Downtown Vancouver Updates

[officedweller]

Development Permit Board report for 58 West Hastings - Concord's "Greenwich". Elevations at the end of the report. Would have been nice if the roof line was varied.

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/dp...Street%20FULL%20REPORT%20%20DE411789.pdf

[LeftCoaster]

Awesome, I am very excited for this project. The site is currently just a complete wasteland so this project will have a huge impact on the east hastings streetescape.

I do agree with OD however however, it could have been nicer with some staggered floor heights... but thats just nit picking.

[officedweller]

There's a crane up for Alto - Davie & Howe.

[feisto]

Originally Posted by jlousa

For those that didn't attend any of the open house on the metro core jobs study , here are the panels.

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/corejobs/pdf/research/step4openhousepanels.pdf

Not too bad overall, agree with most of it, but felt it could require even more commercial space. Unfortunately the people there didn't know very much and were actually given out misinformation. I overheard one of the guys telling a member of the public that council is talking about allowing an office tower higher then Shangri-la. Would be nice if they don't know what they're talking about to just say I'll can get back to you instead of stating BS.

"I overheard one of the guys telling a member of the public that council is talking about allowing an office tower higher then Shangri-la"

Maybe you should reserve these kinds of comments for the 'rumours' thread.

[LeftCoaster]

But it's not true, Jlousa was just using it as an example to highlight how uninformed the city representitives were.

[jlousa]

At the park board meeting on the 23rd.

http://vancouver.ca/parks/board/2008/080623/sp_commemorative_plaque.pdf

BACKGROUND
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation has received a proposal from Parks Canada to install a plaque in Stanley Park to commemorate Stanley Park as a Canadian National Historic Site.
All National Historic Sites in Canada are designated by the federal Minister of the Environment.
DISCUSSION
The proposed location for the plaque is on the large rock located just west of the Park Board Administration office. The plaque is approximately 27” by 32” and bears the following inscription:
“Opened in 1888 and named in honour of the Governor General, Lord Stanley,
this park epitomizes the large urban parks of the era. Remarkable for its
magnificent setting, the park displays a harmonious relationship between its
natural environment and its cultural features. The dense and lofty treed landscape, essentially unaltered by human hand, typifies the British Columbian coastal forest. Recreation facilities and gardens introduced over the years have helped make it enormously popular. Set among sea, city and mountains, this splendid 400 hectares park is one of the most famous in Canada.”

[Delirium]

nice idea but is all that text really necessary? no wonder why it has to be so big. it's like they're describing the park to someone who's never been there when in fact your standing right in the middle of it.

doesn't stanley park have a bit more history to share than that fluff?

[Delirium]

here's a couple pics i took from this evening

dolce


donoven and 1022 living


the 3

[subdude]

Originally Posted by Delirium

nice idea but is all that text really necessary? no wonder why it has to be so big. it's like they're describing the park to someone who's never been there when in fact your standing right in the middle of it.

doesn't stanley park have a bit more history to share than that fluff?

Funny you should ask - here's a great book about Stanley Park's history
http://nonstopdesign.com/stanley-park-companion.php

There might be better histories of the park, but there are a couple of my photos in the book so I'm biased.

[officedweller]

Thanks for the pics.

[officedweller]

Here's another pic of The Erickson taken by me last Friday:

[vanhattan]

Originally Posted by Built Form

Carlos and Buds has been gone for 2 years now.
Onni has been working very hard to get the increased density for this tower which was originally to be around 20 floors. But now the 33 story tower will also sit on a 6 story podium, like Elan and have live/work zoning in the townhomes fronting Seymour street.
The floor plates are large as the tower is a rectangle shape and is set back from Pacific street. And unlike the 501 which was marketed as entry level this tower will be much more expensive with higher end finishes.

Hey Built, have they published any renderings and/or has an application been filed with the city yet? Any estimation on when they would like to start? Thanks.

BTW, I hate the ulgy billboard sign they put up on their property. I was going to garden there this summer, but it blocked out all the light to "my garden plot". Hope the building is interesting and not another CP clone.

[Built Form]

Originally Posted by vanhattan

Hey Built, have they published any renderings and/or has an application been filed with the city yet? Any estimation on when they would like to start? Thanks.

BTW, I hate the ulgy billboard sign they put up on their property. I was going to garden there this summer, but it blocked out all the light to "my garden plot". Hope the building is interesting and not another CP clone.

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/dpboard/2008/PDF/1338%20Seymour%20Street%20-%20DE411958.pdf

Above is a link to the non-market housing site at 1308 Seymour. Half way down the report you will see a shadowing analysis which shows the current configuration of the site.
The project has been working with the development board to finalize the massing and FSR before we get to see it. I was told it would not start until after the olympics. I haven't seen the working design but they are using the same architect who did the 501 and the Melville - Hewitt Kwasnicky.

[Delirium]

here's a rendering of the V6A project by onni in the 200 block of Union Street between Main and Gore

[officedweller]

Nice! Much better response than the Concord project on West Hastings (or maybe its just the rendering?).

[jlousa]

City export centre showdown
New taxpayer-funded business promotion initiative seen as direct competitor to privately operated Canada Export Centre
Work on a multimillion-dollar business promotion centre in the heart of downtown Vancouver has begun under cover of what appears to be a provincial government-imposed media blackout.

When the B.C. Showcase and Hosting Spaces opens this fall to capitalize on the momentum in the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, a couple of large disused restaurants and other spaces at Robson Square will have been transformed into a showpiece for B.C. business innovation and a meeting place for anything from corporate events to international trade delegations.

But there’s one sticking point: a private venture has been doing the same thing for the past three years – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The bread and butter for the Canada Export Centre, the only private facility of its kind in Canada, has been its successful showcasing of some of B.C.’s top businesses and matching of Canada’s exporters to buyers from around the globe.

The centre, on prime premises on West Hastings Street, within two blocks of the World Trade Centre and the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, claims to have had a hand in influencing more than $1 billion in exports.

The government initiative has clearly rattled centre founder Mark Mensing, although the 38-year-old entrepreneur is hoping it won’t encroach on his unique business.

“The province starts throwing around money; it’s pretty scary as a private sector entity,” Mensing said.

But he said he had been assured the government initiative is not intended to be competition, but rather a possible partnership to maximize opportunities for both sides.

“This partnership will save taxpayer dollars, create greater efficiencies, and eliminate any chance of adversely affecting what is in existence in the private sector.”

Mensing has met with senior staff of the Ministry of Economic Development to discuss ways for co-operation, even a memorandum of understanding to work together.

While apparently willing, the ministry remains uncommitted.

It has also chosen to provide no details of its plans for Robson Square, particularly its showcase and hosting spaces being developed across from the old ice rink.

Economic Development Minister Colin Hansen has turned down several requests from BIV for comment, with his communications director Rena Kendall-Craden telling a reporter he was “too early” on the story. “The minister [is] the one who speaks on issues,” said Kendall-Craden. “[But] he’s too busy to do it.”

Mensing, who launched his CEC venture in 2005 with a $15,000 loan together with business partner Michael Lyons, said the ministry recognized the centre’s role as a platform to host incoming missions, to showcase B.C. company technologies as well as supply market research and multilingual consulting services for B.C. companies.

Since its opening, about $4 million has been invested in the centre, which takes in a couple of million dollars a year in revenue, primarily through the permanent display of more than 200 business products, seen by visitors from more than 60 countries, including 52 mayors’ groups. About half the companies featured are based in B.C., including Canfor Corp., FPI Fireplace Products International Ltd. and NGRAIN (Canada) Corp.

“The province sees that we have specific expertise in certain areas, and they want to leverage what the CEC can offer and use it to maximize their own efforts to help promote B.C. business and investment potential internationally,” said Mensing.

However, Ken Veldman, manager of business connections for the 2010 Commerce Centre, which opened its storefront at Robson Square in April 2007, said there are big plans for the B.C. Showcase and Hosting Spaces.

He said the facility is needed.

“What we’re finding from a trade and investment perspective, not just strictly economic development, that suddenly we’re getting more attention from organizations, companies, trade delegations than we’ve ever received before. … International delegations are certainly one target.”

The 2010 Commerce Centre, an initiative of the B.C. Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat, offers approximately 9,400 square feet of indoor space and hosts activities such as 2010-related business opportunity meetings and trade shows that promote B.C. industries and technologies at no cost. •

[jlousa]

*l* oh boy these guys won't stop until they get locked up. We just accidentally mentioned legitimate company hoping that some suckers would invest in us.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=PR&date=20080613&id=8778182

ParaYso Hotel Vancouver Retracts News Release of June 13th and Announces Letter of Intent for Joint Venture With Nick De Cotiis, De Cotiis Group Windsor Holdings Ltd., Not Onni Group of Companies
June 13, 2008 9:27 PM ET

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rancho Santa Monica Developments, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: RSDV), ('the Company'), has retracted its previous announcement to state that it has signed a letter of intent with the Onni Group of Companies. The Company has in fact signed a letter of intent to build, joint venture and develop the hotel site in Vancouver with Nick De Cotiis of the De Cotiis Family and not with the Onni Group of Companies.

The Onni Group has not entered into any agreement nor entered into or entertained any discussions surrounding the project described in the press release. Onni has no association with Rancho Santa Monica Developments Inc. and the press release was issued in error by the Company.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: The statements in the press release that relate to the Company's expectations with regard to the future impact on the Company's results from acquisitions or actions in development are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements in this document may also contain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Since this information may contain statements that involve risk and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the company's actual results may differ materially from expected result.
Copyright 2008 PR Newswire


*lol* it gets better, google Nick De Cottis and you get a series of legal problems http://www.stockwatch.com/swnet/newsit/n...=B-434951-C:FHE&symbol=FHE&news_region=C

[LeftCoaster]

Great, two sleezebags hooking up. The De Cotis family seems a perfect match for this guy.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by jlousa

*l* oh boy these guys won't stop until they get locked up. We just accidentally mentioned legitimate company hoping that some suckers would invest in us.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=PR&date=20080613&id=8778182

ParaYso Hotel Vancouver Retracts News Release of June 13th and Announces Letter of Intent for Joint Venture With Nick De Cotiis, De Cotiis Group Windsor Holdings Ltd., Not Onni Group of Companies
June 13, 2008 9:27 PM ET

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 13 The Onni Group has not entered into any agreement nor entered into or entertained any discussions surrounding the project described in the press release. Onni has no association with Rancho Santa Monica Developments Inc. and the press release was issued in error by the Company.

How the freak does a "error" like that happen... talk about manipulation...

[mooks28]

Originally Posted by sacrifice333

How the freak does a "error" like that happen... talk about manipulation...

I'm sure Onni's lawyers were on them pretty damn fast.