[raggedy13]

Some pics I took yesterday of construction in the area:

This few block stretch sure is dynamic, with signs (literally) of more change to come...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5208/5314030912_7c9dea6fa8_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5087/5313984412_c6f1b5c23a_b.jpg

The Olympic Village may be complete but there are still plenty of cranes in the area...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5313986814_e948741ac8_b.jpg

Some commercial infill + reno...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/5313400425_1d3cb2b73c_b.jpg

Looks like some much needed change is coming to this site...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5083/5314032754_4f8e5afb18_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5206/5314005482_956136c7af_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5314040364_1f331871ec_b.jpg

That funky electronic vase-thing under the Cambie Street Bridge...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5046/5313426481_593b18d0ec_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5313427277_75e5f819e4_b.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

Great set! Thanks for the photo tour. That restored heritage building looks fantastic and I love the juxtaposition with the modern building beside it.

[SpongeG]

that vase thing is cool - its great at night

here it is in action - if anyone speaks portugese this guys videos are cool as he explores vancouver - he recently moved here from brazil and you can experience his excitement here

Vx3mpRRaJMw

[hollywoodnorth]

220 West 1st Avenue >> http://www.amarchitects.com/220west1stavenue.html

looks pretty cool

[hollywoodnorth]

also 11th & Main Street >> http://www.amarchitects.com/11th&main.html

[isaidso]

This is bound to do wonders to the unit sales and prices....you've gotta hate this sense of entitlement, social housing is a privilege and not a "right." If only they could use this same protest energy for building their credentials to get a job...

And if you can't afford to live in Downtown, then DON'T! Move elsewhere!!!


Actually, in Canadian society housing is considered a right just like food, water, and access to health care. Housing is not a privilege. Perhaps, in places like the US and China it's considered a privilege, but this is Canada.

[whatnext]

Actually, in Canadian society housing is considered a right just like food, water, and access to health care. Housing is not a privilege. Perhaps, in places like the US and China it's considered a privilege, but this is Canada.

Huh? I don't recall any Charter cases being won by people insisting they've been cheated out of their right to housing.

...Lower courts during the 1990’s however, rejected claims to adequate housing or to an adequate level of social assistance as beyond the scope of the right to life and security of the person, and beyond the competence and legitimate role of courts...
http://www.srap.ca/publications/porter_social_and_economic_rights_and_the_canadian_charter_of_rights_and_freedoms.pdf

Don't see it on the Canadian Bar Assoc. page either:
http://www.cba.org/bc/public_media/rights/200.aspx

[Yume-sama]

Even if we did establish a right to housing, which is unlikely and ridiculous (in countries with right to "adequate housing" (as judged by the state), there are ironically untold numbers more homeless (India, South Africa, Venezuala, etc.), due to housing shortage), I'd hope we'd have the sense to not make them $600,000. I don't have a problem with social housing. I do have a problem with social housing gone wild.

Those countries also tend to build them in "slum blocks" in areas far separated from others (with walls and barbed wire!), and the mandated cost of a unit in Venezuala is $9000.

[sacrifice333]

Again... nobody here is saying that affordable or social or sustainable, or whatever the heck it's called, housing should not exist.

The only thing people are up-in-arms about is the cost. $500K + per unit at the village when across the street it could be built for less than half the price?! Zero point in Joe Taxpayer paying twice as much as they need to, or, put another way, getting half the amount of 'product' that they deserve.

In other SEFC news... looks like one of the James excavators was removed today.

[whatnext]

The prestigious Economist magazine has taken note of our Olympic Village:

Vancouver's Olympic Hangover
Up False Creek
The Cost of a Property Deal Gone Sour
http://www.economist.com/node/17906069?story_id=17906069&fsrc=rss

[wrenegade]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but that short article is probably the most balanced, accurate description of the mess that is the Olympic Village. It left out the ridiculous environmental criteria, but still, pretty much nailed it.

[sacrifice333]

A fairly well-done article, but one thing every single media outlet gets wrong is the level of ghosttownitude!

It's certainly not a fully populated zone, but it's not much worse than Cold Harbour to be honest. Sure Coal Harbour is 100% sold (other than resales), but in reality it's probably only 70% occupied at max! The only difference is that it gets some overflow of activity from the downtown core.

The OV is actually quite busy... especially on weekends and nice days when the area is flooded with visitors. Hinge park is nearly always occupied, sometimes with as many as 30 people at the same time!

[sacrifice333]

The city (or E&Y or whoever) is very busy fixing minor (and not so minor) deficiencies throughout the common areas including pressure washing of the parkades. I suspect the development's windows will also get washed soon.

The city (or E&Y or whoever) also seems to be completing some various landscape architectural items and spaces that were not previously completed.

Looks like everyone is working hard for that mid-February re-launch of the units. All that being said the sales centre continues to be open and sees some traffic.

[dreambrother808]

I walked the sales centre one afternoon and there were a good 10-15 people in there. I was surprised, but a positive sign nonetheless.

[SpongeG]

A fairly well-done article, but one thing every single media outlet gets wrong is the level of ghosttownitude!

It's certainly not a fully populated zone, but it's not much worse than Cold Harbour to be honest. Sure Coal Harbour is 100% sold (other than resales), but in reality it's probably only 70% occupied at max! The only difference is that it gets some overflow of activity from the downtown core.

The OV is actually quite busy... especially on weekends and nice days when the area is flooded with visitors. Hinge park is nearly always occupied, sometimes with as many as 30 people at the same time!

i don't think a lot of people know they can go down there - i've overheard people who are clearly locals amazed to discover how extensive the seawall is and that there is a plaza and a park and many general public areas is - i think people just thinks its for residents only and go down and discover thats not the case

[SFUVancouver]

Also very late, here is my bi-weekly update for SEFC from January 3rd.

SEFC from the Cambie Street Bridge, looking down first.
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7302/sefcfirstjan32011p12208.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

Pinnacle Living False Creek.
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9846/pinnacle1jan32011p12208.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

Maynards Block
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9874/maynardsjan32011p122085.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

Maynards Block project details
http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4258/maynardsdetail1jan32011.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9374/maynardsdetail2jan32011.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

Pinnacle Living False Creek from Second and Yukon
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5530/pinnacle2jan32011p12208.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

And from Crowe Street.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8416/pinnacle3jan32011p12208.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

James
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/6163/jamesjan32011p1220864.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

First and Main social housing from First Ave.
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3448/firstandmain1jan32011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

The retail space is nice and high and should set a good precedent for new retail on Main Street in the SEFC precinct.
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6350/firstandmain2jan32011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

First and Main social housing from Main Street.
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/8526/firstandmain3jan32011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 3rd, 2011.

[sacrifice333]

Thanks SFU... might be a little sun in the forecast too for tomorrow in time for your next bi-weekly update. :)

[entheosfog]

great updates as always!
That 1st and Main development started on the fourth floor already today. They're moving quick now. It's kinda weird seeing a building of this height fronting Main in this area. The nearest tallest to the south is the Lee building and City Gate to the north. I'm sure that will change eventually though.

[hollywoodnorth]

great updates as always!
That 1st and Main development started on the fourth floor already today. They're moving quick now. It's kinda weird seeing a building of this height fronting Main in this area. The nearest tallest to the south is the Lee building and City Gate to the north. I'm sure that will change eventually though.

the Lee building is not the closest tall building North .... but I get what your trying to say ....

[officedweller]

Renders of Pinnacle's projects on Parcel 1, Parcel 2 and Parcel 3 from thr Bingham+Hill Architects website.
I think some of these may have been posted before.

Parcel 1: (on West 1st Ave. - Edit - betw. Ontario & Manitoba)

http://www.bharch.ca/projects/cat/29/id/58

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-1-1.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-1-2.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-1-3.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-1-5.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-1-6.jpg

Parcel 2: (on West 2nd Ave., across the alley from the project above)

http://www.bharch.ca/projects/cat/29/id/59

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-2-1.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-2-2.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-2-3.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-2-4.jpg

Parcel 3 (could also be on West 1st Ave. - Edit @ Ontario):

http://www.bharch.ca/projects/cat/29/id/60

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-3-1.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-3-2.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-3-3.jpg

http://www.bharch.ca/images/projects/residential/south-east-false-creek-3-4.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

Thanks for posting those. The first building is located on the corner of First Avenue and Manitoba, facing north to the Olympic Village. The second, as the render illustrates, is located at the corner of Second Avenue and Manitoba. The third building is going to be located on the southeast corner of 1st and Ontario, kitty corner from the southwestern-most building of the Olympic Village.

Pinnacle certainly jumped into the SEFC property game with both feet.

[officedweller]

Thanks.
I was thinking that's where the third building will be - I think that's where their display centre is located.

They all have pretty tall podiums/streetwalls - looks like a minimum of 4 storeys (unlike earlier Yaletown projects).
Foundry looks like it has the shortest podium in the area.

[SFUVancouver]

SEFC from the Cambie Street Bridge, looking down First Avenue.
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/289/sefcfirstavejan262011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Pinnacle Living False Creek.
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4827/pinnacleliving1jan26201.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Maynards Block
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/4152/maynardsblocjan262011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Maynards Block project detail
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/7830/maynardsdetail1jan26201.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8603/maynardsdetail2jan26201.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Pinnacle Living False Creek from Second and Yukon
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7052/pinnacleliving2jan26201.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Pinnacle Living False Creek from Second and Crowe Street
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8143/pinnacleliving3jan26201.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

James
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/8804/jamesjan262011p1230444.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Work appears to have begun on the Olympic Village's mini-park "Crane Park"
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3261/sefccraneparkjan262011p.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Prep work appears to be beginning on the Opsal Steel heritage building
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1226/opsalsteeljan262011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

First and Main social housing
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8756/firstandmain1jan262011p.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/213/firstandmain2jan262011p.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5001/firstandmain3jan262011p.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

Pinnacle Living False Creek as seen from 3rd Avenue and Main
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9595/pinnacleliving4jan26201.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, January 26th, 2011.

[officedweller]

I wonder why Pinnacle didn't go as tall as Foundry for that building?
The alley side of Foundry (small windows) certainly looked like it anticipated a tower equal in height and the Pinnacle building has a tall 6-storey podium that probably could have been redistributed.

[hollywoodnorth]

FYI: the old commercial building 'sort of attached' to the Opsal Steel building at the corner of 2nd and Quebec has been torn down!

thx for the pics as per usual

[hollywoodnorth]

also any idea what "Crane Park" will look like? also why was it not build with the project originally?

[SFUVancouver]

also any idea what "Crane Park" will look like? also why was it not build with the project originally?

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1613/sefcolympicvillageindustj6.jpg
Source: City of Vancouver (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/)


I'm guessing they ran out of time before the Olympics to build this one. Consider how much of the western hinge park was built after the games were over too.

[officedweller]

Nice. Thanks for the render.
(Also, maybe the space was used for Olympics logistics functions during the Games)

[hollywoodnorth]

when will the new pricing and such be announced officially.....????

[wrenegade]

Hopefully before the anti-poverty nutjobs start their tent city occupation plan on February 12th.

[phesto]

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1613/sefcolympicvillageindustj6.jpg
Source: City of Vancouver (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/)



How long until some drunk idiot tries to climb up into the crane cab? :cheers:

[hollywoodnorth]

How long until some drunk idiot tries to climb up into the crane cab? :cheers:

opening weekend ... once I arrive on scene? ;) :P :cheers:

[ablefire]

Thanks again for the great update(s).

-A-

[SFUVancouver]

You are most welcome. I like doing them.

[dleung]

If that crane isn't doing something or being useful somehow, it seems kinda contrived to be importing industrial artifacts to look at.

[vanman]

^I'd agree with you if this was somewhere where industry never even existed before, but SEFC as everyone knows has deep industrial roots.

[entheosfog]

Granville Island did something similar and I think it's great to see stuff like that. Gives the area a sense of history even though most of it's gone.

[dleung]

If you look at the distillery district in Toronto, everything "historic" has always been there; those industrial buildings were retrofitted for new uses, condos plopped on top, etc... it's all real. The industrial-style detailing/landscaping around the Olympic village is excellent, and it would have been great if there were more buildings and artifacts in SEFC worthy of re-use... but clearing out the area and then taking the extra effort of bringing in completely-useless objects (that probably weren't in that spot to begin with)... is sad.

[dreambrother808]

The glass is ALWAYS half empty, isn't it? ;)

[SpongeG]

If you look at the distillery district in Toronto, everything "historic" has always been there; those industrial buildings were retrofitted for new uses, condos plopped on top, etc... it's all real. The industrial-style detailing/landscaping around the Olympic village is excellent, and it would have been great if there were more buildings and artifacts in SEFC worthy of re-use... but clearing out the area and then taking the extra effort of bringing in completely-useless objects (that probably weren't in that spot to begin with)... is sad.

well it balances out Toronto has the extremely contrived dundas square :yes: ;)

[officedweller]

I think the Distillery district had more brick buildings - so maybe the comparable comparison in Vancouver would be Yaletown (proper, not Concord lands).

That area was largely for shipbuilding during WWII - wharves and sheds. The other immediate comparison would be to North Vancouver where a shed would be repurposed for a museum, but that's in limbo. They wouldn't have been suitable for residential use (which is what the City wanted on the waterfront.

[Login650]

If you look at the distillery district in Toronto, everything "historic" has always been there; those industrial buildings were retrofitted for new uses, condos plopped on top, etc... it's all real. The industrial-style detailing/landscaping around the Olympic village is excellent, and it would have been great if there were more buildings and artifacts in SEFC worthy of re-use... but clearing out the area and then taking the extra effort of bringing in completely-useless objects (that probably weren't in that spot to begin with)... is sad.


If it makes anyone feel better- the gantry crane that will be going in Crane Park is original to the area - it came from the demolished Canron Building.

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/faq.htm#aftergames

[dleung]

well it balances out Toronto has the extremely contrived dundas square :yes: ;)

Follow only the good examples :yes:

The glass is ALWAYS half empty, isn't it? ;)

Always

[wrenegade]

here (http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/faq.htm#aftergames)

Q: What is the cost per unit of the affordable housing?
The average cost of the proposed affordable housing is $110 million divided by 252 units which equals $436,500 per unit. This does not include the land value.

I just wanted to post that again and comment on how disgustingly high that number is.

[webster]

I just wanted to post that again and comment on how disgustingly high that number is.

Pender and Abbott is much the same, and likely an overall lower quality building - $28M for 108 units. Total Net Residential area is 42,904 SF. $653 per square foot.

How does this happen?

[officedweller]

Not sure if this one has been posted before - Walter Francl's contribution to the streetwall on West 2nd (6-storey podium on the block west of Pinnacle's full block project, and across the alley to the south from Wall Centre False Creek)

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/105-167w2nd/documents/siteplan.pdf

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/105-167w2nd/documents/renderings.pdf

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/105-167w2nd/index.htm

[sacrifice333]

Big pour happening at James today.

[twoNeurons]

I just wanted to post that again and comment on how disgustingly high that number is.

Ya know... I've been thinking... in 20 years... it ain't gonna make much of a difference... I know it's high now... and I know that it probably could have been done better... 20 years from now... when the average dwelling price is 2.5 million... whether it costs 400k or 300k won't make a difference.

[sacrifice333]

Lots of touch-up, deficiency, and project completion work going on at the village right now.

Looks like the MW sales centre is also getting a bit of a re-work.

[wrenegade]

Ya know... I've been thinking... in 20 years... it ain't gonna make much of a difference... I know it's high now... and I know that it probably could have been done better... 20 years from now... when the average dwelling price is 2.5 million... whether it costs 400k or 300k won't make a difference.

No but it makes a big fucking difference to taxpayers now. Especially considering how many of these fucking things we're building. I could build perfectly good units (not meeting LEED standards) say like 750 sq. ft., for $220,000 outside of land costs. For these to come in at over $400,000 for construction is fucking criminal. Sorry, this makes me really angry. The private sector does this so much more efficiently.

[WhipperSnapper]

well it balances out Toronto has the extremely contrived dundas square :yes: ;)

How is Dundas Square extremely contrived? It is masterplanned and multi-phased however, it is also an upgrade of what has always been there ... retail, large scale advertisment, crowd control , and parking. I do understand those that don't really know Toronto cling to Kyle Rae remarks that billed it as a "Times Square" for Toronto but , that hardly makes it true. He's is afterall just a another politician.

[dleung]

Figured there's only one reason WhipperSnapper would be commenting on the Olympic Village thread :rolleyes:

How is Dundas Square extremely contrived? It is masterplanned and multi-phased however, it is also an upgrade of what has always been there ... retail, large scale advertisment, crowd control , and parking. I do understand those that don't really know Toronto cling to Kyle Rae remarks that billed it as a "Times Square" for Toronto but , that hardly makes it true. He's is afterall just a another politician.

In New York, they put the advertisements and LED signs over existing buildings, just like with the much-shorter Piccadilly Circus. In Toronto, the existing density and height isn't remotely close to New York's, so they erected purpose-built stand-alone scaffolding towers and shallow buildings with blank walls set aside for billboards, so that the spectacle can be taller than what was natural to the urban fabric:
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/1214/contrived.jpg

[squeezied]

A small little documentary here presented by the city of vancouver. Nothing new, just a nice clip. :)

GL57VJwB9r4

[hollywoodnorth]

when will the new pricing and such be announced officially.....????

[SpongeG]

the said february 2011 a few months ago - i think they mentioned a date scroll back in teh thread and you can see it - i think its around the 23rd that was given

[sacrifice333]

Yeah... no way they're gonna be ready to launch this weekend.

Busy, busy all around the village though...

Some more items being addressed:

Damaged Pillar in front of Legacy
Window Washing taking place
Drywall Cracks being repaird
Wear & Tear marks in hallways being repaired
Public Spaces being completed (area East of Canada House and Crane Park)
Much more...

[sacrifice333]

New website... guess they're going to completely re-brand it. No more 'millennium'?!

The Village on False Creek (http://www.thevillageonfalsecreek.com/)

http://www.thevillageonfalsecreek.com/images/logo.png

[wrenegade]

^Wow that is pretty big. Smart totally distancing themselves from Millennium (and any past bad press that might come up from a google search). Still not sure that "priced right" is going to make huge differences. Actually as a future CoV taxpayer, I hope not. We shouldn't take a bath on this one, I'd rather we wait it out and sell things gradually.

Edit: Registration page lists price ranges as follows:

"Under $750,000"
"$750,000-$1.0M"
"$1.0M-$2.0M"
"Over $2,000,000"

[sacrifice333]

^Well judging by that at least they're not trying to compete with WCFC!

But I find it pretty hard to see the light at the end of the bath where the city doesn't at least get a little wet given all the missteps that are obviously clearer through hindsight.

[mr.x]

I just hope that they stop mentioning how it's a boondoggle of sorts and that there's lots of social housing....it doesn't help sales at all.

[sacrifice333]

I just hope that they stop mentioning how it's a boondoggle of sorts and that there's lots of social housing....it doesn't help sales at all.

It's only a boondoggle because it's not fully occupied and it's only not fully occupied because it's priced too high.

As soon as the city can realize that cost /= value, and hopefully they already have, then this community will be a huge success!

[hollywoodnorth]

good news on the renaming! very smart move

[BCPhil]

New website... guess they're going to completely re-brand it. No more 'millennium'?!

The Village on False Creek (http://www.thevillageonfalsecreek.com/)

http://www.thevillageonfalsecreek.com/images/logo.png

Good! I always thought Millennium Water was the worst name ever conceived. Not only is it 10+ years too late for the millennium, but the name distanced itself from one of its biggest redeeming qualities, the Olympics. The village, sounds a bit more quaint, and paints a vivid picture of a self contained community inside the city, and relates perfectly to it's origins as the Olympic Village.

[wrenegade]

It was named Millennium Water because it was being built by a company named Millennium. I thought most people could figure that out. Anyways, I wish Rennie the best of luck with this thing, and god help him if the Anti-Poverty committee occupy the Village like they claim they will starting February 12th. If so the media shit storm will begin anew.

[SpongeG]

haha no doubt re the millennium name i thought it was obvious

[madmigs]

Newsflash - apparently Aquilini is in talks again with CoV now that the price has come down to buy out the remaining unsold market units. At least that's what the Global News preview for 11 PM tonight said.

Update - just watched the report and apparently that's an old offer but that the Aquilini group(and even others) are still interested in buying the remaining 450 units.

[SpongeG]

what would they do with them?

[whatnext]

what would they do with them?

According to the same newscast "market them to Asian buyers". Because Lord knows that would be a brilliant new switch for Vancouver...:rolleyes:

[SFUVancouver]

SEFC from Cambie and Second Avenue.
http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/8250/sefcfrom2ndfeb92011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


SEFC from the Cambie Street Bridge, looking down First Avenue.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9396/sefcfrom1stfeb92011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Pinnacle Living False Creek.
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7052/pinnaclefalsecreek1feb9.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Maynards Block.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/5108/maynardsfeb92011p123062.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Maynards Block project detail.
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/8228/maynardsdetail1feb92011.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4337/maynardsdetail2feb92011.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Pinnacle Living False Creek from Second and Yukon.
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/9709/pinnacle3feb92011p12306.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Pinnacle Living False Creek from the laneway.
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/451/pinnaclefalsecreek2feb9.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Mount Pleasant substation render.
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4126/substation1feb92011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Mount Pleasant substation excavation.
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3083/substation2feb92011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Pinnacle Living False Creek from Second and Crowe Street
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/9181/pinnacle4feb92011p12306.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.

They are putting up what looks like stone or masonry panels on the northern side of the building in lieu of the white spandral panels that address Second Avenue. They are still grey but they do add some much needed texture. Alas, I don't think the photo conveys this too well.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/4161/pinnacle5feb92011p12306.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


James
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4230/jamesfeb92011p1230632.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Hinge Park, as it is known until the Park Board officially dedicates it with a name from their list, offers one of my favourite views of BC Place.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7241/bcplacefromsefcfeb92011.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Work continues on Crane Park.
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9637/sefccraneparkfeb92011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


The Olympic Village / Millennium Water has had another merchant open: TD Bank.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9159/sefctdbankopenfeb92011p.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


The plaza offers another great view of BC Place.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2366/bcplaceandbigbirdfeb920.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


The plaza on the north side of Athletes Way is nearly complete.
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7583/sefcplazacompletionfeb9.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.

London Drugs is coming along in the Olympic Village / Millennium Water / Village on False Creek.
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/7301/sefclondondrugsfeb92011.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


First and Main from the Olympic Village / Millennium Water / Village on False Creek / Bob Rennie's ulcer
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4105/firstandmain1feb92011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


A temporary view of the neighbourhood thanks to Pinnacle's temporary park.
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4383/ovfrom1stfeb92011p12306.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


Demolition/deconstruction work continues on the Opsal Steel heritage building.
http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/3924/opsalsteelfeb92011p1230.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


First and Main social housing
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2531/firstandmain2feb92011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


There was a big traffic jam on Main Street due to some road work at Main and Second Avenue that took out the curb lane.
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8925/mainstreettrafficjamfeb.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


More of the First and Main social housing building.
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/4183/firstandmain3feb92011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/8624/firstandmain4feb92011p1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.

[wrenegade]

One of your most thorough updates, thanks!


SEFC from the Cambie Street Bridge, looking down First Avenue.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9396/sefcfrom1stfeb92011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.


In the bottom left hand corner there, is this a new park or some sort of temporary space/community garden? Anyone?

[canucks23]

These buildings are nice. Too bad theres no one living in them :(

[giallo]

Excellent updates, SFU.

[squeezied]

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8925/mainstreettrafficjamfeb.jpg

I see that you do like taking pics of buses!

[agrant]

For Crane Park, I would have thought that they'd erect the crane before putting down top soil. Oh well.

[vanman]

Thanks for all the quality updates SFU. You along with OD, Jlousa, and Locked_In really are what make this forum great. You guys all deserve a round of beers at the very least for all the effort. :cheers:

[allan_kuan]

I wonder when they're going to reinstall the railway tracks towards Science World... because just terminating the historic TRAMS cars at Olympic Village doesn't give them enough publicity and exposure I think.

[vanlaw]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/vancouvers-olympic-village-plans-condo-fire-sale/article1901656/

In the last-ditch effort to sell what has become Vancouver’s financial albatross, the Olympic village receiver is due to file a plan with the court Thursday that includes a new name, price reductions of up to 50 per cent on a new phase of condo sales, and a $7-million sweetener for buyers that will pay off the health-club mortgage and the hefty lease costs for the project’s signature energy-use

........................

The plan also outlines a strategy of holding back 140 of the most expensive condos until the luxury market is better and renting out as many as 110 high-end units just to get rid of the village’s ghost-town feel.

There are no specific prices listed in the plan.

[wrenegade]

I'm really curious how many unit will actually be reduced by 50%. That seems insane. They might as well rent those ones out for a couple years first then try and resell at those prices. What a mess this is. Anyone know when Wall will start construction? I have to imagine occupancy for those buildings aren't until late 2012/early 2013, which is unfortunate. It'd be nice to get more people down there sooner.

[sacrifice333]

It sounds "insane" but if they want to sell them they'll need to get quite a bit closer to the 50% than 20% numbers that have been thrown around.

Ex. V854081 (http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=10026209&PidKey=-921755175) SW 2BR / 2BA + Storage w/ Wrap Around Deck on the 5th floor of 181 W 1st was listed at $1.38M, 1094 square feet, 5th floor. Dropped to $1.298M.

Decent views over Hinge Park, but will have views blocked by further development North of 1st as well as the Elementary School.

My assumptions are that the original price with GST was somewhere around $1.38M... assuming that the original purchaser is not an idiot and was just trying to get their money out.

So at an 'original' $1.38M, it's priced at $1261/sq ft. At 25% discount it's still $946/sq ft or $1.035M. At a 50% discount it's $630/sq ft or $690K.

Wall Centre False Creek has some NW penthouses of roughly 1100 square feet listed at $699K!

:shrug:

[golog]

For that link sacrifice333 posted, http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=10026209&PidKey=-921755175
How much would E&Y's proposal lower the $520 per month in maintenance?

[sacrifice333]

^Sounds like roughly 15%... so that would bring them down under $450. Still high, but much more manageable.

[WarrenC12]

^Sounds like roughly 15%... so that would bring them down under $450. Still high, but much more manageable.

How does it manage to do that? Strata maintenance fees are entirely based on the strata budget.

[sacrifice333]

E&Y is proposing eliminating $7M worth of lease & mortgage from the community's books. How? I don't know exactly.

But it's outlined the the G&M article. Relates to the cost of "Club Millennium" being born by the owners as well as leases on the "Green" monitors in each unit.

[sacrifice333]

I came across a little Village horror yesterday...

Before
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/5434361492_b3d33772ee.jpg

After - Ok... two different benches, but I hope this isn't foreshadowing!
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5055/5434360350_48e981ebdb.jpg

This area along the sea-wall has been under construction for the last 6 weeks.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5434360964_4660f18c86.jpg
More wavey concrete stuff.

Another art installation was installed yesterday on the West side of the Creekside community centre. They're working on the gardens that surround it today. Sorry... no picture.


And an example of what the common areas of the condo buildings within the Village look like right now...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5433749137_470ace45dd.jpg
RED dots noting where deficiencies, or just plain old damaged areas, need to be fixed.

[wrenegade]

It would be horrific if all of the nice wood stained benches become painted that awful red. It would be bad to have them painted any colour actually.

[SFUVancouver]

Thanks for all the quality updates SFU. You along with OD, Jlousa, and Locked_In really are what make this forum great. You guys all deserve a round of beers at the very least for all the effort. :cheers:

Thanks a lot. That's high praise indeed.

Maybe we should all talk about a meet up some time in the spring? Anyone interested?


One of your most thorough updates, thanks!

SEFC from the Cambie Street Bridge, looking down First Avenue.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9396/sefcfrom1stfeb92011p123.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, February 9th, 2011.

In the bottom left hand corner there, is this a new park or some sort of temporary space/community garden? Anyone?

Yes, those are community garden plots. Part of the City's ongoing effort formalized by '2010 community garden plots by 2010' effort leading up to the Olympics. I'm very much looking forward to the day when the large wide sidewalks of the east side of Broadway from 12th to 2nd is extended all the way down to the Seawall, as is the plan.

I keep taking photos of SEFC looking down First because more than any other perspective this view has and will continue to be utterly transformed as the neighbourhood builds out. The view may look unchanged from month to month but when you start adding up years the difference is extraordinary. Here is what the view looked like 30 months ago:

The Olympic Village, as seen from the Cambie Street Bridge looking down First Avenue.
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/5259/olympicvillagefirstavenmj1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) Taken by SFUVancouver, July 9th, 2008.

[hanko]

I came across a little Village horror yesterday...

Before
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/5434361492_b3d33772ee.jpg

After - Ok... two different benches, but I hope this isn't foreshadowing!
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5055/5434360350_48e981ebdb.jpg




It’s a perfect bed for a homeless. I thought at least a divider is usually put on like the bus top bench.


.

[wrenegade]

E&Y Report on the Olympic Village restructuring. It's long, 125 pages or so long.

http://documentcentre.eycan.com/Pages/Main.aspx?SID=168

[EdinVan]

It’s a perfect bed for a homeless. I thought at least a divider is usually put on like the bus top bench.

"A homeless". The way that's phrased sounds insulting and objectifying. How about "a homeless person"?

[Canadian Mind]

"A homeless". The way that's phrased sounds insulting and objectifying. How about "a homeless person"?

I thought it was funny. :P

[dreambrother808]

It's probably more of an ESL issue than an intended insult.

[sacrifice333]

What's sold... what hasn't...

http://www.hoodsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Village-on-False-Creek-sold-and-unsold-units.jpg

From HoodSurf.com

[WarrenC12]

^^^ Wow that is a lot better than I thought. It still seems pretty dead, although the community centre is always busy. Get those social spots filled too...

[Hed Kandi]

"A homeless". The way that's phrased sounds insulting and objectifying. How about "a homeless person"?

How about 'a person whose life is in transition'?
















:D

[hanko]

It's probably more of an ESL issue than an intended insult.

You got it, I never intended to insult anyone. I normally don't see public benches like that here or other parts in the world.

[Yume-sama]

CBC is now reporting the prices are being cut "on average" 30% and up to 50% for when they go on sale February 17th, for a loss of around $150 million.

Will be interesting to see how it sells then.

It's still pretty remarkable how the government managed to mis-manage something like real estate on a prime waterfront location in a city where a house can sell $300k over asking with 84 offers, by building to fit a super small niche group of buyers who likely would never have the funds to spend the hundreds of thousands over "average" that they were forced to ask.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/02/10/bc-olympic-village-plan.html

Mmm. And these are the people who run our lives lol

Not surprisingly the 50% cut doesn't sit well with previous buyers...

In the end they will be about the same price as other developments in the area, so it shouldn't affect prices of neighbouring developments. In some instances they were $300 - $500 per square foot more than developments right across the street, of similar quality, just no recycled rain water ending up in your toilet.

[dreambrother808]

The development priced itself out of the market in many ways. Walking around the village, you can see how expensive everything is, the landscaping, the parks, the buildings. Everything is high end and therefore expensive.

Blaming all of the pricing woes on the LEED factor is a bit shortsighted.

The developers and the city planned this in a very different market. They thought they could get a good return on this risk that didn't seem so risky at the time.

[Yume-sama]

It's not *all* the LEED's fault, though it is a big part of it. I'm aware of a small infill that had a hard time finding buyers for a 30% premium with only 12 units at LEED Platinum in North Vancouver. This type of experiment should never have been allowed on a scale 100 times larger. It is true it's QUITE extravagant, even the social housing, it shows bad planning and fiscal management everywhere.

I'm more inclined to blame the government than the developer, because you best believe the government was the "client" and the developer built to their wishes.

There was no point at buying in the OV when prices are $1100 - $1500 per square foot, and the rest of the surrounding area is $600 - $900.

Even downtown at its biggest peak was far less than $1200 on average for new developments during the pre-sale rush (excluding 3HG, Georgia, etc.)

The sensationalist media doing their best to sabotage the projects reputation all along the way didn't help, either :P

[jsbertram]

What's sold... what hasn't...

http://www.hoodsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Village-on-False-Creek-sold-and-unsold-units.jpg

From HoodSurf.com

I wonder if those 8 owners living in the "Parcel 3" buildings will be happy just to have Someone -- ANYONE new moving into their buildings.

It would creep me out being the only person living in a building, but I could crank up the music knowing nobody's gonna complain.
Not even from across the street (the completely empty buildings in "Parcel 4")

[jsbertram]

It's not *all* the LEED's fault, though it is a big part of it. I'm aware of a small infill that had a hard time finding buyers for a 30% premium with only 12 units at LEED Platinum in North Vancouver. This type of experiment should never have been allowed on a scale 100 times larger. It is true it's QUITE extravagant, even the social housing, it shows bad planning and fiscal management everywhere.

I'm more inclined to blame the government than the developer, because you best believe the government was the "client" and the developer built to their wishes.

There was no point at buying in the OV when prices are $1100 - $1500 per square foot, and the rest of the surrounding area is $600 - $900.

Even downtown at its biggest peak was far less than $1200 on average for new developments during the pre-sale rush (excluding 3HG, Georgia, etc.)

The sensationalist media doing their best to sabotage the projects reputation all along the way didn't help, either :P

The politicians giving reporters sensational quotes that sabotaged the projects' reputation all along the way didn't help, either