[mr.x]

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5842/sefcmillenniumwaterillujo9.jpg


Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village: North America's sustainable community

Southeast False Creek (SEFC) will be a model sustainable community built on the last remaining large tract of undeveloped waterfront land near downtown Vancouver.

On July 2, 2003 Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the SEFC development site was chosen as the future site of the Vancouver Olympic Village.

The SEFC site comprises 32 hectares (80 acres) of which approximately 20 hectares (50 acres) is owned by the City. SEFC is bounded by Cambie Bridge on the west, Main Street on the east, and 2nd Avenue to the south. The Olympic Village will be located in Area 2A of the SEFC site.

Historically, the Southeast False Creek site was used for industrial and commercial purposes. While maintaining heritage ties to the past, SEFC is being planned as a model sustainable development based on environmental, social and economic principles where people will live, work, play, and learn. SEFC will be a mixed-use community, with a focus on residential housing for families. This complete community will ensure goods and services within walking distance and housinartist rendering of olympic village plazag that is linked by transit and in proximity to local jobs. SEFC will eventually be home to 12,000 to 16,000 people.

The Vancouver Olympic Village features modern low and mid-rise accommodations for 2,800 athletes and officials and sits an average distance of 12 kilometres from Vancouver area competition venues. Athletes will be able to walk, bus or take a ferry to the city's shopping and entertainment districts, and enjoy nightly medal ceremonies, fireworks, and cultural celebrations just moments away at BC Place Stadium.

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/olympicvillage/images/SEFCsiteModel%20birdseyeweb.jpg



After the 2010 Winter Games

- after the 2010 Winter Games, the buildings of the Olympic Village will become permanent residential housing, with a focus on housing for families.
- the Olympic Village is the first phase of a new mixed-use community, and will contribute about 1,100 residential units (250 of which will become affordable housing, and another 100 units will become modest market housing).
- while maintaining heritage ties to the past, SEFC is planned as a model sustainable development based on environmental, social and economic principles where people will live, work, play, and learn. This complete community will ensure goods and services within walking distance and housing that is linked by transit and in proximity to local jobs.
- SEFC buildings will be a showcase of sustainable development and designed to LEED® Gold, with a goal of LEED® Platinum* for the community centre.
- when fully developed , SEFC will have six million square feet of development. This will include: more than 5,000 residential units; full-size community centre and non-motorized boating facility; three to five licensed childcare facilities; two out-of-school care facilities; an elementary school; interfaith spiritual centre; restoration of five heritage buildings; and 10 hectares of park.
- shoreline works will include a new island and inter-tidal fish habitat, bridge, boardwalk, and seaside greenway and bikeway.
- other unique features will include urban agriculture; rainwater management systems; green roofs; and neighbourhood energy system.
- by 2020, Southeast False Creek will be home to 12,000 to 16,000 people.



Construction Update

Development of the Village in southeast False Creek will be carried out by the City of Vancouver, in cooperation with VANOC and will conform to the City's plans to create a sustainable community in this area. The 55,700 square metre, 600-unit project represents the final stage in the complete renewal of the False Creek site, begun by the three levels of government in the 1970s. Planning work is underway and construction is expected to begin in late 2006 or early 2007, with completion in 2009.

Temporary structures designed solely for use during the Games will be set up starting September 2009. Removal of the temporary structures will commence March 2010 and the Village will assume its post-Games legacy design.

Videos: http://vancouver.ca/Greaterdot_wa/index.cf...amp;storyid=531 (http://vancouver.ca/Greaterdot_wa/index.cfm?fuseaction=GVTV.storyDet&storyid=531)




About the Village

The Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan (ODP) is divided into seven sub-areas. Sub-area 2A will be the first phase of City-owned land to be developed and will become the Vancouver Olympic Village for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Olympic Village will be home to approximately 2,800 athletes and officials during the 2010 Winter Games.

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/images/subareas.jpg

The buildings in the Olympic Village will be turned over to VANOC on November 1, 2009 for the final preparations and use during the 2010 Winter Games. The buildings will be returned to the City of Vancouver on March 31, 2010.

After the 2010 Winter Games, those buildings used by the athletes will provide approximately 1,000 residential units, including 250 affordable housing units, a community centre, daycare, retail and service space for the new residents of Southeast False Creek.

Development of the remaining City Lands (Sub-area 1A and 3A) will continue to 2018. Development on some of the private sites (Sub-area 1B, 2B, 3B and 3C) may occur prior to the 2010 Winter Games and will likely continue beyond 2018.

This website focuses on the development of the Olympic Village. Updates on the development of the other City-owned lands (sub-area 1A and 3A) will be provided as information becomes available.




Olympic Village during the Games

This conceptual diagram illustrates how the Southeast False Creek site will likely be used during the 2010 Winter Games.

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/southeast/images/ownership.jpg



Timeline
July 2005
Official Development Plan bylaw enacted

July 2005 to February 2006
Complete construction drawings for streets and utilities from Ontario to Columbia Street, including the waterfront and stormwater wetland in the western park.

April 2005
Approval in Principle Soil Remediation Plan

December 2005
Department of Fisheries Approval

December 2005
Subdivision Application

January 2006
Site Preparation begins

March/April 2006
Complete public realm plan and construction drawings for the streets, western waterfront and village square.

March 2006 to January 2007
Olympic Village Rezoning

April 2006
Infrastructure Construction begins

Early 2007
Building construction begins

October 2009
Olympic Village Construction completed

November 1, 2009
VANOC takes over Olympic Village

March 31, 2010
VANOC returns the Olympic Village to the City of Vancouver




Green Building Strategy

A Green Building Strategy has been adopted for Southeast False Creek, which requires that all buildings on City Lands be constructed to a minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver standard, with an objective of LEED Gold standard.

One building on the City Lands -- likely the Community Centre -- must be constructed to a minimum LEED Gold standard, with an objective of LEED Platinum standard.

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/images/athletes_village200.jpg




Other Information

During the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,
Southeast False Creek will be temporarily transformed into the Olympic Village.

During the Games

• the Village will house approximately 2,800 athletes and officials in 12 to 15 buildings

• there will be a minimum of 30,000 square feet of commercial and retail space

• all buildings will be delivered to VANOC during the Exclusive Use Period (November 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010) for the Games

• a new 30,000 square foot community centre will be used during the Games

After the Games

• there will be approximately 1,000 residential units and 82,000 square feet of commercial and retail uses for the new residents of Southeast False Creek

• 250 units will become affordable housing after the games

• buildings in the Village will be a showcase of sustainable development. All buildings will be designed to a minimum of LEED Silver with a goal of LEED Gold. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is the North American standard for measuring green building performance.

Key Transportation In the Area:
- Canada Line (Olympic Village Station)
- Expo-Millennium Line (Main Street - Science World Station)
- Vancouver Downtown StreetCar (Columbia St. Station & Quebec St. Station)
- Vancouver Streetcar

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/southeast/images/sefc.jpg

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/olympicvillage/images/conceptual_diagram.jpg

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/southeast/devapps/images/3D.jpg


http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/461/village1cu4.jpg

http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/3900/village2lz8.jpg

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel087web.jpg

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel172web.jpg

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel189web.jpg

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/photogallery/images/SEFCmodel120web.jpg




Community Centre & Boat House/Athletes Village Mess Hall

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/vancouver_2007/sefc1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/vancouver_2007/sefc2.jpg

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4985/village4pw7.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/244/village5gc6.jpg




another one by erikson. a mini-twist condo
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/vancouver_2007/sefc4.jpg

some other interesting ones..
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/vancouver_2007/sefc5.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/vancouver_2007/sefc3.jpg

the foundry building
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/vancouver_2007/yvr/sefc6.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8891/village3fe2.jpg

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/7593/village6iy4.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/4050/village7vd2.jpg

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/1117/village8pi6.jpg

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/2004/village9hd0.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/896/village10ri9.jpg

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/5465/village11ed8.jpg

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/7499/village12lk0.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/6619/village13is5.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Imammge1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Imammge2.jpg

[mr.x]

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_049.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/mikef0001/Image145.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/mikef0001/Image147.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/mikef0001/Image150.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/mikef0001/Image156.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/421320106_8bbad5c2af.jpg




August 2007
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_457.jpg



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



Pictures taken by VANCOUVERITE, September 2007


Southeast False Creek Olympic Village


SEFC construction precinct (14 cranes are visible by my count, and there are lots more to come)
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/9106/sefcconstructionprecinczw9.jpg



SEFC Olympic Village construction progress
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6110/sefcolympicvillageconstyd9.jpg




SEFC Olympic Village “tidal island” landscaping progress
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8997/sefctidalislandconstrucha2.jpg

[raggedy13]

I can't wait to explore that neighbourhood when it's done. Thanks for all the info mr.x2. I hadn't seen some of those pictures before like that park with the big industrial structure overtop. Speaking of that park, what's the deal with the hill/speedbump thing going on with the grass? It looks like an interesting feature but it might render the park a little less useful - you can't easily kick a soccer ball around on something so uneven. It seems a little too artsy, not functional enough. It looks pretty cool though.

[mr.x]

Thanks for all the info mr.x2.

All of this has already been posted at Skyscrapercity for ages, but nobody here ever visits that place do they?:poke: :Titanic:

But it's finally getting some response.....at Skyscraperpage.:cheers:

[giallo]

Fantastic compilation, mr.x2.
I too can't wait to see this new neighborhood when completed.
I'm also excited to see downtown finally join Broadway. Right now the two don't flow together as well as they should. This neighborhood should remedy that.

[Delirium]

i took some pictures of renderings in this month's west coast homes mag. granted, they're not great but whatever. i was drunk. better than nothing.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Picture371.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Picture366.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Picture354.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Picture353.jpg

at a pedestrian level, i think this area is going to be great. i look forward to exploring it in 2 years.

[excel]

This is a massive project its like building a small town all at once. By 2020 home to 12000-16000 people, impressive!

[Jarrod]

I think it looks sharp!

[mr.x]

Here's another one, posted by Delirium originally:
http://cdn.travidia.com/rop-ad/5062189

[bils]

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/vancouver/2007/vch2007_049.jpg
[/IMG]


something tells me this'll be one of those photos we'll look at in 20 years and say "wow, i can't believe vancouver used to look like THAT".....

[Coldrsx]

^yup...this is one of the best planned areas i have ever seen in terms of market and affordable housing, pocket parks, use of existing infrastructure, and creativity.

[fever]

More cranage from yesterday
http://members.shaw.ca/mikef0001/Image053.jpg

[Hed Kandi]

^yup...this is one of the best planned areas i have ever seen in terms of market and affordable housing, pocket parks, use of existing infrastructure, and creativity.

Affordable ?

It STARTS at $450,000. That's not what I'd deem as affordable.

[The Geographer]

Right... but the Olympic Village will retain may affordable units that are not at market price when the games are over.

[privatejet]

The website has been updated www.milleniumwater.com

Urban fare is the grocery store

[SFUVancouver]

^ Opps, you missed an "n" in the url.

http://www.millenniumwater.com/

Why do real estate websites insist on playing music at full volume? At least it isn't lousy techno or whatever.

It is a nice illustration. Definitely a cut above the conventional real estate ad material.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5842/sefcmillenniumwaterillujo9.jpg
Source: www.Millenniumwater.com (cropped by me)

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6717/sefcpano5000x400mediumwht2.jpg ( http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8771/sefcpano5000x400mediumwma6.jpg)
A link to a large, hand-stitched panorama I took in the summer of 2007 showing the construction and context of the Olympic Village.

Thanks imageshack.us (http://imageshack.us) for free photo hosting.

[officedweller]

Quite a contrast between the soldier-like point towers of CityGate and SE False Creek (in large part due to the colouring/highlighting of the rendering)
Makes you think that even the taller podiums at CityGate are too short. I could have easily seen one or two point towers in SE False Creek to add more variety.

[djh]

Quite a contrast between the soldier-like point towers of CityGate and SE False Creek (in large part due to the colouring/highlighting of the rendering)
Makes you think that even the taller podiums at CityGate are too short. I could have easily seen one or two point towers in SE False Creek to add more variety.

I think when that area is completed, that contrast won't be so obvious. Remember that the "front-line" of development (i.e., the stuff on the waterfront) is all low-to-mid-rises. Everything behind that (i.e., south of 1st avenue, and east of the village) is on privately-developed land and will be 15-25 storeys. That's approaching the heights of Citygate, and helping to ease the transition between the two neighbourhoods.

[officedweller]

True enough.

[mr.x]

incredible rendering.

[Delirium]

there's actually a lot of great renderings and pictures on their website...
like these;

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Imammge1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Imammge2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/Immmage3.jpg

[squeezied]

Three colour palettes to choose from:
• Light colour scheme – “Vancouver”
• Medium colour scheme – “Canada”
• Dark colour scheme – “World”

so cheesy, other than that this project is awesome

[Delirium]

at last count, there were 7 cranes up..

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/ovc.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2390/1589129164_faba4c7414_b.jpg
photos from www.flickr.com

[excel]

^Impressive.

[jlousa]

Even more impressive is that even with starting at 450K there are already people lined up today (Monday) for sales that don't start until Thrusday for the VIPs.

Acutally I just heard that they starting lining up on Saturday in the huge downpours. Oh well, while I really like this development I won't be investing in it as I feel there are better bang for your bucks out there, but if I was looking for a home then this might hit the spot.

[Delirium]

additional photo from an article in saturday's sun

http://www.lestwarog.com/admin/uploads/article/moreimages/2929.jpg

thought this was interesting:

"The residences will go to the Olympics with their kitchens sealed off and their hardwood floors protected."

so athletes won't have access to a kitchen. that will be weird for those staying in the suites. i know it's only 2 weeks but still -
i wonder how they will protect the floors? i guess new owners will have to contend with used toilets too.

[Canadian Mind]

I think that the athletes should be allowed to use the kitchens, hardwood floors, etc, but would be forced to cover any extensive damage they cause.

I really don't think the residents would have a problem with a used kitchen and floors when they've only been used for 2 weeks. just like buying your first house, someone else has certainly used it.

[zilfondel]

This is so exciting! Can't wait to visit Vancouver for the Olympics... but its quite a wait. :(

Very cool waterfront design. What kind of transport links to downtown are there going to be? Seabus?

[mr.x]

additional photo from an article in saturday's sun

http://www.lestwarog.com/admin/uploads/article/moreimages/2929.jpg

thought this was interesting:

"The residences will go to the Olympics with their kitchens sealed off and their hardwood floors protected."

so athletes won't have access to a kitchen. that will be weird for those staying in the suites. i know it's only 2 weeks but still -
i wonder how they will protect the floors? i guess new owners will have to contend with used toilets too.

no kitchens and hardwood floors protected? that's quite weird, they should have access to everything. and i agree, if they do damage their suite they should pay.


i can just see it now...some rowdy Americans are playing football in the living room. one guy flies into the air to catch the ball, and he crashes into a wall. the guy that threw the ball now sees a kitchen through the gaping hole, and yells out "holy fuck!". 24 hours later, everyone in the village does the same thing.

[Canadian Mind]

I have a hard time imagining Finnish cross-country skiers making a diving catch through a wall for a football, just so they can access a kitchen.

[mr.x]

I have a hard time imagining Finnish cross-country skiers making a diving catch through a wall for a football, just so they can access a kitchen.

i was a volunteer two years ago for the Team Services department at the Pacific Coliseum and GM Place for the World Junior Hockey Championships. i had interaction with all of the teams there, including Team Canada's. I even had access to every team's change rooms, and even their game jerseys - which i washed. I did their laundry, gave them food, drinks....did whatever they asked from me. I also had to pick up their pucks after they had practiced, and after they had warmed up for a game....so i had to go out with others on the ice in front of thousands, picking up pucks. That last part wasn't too enjoyable.

It was the best experience of my life [and a bit arousing too watching them change and work out].

But that's besides the point :haha: , the Fins and Latvian's (puny people btw) were all quite active with frisbees and soccer balls.


and of course, i watched many of the games for free - at the team benches...including the finals at GM Place - behind Sutter. :D

[SFUVancouver]

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5264/p1040650qf6.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7135/p1040648py3.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4084/p1040652vr3.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5972/p1040651ry8.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC)

I took these in the midst of a breathtaking, sudden fall sunset today. The light faded moments after I snapped the last photo. In order to capture the light I ran past the sales centre for the Olympic Village and there were people camped out in line in order to buy the condos and townhouses and they don’t even go on sale for five more days.

[bils]

impressive shots
look out, dubai!

[mr.x]

^ holy crap, those are amazing...thanks! good enough for my wallpaper!


I took these in the midst of a breathtaking, sudden fall sunset today. The light faded moments after I snapped the last photo. In order to capture the light I ran past the sales centre for the Olympic Village and there were people camped out in line in order to buy the condos and townhouses and they don’t even go on sale for five more days.

you ran all the way there to take these pics? you should go into the paparazzi business.

[squeezied]

i can't believe ppl are already camping out, either they have no life or they must be really desparate.

anyways can anyone enlighten me if there are separate phases for the buildings. the site only shows two buildings up for grabs at the moment.

[murman]

so athletes won't have access to a kitchen. that will be weird for those staying in the suites. i know it's only 2 weeks but still -
i wonder how they will protect the floors? i guess new owners will have to contend with used toilets too.

A contractor told me that temp bath fixtures were being put in, and then being replaced after the athletes leave... :rolleyes:

[djh]

i was a volunteer two years ago for the Team Services department at the Pacific Coliseum and GM Place for the World Junior Hockey Championships. i had interaction with all of the teams there, including Team Canada's. I even had access to every team's change rooms, and even their game jerseys - which i washed. I did their laundry, gave them food, drinks....did whatever they asked from me. I also had to pick up their pucks after they had practiced, and after they had warmed up for a game....so i had to go out with others on the ice in front of thousands, picking up pucks. That last part wasn't too enjoyable.

It was the best experience of my life [and a bit arousing too watching them change and work out].



***WAY*** too much information.
:yes:

[TwoFace]

It was the best experience of my life [and a bit arousing too watching them change and work out].


That's FUNNY;
Naked hockey player or a bag of cement....decisions, decisions.

[officedweller]

A contractor told me that temp bath fixtures were being put in, and then being replaced after the athletes leave... :rolleyes:

I think the buildings will operate as dormitories during the games with a central eating hall somewhere in the village - my guess is the Urban Fare space?

The building will be reconfigured - new walls, etc. after the games. There should be a substantial period after the games to do that work before occupancy.

[mr.x]

I think the buildings will operate as dormitories during the games with a central eating hall somewhere in the village - my guess is the Urban Fare space?

The building will be reconfigured - new walls, etc. after the games. There should be a substantial period after the games to do that work before occupancy.

I heard somewhere the dining hall is the new community centre.


And from the bid book:

VANCOUVER VILLAGE
The Vancouver Village will have one main dining hall, consisting of 2,200m2 inclusive of seating space, storage and
kitchens, which will seat approximately 750 people at any one time.

WHISTLER VILLAGE
The Whistler Village will have one main dining hall, consisting of 1,890 m2 inclusive of seating space, storage and
kitchens, which will seat approximately 680 people at any one time.


Don't forget that the Vancouver Village will house 2,100 athletes and their coaches. While the Whistler Village will house 2,400 athletes and their coaches....probably more at Whistler since the IOC asked VANOC to add in 800-units to the Whistler Village.

[officedweller]

That makes more sense - it'll have windows!

[djh]

I just walked past the sales room. I'm not exaggerating. There were between 80-100 people in the line-up. I saw 1 white guy, I East Indian guy in a chair...EVERYBODY ELSE was Asian.

So I think that sums it up: Too expensive for the locals. Off-shore investors, hooray! Keep pushing up the prices!

[zivan56]

Most, if not all of those people, are bloodsuckers...err real estate agents. They should put a limit of 1 per person, since they will sell them all in a day anyways, and regular people will be able to get a better deal...rather than paying twice their value...

[officedweller]

I saw this on the news too:

Over 50 line-up to buy condo on Vancouver's waterfront

Thursday, October 25 - 09:50:00 AM
Tamara Slobogean

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - This is what condo buying has come to in Vancouver. You won't move into your new abode at 'Millennium Water' in the Athletes Village for three years but you can buy one today. Outside the presentation centre at West 2nd and Cook, some buyers have been camped out for days.

60 lawn chairs sit in the line-up, and just about everyone has a business card pinned to it, and most seem to belong to realtors. But there are very few actual bodies there, and that seems to be causing a little tension. One man shivering out there since 10 last night says they're not playing fair. He says there are unwritten rules that if you're going to be in the line-up, you don't leave the chair and go home and then come back in the morning nice and fresh.

Up for grabs today are about 200 units and a project billed as Vancouver's last waterfront community. Prices start at $600,000 and go well beyond $3 million. Part of the buzz around this project is that it will first house Olympic athletes in 2010 but today, it seems to be all about the real estate.

[deasine]

To be honest, I wouldn't really want another person living in the suite before me... Millennium Water has done an excellent job in marketing this though: Vancouver's Last Waterfront Community... Well, according to the City of Vancouver, the Olympic village area we see by 2010 is only lot 2A. Anyone wanting suites that are new and in the olympic village can purchase them after 2010 when construction starts for lot 1AB, 2B, 3ABC.

[Delirium]

some pics i found on www.flickr.com

you can see that they've started planting trees on habitat island and along the new seawall
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/1769287053_ecd5a87020_o.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/oct2gon/1779705892_3021304e42_o.jpg

[Delirious]

.

[excel]

^That last pic is pretty dope.

[Delirium]

Millennium Water project does $200 million in sales on 1st day

Malcolm Parry
Sun

Saturday, October, 27, 2007

Folk camped on the Cook Street sidewalk for up to five nights this week to spend an average of $915 a square foot on South False Creek condominiums they can't occupy until 2011. By Thursday night, they'd committed $200 million to acquire 241 of the 302 units in the Millennium Water project's first offering.
It was a big day for star condo marketer Bob Rennie, whose staff recorded deals on an ultra-sustainable project that will put 1,100 residential units -- 400 of them affordable-housing and market-rental -- on its 11-hectare site.

But it wasn't Rennie's biggest opening day. That was the $240-million buying frenzy for the Woodward's redevelopment that also attracted a longer-lasting line of sidewalk campers -- not to buy in but to make their case for the homeless.

[mr.x]

Athletes' village still on budget: Mayor
With concrete poured and construction about to begin, development could hit $131-million target

Clare Ogilvie, The Province
Published: Wednesday, October 31, 2007

WHISTLER -- The Whistler athletes' village is set to come in on budget.

With the in-ground infrastructure in place for at least five per cent less than budgeted, the concrete poured and home construction about to begin, it looks like the developers will hit their $131-million target.

"I just don't see it being substantially over budget," said Eric Martin, chairman of the board of the Whistler Development Corporation, which was formed by the municipality to build the village.

"We have tried to build in contingencies all the way along and we have tremendous expertise . . . in everyone that is working on the project," added Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed.

Site work costs came in under estimates by approximately $500,000, due to efficient use of machinery and smaller than anticipated volumes of rock to blast and move. Rock crushing was also moved up in the schedule and completed in 2006, providing a stockpile of approximately 40,000 tonnes of gravel for road base and sub base.

The WDC hasn't touched its $11-million contingency fund, though Martin said he has no qualms about using it if necessary.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games contributed $35.5 million to the project. Originally, the money was to be used to put a temporary village in place to house the close to 2,500 athletes and team officials who will be staying there.

The municipality in 2005 decided instead to use the money as seed funding to help build permanent housing that would be used for local workers after the Games. It is contributing $11 million, with the rest of the money being borrowed, then repaid from proceeds of the sale of the units.

"I think the really good news is that we will end up with over 300 units of resident housing and have the legacy," said Martin, a vice-president at Bosa Development, who took on the project for $1 a year.

The 40 townhouses will go on sale next year and, with more than 700 people on the municipal waiting list for employee housing, there is little doubt they will be snapped up.

There will be 350 residential units for use after the Games. Of those, 240 will be available to local workers to buy. An apartment rental building and an international hostel will provide the remaining 110 units.

The athletes' village phase will sell for about $231 a square foot, so the housing will range from $150,000 to $500,000.

clareogilvie@telus.net

[Hed Kandi]

Interesting.

[Delirium]

here's one of the buildings that went on sale this week -
this one is at 123 West First Ave. i like it.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/157ccc88-d038-4a4c-b40b-818d8519d682/olympicvillagecondos.jpg

[deasine]

Looks very nice... I like Vancouver's "modern architecture" much more than the European's version. It's much more warm and inviting...

[SFUVancouver]

Neat. I like the horizontal windows and the orange balconies.

[hollywoodnorth]

an 8th!!! tall crane is now up at this site

[vanhattan]

an 8th!!! tall crane is now up at this site Wow! Just incredible.

[SFUVancouver]

I think it would be neat to do something creative during the Olympics with the undeveloped land in SEFC outside the security zone.

Imagine if the BC Film Commission and the major local studios built a fake alpine village as a celebration site. It would be an amazing promotion for our film and tv people and it would be an absolute hit with the tourists and int'l media people. Just picture an anchor doing their live daily report from the porch of a chalet in front of a glacial vista. The camera would follow the anchor and zoom out as they walked "off-set" and you would see the fake buildings and snow machine crews, boom mic operators, camera people, costumes, makeup, and director. All the while the anchor talks about the BC film and tv industry while taking off their parka. Finally the anchor is left wearing a normal suit and rain coat, they are handed a coffee, and they walk out of frame onto the seawall and get passed by joggers in shorts while kayakers and dragon boaters pass by in False Creek. Finally the camera pulls back to reveal the entire scene and a director yells "Cut!"

[deasine]

LOL

You have many random thoughts SFUVancouver today... are you alright?! =P

[Canadian Mind]

Is that a bad thing? He usually comes up with the best idea's when a little crazy/drunk.

[SFUVancouver]

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/2254/olympicvillagenov102007wz8.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC )

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/33/olympicvillagehabitatisvx1.jpg
Source: My Photo ( SFUVancouver in SSP | Vancouverite in SSC )

"Habitat Island" is now fully landscaped. This island will only be accessible at low tide. The three tall dead tress are perches for our local bald eagle population.

[bils]

they actually planted three dead trees?

[mr.x]

they actually planted three dead trees?

they're actually for bald eagles to perch.

[giallo]

That's a great idea. This project just gets sweeter and sweeter every passing week.

[hollywoodnorth]

I am not sure if we have covered this yet...but LONDON DRUGS will be the 2nd anchor tenent in SEFC.

[mr.x]

I am not sure if we have covered this yet...but LONDON DRUGS will be the 2nd anchor tenent in SEFC.

what about the existing store on Broadway, will it be moved to Crossroads on Cambie?


btw, the London Drugs at Arbutus and Broadway has been open for a few weeks.

[officedweller]

what about the existing store on Broadway, will it be moved to Crossroads on Cambie?

Yup.

That'll be quite a few of them - Woodward's, SEFC and Crossroads. The Crossroads one will be the flagship, so the others will probably be smaller.

I think they need to replace the Robson St. one and expand the Granville & Georgia one.

[MistyMountainHop]

I wonder what will happen to the existing London Drugs site (as well as the IGA at Broadway and Maple).

[deasine]

Yup.

That'll be quite a few of them - Woodward's, SEFC and Crossroads. The Crossroads one will be the flagship, so the others will probably be smaller.

I think they need to replace the Robson St. one and expand the Granville & Georgia one.

i love the one on Robston St. - it's so peaceful and quiet... But I do wish it can get a renovation.

London Drugs seem to be agressively opening more and more locations. I've been seeing Grand Opening Sale on their flyers a couple of times in the last three months.

[Delirium]

does anyone know why london drugs is called LONDON drugs? i never figured that out.

anyway, some updates were posted on the milleniumwater website (although already outdated) but still cool to see

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Toronto416/ov.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Toronto416/ov5.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Toronto416/ov2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Toronto416/ov4.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Toronto416/ov3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Toronto416/ov1.jpg

[officedweller]

Thanks.
Apparently the SEFC seawall is supposed to open up well before the projects are compeleted - maybe even this year?

[Fairbanks]

The year was 1945: the soldiers were coming home, Zoot Suits were in style and Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra crooned over the radio waves.

In this new era of hope and expectation, London Drugs was born. It was a humble, community drugstore-just 1000 square feet-but this little store on Main Street, Vancouver, was given a big name. The store was named after London, England, the home of Canada's King, George VI. In the months after World War II, London Drugs carried the promise of peace and prosperity.






Today, London Drugs has stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The pharmacy is still the heart of our business, but today we also offer a full service computer department, cosmetics ranging from lipgloss to high-end face creams, furniture, cameras, high quality photo finishing, cordless phones and plasma televisions. More people buy their small appliances in London Drugs than any other place in Western Canada. All told, we serve over 45 million customers each year, and we are still growing.

How did a small Vancouver drugstore become such an integral part of Western Canadians' lives? This is the story of London Drugs.

http://www.londondrugs.com/Cultures/en-US/Content/CorporateInfo/The+Story+of+London+Drugs/

[Fairbanks]

Now b4 the anti-monachists pounce on the name "London Drugs" bear in mind that we have lost Eatons and Woodwards and probably the Hudson Bay Company b4 long. So let's savour the remainin "Canadian Chair Stores" while they last.

That having been said, "B4 I investigated this...I would have guessed that the founders' name was "London".

[vitc]

I love London Drugs that are always a great store...thanks for the history - interesting...

[mr.x]

Village builder aims millions at inner city
Developer commits $15 million to purchasing and $750,000 to training 100 staff

Frances Bula, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, November 15, 2007

VANCOUVER - The company building Vancouver's Olympic athletes' village has agreed to try to buy $15 million worth of goods from "inner-city" businesses, hire 100 people who live in the inner city, and pay $750,000 to help with pre-employment training.

The agreement is between Millennium Development and Building Opportunities with Business -- BOB -- a city non-profit agency set up to try to channel Olympics-related purchases to inner-city businesses.

BOB is funded by the city, provincial and federal governments.

It's all part of the city's original "inner-city inclusivity" promise in its Games bid to make sure the 2010 Olympics benefit the city's poorest neighbourhoods.

The agreement, which will be made public today, was welcomed by both Mayor Sam Sullivan and his political opposition, which originally made the commitment when it controlled city council.

"I think this will be a very important legacy," said Sullivan. "Having people from the inner city benefiting is great. I'm very pleased that this project will be a socially sustainable one, as well as environmentally and financially."

Vision Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie also said he was pleased. "I think it's a very good step to make [the Games] lasting, so it's not just a handout, but a hand up," he said. "This is an example of what can be done and it's a result of our work last term."

Vancouver is the first city to make a commitment to host "socially sustainable" Olympics Games and to try to ensure that its inner-city neighbourhoods get some of the benefits from what has often been seen as a mega-event that has a mainly negative effect on low-cost housing and the lives of low-income people.

Deputy city manager Jody Andrews, in a memo to council members about the agreement, said the city has also been trying to fulfil the social part of its commitment in other ways.

Because the city's bidding process encourages companies to hire aboriginals and inner-city residents, he noted that the Southeast False Creek project has seen an aboriginal company provide $250,000 worth of gravel and an aboriginal foreshore-site administrator, along with a group from the inner city doing landscaping.

The inner city is defined as the Downtown Eastside, the Downtown South and Mount Pleasant.

fbula@png.canwest.com

[djh]

NINE cranes up in Millennium Water area now, and 1 crane right near Cambie Bridge area.
Also, I noticed they've demolished 2 old warehouses in SEFC but near the bridge area.
Last week that area was insanely busy. When I was walking over the bridge there was a *line-up* of dump trucks from the street right to the water where they were dumping into barges. The line-up was 19 dump-trucks long...so really, the construction is getting pretty rapid there.

[officedweller]

That ramp was moved from close to Science World - it is the main location for excavation materials from the downtown to be loaded onto barges, so it's not exclusively from SEFC. But I don't think I've ever seen a line up as long as the one you've mentioned.

[mr.x]

NINE cranes up in Millennium Water area now, and 1 crane right near Cambie Bridge area.
Also, I noticed they've demolished 2 old warehouses in SEFC but near the bridge area.
Last week that area was insanely busy. When I was walking over the bridge there was a *line-up* of dump trucks from the street right to the water where they were dumping into barges. The line-up was 19 dump-trucks long...so really, the construction is getting pretty rapid there.

considering it has to be done in 18 months, i'm happy to hear the pace of activity.

[djp]

The term "inner city," in a Vancouver context, is stupid. When they say that "inner city" people will benefit from Olympic construction, they're absolutely right if they're referring to the "inner city" yuppies of Yaletown, Coal Harbour, the West End, the CBD, Gastown, etc. Inner city as a term seems more appropriate to American cities where the inner city is actually miserable. In Vancouver, except for a relatively small tract, the "inner city" is incredibly wealthy.

Just thought I would mention the irony of that phrase.

[TwoFace]

The term "inner city," in a Vancouver context, is stupid. When they say that "inner city" people will benefit from Olympic construction, they're absolutely right if they're referring to the "inner city" yuppies of Yale town, Coal Harbour, the West End, the BCD, Gaston, etc. Inner city as a term seems more appropriate to American cities where the inner city is actually miserable. In Vancouver, except for a relatively small tract, the "inner city" is incredibly wealthy.

Just thought I would mention the irony of that phrase.

Actually they said the following:
"The inner city is defined as the Downtown East side, the Downtown South and Mount Pleasant"

The only benefit for the people in Coal Harbour, Yaletown or the West End that I can see is the continuation of the sea-wall, which is a benefit to everyone.
Don't forget about a third of those units will be "subsidized rentals" which will benefit low or no income families.

[officedweller]

The new seawall opens up about December 3rd:

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/NewsReleases2007/NRfirstavereconstruction.htm

First Avenue reconstruction starts December 3

On December 3, 2007, the City will begin an extensive, 18-month project to rebuild First Avenue between Quebec Street and the Cambie Bridge.

City contractors will upgrade sanitary and storm sewers, water mains, electrical and communication utilities, and install a district heating system along First Avenue as part of the construction of the Southeast False Creek (SEFC) and Olympic Village site leading up to 2010.

Initial work on this project will involve a full closure at the intersection of First Avenue and Columbia Street for approximately three weeks starting December 3, 2007. During this time, and for the duration of the 18-month project, pedestrians and cyclists should use a paved path that will be opened up along the SEFC waterfront as an alternate route. Vehicle traffic will be routed around the closed intersection via Second Avenue (see map on website at www.vancouver.ca/olympicvillage).

The reconstruction of First Avenue between Quebec Street and the Cambie Bridge will be ongoing from December 2007 to May 2009. Every effort will be made to keep traffic flowing in both east and west directions along First Avenue. However, partial closures of First Avenue will be necessary over the next 18 months.

In addition to the reconstruction of First Avenue, traffic in the local area will be affected by other construction activities including the Canada Line project. Residents and commuters traveling in the area between Main and Oak streets, from Broadway to False Creek, are advised to expect delays, and may wish to consider alternate routes.

The City of Vancouver and its contractors appreciate the patience of the public during this project, and will make every effort to minimize traffic disruptions.

http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/FirstAvenue-map.JPG

[mr.x]

^ awesome, i'll have to take a look at that new seawall before i fly to Hong Kong this Christmas.

btw, what's the crane count now?

[officedweller]

Nine last I counted.

BTW - up the hill at Kingsway & 12th, Stella looks pretty big - someone should take a pic if they are out that way.

[Canadian Mind]

thought there was ten now.

[excel]

yea i counted ten last night.

[officedweller]

I last looked last Saturday - so you're probably right.

[Delirium]

10 it is

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2056857516_4c66caa76e_o.jpg
from www.flickr.com

[giallo]

That's some Dubai shite right there. Wow!

[Canadian Mind]

I count 11, although I dunno if one is part of the Olympic village. put this up in one of the general sections and see who thinks it is Dubai, and who thinks it is van-city.

[mr.x]

holy crap is that amazing.

[bils]

any word of how many more cranes, if any, we can expect on this site?

[excel]

Hopefully they stick christmas lights on all of them.

[SFUVancouver]

I counted 10 tower cranes on the site today, plus one of those remote controlled Potain self-erecting cranes.

I have a hunch there will be several more tower cranes on the site. There are 16 distinct buildings in the Olympic Village precinct and if even three or four share cranes that still leaves a couple more tower cranes to go up at the very least.

The first building at the south west corner of the property is now a storey above ground. It is a market building of maybe 10 or 11 storeys. Beside it is a non-market building that should be at-grade in a couple weeks. Those were the first two buildings to make it through the City's development process. The rest are all following like cars on a train.

I was at the Urban Design Panel on Wednesday. The Wall Centre / Playhouse complex passed. It is a four-tower scheme with 399 units and a 43K foot space for the Playhouse Theatre company including admin space, a rehersal hall, a production shop, storage, and a 200 - 250 seat black box theatre space. The Playhouse occupies the entire podium on the western half of the block-long project. Each half of the block supports two towers ranging from 154ft to 125ft and a podium that ranges from 3 to 5 storeys. On the base of the eastern half of the project the podium will be surrounded on three sides, including the laneway, by live/work townhouses, many of which will feature over-height two-storey "work" areas fronting on the street while the "live" area can be locked off and also enter from the same sort of internal hallway as the apartments. On the Manitoba Street frontage there will be several retail storefronts, including a restaurant/large coffee shop that wraps around the corner of Manitoba and 1st. The streetcar will have a stop in the median at 1st and Manitoba.

The main entrance to the Playhouse space and the theatre is off of the mid-block pedestrian walkway, complete with its own intersection across 1st and adjoining walkway through the property fronting on 2nd ave. The glass entrance pavilion for the Playhouse is ~ 40ft tall and the top half of it will be a folded/crenelated glass curtainwall that will look like a theatre curtain that has been lifted to reveal the lower, slightly set back entrance and marquee of the Playhouse. Sounds neat.

Regarding landscaping, there is a three-part narrative. The ground plane is about the history of the site as a ship building and industrial area. There will be some industrial artefacts and the original shoreline will be marked at several places. The podiums are the second part and they are all about sustainability. Each one has an intensive green-roof and there will be a small apple orchard, urban agriculture plots, and local ornamental trees. The third layer is the roofs of the towers themselves and these are about restoring habitat. They will be green roofs that will be largely given over to nature so that they can be a home for birds and indigenous plants. There will be no public access to these uppermost roofs.

The towers themselves will have two elements to each. The north and eastern faces of most of them will be sleek modern curtain walls while the south and west sides will have bands of extended floorplate sun shades and smaller, punched windows to reduce the solar gain of the towers. As many balconies have been place on the west side as possible to maximize their utility and to have them act as solar shades for the primary living areas below. The overlook guidelines of SEFC require that no two primary living areas directly face one another across lanes to improve privacy in lieu of the conventional 80ft spacing that is in place for towers everywhere else. The towers and podiums in SEFC and especially in the Olympic Village will be much closer than anything we're used to in Vancouver over the last couple decades. This place will feel very different, that's for sure.

All in all the Wall Centre is shaping up to look like typical Vancouver tower-podium buildings that has been squashed, sewn together, and planted with trees and green. The key for me is how these buildings meet the street and how the first few floors are programmed and I am excited about this project because I think it addresses the public realm very well. The live/work townhouses have a fair shot at actually being used as an interesting form of retail since they have so much space and height compared to most "live/work" suites. I especially like that the townhouses wrap completely around the building, including the laneway, which will be quite different in SEFC than elsewhere in the city. They will have a cement runnel in the centre and two wide strips of asphalt beside this. On the outside edges will be poured concrete or cement paver "sidewalks".

That's all I've got for now.

[mr.x]

Some pictures I took today from Science World:
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/713/dscf1117sr1.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3856/dscf1118hd0.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8292/dscf1119gl7.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5440/dscf1120zo5.jpg

[MistyMountainHop]

10 it is

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2056857516_4c66caa76e_o.jpg
from www.flickr.com

That looks like something you'd see in Dubai.

[officedweller]

The overlook guidelines of SEFC require that no two primary living areas directly face one another across lanes to improve privacy in lieu of the conventional 80ft spacing that is in place for towers everywhere else. The towers and podiums in SEFC and especially in the Olympic Village will be much closer than anything we're used to in Vancouver over the last couple decades. This place will feel very different, that's for sure.

Thanks for the info.
Sounds like everyone's living rooms will be looking into others' bedrooms - I knew those City staffers were into kinky stuff! Clear glass no doubt!

[djh]

Funny, 3 of us from this forum were down at SEFC yesterday - we probably all looked at each other and didn't know...

Did you notice that the building reaching grade directly to the far south-west of the site near the Cambie bridgehead (would could for crane 11, if we're counting) has huge wide piping coming out of the ground? Too wide for conventional plumbing. I have a feeling they are the pipes for geothermal heating.

The thought that went though my head was: if there's any sort of problems with those pipes, a) the whole building loses its primary heating, and b) a whole load of concrete will need to be drilled-out to repair the pipe, as they are part of the concrete pour of the building construction. If there's any low-grade earthquake, I can see broken geothermal pipes being a headache for strata councils in these 'green' buildings that are popping-up with this kind of innovative heating.

[officedweller]

I agree, although I would expect them to plan for earthquakes with flexible sections in the pipes (like they do with gas pipes).

[agrant]

Funny, 3 of us from this forum were down at SEFC yesterday - we probably all looked at each other and didn't know...

Did you notice that the building reaching grade directly to the far south-west of the site near the Cambie bridgehead (would could for crane 11, if we're counting) has huge wide piping coming out of the ground? Too wide for conventional plumbing. I have a feeling they are the pipes for geothermal heating.

The thought that went though my head was: if there's any sort of problems with those pipes, a) the whole building loses its primary heating, and b) a whole load of concrete will need to be drilled-out to repair the pipe, as they are part of the concrete pour of the building construction. If there's any low-grade earthquake, I can see broken geothermal pipes being a headache for strata councils in these 'green' buildings that are popping-up with this kind of innovative heating.What was the material made of? What was the diameter of the pipes? How many were there? How were they distributed around the site??? I don't know if I could tell you if it's geothermal, but maybe if it's plumbing or something else.

[officedweller]

Come to think of it - they are probably just underground steam pipes to the central steam plant for SEFC. The one that is now gas after residents complained that they didn't want the eco-friendly wood pellet burning.

[Canadian Mind]

Come to think of it - they are probably just underground steam pipes to the central steam plant for SEFC. The one that is now gas after residents complained that they didn't want the eco-friendly wood pellet burning.

wtf??? why would they want that?