR.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Vin

Oh totally. So their previous claim that the fire trucks needed the entire lane width for staging was kinda bogus.

Just like how every business claims that a loss of parking spots will lead to bankruptcy.