Our City- Diverse, Informed, Together
Public Hearing – July 12th, 2022Update: July 14th, 2022 - Thanks to the reporting of Denise Ryan, we have learned the reason why Item#2 was justifiably removed from this agenda, and you can read about this building's complicated past here.As city council scrambles to find dates to hear the remaining public speakers on several controversial... Continue Reading →
791 W Georgia St (DP-2021-01096)When I noticed the Urban Design Panel’s agenda included the renovation of the former Four Seasons Hotel, I was puzzled to say the least. What benefit could this in-depth review possibly serve for a structure that has been part of our city’s urban fabric for 45 years? I better understood city... Continue Reading →
901 W BroadwayAnyone who’s visited central Broadway recently knows it’s in the midst of a huge transformation, and nowhere is that more obvious than where it intersects with Laurel Street. With one corner cleared for a SkyTrain station, and another new hotel approved at a second, Hannah and I knew one of our favourite restaurants,... Continue Reading →
1002 Station St - New St. Paul's Hospital (DP-2021-00085) - Campus Public Realm WorkshopIt would be wrong to assume that in the middle of a pandemic, the Urban Design Panel would spend two hours reviewing city council approved plans to build a new hospital in Vancouver. In reality, this meeting dragged on for over four... Continue Reading →
Public Hearing – March 9th, 2021As last month's public hearing was only settled last week, I imagine city council is pretty grateful to whoever scheduled this night’s simple agenda. It could have gone even quicker if they decided to stop personally reviewing every townhome proposal in the Cambie Corridor, as Item #1 is not really... Continue Reading →
January 23rd, 2020 Public Hearing- Update 01/24/20 – The public hearing has recessed and will resume on January 30th at 3pm. As a result, one can still send in correspondence or sign up to speak on Item 7. To give people enough time to sign-up or write a letter for a public hearing, we try... Continue Reading →
150 Robson Street - DP-2019-00809 Perhaps it's fitting that a project that will provide a new hotel, strata tower, and save a heritage building by BC Place was the final item reviewed by the Urban Design Panel this year. While its rezoning was approved last summer, it's likely the conditions were met only a few... Continue Reading →
December 10th, 2019 Public Hearing – The first of two public hearings scheduled for this week is one Hannah and I expect to be over quickly and quietly. That's because none of these applications have drawn the ire faced by a MIRHPP proposal in Kitsilano which will be on heard Thursday night. In fact, one... Continue Reading →
357 - 475 West 41st Avenue and 325 - 343 West 41st Avenue It is no secret Vancouver is in the midst of a housing shortage. While most of the Cambie Corridor has had an increase in strata homes, a lack of new rental housing means low and middle income renters have been largely forgotten.... Continue Reading →
1157 Burrard Street The meetings of the Urban Design Panel can sometimes feel pretty monotonous. Week after week, these volunteers are required to review buildings that city policy forces into a similar, 6-storey shape. However, this wasn't one those times, as this proposal at the corner of Burrard and Davie triggered a “Super UDP” review... Continue Reading →
City Duo 