Public Hearing – June 21st, 2022It’s somewhat fitting that the first item on this night’s agenda, a simple heritage designation, has been withdrawn, as this meeting is all about cutbacks, and lowered expectations. Certainly Hannah and I expected a far more robust response to the brick clad West End twin towers that comprise Items Two... Continue Reading →
May 17th & May 19th, 2022 Public Hearings – The West End’s Hidden Legacy Returns To A Greener Future
Public Hearings – May 17th, 2022, and May 19th, 2022 With over 50 people already registered to speak on the Broadway Plan, it would be easy to forget there are three public hearings scheduled this month. So to simplify things, Hannah and I have combined this week’s zoning bylaw reviews into this post, and we’ll... Continue Reading →
Sculpted To Perfection – How The World’s Tallest Passive House Got Its Groove On
1075 Nelson St (DP-2021-00589)To say this proposal has drawn plenty of interest would be an understatement, as it played a significant role in Vancouver landing the International Passive House Conference in 2023. Even city staff acknowledged a project of this scale would further enrich local knowledge, and help build a supply chain for future projects... Continue Reading →
World’s Tallest Passive House Fails To Earn The Support Of Vancouver’s Urban Design Panel
1075 Nelson St (DP-2021-00589)As I knew the Urban Design Panel was scheduled to review the world’s tallest passive house building, I was ready to be amazed when I walked into city hall’s Joe Wai Meeting Room. Sure enough, I was greeted by the most impressive scale model I’ve seen in months. It was only after... Continue Reading →
December 9th, 2021 Public Hearing – Forbidden Renters Find A Way Forward, But Will City Council Bounce Forty Million Dollar Homes?
Public Hearing – December 9th, 2021With the budget set, normally this public hearing would help city council ease into a winter break that lasts until the middle of January. However this year is different, as there’s plenty of unfinished business left to settle, including the fate of the Secured Rental Policy. Ironically, that protocol was... Continue Reading →
Money Well Spent – “Grassroots Activists” Succeed In Culling West End Rental Homes
1065 Harwood St & 1332 Thurlow St /and/ 1066- 1078 Harwood StWhen these twin towers were first revealed in 2017 (1, 2), we didn’t see much activity at their open house. Then last year, city council permitted them to switch from offering strata homes to market and non-market rental housing, and now Hannah and I... Continue Reading →
October 12th, 2021 Public Hearing – West End Inspired Artistry Looks To Fund Millions In Community Benefits
Public Hearing – October 12th, 2021With the ongoing pandemic, and the tragedy of the decades of abuse at the residential schools brought fresh to light, Hannah and I can understand why some may not feel like celebrating today. That said, the grief we’ve experienced over the last year has taught us the importance of taking... Continue Reading →
Search For Hidden Mountain Pathway Chips Away At Refined Addition To Vancouver’s Skyline
1616-1698 W Georgia St (DP-2021-00409)I imagine whoever forgot to let this applicant team know the previous item on this Urban Design Panel meeting’s agenda had been cancelled felt a little embarrassed during the 20-minute delay that followed. That this world-renowned architect was willing to drop what they were doing to log in well ahead of... Continue Reading →
July 6th, 2021 Public Hearing – Decades Old Fears Threaten West End Community Pride While East Van Rental Homes Undergo A Green Revolution
Public Hearing – July 6th, 2021 I think Hannah would laugh at anyone that would call me an optimist, but I do believe that though the arc of the moral universe is long, it bends towards justice. Lately, there are many reasons to doubt that, as last month a small addition to a public school... Continue Reading →
Public Hearing – April 13th, 2021 – North Shore Inspired Homes Bring A Landslide Of Community Benefits To The West End
Public Hearing – April 13th, 2021One has to feel a little bit bad for our city council, as this meeting comes not even a week after they finally finished the public hearing that started on March 11th. Granted, Hannah and I know to a certain extent this is self-inflicted, as they often engage in a... Continue Reading →