Category — Neighbourhoods

The city’s latest report on building permits, issued in the dying days of the election, confirm what is obvious to any door-knocking politician: Vancouver’s neighbourhoods are changing rapidly as builders upgrade homes — and add laneway houses — in every part of the city.

Just three years ago, as voters headed to the polls to elect Gregor Robertson for the first time, the global economy was in free fall. The October 2008 numbers reflected the end of the city’s long building boom. A few months later, building permit activity had dropped by at least half and the new Vision council was scrambling to find $50 million in savings to balance the 2009 budget.

Four hundred and twenty-eight residential units were approved in October this year, compared to 130 three years ago. (By January 2009, the number had dropped to 34, of which 18 were replacements)

Today it’s hard to find a city block in many parts of the city without new construction or renovation. Vancouver specials are being tossed out for a 21st century update: much larger, centre-plan, two-storey homes with full basements, quality stucco exteriors and much finer finishes. (The granite front steps on many of these homes are notable for the observant canvasser.)

Laneway homes, a controversial aspect of 2008 campaign, are routine now: 162 have been approved so far this year, but they weren’t even listed in 2008.

The global economy is still in deep trouble and the US housing market is so grim that cities like Cleveland are bulldozing foreclosed homes to “save” neighbourhoods. Here, in Lotusland, we’re still building, but fewer and fewer residents can afford to buy. It looks like existing homeowners are responding with a quiet housing expansion program right under our noses.

The international invitation to redesign and reconnect the city’s eastern core is drawing global attention but there’s still time to submit your ideas to a contest that offers cash prizes for the best new visions of Vancouver.

Here’s what the city planner Cory Dobson reported this morning in an e-mail blast to people on the re:connect list serve:

Only two and a half weeks remain until the submission deadline for Re:Connect, an open ideas competition for the Viaducts and Eastern Core.  Roll up your sleeves, sharpen your pencils and join the already over 50 individuals from over a dozen countries around that world who are entered to help inspire our city and shape the future of the city’s eastern core.

Registration deadline is Wednesday, November 2nd with submission due by Friday, November 4th. Winners will be selected by an independent jury of renowned local and international architects, urbanists, educators, sustainability and economics experts. There will also be public voting to select a ‘People’s Choice’ winner in each of the categories (online voting will run from November 21-25, 2011). Winners will be celebrated and profiled at a public forum in early December.

Please refer to the website vancouver.ca/reconnect for additional information or to register for the competition.

Submit your ideas today and help shape Vancouver!

Vancouver’s growing collection of neighbourhood murals can now be explored through an online interactive guide that offers four different tours to the dozens of remarkable installations around the city.

The many art works have been created in the community with a three-year, $10 million program that had support both from the federal government and the City of Vancouver. The new website opens the door to an outdoor autumn art experience like no other.

Tamara Frank installation at West Pender Place

When Dutch artist Tamar Frank turned on her major new light installation at 1409 West Pender in July, early reviews were so positive she declared herself astounded and “almost bashful at the way people are complimenting me on the work.”

Frank is an internationally-recognized artist whose work has been installed in many countries.

But that public acclaim was not forthcoming from some neighbours of four or five condo towers south of the new building just opened by Reliance Properties, which paid $400,000 for the light work as part of the public art program.

By early August, nearby residents were bombarding councillors with angry e-mails, insisting that the illuminated display, that lasted all night, was keeping them awake. In many cases, nearby residents lacked blinds and had the LED display flashing into living rooms and bedrooms.

(I met with some of the affected residents in August and went down at night to see the display for myself. From the street, the lights seem muted, but passersby have a hard time comparing that experience to that of neighbours, who see the building at close quarters from higher floors.)

So far, Frank’s work remains up for all to see, albeit on reduced hours. Take a look.