1488 Robson Street goes to Development Permit Board (Mon, June 12, 2017)

The Development Permit for 1488 Robson Street is scheduled for 3 pm on Monday, June 12, 2017. This is the current site of the Empire Landmark Hotel (previously known as the Sheraton Landmark Hotel), which is to be demolished. No Public Hearing will occur. Agenda for meeting:
http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/development-permit-board-agenda-2017-06-12.pdf

Projects covered at the meeting:
– 1236 Bidwell Street
– 401 W Georgia St
– 1488 Robson St

Town Hall Meeting Room (1st Floor, City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue ). To address the board, call or write the DPB Assistant (604-873-7469, camilla.lade@vancouver.ca).

Report and appendices:

• http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/1488-robson-st-development-permit-staff-commitee-report.pdf
• http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/1488-robson-st-development-permit-staff-commitee-report-appendices-d-e.pdf

Search the WEN website for “1488 Robson” for previous coverage.

1444 Alberni Street & 740 Nicola: 43 & 48 storey towers – Open House June 7 (Wed)

Image of proposed towers at 1444 Alberni and 740 Nicola, credit ChangingCityBook.org. Final designs could be different.

Piecing together bits of information…

 

1444 Alberni Street and 740 Nicola Street
[Also listed as 1488 Alberni]
Prezoning Open House before submission of application to the City of Vancouver
Wednesday, June 7, 2017, from 5 to 7 pm

Two towers of 43 & 48 storeys with approximately 491 units (approx. 358 strata units and 133 market rental residential) including a mix of townhomes and family size units (2+ bedrooms). [West End Planning Team update June 1 says this is 44 and 49 storeys…]

According to the ChangingCityBook.com, “A cluster of rival luxury condo towers is rapidly emerging in the small area around Alberni and West Georgia where the West End Plan contemplated higher towers. The latest design is about to head to a pre-rezoning open house, before submission to the City for consideration. This isn’t the first pair of towers designed for this site; it was initially assembled by Wall Financial who commissioned a more contemporary design for a pair of towers, before selling the site on to Landa Properties and Asia Standard for twice what they had acquired it for. The new owners have commissioned New York architect Robert A M Stern (with Vancouver’s MCM) who have produced this initial design. It’s a very retro design, looking like New York towers from the 1930s, and also a very similar tower designed by the same architect in Toronto. If these are approved (after the many steps they face) they will look very different from the much more contemporary designs proposed so far in this area…”

West End Community Plan Update (June 1, 2017): City’s planning team lists rezonings, developments, events

Here is a copy of the June 1, 2017 newsletter from the West End Planning Team at the City of Vancouver. For up to date details about the implementation of the West End Community Plan please click vancouver.ca/westendplan.

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Here’s our latest newsletter to keep you informed about the implementation of the West End Community Plan, future events, and other important updates.

REZONING APPLICATIONS

Gabriola Mansion (1523 Davie Street)

• Proposal to restore significant interior and exterior heritage features of the mansion
• Convert the mansion into 16 market rental units
• Construct four 3-storey market rental townhomes on the northeast corner of the property
• A community open house will be held with the applicant team and City staff available to answer questions

Thursday, June 8, 5 – 8 pm
Best Western Plus Sands
1755 Davie Street

1055 Harwood St

New rezoning proposal for 32 storey tower 1055 Harwood Street (at over 10 FSR): Open House June 26 (Mon)

32-storey tower proposed for 1055 Harwood. Image from ChangingCityBook.com

A new rezoning proposal has been published for a 32 storey tower at just over 10 FSR on the site at 1055 Harwood Street.

 

Public comments can be provided by online feedback form.

Community open house
Monday, June 26, 2017, from 5 to 7 pm
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites (1110 Howe Street), Columbia Room, Mezzanine Level

According to ChangingCityBook.com, the West End Community Plan made this possible. A 32 storey tower designed by NSDA would replace a 28 unit co-op, which was sold last year and is now to be redeveloped by Strand Developments with Intracorp. The proposal has 82 market units, all 2-bedroom or larger, and 25% of the space as social housing (for 44 units in total, with 24 two or three bed family units).

Building height would be 300 feet, and the density proposed is 10.35 FSR.

The RM-5A zoned site was redesignated under the West End Community Plan, adopted in 2014. The site was acquired in August 2016 for $40.5 Million. Did the community plan unleash a frenzy of speculation and escalating land prices with the promise of taller buildings and higher density? How is the community plan doing with its core promise and selling point of delivering “deeper affordability”?

The full information about the rezoning is here on the City’s website.
http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/1055harwood/index.htm

Note that under the City’s Orwellian definition of “social housing” only one-third of the proposed units are required to be rented at “housing allowance rates” which allow household incomes of up to $50,000 or so for a two bedroom unit. The remainder can be market-priced rentals.

It is interesting to see the contrast between the sizes of the “social housing” units on the lower floor, and the luxury condos up above:

http://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/1055harwood/documents/07-FloorPlans.pdf

The elevators for the luxury condos extend through the social housing component of the building, but there is no access to the elevators from these floors.

Westbank luxury tower coming to West End 1668 – 1684 Alberni Street. 1st open house June 12 (Mon)

Developer’s open house for tower proposed at 1668-1684 Alberni
Monday, June 12, 2017, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m
At the Empire Landmark Hotel (Crystal Ballroom West), 1400 Robson Street

We learned about this open house by Westbank from an article in UrbanYVR. Excerpt: “Yet another luxury condominium development is coming to Alberni Street in Vancouver’s West End. Westbank and Bing Thom Architects will be holding an open house in two weeks to reveal plans for a new tower at 1668 – 1684 Alberni Street. The site is currently occupied by two residential condominium buildings, one of which was constructed in 1990. The open house invitation states that the redevelopment proposal aligns with the city’s West End Community Plan, which allows for taller buildings. There are few details about the proposal known at this point, but it’s expected to be a luxury condominium tower, with a possible market rental component.”

Two towers already stand where this new one is proposed. So this proposal means demolition of two existing concrete buildings for one new one. How will this deliver the “deeper affordability” promised by the West End Community Plans?

1668 Alberni (strata VAS2688) was built in 1990 with 11 units over 11 levels, near intersection of Alberni and Bidwell. Current age 27 years.

At 1684 Alberni (strata VAS705), the Lord Stanley was built in 1980, with 12 units over 13 levels. Current age 37 years.

Seven proposals for 40+ storey towers within 2-3 blocks along Alberni-Georgia corridor (“thanks” to West End Community Plan)

A recent count found a total of SEVEN proposals for 40+ storey towers within a 2-3 block area along the Alberni-Georgia corridor in the West End. There may be others to add to the list.

• 1668-1684 Alberni
• 1550 Alberni
• 1500 West Georgia
• 1445-1455 West Georgia
• 1444 Alberni & 740 Nicola (2 towers)
• 1640-1650 Alberni

Here are others nearby in the 20 to 30 storey range.

• 1575 West Georgia/620 Cardero (26 storeys)

Development applications at various stages of the application and approval process:

• 1488 Robson (two 30 storey towers)
• 1500 Robson (21 storeys)

And furthermore…

1444 Alberni Street and 740 Nicola Street
Prezoning Open House before submission of application to the City of Vancouver
Wednesday, June 7, 2017, from 5 to 7 pm
Two towers of 43 & 48 storeys with approximately 491 homes
On site childcare a new park parking, and improvements to the public realm
Approx 358 strata units 133 market rental residential
A mix of townhomes and family size units (2+ bedrooms)

Robsonstrasse Hotel at 1394 Robson Street, on the corner of Broughton.
This hotel is now CLOSED. It has fencing around it but no signage yet.

There are now many closed store fronts on Robson and Denman. Turnover has always been high here, but now more than before. Have taxes and rents gone up while customers go down?

 

1488 Robson Street – DP-2016-00376: 31-storey and 32-storey towers go to DPB on June 12

 

Image from Changing City Book as of 23-Sept-2016 

Big Changes are “in store” along Robson Street, all enabled by the West End Community Plan.

Across the street from a 21-storey tower proposed at 1500 Robson, these two depicted here are proposed for 1488 Robson Street (also sometimes referred to as 1400 Robson), the current site of the Empire Landmark Building, which is set for demolition.

Approval is set for the Development Permit Board on June 12, 2017. It appears the height has been reduced for the DPB review. Note that due to the 2012 West End Community Plan and subsequent “pre-zoning,” there is no public hearing on this tower. It goes straight to the DPB.

http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/committees/current-development-applications-development-permit-board.pdf

1488 Robson Street
DP-2016-00376
MCM Partnership
To develop the site with 28 and 30 storey residential towers, over a 3-4 storey podium and including retail at grade and offices on the 2nd level (fronting Robson St); and 3 – 7 levels of social housing units, all over 3 & 4 level parkade accessed off of the rear lane. Also includes a 10% heritage density transfer.
Lisa King 604.873.7642 June 12, 2017

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Open House for 21-storey tower at 1500 Robson Street (Wed, May 3, 2017) DP-2017-00304

Robson facade of proposed tower, as of 5-Apr-2017. Credit: Changing City Book.

Proposal for a 21 storey mixed-use building
127 secured market rental units
Scheduled for the Development Permit Board on July 10.

Community open house:
Wednesday, May 3, 5 pm – 8 pm
Empire Landmark Hotel, 1400 Robson St, The Crystal Ballroom West

According to the Changing City Book blog, this rental tower is for the corner of Robson and Nicola; (Robson façade). As of early April, two small buildings were proposed with only 12 rental units. GWL Advisers are proposing a 21 storey mixed-use building with retail on the street and 127 rental units above, with 42 two or three bedroom units. “This IBI Group designed tower is planned across Nicola Street from the two towers that would replace the Empire Landmark Hotel – although those are proposed as market rather than rental units.”

West End Community Plan Update (City of Vancouver)

Image released at time West End Community Plan adopted in 2012.

Below is the West End Community Plan Update (April 20, 2017), which the City releases from time to time. For people who have not subscribed to the City’s official e-mail list we provide the text here.

 

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Here’s our latest newsletter to keep you informed about the implementation of the West End Community Plan, future events, and other important updates.

Development Applications

1345 Davie Street

• This proposal was approved at the Development Permit Board meeting on March 20.

1488 Robson Street

• Proposal for a 31 and 32 storey mixed-use building
• 63 social housing units and 237 market units
• Scheduled for the Development Permit Board on June 12.

1500 Robson St

• Proposal for a 21 storey mixed-use building
• 127 secured market rental units
• Scheduled for the Development Permit Board on July 10.
• A community open house will be held with the applicant team and City staff available to answer questions.
      Wednesday, May 3, 5 pm – 8 pm
  Empire Landmark Hotel
  1400 Robson St
  The Crystal Ballroom West
  For more information go to vancouver.ca/devapps or call 3-1-1 and provide the operator with the address.

Rezoning applications

1445-1455 West Georgia Street

• Proposal for a 46 storey residential building
• 128 market units
• A community open house will be held with the applicant team and City staff available to answer questions.

Monday, May 1, 5 pm – 8 pm
Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel
1128 West Hastings Street
Pinnacle 1 Function Room
Note: This application is outside the West End Plan area
For more information go to vancouver.ca/rezapps or call 3-1-1 and provide the operator with the address.

Our Public Spaces
Downtown Places and Spaces Strategy

• On March 29, Council approved the work program for a Downtown Places and Spaces Strategy, which will provide a strategic framework to shape a vibrant public space network and coordinate public space delivery in the downtown.
• We will be looking for your feedback and long term vision for public spaces at a variety of events this summer.
• Stay tuned for more information. This will be your chance to share your hopes, dreams, and vision for Downtown Vancouver’s public spaces!

Jim Deva Plaza Event Sponsorship Program

• Have a great idea for an event in Jim Deva Plaza? Does your organization need financial assistance?
• Apply for event sponsorship and make your idea happen! Deadline is April 30, 2017.
  Visit westendbia.com for more information

Jim Deva Plaza Neighbourhood Block Party

• Come join your neighbours at Jim Deva Plaza on Saturday April 29th, 2017, from 12 to 4 pm
• There will be a free BBQ and family activities
• See westendbia.com for more details

Warm Regards,

West End Planning Team

ABOUT THE WEST END COMMUNITY PLAN

In November 2013, City Council approved the West End Community Plan. The plan provides long-range guidance on a variety of issues – including housing, transportation, parks and public space, social infrastructure, arts, culture, heritage and more. The new plan replaces the older West End Commercial Policy Plan (1986) and West End Residential Areas Policy Plan (1987).

For information on the plan, on-going implementation work, or upcoming events and opportunities for public involvement, please stay in touch via the following means:

Web & List-serv sign-up: vancouver.ca/westendplan
Email: westendplan@vancouver.ca
Twitter: @westendplan
Telephone: 3-1-1

12th Annual Art Exhibit “Art In The City” this weekend at West End Community Centre

The West End Community Centre will be holding its 12th Annual Art Exhibit – “Art In The City” this coming weekend at the Community Centre on Denman Street.

There will be works of 50 visual artists from the Lower Mainland.

Friday, May 5th is the opening reception from 7 to 9 PM
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The exhibit continues noon to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday (May 6th and 7th).

The exhibit will be augmented by painting demonstrations and the chance to give it a try yourself, sketching opportunities, clay animation demonstrations and children’s participatory opportunities.

Enjoy music outside on the front plaza and the opportunity to enter prize draws.

As for the current forecast, the sun is supposed to shine, so come for a walk in the West End , the blossoms are finally out and at their peak!

Drop by Art In The City and say Hello.