Vancouver's available density supply outpaces development

Think of 10 high-rises, each with 22 storeys and every floor measuring about 6,500 square feet. That’s the equivalent of what developers could put up in Vancouver with the available density supply—that is, if they’re building at all in this economic climate.

Vancouver has so much unused density that city staff have expressed concern about awarding more of it to developers in return for saving heritage buildings. Developers can either use the density they’ve earned or sell it to other builders.

This matter came to the fore at a December 18 deliberation by council on a proposal to restore the former York Theatre on Commercial Drive. Proponents had suggested a 100-percent density transfer, meaning that developer Bruno Wall would get a density bonus valued between $10 million and $11 million—the cost of rehabilitating the theatre—which he could in turn use on another project.

Staff disagreed, recommending instead that the city shoulder only a third of the restoration costs—and grant Wall density worth only a third of the $10 million to $11 million required to rescue the theatre. Staff argued that the federal and provincial governments should pick up the other two-thirds of the cost. However, council rejected this recommendation, and unanimously voted to “support in principle” a 100-percent city contribution to cover the cost of rehabilitating the York. The city would pay for this through a combination of property-tax forgiveness, a capital grant, and a density transfer—the details of which would be worked out later.

According to city planning director Brent Toderian, there are 1.4 million square feet of space in the city’s so-called density bank, which is basically a pool of the available density supply in the market.

“The bank is at a size that has led to concerns by staff, and we’re advising council on the implication of that,” Toderian told the Georgia Straight. “If there’s a down market and if people aren’t proceeding with projects, they have no reason to buy density.”

According to Toderian, the current value of density is $65 per square foot. Although there hasn’t been much trading activity, he said that prices haven’t deteriorated. Yet he noted that, based on past practice, the density bank’s volume is normally kept at about 500,000 square feet.

“When the bank got over a million square feet, staff began reporting the status of the bank to council,” Toderian recalled. “Recently, about a year or so ago, staff recommended to council to turn down the tap on additions to the bank.”

While it’s not the responsibility of the city to guarantee buyers for densities being held by developers, Toderian stressed, it is the city’s job to manage the bank properly.

To explain clearly what’s going on, real-estate and development consultant Michael Geller used air-mile credits as an analogy.

“There are literally millions of unused airline points, but there aren’t enough airplane flights to use up all the points,” Geller told the Straight. “In the case of the airlines, one could say it doesn’t matter. But in the case of the city, eventually one [developers] has to start using up all this density.”

And the big question, according to Geller, is this: where is all the density going to go?

“There’s nowhere to put it,” Geller said. “There aren’t many developments taking place that can use the density.” That’s because real-estate development has slowed in the city.

Lone Non-Partisan Association councillor Suzanne Anton noted that developers who want to dispose of their acquired densities but can’t get the right price will be in serious financial trouble.

The least the city can do, according to Anton, is to prevent the density bank from growing.

“We actually have to be responsible, because if we want developers to take up this density, we have to create the conditions for them to use it again,” Anton told the Straight. “It’s a two-way street. If all we do is keep adding to the bank without letting the bank be used up in any way, I think we’re letting down our side of the relationship as a city.”

Staff will be reporting to council in the first quarter of 2009 about the status of the city’s density bank. A review of how much more density downtown Vancouver can absorb will likely be completed by the end of 2009.

Source: Carlito Pablo, The Georgia Straight

Phones for Fearless! Donate your old phones to change lives

Donate your old mobile phones to help DTES artists share stories, and tap into life, jobs & family

How can you help?

1. Your used mobile phones - preferably with video, camera, wi-fi
2. Cash donations (* tax deductible) or new phone donations
3. Conversation - tell your friends on your blog, twitter, etc. - post a badge

Action Plan:
First, Gather phones!

Collect all the unused mobile phones at your office and home - dig into your boxes of stuff, ask you friends! Digital cameras gratefully accepted too.

Next, Arrange Pick-up:

• Let us know via Twitter: Fearless City, email: info (at) fearlessmedia (dot) ca, Phone/SMS: 604.64..., Voice mail: 604.68... xt 8320
• We'll come by on purple Yahoo bikes on Tues. Dec. 23rd & 30th to collect your devices
• We'll take your photo, bring treats, and thank you publicly with a link

Or, Drop-off (after Tuesday, 23rd) at:

• Roundhouse Community Centre - 181 Roundhouse Mews
• Pathways - 390 Main Street (kitty corner from the Canegie)
• Raincity Studios - 1 Alexander St. @ Water st.

Want to be a drop-off point? Let us know.

Even send by Postal Mail to:

Fearless City
c/o DTES CAN
PO Box 88023
418 Main St
Vancouver, BC V6A 4A4

Notes:

• Remove your chip, and clear your contacts before donating (all phones will be completely cleared before released).
• Please include chargers and accessories - used digital cameras also welcome
• Unusable phones will be donated to FreeGeek for reuse and recycling

Who is Fearless?

Fearless is a Vancouver Non-Profit group providing tools, resources, and cultural outreach to artists and residents in the improverished Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. Fearless is a project of the DTES Community Arts Network (CAN)

More:

• About Fearless City

Plow crews working 24/7, more snow expected

Drivers in Vancouver can expect side streets and alleys to stay slick and thick with snow as plows concentrate on keeping arterials and hills clear.

Another dump of snow is expected on Christmas Eve, and the city is already nearing its snow-clearing budget of about $750,000.

“I’ve been doing this for a very long time,” said Murray Wightman, Vancouver’s manager of street operations. “At no time has city hall ever said, ‘Stop, pull back.’ We do what it takes to get it done.”

Plow crews have been running 24 hours a day, concentrating their efforts on major streets and bus routes first and steep residential streets that feed onto arterials second.

“The regular city side streets will not be treated by us … we have to draw a line here and keep the majors and bus routes free.”

But the snowy side streets are fine with some commuters, including Pascal Wehr, 30, who cross-country skied yesterday from his home in Kits to his work on Main Street.

“It’s awesome,” Wehr said. “It’s such an experience. The roads were snow covered and I figured that the easiest way of getting to work — as I do as much as possible — is self-propelled.”

Metro News

York Theater saved in deal with Vancouver developer

After years of failed fund-raising efforts, and on the brink of demolition, Vancouver developer Peter Wall and the city struck a deal to save the historic York Theater in Commercial Drive.

Mr. Wall will spend $12 million to purchase, restore and hand ownership of the York Theater back to the City of Vancouver, in exchange for development rights to build a 20-story building in an yet-undetermined area.

For more details, please see the Vancouver Province.

Smell like a Whopper, Just don't look like one

Burger King has launched a new men's body spray called ''Flame,'' which it describes as ''the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.''

The fast food chain is marketing the product through a Web site featuring a photo of its King character reclining fireside and naked, except for an animal fur strategically placed to not offend.

The marketing ploy is the latest in a string of virile ad campaigns by the company.

Burger King is also in the midst of its Whopper Virgins campaign that features an taste test with fast-food ''virgins'' pitting the Whopper against McDonald's Big Mac.

"Flame" can be purchased online for $3.99 USD.

New York Times

'Fire Meets Desire,' promo website

Fate of York Theater to be determined tonight

Members of the arts community are being urged to attend a city council meeting Thursday (December 18), where newly sworn-in councillors will vote on a staff recommendation to support a partial density transfer to retain the York Theatre at 639 Commercial Drive.

Heather Redfern, executive director of the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, which hopes to operate the venue if it is saved from demolition, says the recommendation would effectively kill restoration plans for the theatre.

Redfern has been working with a developer who is prepared to buy the theatre from its current owner—EDG Homes, which purchased the property in October 2007 as Vintage Development Corp.—in exchange for a 100 percent density transfer for the site, worth $10 to 11 million.

“Our proposition to the city was that they look at a density transfer for this not-to-be-named developer in exchange for him purchasing the property and paying for the restoration,” said Redfern. “There’s no city cash or money involved. It simply means transferring the density to another site....If council agrees to the 100 percent [density transfer] or sends staff back with the direction to make that work, that’s how this will work. Otherwise it’s done.”

Marco d’Agostini, senior heritage planner for the city, told the Straight there is no precedent for a 100-percent density transfer, and he is recommending a one-third transfer instead.

“In policy, we haven’t ever done anything like that,” he said. “A parallel example would be something like the Stanley Theatre, where it was a similar one-third model, where the city did a one-third contribution and the provincial and federal governments and fundraising contributed the other two-thirds. That’s the model that’s happened before and it’s been successful....An investment of that value [$10 million] into one site [the York Theatre], as far as staff’s concerned, is more appropriate at a one-third level.”

Redfern said the Cultch is in no position to attain additional funds from the provincial or federal governments. The provincial government already contributed $9 million to the Cultch’s renovation last year, and the relevant federal government funding program is due to sunset in March 2010, “and you can’t apply to that program unless you can show that your project will be completed by March 2010,” she noted. “We have made it clear right from the beginning that we are still fundraising for this project [the Cultch renovation], and we are not in a position to take on any fundraising at all for the York Theatre.”

Staff are also recommending that the current property owner be requested to hold off on demolishing the York Theatre until he is ready to begin construction, but Redfern said that was unlikely. In September, the city issued an emergency 120-day temporary protection order for the site, following an incident in late August in which materials were removed from the building’s interior, causing the city to issue a stop-work order.

“He has made it clear to us that his intention is to tear the building down as soon as possible,” said Redfern.

She called on members of the arts community to show their support for the theatre.

“What I’d really like is for people to show up at the council meeting, if they possibly can, and speak if they have something to add, like they would be a user of the theatre or they have a business on Commercial Drive that would benefit from the theatre being reopened, that kind of thing.”

Georgia Straight

New study finds real estate market downturn helping home affordability in B.C.

B.C.'s real estate market correction is improving home affordability in the province, according to a new RBC Economics study.

The proportion of pre-tax household income needed to service the costs of owning a home has fallen for all housing types in the third quarter. According to the study, owning a standard two-storey home requires 77.7% of a household's income. That's down from 80.9% in the second quarter.

Costs of owning a detached bungalow fell to 69.7% from 73%; the costs for a standard townhouse fell to 53.8% of household income from 55.8%; and the cost for owning a standard condo fell to 38.7% from 40.8% of household income.

But housing in Vancouver remains among Canada's most expensive. In the third quarter, prices are roughly double the national average for most housing types. Home ownership income requirements are still high. A minimum qualifying income of $150,000 is needed to own a two-storey home; $135,000 is required for a detached bungalow.

Given these high requirements, the study said most families in Vancouver are effectively shut out from owning a home and must instead look to the condominium market.

Source: Business In Vancouver

Bank of Canada Cuts Rate to 1.5%

The Bank of Canada has reduced it's over night lending rate three-quarters of a point to 1.5%, the lowest level in half a century. Commercial banks, such as TD Bank, the first to take action, and CIBC have responded by reducing it's prime lending rate to only 3.5%.

The Bank of Canada's next scheduled date for announcing the over night rate target is January 20, 2009.

Bank of Canada
The Canadian Press

Police dogs and bike patrol added to Skytrain station to enhance transit security

Translink will be adding police dogs and more bike patrols to Skytrain stations in order to beef up visible security and ease transit rider fears.

Translink has already increased the number of Skytrain attendants as well as transit police presence at major Skytrain stations perceived to be the least safe: Broadway, Main Street, Metrotown, New West and Surrey Central.

Additionally, in a partnership with municipalities and the federal government, Translink will be making improvements to some neighborhood streets creating "Transit Villages" in areas around Broadway and Surrey Central. Improvements will include better lighting, sight lines and amenities that promote safe walking and bicycling.

For more details see Translink and Vancouver Sun.

Uniformed police officers to be redeployed at SkyTrain stations

TransLink says it will address longstanding security concerns by redeploying uniformed staff and police officers at key SkyTrain stations.

The move is meant to give a more visible staffing presence at four stations that were perceived to be the most dangerous in a series of public opinion surveys and focus groups. TransLink says there will now be a round-the-clock presence at Surrey Central, New Westminster, Broadway and Main Street stations. Staff will also be hovering during the evenings at Metrotown.

“This is what I could call reassurance policy,” said Transit Police Chief Officer Ward Clapham. “[It’s] reassuring the public that they are safe.”

Transit Police have already trained 11 officers to patrol using bicycles and hope to add 10 more in 2009, with the belief being that officers on bike can cover more ground than regular officers on foot.

Other safety measures, some of which are already underway, include improving lighting at stations, opening more shops at key hubs and looking into whether using police dogs could improve safety.

Vancouver Kingsway NDP MLA Adrian Dix, a frequent critic of SkyTrain safety policy, said the move is a good step, but wondered how effective it will be without an overall increase in resources.

“If you have the same number of person hours and you’re redeploying them, some places are going to have less of a presence,” Dix said, pointing to Nanaimo and 29th Avenue stations, both stations in his riding that have seen high-profile assaults happen in the surrounding areas in recent years.

“Those are stations where you can go an entire evening without seeing any staff person or police,” he said.

The Transit Police have 154 sworn officers.

Source: 24 hours

Elderpost.com, the Craigslist for seniors

VANCOUVER — Seniors are getting their own online free ad website where they can find everything from specialized equipment to home help.

A kind of seniors-meet-Craigslist, the new site at www.elderpost.com was the brainchild of Vancouver's Peter Silin, whose company Diamond Geriatrics specializes in elder care management, counselling and consulting for the elderly, their caregivers and businesses.

"What happened is I saw so many people needing equipment they couldn't afford and if you go to nursing homes or care facilities you find lots of equipment that's no longer needed," said Silin. "I wanted a way to put together the people who wanted to sell with people who want to buy.

"The other thing I saw was people who needed caregivers and they wanted to hire somebody part-time or just by the hour. Their choice was to go through an agency or just put an ad somewhere.

"I know a lot of people who are looking for that kind of service. That was the genesis of it and it just grew from there."

The site was only launched in recent weeks and Silin said he expects it will take some time for the listings to grow as people discover the service.

"I don't have a million bucks or investors," he said. "I just wanted a site where there would be everything for care providers, for product providers and where older people themselves could find what they are looking for."

The site also lists resources such as support groups and services for seniors, their families and caregivers. It also has caregiver circles, exchanges and groups in which people can get together to share their time and talent.

Caregiver circles are groups of people who help each other out, perhaps driving someone to an appointment, visiting or other sharing and exchanging responsibilities. Caregiver exchanges are similar to circles except they are less formal and involve just two or three people.

"The idea of it is to have a very grassroots way for people to find mutual support," Silin said. "I wanted a place where maybe five, 10 people could get together and provide each other with mutual support."

So far, he said, he has no plans to make money doing it; it's an adjunct to his geriatric business.

"It's a Craigslist for eldercare and providers, with a targeted focus," he said. "At some point I'll sell some banner ads and if people want some kind of enhanced listing, there could be a fee. Aside from that, hopefully it will remain free or as low cost as I can keep it."

Silin acknowledges that with seniors often a target for scam artists, the site could attract some ill-intentioned users. He said he has added a warning about safety and users can call on elderpost review, an added service that could check out people they are considering hiring through ads on the site.

He said that could be helpful for people who are helping an elderly relative who lives a distance away.

"If somebody is looking for a caregiver or somebody is looking for work, we will charge for those reviews, so if you want somebody to interview and screen for you, we will do that for an hourly fee."

gshaw@vancouversun.com

Source: Vancouver Sun

BC Ferries reduces fares on all sailing routes, temporarily

Christmas has come early for people riding B.C. Ferries.

From today until Jan. 31, ferry users will get a 33 per cent break on all sailings on all routes.

The temporary ferry-fare cut was announced in October by Premier Gordon Campbell as part of the B.C. Liberal government's efforts to protect the province's economy in the face of a global financial crisis.

The government will pay B.C. Ferries the difference between the full fare and the lower fare, Dan Wong, vice-president of corporate relations, said yesterday.

The corporation has already restored service levels on all routes -- some sailings were cut after the company experienced a significant drop in passenger traffic this fall.

"We hope to see an increase in traffic. That's obviously the intent by an offer like this," said Wong. "It's not a hard science and probably all kinds of other factors -- the price of gas, the overall economic climate, consumer confidence and mood -- will play a part. But certainly our hope is that with this kind of an offer, it will spur people to travel in the holiday season."

And there's more relief on the horizon. Fuel surcharges will be removed on minor routes Dec. 5, and on major routes on Dec. 19.

In August, B.C. Ferries imposed a 10.3 per cent surcharge on major routes.

And fares increased 17.6 per cent on 18 minor routes.

In October, B.C. Ferries announced it would cut its fuel surcharge in half by Nov. 3, to reflect dropping oil prices.

B.C. Ferries estimates at its highest, the price for a family of four travelling between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen was $91.15. With a reservation fee of $17.50, the total came to $108.65.

Today, B.C. Ferries says, that same family of four will pay $59.60. By Dec. 19, the price for a family of four will be $54.90.

B.C. Ferries is now working on a plan for February, said Wong. "The arrangement will end, but I don't know how. We're working on how to come out of the sales period. There might be a few other things we can contemplate to make the transition," he said.

The ferry-fare cut -- called the "Winter Super Sail" -- applies to all passengers and all vehicles on all sailings and all routes throughout December and January. The only exception is pre-paid paper tickets bought before today and assured loading tickets.

Reservations are recommended Dec. 26 through Dec. 28 -- the busiest days for ferry travel during the holidays.

ldickson@tc.canwest.com

Source: Vancouver Sun

Free holiday shopping trolley along new Canada Line route

To give hard-hit businesses a leg-up, the Canada Line is running a free hop-on, hop-off Holiday Shopping Trolley along the construction route.

Starting this week, and on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 21, the trolley – adorned with holiday decorations – will pick up and drop off shoppers at seven locations along the Canada Line route.

Karen Peterson, independent project director for the business liaison program of the Canada Line project, said this lets shoppers find unique gifts while supporting local businesses.

Many of the businesses along the route have been struggling financially because construction of the line has slowed or diverted traffic.

On Nov. 12, several merchants along Cambie Street filed a lawsuit against the Canada Line asking for compensation for loss of revenue.

Giriraj Gautam, who owns a convenience store on Cambie Street, told Metro last year that his business was kept afloat because his landlord lowered his rent.

“We know it’s going to be a tough year for merchants overall and we thought we’d find a fun way to bring lots of people and come shop the Line,” Peterson said. “(And) you can avoid traffic and parking.”

• The trolley starts today and runs every weekend until Dec. 21.
• It runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
• For more information, visit shoptheline.ca

source: metro