Chinatown Updates Discussion

[officedweller]

Revised 231 East Pender from Changing City Updates:

WOW - severely dumbed down, much more DRAB and more bulky (in my view):


http://changingcitybook.com/2013/07/...pender-street/

Previous version:

Originally Posted by Built Form

pix by Built Form

[logan5]

Holy. The orange really stands out. I'm not sure if all these colours are a good thing or a bad thing, but I will take it over the usual product. The vertical design on the alley side of the building looks like a positive addition, although it's hard to tell what materials are used there. Is it glass or just painted concrete?

Somewhat similar to the building beside the salt building at OV.

[simonfiction]

Originally Posted by officedweller

WOW - severely dumbed down, much more DRAB and more bulky (in my view):
..

Is DRAB an acronym? I'm assuming you don't mean the word drab? It's a lot brighter.

[SpongeG]

looks alright. considering the over abundance of grey days here some colour is nice to see

[jlousa]

Think it looks much better thent he original proposal. Looks like the architect came to some of the same conclusions I did regarding the first design.
Chinatown is really hot right now and I have no doubt that these units will sell nicely.

[red-paladin]

I also prefer this version.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by simonfiction

Is DRAB an acronym? I'm assuming you don't mean the word drab? It's a lot brighter.

The Pender facade is more drab.

Compared to the old design, it is a darker, heavier brick with more deeply recessed (shadowy) spaces. The emphasis has shifted from verticality to horizontality - with the stronger, longer cornice line and heavier balcony floors.

It looks more like the projects being built a couple blocks over on Main St.

WRT the colour fronting the alley - I suspect that much of that will be blocked when the Main St. sites are developed.

The primary facade is the Pender facade, and I don't think it looks as good as the first version (which was "truer" to the historic tall skinny "clan" buildings seen farther west on Pender, having 3 skinny building facades formed in brick and white panel, with window wall filling out the void spaces).

The original version had forms that more closely resembled the green building in this shot (i.e. the Chinatown vernacular):


http://www.cs.ubc.ca/labs/imager/photos.php


http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...ed_Stay_Guests

The deeply recessed balconies may end up looking like Ginger (like a parking garage):


http://jaymcinnes.com/2013/06/20/why...own-vancouver/

[Jimbo604]

The Keefer Block, NW corner of Keefer St and Main St


Keefer Block excavation coming along.



188 Keefer project on SW corner of Keefer and Main. Retail store still open.

Photo credit: me

[hollywoodnorth]

Crane is up for keefer block!

[jlousa]

While not Chinatown, looks like scaffolding is up at the old BC Collateral building which is going to house rental units on the upper floors targeted at students rented out at ~$700/month for ~320sqft.

[hollywoodnorth]

super cool picture of Chinatown from the 70's pre-CHINESE CULTURAL CENTER (parking lots on the right)



photo via >> https://www.facebook.com/HistoricVancouver

[officedweller]

I guess Pender was one-way westbound east of there and eastbound diverted to Keefer (based on the sign on the island?)

[spm2013]

From the Street Names of Vancouver book:

P E N D E R - K E E F E R D I V E R S I O N (Deleted).
Named 1958, By-law 3731, the diversion linked
Pender Street, at Carrall, to Keefer Street, at
Columbia, to improve traffic flow. The diversion
disappeared prior to the completion of the Sun
Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, which opened
in 1986.

In 1945, between Beatty and Carrall was mostly railyards. And there's no Keefer south of Pender on the map. The old Georgia Viaduct seems to follow part of the current Keefer..

There map is here:

http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/s...n-street-3;rad

[spm2013]

Here's a map that shows the diversion:

http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/c...n-existing;rad

West of Main Street was one way on Pender.

[officedweller]

Great maps, thanks.
The first even shows that the CP Station had 3 platforms.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by Sir Conga

March 29th, 2013


Nov 11th, 2013

Photo credit: me

Looks to be about the same as it was in the spring.

[osirisboy]

That factory outlet store on the corner is still open ??? Lol

[Sir Conga]

The only change to the block that has happened so far is the Pho place on the top floor closed before summer started, and just recently Ba Le the Bahn Mi shop closed to move across the street.

[nefc]

Decommissioning/demo started at 633 Main a week or two ago.

[Jimbo604]

633 Main (Main & Georgia St northwest corner) is now demolished.


SW corner of Main & Keefer St.


Something is progressing at SW corner of Main & Keefer Streets! The store on the corner, District Factory Outlet has closed up and moved!


Keefer Block on NW corner of Main and Keefer Streets is almost at ground level.

Photo credit: me