What Current Projects Are You Most Excited For? V2

[Metro-One]

So, a follow up to a thread I made years ago!

All the projects from the previous batch are now complete, here were the poll results:

1. Port Mann / Highway 1 with 18 votes
2. The Evergreen Line with 14 votes
3. Trump Tower / Vancouver's Turn with 13 votes
4. Other with 6 votes
5. SFPR and Jameson House with 2 votes each
6. The Georgia Hotel Tower with 1 Vote

2 questions to ask:

So, now that all these projects are complete, how do you feel about them? Did they exceed expectations? Did they fail to meet you expectations? Are they exactly what you thought they would be? Are they better / worse than you thought?

And of course question two, what is your most anticipated current project and why?

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[cganuelas1995]

I'm excited for the bus loop under construction at the old Scotiabank site at Brighouse

[Pinion]

I badly need the Hwy 1 Mountain hwy interchange/Lynn Creek bridges for my own sanity so it's that, but Massey is second.

[Metro-One]

Interesting responses so far.

I should say myself currently the Broadway Subway is my most anticipated project with the George Massey Tunnel being a close second.

I feel that both of these projects are the push needed to elevate our road and transit networks a good notch higher than they are now, solidifying a "bigger" and more mature city feel.

The "Zebra" tower is my most anticipated tower project. Will add a really nice flare to the heart of downtown.

If money were no question I am still interested in the Surrey LRT. I feel it will add some nice depth to our system (and finally another chance to use "not blue" on our transit map). That said, the Langley extension must be skytrain.

As for the previous batch:

From what I have seen the Evergreen Line has beaten my expectations. It looks really well put together and it may have the most interesting route of any rapid transit line in Canada.

Port Mann / highway 1 met my expectations. Very well done project and fitting for a city our size.

Vancouver's Turn and Jameson have also met my expectations, but just a tad bellow the #1.

Hotel Georgia is nice, but failed with its "raindrop" lighting scheme. Seriously, in my mind, it was going to be awesome. Real thing, ugh...

SFPR, still a good addition to our network but the removing of the interchanges was ridiculous. I have to look at that project as a work in progress...

[rickvug]

As a New West local I have to vote for the Pattullo Bridge project. As nice as it is, the new bridge itself isn't a game changer as a piece of infrastructure. What I'm really excited about is what it means for the surrounding area:

1. As part of the project it looks like the Fraser River shoreline near the bridgehead will be turned into a narrow linear park. This would connect Westminster Pier Park with Sapperton Landing, completing the Brunette Fraser Regional Greenway. This will provide an uninterrupted waterfront recreation trail all the way from the Brunette River, through Pier Park, and onwards through the Quayside neighbourhood. I can't wait! I think it will be one of the best recreational amenities in the region.
2. The new bridge will remove the onramp that ruins the original design of Albert Crescent park. That park is a huge opportunity with all the traffic gone.
3. It will provide better biking (Central Valley Greenway) and pedestrian connectivity between the Victoria Hill neighbourhood and Downtown New West.
4. It pushes the bridge slightly East, opening up developable land at the edge of Downtown New Westminster. I'd bet on a redevelopment boom in the area in the years after. The whole area should become a lot more cohesive and less of a dead zone.

Again, I don't think this is the biggest game changer in the region (I'd give that award to Skytrain for Langley) but the question is "What Current Projects Are You Most Excited For".

[casper]

It has to be the Broadway line and the associated development.

Broadway is already built-up and growing upwards at a fair rate. What has happened at virtually every other skytrain expansion is within 10 years that has been a significant increase in density and activity. If we replicate the same along Broadway it will have a significant impact on the city and region.

The only think that might get in the way is the city zoning.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[rickvug]

I'm surprised that the viaducts removal and the connector to Clark Drive aren't one of the options. It is such a major change, especially when paired with the False Creeks Flats rezoning and Mount Pleasant "tech zoning". It is clear that the city will continue to push South and East in the coming decades. I'm excited about how this will all come together. Mid-rise development will connect disparate areas. The end result will make Vancouver feel much more cohesive than the current dense downtown that very quickly scales down to lowrise. The key will be to keep up interrupted "urban energy" along Main all the way from Hastings to Broadway where the density will once again increase with the future Main/Broadway skytrain station.

[Metro-One]

Sadly our first 200 meter tower (second if you count the washing crane on Shangri-La) is going to be a rather plain residential tower in the burbs (Gilmore) with an unknown official height.

That said we do have a few great tower proposals over 150 meters to look forward to.

For the Broadway Skytrain the Cambie Station itself is my most anticipated section. Will be cool to finally have a true subway to subway direct underground transfer.

As for the viaducts going down, that is actually the reverse for me, the biggest loos in the city. Nothing they are doing wasn't already planned / not able to be done with keeping them in place. The huge sprawling green patch of a park they are proposing will completely bisect Vancouver's urban space. Except for the small area around the stadiums, what they are planning is the most sterile and boring urban project I have seen in our city, ever.

[WarrenC12]

Looking forward to the Broadway subway for sure.

For buildings, the St Paul's hospital will be interesting. A ~1.5B project that will completely transform the area, along with the viaduct teardown.

[urbancanadian]

Here's a quick list for me.

Intrastructure:
1. Broadway Subway.
2. George Massey Bridge and Highway 99 improvements.
3. New St. Paul's Hospital and adjacent medical/office/mixed use disrict.
4. Expo Line extension to Langley and Surrey LRT.
5. Pattullo Bridge replacement.
6. YVR expansions (incl. north-south taxiway).
7. Centerm port expansion.
8. Highway 1 improvements north of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.
9. Malkin Connector and completing the grade-separation of rail in the area.
10. Burrard Bridge improvements.
11. Highway 91 & 72 Avenue interchange.
12. VAG north plaza rebuild.

Future projects that I didn't add because they aren't imminent:
1. Waterfront HUB
2. Deltaport T2
3. SFU Gondola
4. Queensborough pedestrian & cycling bridge

Real estate and mixed-use districts:
1. Vancouver House (incl. associated public realm)
2. Major downtown developments - FBC/Zebra tower, Alberni, Grosvenor Pacific, 1500 West Georgia, 8X, Burrard Place, various office developments, etc.
3. Oakridge (original version - can't say what the changes will look like)
4. City of Lougheed
5. Amazing Brentwood
6. New Westminster Pier towers and park expansion

[Metro-One]

I must say, I 100% approve of the above list.

Some of those last projects you mentioned will have to be on the third edition of this topic another 7 or 8 years later

I was almost going to add the 91/72nd interchange to the poll, not for the scope of the project, but just the mental milestone of finally having that error corrected.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Perhaps most importantly Broadway is the precursor to a full UBC extension something which I think everyone can agree is a huge deal!

The UBC extension is Broadway Phase 2... I think it will be built before the Surrey LRT, since I don't think even Translink likes it...

Originally Posted by Metro-One

As for the viaducts going down, that is actually the reverse for me, the biggest loos in the city. Nothing they are doing wasn't already planned / not able to be done with keeping them in place. The huge sprawling green patch of a park they are proposing will completely bisect Vancouver's urban space. Except for the small area around the stadiums, what they are planning is the most sterile and boring urban project I have seen in our city, ever.

I think the park could help attract more investment to the West Hastings area, and would be a nice accessory to Chinatown. Maybe set a section off as an "Asian Style" park to fit with the general theme.

There's also an abandoned factory in the viaduct area near False Creek. I hope they keep it- the Granville Island-esque 'overgrown' neo-industrial style would fit well too. As long as it's structurally stable enough to keep around. I really hope so, or at least be able to be salvaged.

That alone would make the park a lot less boring. I really hope a good park designer comes around and sees the potential in building a decently sized park around 3 VERY different neighborhoods in a former industrial wasteland.

Also, the viaducts divided Downtown from West Hastings/East Van already.

The main people who suffer are the motorists.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[Trainguy]

A project is not a project until the money is in place and a shovel hits the ground. Talk is cheap and plans change all the time. Show me the money first!!!

[red-paladin]

Millennium Line on Broadway for me.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

4. Queensborough pedestrian & cycling bridge

This isn't happening unless the City of New Westminster gets a massive influx of money designated for it. They were looking to spend something like $7m but the last cost estimate came in at $39m. Instead they're going to do a trial ferry service.

[Sheba]

I'm not car or Vancouver-centric so my picks would have to be:

* Skytrain extensions towards UBC and Langley
* the redevelopment of Station Square and the towers along Beresford
* the towers around New West Station and down towards the Quay
* the towers in Surrey Central

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

For the Broadway Skytrain the Cambie Station itself is my most anticipated section. Will be cool to finally have a true subway to subway direct underground transfer.

I just hope it has an interesting integration, like the Canada Line being a mezzanine for the M-Line tracks and platforms below it.