VA2007 - Area Real Estate - Green House Effect

It's the image you see on postcards and travel guides: downtown Vancouver, sandwiched between mountains and water, with its forest of green-glass condo towers reflecting the city back to itself. City planners around the world have dubbed it "Vancouverism," referring to the densely built condo towers that lured people back downtown to live within walking distance of businesses, schools and amenities. It's been a remarkable urban achievement: in the last two decades, downtown Vancouver's residential population doubled to 80,000, and another 40,000 people are expected to move in by 2030. Last spring, there were no fewer than 47 condominium towers under construction.

The trick has been rebranding condo living from the poor man’s substitute for a single-family home to, as Tyee Bridge described it in a recent Vancouver magazine article, "a prêt-à-porter downtown cocktail party, complete with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances." For one, in a city with the highest real estate prices in Canada, first-time homebuyers have been persuaded to give up on owning a traditional house because they simply can’t afford one. Detached homes — even teardowns — can't be had for less than $500,000, though the average is closer to three-quarters of a million.

It's all made for a condo boom that's showing no signs of slowing down. Two more residential megaprojects are now on the horizon, hoping Vancouverism will work just as well off the downtown peninsula. The first: Southeast False Creek, an 80-acre swath just opposite downtown that will include the athletes' village for the 2010 Winter Olympics (construction is already well underway, pushed by the looming 2010 deadline). The second: East Fraserlands, a vast 130-acre site on the Fraser River. Population upon completion (around 2025): 10,000.

Indeed, much of the new Vancouver, those glinty condo towers with townhouses or retail stores tucked beneath them, has taken place atop the city's industrial past: Yaletown was a former rail yard, while Southeast False Creek and East Fraserlands were formerly home to sprawling lumber mills. In other words, all were ripe for development with no neighbourhood associations standing in the way. With all those old brownfields now spoken for and the region expected to grow from 2.2 million to 3.3 million people in the next 25 years, what's next? In a word: EcoDensity.

Last year, during the UN World Urban Forum proceedings, Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan tabled his EcoDensity plan, which seeks to add a green dimension to all future city developments and — here's the clincher — add residential density to existing neighbourhoods. It's not going to be an easy sell. Historically, residents of the suburban-like areas of the city — particularly the affluent west side neighbourhoods of Kerrisdale, Dunbar and West Point Grey — have prevented multiple- unit dwellings such as townhouses from replacing single-family homes. And more often than not they've succeeded, the most dramatic example of which took place in February of 2007. Dunbar residents opposed a townhouse development because it was built on two subdivided parcels of land. Shortly after completion, the townhouses burned to the ground in a suspicious fire.

So what's different this time around? Call it the Inconvenient Truth effect. Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary on climate change has helped move the environment off the back burner and is slowly reframing the way Vancouverites envision the city's future growth. It seems the notion of more compact, sustainable homes that link into public transit systems is finally gaining currency in the mainstream.

Not surprisingly, local developers and architects are heeding the call. British starchitect Norman Foster has drawn up plans for Jameson House, an elite condo development that’s aiming for LEED gold certification — a global standard for sustainable design. It would be the first residential building of its kind in the city and is expected to be completed by next year. In Southeast False Creek, the city is moving forward on an ambitious plan to build its own waste-to-energy system to power the neighbourhood, and in Yaletown, where the downtown condo boom originated, the new Pomaria tower will aim for LEED certification and use sustainable building materials and interior finishes, as well as two "sky gardens" — a cosmopolitan take on the green roof.

For much of 2007, the city will be involved in a series of public consultations with neighbourhoods to further define the EcoDensity concept. On the table: car-free neighbourhoods, new city bylaws that will promote sustainable building practices like recycling grey water, adding green roofs and making it easier to incorporate alternative energy sources like geothermal energy systems or solar panels. How EcoDensity will actually unfold in the coming years is anyone’s guess, but expect to find an even more dense, sustainable city on your next visit.

Editor’s Choice: Green Furniture

Just as the green bug has hit local real estate developers, sustainability has become an important aspect of locally designed furniture. If a new condo isn’t your idea of a souvenir this time around, a number of local designers offer a more portable green solution. Brent Comber's stools, benches and tables are crafted from reclaimed and salvaged wood; his most recent design takes the rotted ends of cedar tree stumps and turns them into stunning pendant lamps (1657 Columbia St., North Vancouver, 604-980-4467, brentcomber.com).

Upholstery Arts has launched a cradle-to-cradle program for their green line of sofas (2430 Burrard St., 604-731-9020, upholsteryarts.ca), and the ODI gallery features locally designed furniture crafted from FSC-certified wood (883 Hamilton St., 604-683-6220).

Vancouver Real Estate Directory

ASPAC
aspac.ca
ASPAC develops visions. After creating one of Vancouver's most desirable waterfront communities, what do you do for an encore? ASPAC does it again: developing a vision for a new community, creating a premiere location, and building with meticulous attention to detail and quality. That's how ASPAC turned Coal Harbour into one of Vancouver's most upscale communities and best investments. And that's how ASPAC will develop their new visions in UBC and on the Richmond waterfront. ASPAC – creating a legacy of excellence.

Pam Alen-Re/Max Real Estate
604-790-8464. Toll Free 1-866-790-8464
A Bridge to Vancouver Real Estate, Pam specializes on the Westside and Coal Harbour/ Downtown. Her professional approach to assisting people with their largest financial decision of their lives, has gained Pam many awards; including the Re/Max Life Time Achievement Award, an international award recognizing the top 1% of all Re/Max Associates. Pam believes that success comes through a productive winning attitude, a lot of hard work and the willingness to give back to the community. A Vancouver Visionary, with 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, Pam has carved a niche to serve her clients in the exploding Vancouver Real Estate market.

The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia
Presentation Gallery: 699 Howe St., Vancouver.
For an appointment call 604-682-8107
A beautiful mélange of historic elegance and ultra contemporary design. Announcing The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia.155 luxurious condominium residences in a sleek 48- storey tower united with a totally restored and extensively renovated dazzling world class hotel. Situated at the heart of Vancouver’s luxury district with spectacular views in every direction. Delightfully cosmopolitan. Deliciously exquisite. Decidedly exclusive.