The Up-and-Comers
One big new development and everything can change—or at least that’s what we’re expecting in these ’hoods to watch.
Commercial andBroadway
Commercial Drive is one of the most vibrant areas of the city, but it has yet to see residential towers move in—due largely to intense neighbourhood opposition. That will change in a big way with the new Westbankand Revery Architectureled development at Commercial and East Broadway. Current plans include four towers, the tallest at 24 storeys; 649 condo units that mix aordable rentals, market condos and coop spaces; more than 10,000 square feet of retail space; and an osite public plaza that’s modelled after New York’s High Line, with terraced seating, aconcourse and achildren’s playground. The “vertical village” also boasts bright hues and large patios to mimic the area’s colourful homes and garden spaces, while a grand staircase that connects to the SkyTrain entrance provides plenty of Driveworthy hangout space.
Oakridge
With the arrival of the Canada Line, the entire Cambie corridor has become a locus of development, including at Oakridge, where Westbank, QuadReal and Henriquez Partners Architects have teamed up on a massive redesign. They’re not set in stone yet, but current plans include 10 towers up to 44 storeys that mix commercial and oce spaces, as well as awhopping 2,000 residential units—roughly 600 of them market and aordable rentals. There will be plenty of public amenities, too, among them a new civic centre, a community centre, a public library, a seniors’ centre, a cultural space and more than seven acres of streetand rooflevel park, complete with community gardens. And if you’re a diehard shopper, fear not: the mall is slated to remain open during construction, which is expected to take more than six years.
Downtown
Reportedly inspired by the form of a church pipe organ, the Butter y—which will occupy the lot adjacent to the First Baptist Church at Burrard and Nelson—is upping the bar on luxury in the area. At 57 storeys, the artful Revery Architecturedesigned residential tower will be the thirdtallest building in the city. At $1.9 million for a 630squarefoot unit, the curveheavy building, which boasts outdoor breezeways with threestorey trees, elegant Italian kitchens and other ritzy nishes, is also reaching lofty heights in terms of price. To help alleviate signicant community concerns, the development also comes with the restoration of the 107yearold church, along with funding for its services, including belowmarket rental housing, childcare facilities, programs for youth and seniors, a counselling centre and a new socialhousing building.
Northeast False Creek
It’s still years away, but the upcoming development that will have the biggest impact on Vancouver’s landscape—and skyline—is the overhaul of Northeast False Creek. With the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts gone, downtown and East Vancouver will be integrated in a way they haven’t been for decades. The nal plans include new condo towers, awaterfront district with a destination park that can accommodate festivals and events, an ice rink and community centre, 1,800 aordable housing units, a more ecient street network, an emphasis on historic communities and more. For some, however, the potential loss of judiciously protected mountain views is raising red ags; others are concerned that too much prime waterfront turf will go to condos. Just to the east, the groundbreaking new St. Paul’s Hospital and integrated health campus—roughly 14 football elds in size—will add to the area’s sea change.