[officedweller]

That really encroaches on University Boulevard.

I would have preferred to see a structure built - bridge like or cantilevered - over top of the existing SUB and setting back the new building from University Boulevard.

[Rusty Gull]

Who is the big bad wolf?

The life and times of the UBC Properties Trust

by Stephanie Findlay, The Ubyssey

Friday, October 10th, 2008

1988: The University created a private company called UBC Properties Trust. Its mission: to acquire, develop and manage real estate assets for the benefit of the University. Today, UBC Properties Trust manages over $600 million worth of construction on campus, making it one of the largest developers in the province.

The company essentially straddles two mandates. One: to see through the successful development of U-Town. Two: to build UBC’s endowment. Despite achieving its objectives—they’ve built both institutional and non-institutional buildings on budget and on time, and contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to the endowment—UBC Properties Trust has become the symbol for contentious real-estate development on campus.

Dr Robert Hall Lee is the business mastermind behind UBC Properties Trust. Born and raised in Vancouver, the UBC commerce alumni built an impressive real-estate business with Wall Street Financial Corporation, a Vancouver real-estate developer. In 1979 Lee founded the Prospero Group, another real-estate company that focuses on the purchase, sale and ongoing management of commercial and industrial properties.

Lee is a former trustee of Belmont Trust, which is associated with Fairmont Shipping Hong Kong Ltd. He became a pioneer in his industry in the 70s when he became one of the first developers to invest in the South Asian market.

In 1984, Lee was appointed to UBC’s Board of Governors. His private business finesse and real estate experience would eventually led to the formation of UBC Properties Trust in 1988.The Sauder School of Business credits him for having the “innovative vision” of establishing long-term endowment wealth for UBC by developing surplus land. Lee served on the board until 1990 and then as chancellor from 1993 until 1996, all the while pushing and expanding UBC’s commitment to the endowment.

In 1987, the Board of Governors stipulated that land was not to be sold, but rather leased on a 99-year prepaid basis. The surplus from the building developments would go toward the endowments.
A year after, Properties Trust was created. The founding directors were Lee, Jim Houston—widely experienced in the hotel business—and Al Poettcker, who was president at Redekop Properties Inc., one of western Canada’s largest property and development companies.

It was then, during David Strangway’s 12-year tenure as UBC President, that the era of campus construction on UBC campus began. Trevor Boddy, reporting for BC Business, wrote that development of the surplus university land was an “irresistible” opportunity for income at a time when university funding from the BC government was at one of the lowest per-capita rates in the country. Hampton Place, a multi-family residential community on Southeast campus, sprang up in 1989. It was our first major commercial housing development.

Development moved forward and outward for years without much consultation with the public, raising the ire of groups including the student body, the City of Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD—predecessor of today’s Metro Vancouver). To address these growing concerns, the GVRD enacted the Official Community Plan (OCP) in 1997 to guide UBC’s development of non-institutional projects. The plan recognized the changing needs of UBC and sought to provide a policy framework for housing and other non-institutional development on the university land.

The OCP coincided with Martha Piper’s arrival as president and marked the beginning of a tumultuous relationship between UBC planners and the GVRD. It was also the beginning of the aggressive push for non-institutional campus development. “Simply put,” Piper wrote in a brochure, “tuition and taxpayer support alone cannot lift a university to the level of greatness that can be achieved by a carefully tended endowment.”

UBC Insiders blogger and veteran UBC political commentator Maayan Kreitzman described Piper’s reign as the “Martha Piper-endowment-development-endowment-ivory tower-endowment-elite research-endowment-ivy league-endowment” era.

The endowment initiative fused with UBC Properties Trust in 2002 when the university announced its vision of a distinctive “university town” at the first meeting of the new University Neighbourhoods Association. U-Town was born.

There is no simple way to describe U-Town. Technically, it is the fusion of multiple university plans to accommodate multiple GVRD plans. To name a few: Trek 2000, Trek 2010, Official Community Plan, Comprehensive Community Plan, GVRD Livable Region Strategic Plan. As U-Town development ramped up on campus, the university was accused of losing its focus on education. The governance structure at UBC became a high-profile issue as development seemed to take precedence over the university’s academic mission.

In 2001, Properties Trust’s mandate was expanded to include property management. Properties Trust began working on a $100 million project to construct student residences on Southwest Marine Drive in 2003. They were originally planned to house 2000 residences, but development initiatives butted heads with the GVRD and the community at Wreck Beach, who felt that the high-rise condos were an intrusion on the natural landscape of the beach. Most frustrating for the Wreck Beach community was the absence of a body accountable to the wider community outside of UBC. “UBC has no municipal structure,” said then-GVRD Director Suzanne Anton. “So the GVRD is its local council and it’s an extremely awkward and uncomfortable arrangement. UBC, in my opinion, should have a municipal structure in place.”

The ensuing construction delays resulted in $20 million in additional costs. The project was scaled back by about 400 beds and, though they had slated it for completion in 2005, was not finished until late September this year.

UBC’s official consultation process—dubbed mockingly “design, display, defend”—left the outside community up in arms. But, despite growing fatigue with the campus planning process, UBC’s Board of Governors gave a go-ahead for the University Boulevard project on January 29, 2004, starting the process all over again. After a $120,000, full-page colour ad in the Sunday New York Times, the U-Blvd design competition began.

For critics, the U-Blvd project was another example of a top-down planning strategy; it was further evidence that the university favoured profit-driven ventures over education. The project remained in limbo for five years, having to backtrack and repeatedly reevaluate its plans to accommodate all those that were left out of the consultation in the first place.

The original plans for the U-Blvd space included market housing, large commercial outlets and an underground bus loop. As in the Marine Drive development, Campus and Community Planning had failed to effectively consult the community. As a consequence, the project drew criticism for not reflecting student priorities. “There hasn’t been a place in any consultation process for the type of criticism that questions the fundamental nature of plan ideas,” noted former AMS President Jeff Friedrich.

In an effort to make the student voice heard, a group of students created a petition in April 2007 against the U-Blvd development project. “Students have been against this project since they became aware of it in 2004,” said Margaret Orlowski, a graduate student involved with the petition, “and it’s high time that we’re listened to.”

It was only after the 2007-08 AMS executive intervened that students could be involved in the planning process. UBC Properties Trust found the onus of blame resting on its back.

“I guess the first thing I should make as obvious as possible, we don’t plan.” said Al Poettcker, president and CEO of Properties Trust. “The university does the planning through Campus and Community Planning.

“I think it’s unfortunate that there was any controversy at all, but as so many of these things turn out, they evolve.” He argued that the proponents of the boulevard design had the university as a whole at the “heart of their considerations.” There were, he believed, legitimate concerns about the grassy knoll, which he referred to as “the mound.”

Dennis Pavlich, vice-president external, legal and community affairs at the time, was directly involved with campus planning. “I never want to sound defensive,” he begins. “I came into this—[the planning] came into my portfolio as a result of a crisis that occurred with U-Blvd, because the process that was first used for that was not particularly consultative.”

Since the planning committees had not taken preliminary steps to engage the students, faculty and residents in the planning process, the administration had no idea how the public felt until they released the building proposal. “There was a very, very ugly public meeting when this thing was released,” Pavlish said.

“…Unfortunately, that model should have been used more. Maybe there would not have been the same kind of controversy around the development of U-Town.”

Now, with the SUB Renewal project back in the hands of students, “there is some relief at coming up with a plan for the square that has very strong support all the way around, that is safe to say more student-oriented, and it now has a distinct time table,” said Brian Sullivan, VP Students.

Tristan Markle began his involvement with campus development as an activist opposed to the direction they were taking. Today, after being elected as VP Administration of the AMS, he is overseeing the SUB Renewal redevelopment. Now, with a first-hand view of campus planning he has a cynical respect for Properties Trust’s efficiency.

“I got to give it to [UBC Properties Trust], they did it really fast,” he said regarding the U-Blvd approval process. To him, it reflects the sizable sway of Properties Trust’s agenda over the university. He argues that they are unaccountable to UBC. “It’s hard to get contact with them, they’re off-campus….This is very conscious of them: democracy slows down development. You could see that we’re built to be efficient.

“…In the past I would have targeted Properties Trust, but now I look at the whole picture,” he said. “Left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.”

In theory, UBC Properties Trust is directly responsible to the university—that is, to the board of governors, but the board rarely opposes the trust, according to Markle. And with the only intervention at the community level, it is difficult for members of the community, especially students, to be involved with the planning process.

Markle argues that Poettcker’s presence on university planning boards and committees ultimately gives UBC Properties Trust more leverage to place their mandate before the university’s. “Al Poettcker sits on many committees and that is the reality,” he said.

Poettcker scoffed at the charge. “[I sit on the] development permit board. Development permit board is solely related to whether or not the project meets the technical requirements of the various plans and guidelines,” he said. “I can very accurately state that UBC Properties is simply not involved in the way in which plans are evolved and how they get approved. Now at one time we were involved. I don’t think we’ve been involved in 2002.

“I don’t know why that is still said,” he continued. “I know obviously we do the servicing and we do the public realm, but these are all plans that are submitted and approved by the university.”

Darren Peets, who was involved in the first protests against the U-Blvd development, agreed. UBC Properties Trust has a “tendency for setting policy,” he said, because the board members have representation on committees where “you wouldn’t expect a Properties Trust agent on board.”

There are members from UBC’s administration on the Properties Trust board, but they are not enough to hold the corporation accountable, Peets argues. There are only three UBC members on a board of nine, none of whom are students, and they are tied up with their own commitments that prevent them from devoting sufficient time and energy to oversee the trust.

Matthew Carter, VP UBC Properties Trust, explained that back when the trust was being developed in 1988 there was a “huge” debate over which objective comes first: the university community or the endowment?

Today, that debate continues. Balancing the two objectives, developing U-Town and managing the endowment, is an ongoing battle. It is a gross misperception that money is the prime motivator behind the company, Carter said. To him, Properties Trust’s mandate is very clear: “Our job is to only serve the university. The university creates the neighbourhood plan. Our job is to bring forward a proposal. Propose a project, parcel by parcel.”

UBC Properties Trust still seems unable to shake its reputation for pursuing its own agenda. Executive Director, Housing & Conferences, Fred Fotis has found relations with the university’s development procedures trying.

“I do see a direction that [campus development] is taking. I think that the university is interested in trying to mix market housing with the university’s mission with the university’s town”—which, he suggests, can be an awkward marriage.

But if the university’s academic mission clashes with U-Town, Geoff Atkins—acting-VP administration and associate VP of land and building services—says that UBC Properties Trust is not to blame. “[The university] asked them to develop according to the plan”—the agenda is set by the administration.

“It’s a fine balance….Because if used properly, the revenues from them [that go] into the endowment do have the potential to improve the student experience.” said Brendon Goodmurphy, former AMS VP Academic and active player behind the SUB referendum. “What it comes down to—we have to articulate what exactly we don’t like about the U-Town developments, and we have to articulate what we want to change.”

“I felt University Town had taken quite a few steps forward,” said Pavlich, reflecting on his term as vice-president external, legal and community relations at UBC. “I understood right from the beginning that it would not be a cake-walk, that it would be controversial. I understood that mistakes had been made, but when I looked back I felt that the positives really outweighed the negatives. With regards to the negatives I believed that they were not irreparable.”

[Alex Mackinnon]

Read that one the other day too.

I'm pretty happy that bastard child of a U.Blvd plan got shot down. Their consultation absolutely horrible. The options they put down were basically all containing at least one huge con that clearly doesn't belong in the middle of the main square of a university. There were options with large retail stores not related to the school, market housing (which would almost undoubtedly disrupt the pit's operation),and a near complete lack of student space.

When planning got the results in they cherry picked the ones that agreed with some of their least popular plans (which doesn't say much as they all sucked) and presented that to the UBC Board of Governors. The BoG called their bluff and audited their survey.

That option the AMS presented actually looks pretty decent, that area linking the current SUB with the expansion looks like its open at the bottom floor.

Just to clear up the UBC Underground Loop / Knoll deal, most students are against the loop, but also hate the Knollies. The loop is frankly a ridiculous expenditure for a university that runs a $30M annual deficit. To top it off if the loop were to be finished today it would basically be at capacity. When it's completed it will already be over cap.

In my honest opinion the entirety of campus planning should be fired and started from fresh.

[fever]

In my honest opinion the entirety of campus planning should be fired and started from fresh.

Yeah. Maybe a better development process too. I'm not sure exactly what goes on, but it seems like the proponents are also the design reviewers. Everytime I go back to UBC I'm amazed how far below their potential they've managed to build. South campus is particularly lame. The main street/walkway heading down to Thunderbird is so poorly designed that they have to shut it down completely for any significant event. A tower was built too close to the stadium so events have to shut down at 9, or something retarded. Four storey Whistler kitsch garden apartments are the basic residential building blocks, complete with useless setbacks/lawns. The campus still lacks basic services. It's not just University Boulevard.

[mr.x]

just out of curiosity, what is the current population of UBC and what is the planned population after University Town is complete? thx.

[quobobo]

^^ not sure

However, I encourage everyone to check out the glass sculpture (?) that was installed at the main entrance to Main Library - it's like the one in the Ridington Room but gigantic. Really impressive.

[Rusty Gull]

49,000 students at UBC. No idea about the residential population though.

[jlousa]

MHPM Project Managers Inc. on behalf of the Alma Mater Society of UBC Vancouver (AMS) is requesting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the provision of comprehensive architectural services from qualified architectural firms in British Columbia for the renewal of the Student Union Building at the UBC Campus.
The AMS of UBC Vancouver represents 45,000 students, and is a distinct society from the University of British Columbia.
The AMS intent is to retain a Prime Consultant that will offer comprehensive architectural services (inclusive of engineering, landscaping, building code, building envelope, interior design, food services, cost estimation, etc).
The new Student Union Building (SUB) is an integrated part of the University Boulevard program, is also the heart of student life on campus. The current Master Plan calls for the new SUB to partially sit over an underground bus terminal being designed and built by others. The new SUB is to be completed by the beginning of 2014.
The space requirements call for approximately 25,500 sq.m. of new construction. Some of the program may have to stay in the existing SUB. Preliminary programming is in progress and may confirm the following primary usage requirements: Meeting & Social Club rooms, Office, Food Services Retail, Auditorium, Assembly, and others.
In addition to being an innovative and sustainable facility, the new building is to be designed and built to meet the CaGBC’s requirements for certification as a LEED® Platinum facility.
For the purpose of this request, the construction budget is considered to be approximately $85M.
Following receipt of the EOI. submissions, a Selection Advisory Committee will short-list a maximum of five firms who will be invited to respond to a Request-for-Proposal in Early 2009.

[AlexYVR]

UBC just keeps churning them out, eh? This is, what, their third 85m+ CV project in three months? I understand this one is funded by the AMS. It's provided some interesting push-pull between the AMS, the students, and the admin, for sure. . .

[AlexYVR]

just out of curiosity, what is the current population of UBC and what is the planned population after University Town is complete? thx.

It depends if you mean student residents included, summer, winter, full time, etc. I believe (including students) campus pop. is roughly 10,000 currently. They hope to add about 8,000 by the end of their development - the U Town/U Boulevard project is only one of six current 'communities' they are developing.

[mr.x]

UBC is filthy rich, yet the AMS wants the students to pay huge fees that will eventually grow into hundreds of dollars. And I'm amazed that the AMS hangs up banners that praise civil disobedience.

And what will happen to the existing SUB during construction?

[en2]

Yeah. Maybe a better development process too. I'm not sure exactly what goes on, but it seems like the proponents are also the design reviewers. Everytime I go back to UBC I'm amazed how far below their potential they've managed to build. South campus is particularly lame. The main street/walkway heading down to Thunderbird is so poorly designed that they have to shut it down completely for any significant event. A tower was built too close to the stadium so events have to shut down at 9, or something retarded. Four storey Whistler kitsch garden apartments are the basic residential building blocks, complete with useless setbacks/lawns. The campus still lacks basic services. It's not just University Boulevard.

Yes the campus is really ugly. It doesn't have that collegiate feel at all. The whole campus just feels like a collection of office buildings.

Before they had the nice grand looking Main Library, and now they turned it into the a glorified book warehouse known as the Irving K. Barber "Learning Centre". At least before it had a real atmosphere to it, that old "library smell" and that bunker in the back with all the books.

[quobobo]

UBC is filthy rich, yet the AMS wants the students to pay huge fees that will eventually grow into hundreds of dollars.

UBC's endowment is pretty average compared to most of the American schools it competes with. Also I'm not sure what that has to with the AMS because they don't have access to that money.

(not that I don't love to hate the AMS, don't get me wrong)

Edit: scratch that, UBC's endowment is tiny compared to most of the American schools it competes with, and it's even worse because we have so many more students.

[Kodii]

Just recently joined this forum... can't go without checking it nearly every hour :haha:

Sounds as if there are a lot of fellow UBCers here? Good to see a discussion thread about the development here

[quobobo]

Yes the campus is really ugly. It doesn't have that collegiate feel at all. The whole campus just feels like a collection of office buildings.

Before they had the nice grand looking Main Library, and now they turned it into the a glorified book warehouse known as the Irving K. Barber "Learning Centre". At least before it had a real atmosphere to it, that old "library smell" and that bunker in the back with all the books.

Personally I like Barber, especially the main lobby/atrium. It's nice to have so much new study space. There's also plenty of interesting newer buildings - Health Sciences, Chemical/Biological Engineering, Fred Kaiser, the X-Wing of the ICICS come to mind. They're not all incredibly flashy but they're interesting to look at, usually use nice materials and have some great features like the gigantic atrium in Health Sciences.

[mr.x]

Yes the campus is really ugly. It doesn't have that collegiate feel at all. The whole campus just feels like a collection of office buildings.

Before they had the nice grand looking Main Library, and now they turned it into the a glorified book warehouse known as the Irving K. Barber "Learning Centre". At least before it had a real atmosphere to it, that old "library smell" and that bunker in the back with all the books.

What are you talking about? Irving is AMAZING.:worship: That's where I usually go to study, as well as a bunch of other people I know.

[deasine]

Irving is the best hall ever... which is why we are holding a few conferences/meetings there =)

[flight_from_kamakura]

irving is really nice inside, a lot better than it used to be. but there's no doubt that one could legitimately find the new exterior terribly ugly.

as for the sub, this is such an awesome project, i'm so pleased to see it going ahead (though maybe they should wait just another month or two to get that much better value on the bids). imo, the current sub is a brutalist monstrosity and i'd be glad if they tore the mutherfucker down, but it's not too clear when that'll happen if at all. seems to me to be likely they won't be tearing it down at all, that after the swap out, it'll undergo massive interior renovations and that it'll become some ubc admin space. by the way, they're going to be building the new one south of the current sub so as to integrate it more directly with the future underground metro hub and so the current sub can remain open the length of construction.

[AlexYVR]

UBC is filthy rich, yet the AMS wants the students to pay huge fees that will eventually grow into hundreds of dollars. And I'm amazed that the AMS hangs up banners that praise civil disobedience.

And what will happen to the existing SUB during construction?

Yeah, this idea that UBC is 'filthy rich' is sadly where a lot of student animosity comes from. With all the cuts that the government has been putting in the budget for higher education, UBC is in some ways scraping the bottom of the barrel right now; the endowment (already miniscule for a top-tier private university and just barely average for a top-tier public) has been hit hard by the financial crisis, and tuition caps kill. Even though everyone freaks out about tuition prices at UBC, tuition funds just under 17% of campus operations - when you think about it like that, we were lucky to pay as little as we did/current students are lucky to pay as little as they do.

UBC may not have students' best interests in mind (and I certainly believe selected departments couldn't care whether there were students on campus or not) but they aren't 'filthy rich' by any means.

[mr.x]

Yeah, this idea that UBC is 'filthy rich' is sadly where a lot of student animosity comes from. With all the cuts that the government has been putting in the budget for higher education, UBC is in some ways scraping the bottom of the barrel right now; the endowment (already miniscule for a top-tier private university and just barely average for a top-tier public) has been hit hard by the financial crisis, and tuition caps kill. Even though everyone freaks out about tuition prices at UBC, tuition funds just under 17% of campus operations - when you think about it like that, we were lucky to pay as little as we did/current students are lucky to pay as little as they do.

UBC may not have students' best interests in mind (and I certainly believe selected departments couldn't care whether there were students on campus or not) but they aren't 'filthy rich' by any means.

Well, there's a solution to that Endowment fund problem...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/357922426_9478545f51.jpg
http://www.jbaphoto.com.au/jpg/981206-4.jpg



Of course, I'm kidding...but I do find it interesting that only 17% of its revenues come from tuitions. The province's cuts certainly aren't helping, and I'm guessing SFU is much worse off...scraping the wood off the bottom of the barrel.

[jlousa]

Interesting read, on a follow up to the SUB request put out last week.

1. Is there going to be a new Student Union Building at UBC Vancouver?

In March, 2008 UBC Vancouver's students voted in favour of funding a new Student UnionBuilding, on or near University Square. The University and the AMS subsequently developed a Memorandum of Understanding for this important project.

2. What does a new Student Union Building mean to UBC?

A new Student Union Building in this central location of the campus is a very positive andimportant project for our campus community. It will add valuable student social and clubspace to the campus and bring a very strong student presence to University Square.

3. Where is the new Student Union Building going to be located?

The new Student Union Building is intended to be located on the eastern side of University Square, adjacent to the Aquatic Centre. University Square is part of the University Boulevard Neighbourhood.

4. What planning work and agreements are in place for the University Boulevard Neighbourhood?

The University Boulevard Neighbourhood has a Neighbourhood Plan that is compliant with the Official Community Plan. UBC completed an AIBC-sanctioned competition for the entire Neighbourhood, and awarded the architectural services work to the winning team of HCM / MRY, subsequently amended to HCM / KPMB. UBC has architectural and related consulting contracts in place for the design work for the University Boulevard Neighbourhood buildings and public realm including University Square.

5. What is the status of agreements between UBC and AMS regarding the new SUB?

Four legal agreements are needed before this project can proceed. Those four agreements relate to: lease terms, finance terms, development / construction and surrender of the old SUB. These agreements are in various degrees of preparation; some agreements have not yet been drafted. Negotiations regarding the content of these agreements is ongoing.

6. What is the status of the Province's P3 screen to determine whether the project will be delivered through a public-private partnership?

This review is still in process.

7. Does the AMS RFEOI have the University's support?

No, the University does not support AMS's issuance of this RFEOI and was not involved in the preparation of the document. The University, through UBC Properties Trust, has contracts in place for architectural services and other consulting services for the University Boulevard Neighbourhood including University Square. Without the University's approval and cooperation, the AMS will not be able to implement this project.

8. What are the next steps in the development of the new SUB?

The legal agreements required to enable this project to proceed must be completed and approved by the UBC Board of Governors and AMS Council. The earliest this could occur is February 2009.

[mr.x]

Does anyone know what's going on outside of Buchanan Tower? With the outposts and the fencing and the barriers and the tent?

[Kodii]

Does anyone know what's going on outside of Buchanan Tower? With the outposts and the fencing and the barriers and the tent?

They're finally going to demolish that massive slab of concrete and build something that isn't meant to be temporary? The only thing I like about that thing is that we play tetris on the windows from Buchanan D.

I guess I'll have to check that out today.

[Coldrsx]

I will be at my condo in Hampton Place this weekend and look forward to seeing the progress at 16th and wesbrook

[Kodii]

Does anyone know what's going on outside of Buchanan Tower? With the outposts and the fencing and the barriers and the tent?
So I found out from a friend that filming crews are using Buchanan Tower.

[Alex Mackinnon]

I will be at my condo in Hampton Place this weekend and look forward to seeing the progress at 16th and wesbrook

While you're there look at that new traffic circle at 16th and Wesbrook. If you though it was poorly planned before, look at it now. They put a nice big sign in the middle so your vision is massively restricted. :tup:

[mr.x]

So I found out from a friend that filming crews are using Buchanan Tower.

Yea, haha...i just realized that yesterday....they even had electric cables running outside the building facade from the ground all the way to the rooftop.

[metroXpress]

Ohh...I didn't know that that was going on :)

[nova9]

So I found out from a friend that filming crews are using Buchanan Tower.

They're doing reshoots for Wolverine, there were a few scenes they couldn't shoot in New Zealand so they waited for Vancouver since they were here for a small portion of the filming anyway.

Buchanan will be dressed as an oppresive govt/military installation.....And they got it exactly right!!!:haha:

My friend has a small office in Buchanan Tower so she's been taking pictures with her cellphone and will be uploading them to her site soon.

[Coldrsx]

While you're there look at that new traffic circle at 16th and Wesbrook. If you though it was poorly planned before, look at it now. They put a nice big sign in the middle so your vision is massively restricted. :tup:

yup... it was fun walking by and watching people trying to navigate it.

pics to come tomorrow but i was very impressed with what has been done thus far.

[nova9]

Is someone able to add the Beatty Biodiversity Museum to the poll? This is the amazing facility that will house the blue whale skeleton. This one gets my vote.

[teriyaki]

yup... it was fun walking by and watching people trying to navigate it.

pics to come tomorrow but i was very impressed with what has been done thus far.

I said it would be a terrible traffic idea from the beginning and thats exactly what it turned out to be. Drivers are utterly confused when they hit that traffic circle, we're just not taught to drive in round-abouts like Europeans are. The Bus'ses barrel around it like a slalom run as well.

[Alex Mackinnon]

I don't think that's the problem actually.

It's really just a terribly designed traffic circle. The right turn lanes should be separated off from the circle, there should be nothing obstructing the views in the middle and it shouldn't go from 2 lanes to one and back to two just prior to entering the circle on 16th.

[Coldrsx]

I said it would be a terrible traffic idea from the beginning and thats exactly what it turned out to be. Drivers are utterly confused when they hit that traffic circle, we're just not taught to drive in round-abouts like Europeans are. The Bus'ses barrel around it like a slalom run as well.

that they do... it was quite amusing watching bad/overly cautious drivers

[Coldrsx]

a few Hampton Place then the rest University Town...

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0402.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0406.jpg

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http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0425.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0426.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0427.jpg

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http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0457.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x164/coldrsx/DSC_0459.jpg

[vanman]

Awesome shots man. I had absolutely no idea about the amount of construction taking place near UBC!

[Coldrsx]

Awesome shots man. I had absolutely no idea about the amount of construction taking place near UBC!

yah, it was a lot more than i had guessed as well. Will be nice to have a SAVE_ON to walk to, but sad to see that amount of old growth go.

[vanman]

Ah crap! I was hoping that the majority of these buildings replaced formally underutilized lots. I figured UBC would try and preserve as much forest as possible.

[Coldrsx]

^oh, they look to be and yes... some of this was simply underutilized land, but some definitely not.

Mind you me saying anything against it would be total hypocrisy as we have a condo where pacific spirit used to be as well.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Most of UBC's sustainability stuff is half assed anyways. It's not really all that surprising.

I think U-town is going to come back to bite the university in the ass. Too many non-university related opinions are going to sway the course of campus development.

The underground bus loop is also going to be a big PITA within a few years. Simply said in its current form it won't work. There's going to be 4 loading bays, with a bus leaving every 2 minutes for each bay. I see nothing wrong with this plan...

[Coldrsx]

^i am actually impressed with not only the design but the variety of housing and intended occupant of said housing. It is obvious they want all forms of buyers and truly create a community rather than just students.

The quality of development is top notch thus far and having toured most of the other past developments on chancellor blvd and the westmall i call most of it a success.

[mr.x]

A bunch of science buildings will be renovated starting this summer, and Buchanan B will re-open in June while Buchanan A will be closed for a year as of May 1st for massive renovations.

I also believe that UBC sent in a $300-million request to the feds.

[dreambrother808]

:previous:

good to hear about the science building renos. they are currently a bit of an embarrassment on campus.

[Alex Mackinnon]

^i am actually impressed with not only the design but the variety of housing and intended occupant of said housing. It is obvious they want all forms of buyers and truly create a community rather than just students.

The quality of development is top notch thus far and having toured most of the other past developments on chancellor blvd and the westmall i call most of it a success.

The problem with having non student related housing so close though is that its killing on campus culture. Look how neutered the frat row is now. Look at Arts County Fair getting cancelled. Look at Oktoberfeust getting shuffled around until it was placed in the middle of nowhere (and subsequently ending up having ~60 attendees). :hell:

The quality of the developments are all fine and dandy, but if its not really doing anything for students or faculty on campus I don't think it should be there. Now I know the endowment could use the cash, but if they had to develop anything definitely it shouldn't have been a quiet bedroom community.

The fact that some active academic buildings got bulldozed for U-town makes it all the more ludicrous.

[Coldrsx]

^ok, i agree with some of that however I know a few profs and they LOVE being able to live on campus now.

Frat row is vastly improved... you have to admit that, even if "boring and all pretty" now.

the fair got cancelled? now that truly is a shame

[mr.x]

The fair was canceled due to financial constraints. It was a huge money loser in its final years.

[Alex Mackinnon]

A big part of it comes down to security constraints and related costs. Look at the replacement BBQ that the AMS put on last. 1000 maximum attendance, ~30-50 RCMP + Support RV, ~10 squad cars, and a paddy wagon. Getting events licensed was getting to be a huge deal with the RCMP at that time.

ACF also couldn't serve alcohol fast enough or in large enough quantity (due to license constraints) to really bring in that much of a profit. Most events (especially large ones) are planning with a potential for a 15000-20000 dollar loss on the part of the student societies. The last Oktoberfeust was planned for ~14K in losses, but lost ~21K because no one showed up.

Frat row might be largely improved from a physical standpoint, but I'd be willing to bet that the people in the frats wouldn't say that they're better off for it. I live in a frat myself (although we're off campus) and trading off our old house (which is decidedly falling apart due it being 88 yrs old) in order to live next to the cop shop and other groups which you'd have conflict with is not a trade I would be willing to make.

Unfortunately for everyone except ourselves and Beta, frat houses are merely leased, so they're pretty much at the mercy of campus planning.

[mr.x]

I'm happy to say that the AMS student body is set for a huge re-haul. The knollers/hippies/SDS will be kicked out, students are simply getting tired of these idiots being the face of the university, pulling antics that simply do not make any sense and opposing things just for the sake of opposing to them when any logical thinking person will see that they will do great things for the university.

There is a massive campaign by the business and anti-knoll clubs to get these hippies out of the AMS executive by sending in their own representatives/candidates into the election:

--President – ALEX MONEGRO

--VP Academic & University Affairs – JOHANNES REBANE

--VP Administration – CRYSTAL HON

--VP External – TIMOTHY CHU

--VP Finance – TOM DVORAK

[Jared]

Didnt they have issues with concerts at Thunderbird because residents (esp. seniors) were complaining about the noise?

I'd also have to agree that the underground bus loop in it's current for will be nothing short of almost useless within a few years. If nothing else, they should wait until the UBC Rapid Transit study is done so they know what type of RT they should be trying to integrate it with.

----------------------

Hey Alex, what year and department are you in?

3rd year Civil here.

[Alex Mackinnon]

4th year mining. Graduamutating next May, with the classes left to complete next year for credit. So I'm going for Civl 340,440 and some geo classes to fill in the blanks.

By the way, if any of you guys don't have anyone in mind for BoG vote for Andrew Carne. He's probably the most informed of the BoG candidates as to whats going on, and isn't a political hack (ie Bij.). He's been the EUS Secretary/ VP Admin for the last 3 yrs.

[fever]

I guess you can be a student forever

[mr.x]

The Law Building is getting razed this May, they're building a new one.

[LeftCoaster]

4th year mining. Graduamutating next May

Spoken like a true engineer! :D

[Alex Mackinnon]

Heh, it took me a while to figure out what the "correct" incorrect spelling was. :haha:

[officedweller]

The Law Building is getting razed this May, they're building a new one.

I saw a rendering, which I can't post - ut it has apparently changed since that one anyway.

Basically 3 blocks/wings of different heights in a rough H configuration.

[djmk]

Look at Arts County Fair getting cancelled.

Arts County Fair is getting cancelled?

i think i went to eight consecutive fairs in a row and had a drunking blast at each one. students these days must be getting lllaaammmeeee......

[Alex Mackinnon]

It died last year actually. There was AMS block party instead. It sucked.

[AlexYVR]

Most of UBC's sustainability stuff is half assed anyways. It's not really all that surprising.

I think U-town is going to come back to bite the university in the ass. Too many non-university related opinions are going to sway the course of campus development.

The underground bus loop is also going to be a big PITA within a few years. Simply said in its current form it won't work. There's going to be 4 loading bays, with a bus leaving every 2 minutes for each bay. I see nothing wrong with this plan...

I have to say, at least in regards to your first point. . .you're wrong. As someone quite familiar with campus architecture and infrastructure from both an ex-student point of view and a current development industry POV, UBC is surprisingly forward-thinking in much of their sustainability effort.


UBC Earns Top Sustainability Marks in Canada; Places Third Overall in North America

The University of British Columbia has earned top grade among Canadian post-secondary institutions and third overall in the College Sustainability Report Card, released today by the Sustainable Endowments Institute.

Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Sustainability Endowments Institute is a non-profit organization funded by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. It surveyed 300 universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada on their sustainability activities.

UBC is the only Canadian school -- and one of 15 in North America -- to earn an A-, the highest grade designated this year, ranking ahead of Columbia, Harvard, University of Washington and Stanford University.

“The Report Card assessed a broad set of indicators, including green building initiatives, recycling programs, administrative leadership and endowment investment policies,” says UBC President Stephen Toope, who earlier this year established the President’s Advisory Council on Sustainability to coordinate and advance the university’s operational and academic efforts. “It is especially gratifying to see efforts in all areas of our community recognized.”

http://www.greenreportcard.org/



The significant names in there are UW and Harvard, the two of which are pretty much the leaders in NA campus sustainability on a large scale. UW is important because the campus so closely reflect's UBC's on a demographic/size/endowment level, and Harvard because they have approximately 30 zillion more dollars to throw at sustainability efforts than UBC does.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Theres a few programs of theres which really haven't done much other than make a lot of noise.

The Mercury recycling project was one which always amused one of my profs. It basically resulted in additional cheap mercury being available to artisanal miners in 3rd world countries. Translation is that their program resulted in pretty much direct emissions into rivers or small towns in the form of mercury vapour.

The reason why I'd say most of the buildings are half assed is quite simply because a large portion of them have simply worked liked crap. The CHBE and Strangway buildings have both had large problems with their HVAC systems, the Fred Kaiser building has proven itself to be either too hot, or cold depending on weather conditions and has had numerous design deficiencies come up over the course of the last 2 years.

THE CHBE building problem is quite amusing as it once resulted in a pressure drop which subsequently cause some sealed lab chemical containers to crack, forcing evacuation of the building.

The large upgrade projects on old buildings are also kind of an interesting thing that UBC does. On a lot of old buildings maintenance is relatively poor, so some of the bulidings being renovated under UBC renew quite simply are using that major renovation as a substitute for continued maintenance.

The "sustainability street" project ran out of money, so it doesn't really do much in its current form.

It might not be UBC's intentions to half ass things, but it seems that their sustainability related projects never quite work right.

[Rusty Gull]

UBC’s anthropology museum reopens

18 MONTH, $55.5 MILLION RENOVATION TO BE FULLY FINISHED FOR OPENING CEREMONIES

Dr Anthony Shelton addresses guests at the MOA opening last Sunday.

BY SARAH EDEN
NEWS WRITER

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

After a six-month closure, the Museum of Anthropology re opened this Sunday with a new exhibition and an emphasis on the collaborative focus of the expanded and renovated space.

Hundreds gathered in the re furbished Great Hall to listen to Dr Anthony Shelton, the direc tor of MOA, describe the prog ress of the renovation and what patrons should expect when the full project is completed in time for the 2010 Olympics on January 23, 2010. Shelton pro nounced the new MOA as one that will “take its place again to be one of the major power houses of Vancouver.”

The ceremony marked the completion of Phase I of MOA’s $55.5 million “Partnership of Peoples” Renewal Project. By nearly doubling its size, the mu seum will be able to house major visiting exhibitions that would have otherwise skipped Vancou ver on their tour. This increase in size will also include various amenities for museum guests in cluding a café, a not yet opened theatre, a Cultural Research Suite and the now partially open Centre for Cultural Research. The Cultural Research Suite, with its oral history language lab, lounge and archives research room, will be a particularly useful tool for students studying First Nations.

Another aspect of the Renew al Project that has officials at the museum pleased is the Recipro cal Research Network (RRN). The RRN will facilitate research by providing unprecedented access to collections from North America and Europe in one single network. MOA has nearly finished digitalizing its 35,000-piece collection. Part of the process of this archiving has been working with First Nations community members to ac curately label and describe the museum’s collection. With this collaboration Shelton hopes that the museum displays “the mate rial as the people who made the material want it to be shown.”

After Shelton’s address to the crowd, the Pacific Islanders Hugagesea Club sang and dance to welcome the museum’s new exhibition: TATAU: Samoan Tat tooing and Global Culture. The exhibit features photographs taken by New Zealand’s Mark Adams during his 30 years of documenting tattooed Samoans and tattooists.

The museum also revealed a panel installation for its open ing by Coast Salish artist John Marston. The panel is entitled “’ehhwe’p syuth” or “To Share History” and is joined by video segments from the movie Killer Whale and Crocodile which doc uments Marston’s trip to Papua New Guinea and subsequent in spiration to carve his panel.

[jlousa]

Don't beleive these have been posted, they are for the upcoming new Law Building at UBC. Cheers.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/jlousa/UBCLAWbuilding1.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/jlousa/UBCLAWbuilding2.jpg

[teriyaki]

Don't beleive these have been posted, they are for the upcoming new Law Building at UBC. Cheers.


where is this building going up? doesn't look like its close to either west or east mall?

[dubsH]

East Mall past Buchanan Tower?

[Kodii]

Purely orgasmic.

Is it going on top of where the current Law building is? Across East Mall from Buchanan?

[jlousa]

Budget is $39Million

The new Faculty of Law project is a proposed 4 storey 135,000 square foot LEED Gold building. It will consist of a concrete frame with brick, wood and glass exterior cladding. The building will be a replacement structure for the existing Curtis Law building, located at East Mall and Marine Drive on the UBC Point Grey Campus. The project architects, Diamond
and Schmitt and CEI in joint venture, are currently working to complete construction documents in July 2009 with an anticipated construction start set for September 2009.
Preconstruction services will begin immediately and will require a full and detailed estimate of the project.
The building will be a mix of assembly spaces, including a library component that makes up approximately 40% of the area. Offices, Classrooms and informal learning spaces will make up the balance of the program. A three storey forum space, with retractable seating, is an integral part of the atrium. The new building will be constructed adjacent to the existing
Law library, which will be kept in operation until after the completion of the new building and collections are moved over. The project schedule and General Conditions should anticipate the partial demolition of the existing Curtis Building, with sufficient time allowed in the schedule to demolish the library after completion of the building and collections move.

A geothermal well field is planned to be constructed adjacent to the proposed facility, down the slope towards Marine Drive. An occupancy date of September 2011 is targeted.
Program (sq.m.)
5,117.5 Law Faculty Program
2,757.6 Law Library Program
7,875.1 Total Net
12,491 Total Gross (134,453 sf)

[Kodii]

:previous: Ok I understand the rendering now. The building on the right of the rendering is Buchanan Tower and the road closest to you is Marine Drive.

I'm just confused because the road definitely does not look like that right now, and I feel like there are houses where the rendering is.

EDIT: It looks as if they are building it over the current Crescent Road and extending East Mall straight through to Marine Drive.

EDIT2: Eer.. just ignore me. The rendering still doesn't make sense.

[officedweller]

Looks like the intersection shown is Crescent Road and East Mall.

[raggedy13]

Looks like a great improvement over the current building. The rendering makes sense to me location-wise. The only thing that may be somewhat off is that Crescent Road/East Mall is a bit steeper there leading down to Marine Drive, I believe. I think the vantage point in the second rendering is something like this:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g296/raggedy13/ubclaw.jpg

[LeftCoaster]

From what I understand it is just going to replace the current building isn't it? so it should just be exactly where the current building sits, just like it is shown in the renderings.

[mr.x]

^ that's correct.

Not sure what will happen to the entire law faculty and library while construction is going on...

[LeftCoaster]

They are in swing spaces throughout the campus. My girlfriend was there last term but transferred out this year to avoid the hassle.

[Rusty Gull]

From the Straight...

Arthur Erickson's final contribution to be unveiled in 2010

As the global architecture community mourns the passing of Vancouver’s “concrete poet” Arthur Erickson on May 20 at age 84, his final contribution has yet to be unveiled.

One of Erickson’s most beloved designs, the B.C. Museum of Anthropology, is currently undergoing a renewal project, for which the architect served as a consultant to Noel Best of Stantec Architecture.

The project includes the addition of a new wing and welcome plaza, and upgrades to the Bill Reid Rotunda, which have now been completed, and work on the Multiversity Galleries (formerly Visible Storage) and major temporary exhibition gallery, which are still under construction and will be revealed at a grand re-launch in January 2010.

“Arthur Erickson’s name is still associated with the expansion, and he was consulted throughout the design and building of the new wing and the renovations that were being taken on,” explained Moya Waters, the museum’s associate director and leader of its renewal project, in conversation with the Straight. “His name is on the plans as the consulting architect. We had to respect his vision for the museum, and we have always consulted with him for almost everything we’ve done around the building, because we definitely respect his vision for that space and his authorship of our space.”

In designing the museum, she added, Erickson “was a visionary architect. He was inspired by the setting of the museum, and the Northwest Coast architecture that he used as a reference for the design of the museum—the post-and-beam architecture of the Northwest Coast big houses. He designed the museum with that post-and-beam style, but he also designed it for the objects that were intended to be displayed there....He designed the great hall, for instance, to have the scale that would display those pieces in their glory—the massive sculptures and totem poles.”

Erickson first achieved international notoriety for his design of the Simon Fraser University Burnaby campus, and in addition to the MOA, went on to design the Vancouver Law Courts and Robson Square in Vancouver. Further afield, he designed Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, the California Plaza in Los Angeles, the Kuwait Oil Sector Complex in Kuwait City, the Kunlun Apartment Hotel Development in Beijing, and Napp Laboratories in Cambridge, England.

But his heart always remained always close to the MOA, which he designed in 1976. “We like to think we were one of his favourite buildings,” said Waters, noting that Erickson’s 80th birthday celebrations were held at the museum. In honour of that celebration, Erickson’s original vision for a reflecting pool behind the building was temporarily brought to life.

“It was one of his life-long dreams to have the reflecting pool filled permanently, to complete the vision of the architecture,” explained Waters. It was only the second time in its history that the pool had been filled, as university officials have had ongoing concerns about its impact on the site’s ecology and stability.

“There’s been lots of studies done because there was question originally of the cliff stability, but that’s been addressed now,” added Waters. “It’s still a vision for us to complete that pond in his memory.”

[Locked In]

I'm not at all familiar with the development going on at UBC, but I snapped this picture this morning at NW Marine and Chancellor:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_9FW9P3-u1EI/Shia_NV6PbI/AAAAAAAAAqA/x_1briYcgtE/s800/IMG_1772.jpg

[squeezied]

i also saw that development yesterday on my way to attending a friend's convocation. i wasnt aware of the development prior to that heh. if you look close enough on the banner... www.coastliving.ca

[wrenegade]

A bunch from Westbrook Village yesterday

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3617785237_9a4e8d22cd_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3389/3618606632_3a10f75cbf_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/3618606396_94e7e265e6_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3594/3618606140_4524077eda_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3373/3617784301_0c608f5de9_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3618605698_b95195a011_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3299/3617783851_42ebbfcc2a_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3617783589_d4a758e2c9_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/3617783423_59b8893cab_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3617783047_1f7c7bbe8c_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3618604372_9eb4707842_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3364/3618604014_b58031ef1d_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3618598674_e20028330e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3617776969_19626f70d5_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3617776715_dced49dab2_o.jpg

[flight_from_kamakura]

man, that law school looks pretty generic, after the novelty wears off, this is going to be one of those buildings people barely notice as they walk by. damned jack diamond is winning so many competitions these days, it's almost silly.

still, it's a hell of a lot better than the current building. maybe someone will get ambitious along the line and they'll toss up a patrick blanc-style green wall or something to make it look less like everything else (and to hide the inevitable washed out look).

thanks for the renders j-lo.

[officedweller]

Apparently a Save-on-Foods is opening up at UBC soon.

[Coldrsx]

^can't wait... that damn safeway was just too far:>

[mr.x]

^ where?

[quobobo]

Wesbrook and 16th, which kind of sucks. Depending on the time of day (buses), Alma Safeway will still be more convenient for a lot of people in res.

[osirisboy]

thanks for all the pics awvan

[Kodii]

Wesbrook and 16th, which kind of sucks. Depending on the time of day (buses), Alma Safeway will still be more convenient for a lot of people in res.

I think you mean Sasamat Safeway.

And speaking of res, I just got notification that I'll be there again next school year!

PS: Does anyone know whether the Sasamat Safeway is actually more expensive than say... the MacDonald Safeway? I'm inclined to think its just an urban legend.

[teriyaki]

Wesbrook and 16th, which kind of sucks. Depending on the time of day (buses), Alma Safeway will still be more convenient for a lot of people in res.

Don't alot of busses go down that way though. I know the 41/43/480 all pass by that intersection, it shouldn't be too hard to hop on any of the above and get to SOF. Then again, i'm basing this on starting from the SUB. I'm glad there is atleast another option now.

[quobobo]

Oops, yeah I meant Sasamat. Even starting from the SUB I think it's easier to just take a 99 (they leave so often) during the day.

Also yes, Macdonald and Sasamat have exactly the same prices (I live with a longtime Safeway employee who's confirmed this - she hears that all the time).

[mr.x]

But I do believe most rez students prefer Macdonald Safeway, given the larger variety compared to Sasamat Safeway. The Sasamat Safeway lot is just begging to be redeveloped (there are massive parking lots next to it too).

[vanman]

Thanks for the pics awvan. Nowadays it seems like everything built in and around UBC looks good. The quality of architecture/materials is above par imo.

[hollywoodnorth]

http://www.saveonfoodsjobs.com/ubc.html

Position Overview
We have a NEW STORE Opening in the UBC area. Our new store is located near Wesbrook Mall and 16th Avenue (See Map). This new store will be opening in August, but we will be interviewing throughout July (with training to follow before the store opens.)

[mr.x]

^ NICE! 3-minute bus ride from my place.

[officedweller]

Global Air Photo of the area from April 2009:

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_540.jpg

Weird how 16th Ave. narrows for the roundabout:
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_503.jpg

[fever]

That roundabout is confusing for bikes. There are bike lanes leading up to it that end just before the roundabout. There are no signs saying what to do. It seems the expectation is that you either dismount, walk for a while, then use the crosswalk or join traffic (i.e. change into the right lane) while you're just entering the roundabout. You need to be in the left lane to go straight but it's too late to change lanes once you're already in the roundabout. And even joining the right lane just when you're entering the roundabout is dangerous.

I don't think any thought went into it on the part of the designer. Even though most new roads at least accommodate biking (and UBC does a decent job usually, including on Wesbrook leading up to the roundabout), there is the occassional wtf design like this that goes against the trend.

[cjohnny4]

That roundabout is confusing for bikes. There are bike lanes leading up to it that end just before the roundabout. There are no signs saying what to do. It seems the expectation is that you either dismount, walk for a while, then use the crosswalk or join traffic (i.e. change into the right lane) while you're just entering the roundabout. You need to be in the left lane to go straight but it's too late to change lanes once you're already in the roundabout. And even joining the right lane just when you're entering the roundabout is dangerous.

I don't think any thought went into it on the part of the designer. Even though most new roads at least accommodate biking (and UBC does a decent job usually, including on Wesbrook leading up to the roundabout), there is the occassional wtf design like this that goes against the trend.


I totally agree. I was just at that intersection on Saturday afternoon when I rode my bike from downtown, out to UBC, and back. I was completely confused about what to do at that roundabout. I think I was on the sidewalk part of the way around, and on the pavement for the rest of it.

[flight_from_kamakura]

^ sort of a nice metaphor for the entire series of projects out there, no?

[eduardo88]

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_503.jpg

I used to live in the building on the top left with the curved roof...we had the penthouse and all we could see in every direction was forest or the big fields across the street. we moved from vancouver before anything across 16th was built, it looks so strange to see so much construction in what just a few years ago was only forest!

[mr.x]

Are there any plans for the farm down the road?

[officedweller]

There were some fairly large lowrise buildings in that area before - BC Research had its building in there - they would have been blocked from view by the trees.

[Prometheus]

There were some fairly large lowrise buildings in that area before - BC Research had its building in there - they would have been blocked from view by the trees.

I am pretty sure that eduardo88 was referring to the area on the east side of Wesbrook Mall (i.e., where you see new side roads, a park with what appears to be a pond, and the high/medium rise surrounded by lower rises). That big section was pure, virgin forest up until fairly recently. I used to walk on a trail through that area quite often.

The irony of eduardo88's observation, however, is that the area in which his former building (and the surrounding condos) were built was pure, virgin forest until about 1991. I used to walk there too. It was clearcut to make way for his penthouse.

Here is a link to a 1991 aerial photo of the two aforementioned areas: http://www.globalairphotos.com/large/BC/Vancouver/University/1991/067/2

You will also notice that much of the area on the west side of Wesbrook Mall (on the south side of 16th avenue) was forest as well.

[radacal]

UBC Law - the existing library will be maintained in service while the northern part is demolished and the new building constructed there. Once the new building is completed, the library will be moved to the new building and the existing library demolished.

[officedweller]

I am pretty sure that eduardo88 was referring to the area on the east side of Wesbrook Mall (i.e., where you see new side roads, a park with what appears to be a pond, and the high/medium rise surrounded by lower rises). That big section was pure, virgin forest up until fairly recently. I used to walk on a trail through that area quite often.

You will also notice that much of the area on the west side of Wesbrook Mall (on the south side of 16th avenue) was forest as well.

Ok, closer to the corner. Here's a 2005 shot showing the BC Research Building, etc. and the trees between it and the corner.
Have they demolished the BC Research Building yet? I know UBC was anxious to do so a year or two ago (some clients were kicked out of there).

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2005/vch2005_218.jpg

[Prometheus]

Here is a link to a photo taken in April of this year: http://www.globalairphotos.com/large/BC/Vancouver/University/2009/552/2

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2009/vch2009_552.jpg

It appears that the building you are referring to has been partially demolished and/or gutted.

[mr.x]

The Save on Foods at Wesbrook is now open.



UBC gets $86-million in provincial funding for new pharmaceutical science building


By Amy O'Brian, Vancouver Sun
September 4, 2009 12:02 PM

The B.C. government announced Friday it will contribute more than $86 million to a new building for the faculty of pharmaceutical science at the University of B.C., allowing the department to expand and accept more students.

The professional pharmacy degree program will be able to accept 47 per cent more students as a result, and the faculty's masters and doctoral programs will also expand.

A statement released by the Office of the Premier noted that the new building and expanded programs will help address a pharmacist shortage currently being experienced in B.C.

An additional 72 students will be able to start the undergraduate program in 2011, graduating by 2015. The total cost of the project is $133 million and it will be built with the aim of achieving gold certification in Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design.

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