[North Vancouver] The Pier Waterfront Community | Several towers/retail/museum | u/c

[jozero]

an anyone tell me what this is though? It's right on Lonsdale and looks like a fancy entrance of some sort.... but not really.

Since thats right near the hotel I'm going to guess its the exit / entrance for valet parking, and potentially access for the residences on the east side of the development.

Looks like they are adding walls to the heritage buildings as well. Since the museum doesn't look like it will happen, and their idea of a 'community market' when there is one 50 feet away at the Quay makes little sense, anyone know what will go into those buildings?

edit : not a parking entrance. There are now vertical metal bars on that entrance.

[Pinion]

Got a pinch of sun on the way home so I snapped some photo updates. Plywood is being added to the heritage building as you can see, Atrium West is topped out, and Atrium is about three storeys up now (barely visible).





Atrium West:



One thing that isn't quite clear in these photos is they are actually using a different styles on each new building south of Esplanade so far. Atrium West's got grey tinted windows for example, while the hotel has dark blue tinted windows and is being painted bright white in between the windows. Maybe learning from False Creek's mistakes.

[Pinion]

Long overdue update! I really wanted to grab my real camera for this but it was at the risk of waking up my fiancee before her big job interview, so iPhone it is again. It's supposed to rain for the next eternity, so take what you can get.

A proposal board. I don't remember seeing this before. Same as the one in the OP, with a little more detail. Three residential buildings, one retail building and a museum still to come!



The classic shot from Lonsdale Quay:



That light blue shit is coming off the hotel. I was starting to worry it was part of the design.





I believe this will house Granville Island style market stuff, along with the heritage building to its left.



From the waterfront looking northeast.





The hotel's a beast, especially compared to downtown buildings. Casts a huge shadow, unfortunately.



Atrium West exterior almost complete. Its twin rose quickly.







Comments welcome!

[osirisboy]

that hotel is huge, i like it. thanks for the pics!!

[wrenegade]

That building with the hotel is actually only half hotel. The west side is condos.

[bulliver]

Looking good! Cates must have had every tug they own out working...their dock is empty in shot two.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by awvan

That building with the hotel is actually only half hotel. The west side is condos.

Aren't all new hotels half condo these days?

Those are gonna be some noisy places. Right by the bus loop and major trucking road. Walking down that part of Esplanade is especially loud now with the huge walls on both sides.

[sacrifice333]

The "hotel" building also has some residential, doesn't it?

[giallo]

Nice updates, pinion. I had forgotten about this project. It looks really good.

[vanman]

Thanks for the update Pinion.

[deasine]

Looks great. If I'm not living in Vancouver, my next place I want to live in the lower mainland is Lonsdale, and this just adds to it. Maybe I should start on some condo shopping...

[officedweller]

Looks good, thanks.
It'll be interesting to see what the built form looks like for those long rectangular residential buildings on the site plan. Hopefully not run of the mill 4 storey blocks.

[jozero]

I really hope the hotel has some finishing to the exterior. Its WAY too clinical, looks like a hospital.

I can't quite read the text on the picture diagram of the site plan posted by Pinion. What is going in the two buildings to the east of the proposed maritime museum ?

Still don't understand how one of the heritage buildings in front of the Pier development will have a granville style market, there already is one in Quay not even 100 feet away ! What would be interesting is a quality craft market.

Nice new restaurant opened up on 1st and Esplanade called Fishworks. Went there last week and overall it was quite good. A nice slightly upscale eatery for lower lonsdale.

[Pinion]

Mini update from today:

The hotel has a name!



Named after the developer...? Does this mean it will be run by Pinnacle and/or they couldn't find a seller?

Also note the brilliant positioning of the sign right behind a street light. I couldn't even take a picture of it from the northwest corner of Lonsdale and Esplanade where most people will see it, since it was almost totally obstructed. Although it is a nice sign and lights up at night.

Facing south:



The mysterious gateway, now confirmed as a pedestrian gateway, has the words "Shipbuilders and Engineers" on it. I wonder how many tourists won't walk that way, thinking it's only for those two professions?



The twins are looking nice:

Originally Posted by jozero

I really hope the hotel has some finishing to the exterior. Its WAY too clinical, looks like a hospital.

I can't quite read the text on the picture diagram of the site plan posted by Pinion. What is going in the two buildings to the east of the proposed maritime museum ?

More condos. Yay! (actually three condo buildings)

And I agree the hotel is almost too white. It looks spiffy now but won't when the new building shine wears off.

[zivan56]

Thanks for the pics. I love how newer phones store the GPS co-ordinates in the picture EXIF data (such as your iPhone 3G). Makes finding the place the picture was taken at extremely easy!

[delboy]

I just moved into the area - I sure found that the lower lonsdale strip has the oddest collection of stores - edgy comic place, skate board wear, goalie shop. tackle shop, raquet shop, two thrift stores and more hair and nail salons than i ever seen in my entire life!

It needs a redo - it seems to be having an identity crisis - it doesn't have a nice feel. The city should start by putting in new street furniture (i had a hard time finding a bin when I took pooch for a walk).

[Rusty Gull]

Originally Posted by delboy

I just moved into the area - I sure found that the lower lonsdale strip has the oddest collection of stores - edgy comic place, skate board wear, goalie shop. tackle shop, raquet shop, two thrift stores and more hair and nail salons than i ever seen in my entire life!

It needs a redo - it seems to be having an identity crisis - it doesn't have a nice feel. The city should start by putting in new street furniture (i had a hard time finding a bin when I took pooch for a walk).

Just let it be. The comic shops and skater stores are part of the character. The last thing the locals want is Yaletown-style gentrification.

But I agree that they need to invest in street furniture and more infrastructure. It's pretty sad... they used to have some old flags lining the strip... which blew away in the windstorms of two years ago. They haven't been replaced since.

[Rusty Gull]

The Pinnacle Hotel (North Van) is part of the DeCotis family of hotels that also includes the Marriott Pinnacle in downtown Vancouver and the Pinnacle Whistler. There is not yet a hotel chain associated with it, despite past associations with the Marriott brand.

I'm not surprised the Marriott isn't locating at the new North Van facility -- the Marriott usually locates in metro downtown cores, or near major airports. But I think their Residence Inn (next down the Marriott chain) would be a real nice fit (they have some really nice hotels in Portland, Denver -- and you don't have to be travelling on company business to afford them).

North Vancouver could use another nice hotel with business facilities. The Holiday Inn near Second Narrows Bridge is very nice, but the location is pretty useless if you don't have a car.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Rusty Gull

Just let it be. The comic shops and skater stores are part of the character. The last thing the locals want is Yaletown-style gentrification.

Well... a lot of us moved here for its upward potential. I'd like to see more life on the streets. Not necessarily like Yaletown, but a 4th ave clone would be nice.

On the way home from taking those pics yesterday I stepped on a broken beer bottle and broken car glass from an auto theft/robbery on the way home (right next to the Rusty Gull). That kind of stuff gives a really bad impression of the neighbourhood.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by zivan56

Thanks for the pics. I love how newer phones store the GPS co-ordinates in the picture EXIF data (such as your iPhone 3G). Makes finding the place the picture was taken at extremely easy!

I didn't even know it did that. :/ Another tool to make a stalker's life easier.

How do you view EXIF data?