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  #1  
Old Posted Jan 26, 2013, 4:39 PM
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Prometheus Prometheus is offline
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The Entertainment District That Never Came To Be

This article at Vancity Buzz is not exactly an example of good, concise or original writing. But it is still worth reading, because it is unfortunately true:

Quote:
New Condos at BC Place, Rogers Arena Kill False Creek Entertainment District

by Kenneth Chan


An image of Nokia Plaza at L.A. Live. Source: AE Hospitality

The recent controversy and firestorm with the Waldorf Hotel’s closure for redevelopment into condos is perhaps evident of a city reaching a breaking point over its dwindling cultural and entertainment venues. There is no doubt the core of Vancouver’s entertainment district lies in and around the Downtown peninsula, and it is no secret either that rampant condo development in the city centre has severely hampered the ability of entertainment-based businesses and zones to flourish. This now impacts Vancouver’s premier entertainment venues, BC Place and Rogers Arena, as well as the False Creek entertainment district that had originally been envisioned for the stadium precinct...
Read the rest of the article (with many illuminating photos and diagrams) and the comments here: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/01/t...ment-district/

Last edited by Prometheus; Jan 27, 2013 at 7:12 PM.
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  #2  
Old Posted Jan 27, 2013, 12:35 AM
trofirhen trofirhen is offline
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What a downer ..... a relatively small city like Vancouver could have benefitted so much from a pulsing entertainment district ... now it seems that development has been too diffuse and hastily done to ever realize such a thing ... another opportunity botched, so it would appear.
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  #3  
Old Posted Jan 27, 2013, 7:58 AM
officedweller officedweller is online now
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Good article!
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  #4  
Old Posted Jan 27, 2013, 10:12 PM
spaceprobe spaceprobe is offline
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Originally Posted by officedweller View Post
Good article!
perhaps this message needs to be brought to the attention of city council and the mayor more often.
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  #5  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2013, 4:01 AM
mrjauk mrjauk is offline
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Originally Posted by spaceprobe View Post
perhaps this message needs to be brought to the attention of city council and the mayor more often.
Your implicit assumption is that members of city council are not aware of this, but nothing could be further from the truth. This city is run by and for developers and if they want something, they can generally get it (within reason). Add the death of the entertainment zone as just another of the litany of reasons as to why the real estate bubble has been so bad for this city.
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  #6  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2013, 4:57 AM
huenthar huenthar is offline
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So someone on the convention centre thread mentioned a Washington float plane company that was requesting a "noise easement" on an upcoming surrounding waterfront development to ensure that residential complaints could not infringe on float plane operations (from 10-8 anyways). Residential is already a go in the stadium area but could a) commercial developers/owners request something similar; or b) a new council with sufficient political will pass some bylaw force certain area to establish noise/light/whatever tolerances? It seems to be a theme that current council is in condo developers' pockets, but in theory anyways?
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  #7  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2013, 6:09 AM
whatnext whatnext is offline
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Developers pay for civic politicians campaigns and we all get stuck living with the results. I suppose one could vote for COPE and hope for different results, but then you'd get posters here (who are probably still pining for their lost SE Marine Walmart) screaming that Council was anti-development.
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  #8  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2013, 8:52 AM
officedweller officedweller is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huenthar View Post
So someone on the convention centre thread mentioned a Washington float plane company that was requesting a "noise easement" on an upcoming surrounding waterfront development to ensure that residential complaints could not infringe on float plane operations (from 10-8 anyways). Residential is already a go in the stadium area but could a) commercial developers/owners request something similar; or b) a new council with sufficient political will pass some bylaw force certain area to establish noise/light/whatever tolerances? It seems to be a theme that current council is in condo developers' pockets, but in theory anyways?
That was me.
I do recall, though, that something similar was contemplated for condos on Seymour that effectively back onto the Granville entertainment district. I don't know if there is, in fact, any restrtictive covenant on title to those condos (i.e. Capitol).

Last edited by officedweller; Jan 28, 2013 at 10:54 PM.
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  #9  
Old Posted Feb 1, 2013, 4:10 AM
EastVanMark EastVanMark is offline
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...great article and sadly so very true

What a great asset a proper entertainment district would have been to the city of Vancouver as far as shedding the "no fun" reputation, instead, not only did we cancel the entertainment district, we even went as far to enhance the "no fun" reputation by approving then constructing developments that were 95% residential. Stupid!

Last edited by EastVanMark; Feb 1, 2013 at 4:24 AM.
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  #10  
Old Posted Feb 1, 2013, 5:46 AM
teriyaki teriyaki is offline
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Almost brought a tear to my eye. Vancouver really, has so much potential to be so much more than it already is. We're blessed with all this nature all around us. We can't use a portion of that land we have to build something "exciting".

Condo's are great and all, but a place and time for everything. NIMBYS have way too much power. Writer is right. You don't live DOWNTOWN and expect peace and quiet of the suburbs.
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  #11  
Old Posted Feb 1, 2013, 3:10 PM
WarrenC12 WarrenC12 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teriyaki View Post
Almost brought a tear to my eye. Vancouver really, has so much potential to be so much more than it already is. We're blessed with all this nature all around us. We can't use a portion of that land we have to build something "exciting".

Condo's are great and all, but a place and time for everything. NIMBYS have way too much power. Writer is right. You don't live DOWNTOWN and expect peace and quiet of the suburbs.
If you care so strongly you need to organize and get out in front of city hall. It worked for Sandy Garrasino in Vancouver and whoever orgazined things against the South Surrey casino. These proposals both would have gone through otherwise.
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