600 Robson | 65.55 m | 13fl | Proposed

[Feathered Friend]

https://development.vancouver.ca/600...renderings.pdf

600 Robson Street - DP-2018-01155
Perkins + Will Architects have applied to the City of Vancouver for permission to develop this site with a 13-storey, commercial building. The proposal consists of the following:

• retail uses on the ground floor and office space provided above;
• amenity space located on the 6th floor;
• an approximate building height of approximately 215 ft. (65.55 m);
• a Floor Space Ratio of 5.5 including a Heritage Density Transfer (approximately 65,975 sq.ft.); and
• all over 3 levels of underground parking accessed from Seymour Street through a shared access agreement with Capitol Residences.

Under the site’s existing DD zoning, the application is “conditional” so it may be permitted; however, it requires the decision of the Development Permit Board.

https://development.vancouver.ca/600robson/index.htm

Project Data:
https://development.vancouver.ca/600...rojectdata.pdf

Renderings:
https://development.vancouver.ca/600...renderings.pdf

Elevations:
https://development.vancouver.ca/600...elevations.pdf

Landscaping Plans:
https://development.vancouver.ca/600.../landscape.pdf

A Community open house is scheduled from 5:00-8:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 20, 2019, Central Library - Peter Kaye Room, 350 W Georgia Street, with the applicant team and City staff available to answer any questions.

This application has been scheduled for the Development Permit Board on Monday, April 29, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room (1st Floor, City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue).

[SpongeG]

big improvement over what is there now.

[officedweller]

Thanks!

That site is prime for large format retail though.
Disappointed in the retail proposal - especially since it is for the Bonnis family who own the Best Buy / Winners building.
Even the 2nd floor terrace unit is marked "office", not restaurant.

The design looks like something from the 1990s.
The design rationale says the City asked for a short height (max is 300ft) to avoid shadowing on Robson St. and Granville St.
It'll be about the same height as Vancouver House (the original building with that name) across Robson St.


https://development.vancouver.ca/600...treetscape.pdf


https://development.vancouver.ca/600...nrationale.pdf

[Galaxy]

I am disappointed with the look of this one. The corner this building is going into would be a good one to have a more iconic structure that has a superior overall look. The fact its also close to the new offices of Amazon and other spaces makes this spot a prime one where something a little nicer should be built.

Maybe the UDP will reject this and Perkins and Will will go back to the drawing board and come up with something nicer. From the company that has made some much nicer projects this ones a disappointment.

I would love to see a larger space for a large format retailer maybe Kim's Market or something to compliment H Mart on the other side of Seymour....

[osirisboy]

I like stuff that looks like it's from the 90s!

How is it good for large format retail? It's a pretty tight lot

[officedweller]

WRT large format, I mean larger format clothing retailer (not as big as Wal-Mart, etc.).
The podium floorplates are 667.49 sq metres (6000 sq ft?).
So a 12-18,000 sq ft retailer could be possible on 2 to 3 floors.
Banana Republic @ Thurlow has 3 levels. H&M in Pacific Centre has 3 levels.
Old Navy at Granville has 2 levels.
It's also very central as just "off-Granville".

[Metro-One]

Not bad, but hope it involves some form of lighting / signage.

[connect2source]

I'm a fan of anything that helps block the view of the ghastly Capitol.

[s211]

I'm a little surprised at the sackcloth and ashes response to this proposal.

It's a small site, and for the area, is likely the best that can be done usage-wise. Having worked in the area off and on for several years, I can say that this isn't the most prime lot for anything in particular, so I'm surprised people are somehow expecting a retail mecca. (And I wonder how many of those people actively work in commercial real estate.)

[whatnext]

Ah, so this is where the print and framing store is? Another longtime Vancouver business disappears.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by s211

I'm a little surprised at the sackcloth and ashes response to this proposal.

It's a small site, and for the area, is likely the best that can be done usage-wise. Having worked in the area off and on for several years, I can say that this isn't the most prime lot for anything in particular, so I'm surprised people are somehow expecting a retail mecca. (And I wonder how many of those people actively work in commercial real estate.)

Yeah, I don't even think you could go much taller considering the small size of the lot and tower either.

It's a decently-sized infill tower in Downtown. The design is basic, but more unique than a 'box'. I'm fine with it. it doesn't need to stand out.

[osirisboy]

Isn't the height limit 300 feet? They can go higher

[Galaxy]

It would just be nice to have a little nicer design for this spot may be in the line of say the new building going up beside VCC Clark Station [The Hive] and or even something with more colour like makes the glass red or something instead of just another glass box that blends in with its surroundings. A building with all black glass and cladding maybe cool just because we seem to have too much seafoam glass in this city.

Not sure if there are any height restrictions on the site and or view cones... But it would definitely be nice to see a building here that is as tall as possible for the site.

In regards to retail IGA, is a block or so nearby is also two floors and I think Home Sense is on top of the two-floor IGA. A few blocks further and of course you have at the corner Best Buy, Winners, and street-level retail so three levels of retail in this area most definitely is not unusual.

[osirisboy]

Iga is just one floor

[Galaxy]

Lol! I forgot I was thinking about the IGA on Burrard across from Famous Players Scotia Bank Theatre. Thanks for correcting me on that location...

[BodomReaper]

This proposal is a significant step backwards in terms of the quantity and quality of retail space provided. Retail presently covers nearly 100% of the site's area, while under this proposal, it will cover under 40%, and take the form of very shallow units unsuitable for anything interesting. We can't afford backwards steps like this as downtown's daytime population continues to skyrocket.

Back to the drawing board. Multi-storey retail is called for here, or at minimum, re-arrange the ground floor to allow for deeper commercial spaces.

[Vin]

Loving this one. It's got some height and definition. Would prefer to see a two to three storey retail though!

[Changing City]

It's interesting that this project has less retail than is there today. Bonnis almost certainly own more retail buildings Downtown (especially on Granville Street) and on West Broadway than any other owner/developer, so they understand retail demand better than most. The previous project before this was the conversion of the almost all retail Tom Lee Music to office, with retail reduced to the main floor. They've also completed the repair and canopy replacement on the Commodore Ballroom, and there are quite a few new tenants in there. They seem to be diversifying their portfolio by adding more office, as well as rental residential. I wonder if that tells us anything about their view of retail in the next few years? There are signs that on-line retail is starting to hit the bottom line of traditional bricks and mortar retailers, so maybe we won't see a significant increase in retail (except where there was none before, like the new Vancouver House retail area).

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Isn't the height limit 300 feet? They can go higher

They can't, to avoid shadowing of the intersection- perhaps it's a safety issue? I can see shadowing of a major intersection being a problem for left-turns during daytime. Either way, they could go wider, but they're not, to expand the podium amenity space of the nearby tower. It's nowhere near hitting its maximum FSR, even accounting for the limitations of the site.

I'm more wondering about the nearby surface level parking lots on the lot behind the tower on the other side of Seymour St. Seems like a pretty prime location with a ton of potential for offices.

[osirisboy]

lmao. Safety issue? Limiting the shade an intersection gets has nothing to do with safety. That makes no sense