Other

Paragon Gaming Corp has resubmitted a proposal to move its Edgewater Casino into a $535M redevelopment of BC Place lands–but this time promising not to expand the gambling operations. (It’s called compromise, you may have forgotten about it while watching the US Congress.)

A 2011 proposal by Paragon was shot down by city council in large part because of a grassroots campaign that opposed an expanded gambling platform. Paragon VP John Cahill says the new proposal totals 675k SF of development including a casino, conference space, and two hotels–but on an entertainment-focused urban resort. The gambling operations at the Edgewater Casino (currently at the Plaza of Nations site) would be relocated to the new site at its existing size. The proposal will go to the city’s design panel and will need a building permit. Paragon’s plan is to have construction complete by 2016. (Just enough time for us to figure out whether a flush beats four of a kind.)

Susan Boyce
Other

It’s been more than six years in the making. It’s been the subject of scrutiny, controversy, and even outrage. Yet today, when people experience their first glimpse of Hollyburn Mews the reaction is inevitably the same: “This is so beautiful. What on earth was all the fuss about?”

Located in West Vancouver’s affluent Dundarave neighbourhood, Hollyburn Mews is a re-imagining of the seaside cottages that, during the early 1900s, were cherished summer homes for Vancouverites escaping the “big city” just across Burrard Inlet. Like their predecessors, these homes have an engagingly whimsical nature with gabled rooflines, mullioned windows, and covered porches: few people can resist smiling as they pass by.

Elegant Sustainability

While these homes clearly pay homage to the character of Old West Van, they’re also a dynamic, 21^st Century housing model. Comprising six duplex homes and three coach houses—the first ever approved by the District of West Vancouver—Hollyburn Mews nestles comfortably onto what were originally three single-family lots. The developer is Michael Geller, principal of Geller Properties and well-known advocate for innovation in sustainability and affordable housing. He describes this type of infill as “gentle densification—a way to make better use of the land we already have.” For the buyers who will ultimately call Hollyburn Mews home, it’s an opportunity to downsize without downgrading—a chance to age in place gracefully without leaving the neighbourhood they love.

“Rezoning these properties to replace a single house with three smaller homes had never been tried before in West Vancouver—nor in most other Metro municipalities,” Geller admits. “When I’m asked why I proposed such an innovative concept in what many regarded as the most reactionary municipality in Metro, I often joke that if it could be approved in West Vancouver, it could be approved anywhere.”

 Rediscover Community

Inside, Hollyburn Mews presents a fundamental sense of quality and attention to detail: marble backsplashes reminiscent of the Vancouver Club, sunny country-style kitchens, nine-foot ceilings, and two master bedrooms up (even in the coach houses) because, as Geller points out, when couples age, the second bedroom frequently morphs from being the “guest” bedroom to being the “his” bedroom—so why not ensure both partners have their own ensuite.

Then there are the oh-so-important but not immediately noticeable, sometimes hidden details: backing behind the shower for easy installation of a grab bar, staircases wide enough to accommodate future chair lifts, pre-wiring for solar heat tomorrow in addition to today’s state-of-the-art heat recovery system. It’s all about comfort and future-proofing.

One design feature Geller is particularly enthusiastic about is the lush, meandering central mews separating duplex and coach homes. Duplexes accessed this communal space via private patios which are, in turn, accessed through traditional Dutch doors off the kitchen. Coach houses access via a pathway along the side—although owners might choose to simply enjoy the view from their upper-level master bedroom. “It’s about finding the balance between shared spaces that create community and the need for privacy.” Geller laughs. “Everyone tried to talk me out of the Dutch doors, but they have a sense of neighbourliness you just don’t get with regular doors.”

Housing Evolution

Looking ahead, Geller says other jurisdictions are already asking him to spearhead similar projects, and West Vancouver is now considering a complete coach house program, something unimaginable when Hollyburn Mews was first proposed. “I’d like to see this alternative become commonplace throughout the Lower Mainland,” he says. “Bringing Hollyburn Mews to fruition was challenging, but we’re proving it’s a housing model that works. And if it works here, it can work in virtually every municipality throughout the Lower Mainland.”

Hollyburn Mews is located at 21 Street and  Esquimalt Avenue in West Vancouver. Call 604.880.4559 or click here for more information.

© 2013 Real Estate Weekly

Tom Zytaruk
Other

NORTH DELTA — What will Delta Rise, the municipality’s tallest tower, look like?

Politicians and journalists were given a sneak peek Wednesday at an architect’s model of the building, as well as a tour of two styles of suites the 37-storey building will contain.

The Blexo Developments Ltd. project won Delta council’s approval earlier this year and construction is expected to begin next June and be completed in 2016.

The apartment building project, just south of the Delta Shoppers Mall off Scott Road, will be located at 11941 80th Avenue and will be the community’s tallest building by far. Three 14-storey buildings currently share that distinction in North Delta. One is at 88th Avenue and 119th Street and the other are two across the street from where this new apartment building containing 317 suites will be built.

“It’s going to be a success,” George Harvie, Delta’s chief administrative officer, declared at Wednesday’s event.

There will also be 24,800 square feet of commercial space on the first four floors and 511 parking stalls in a four-level parkade, with two of those levels above ground, on the 1.5-acre site. The strata will feature one, two and three bedroom suites for sale. Each comes with generous balcony space, and a commanding view.

Blexo is a Surrey-based company that has been developing property in this area for 21 years now.

“We’ve seen what the market needs here,” said Blexo president Satish Sharma.

During a public hearing last December some residents expressed concerns about increased traffic the project will bring, and voiced their reluctance to see North Delta develop skyward like Burnaby.

Meanwhile, Delta council has been trying to put a fresh face on Scott Road by creating a bylaw that would allow for property tax breaks and other incentives to developers who help revitalize the Scott Road corridor.

The Scott Road Revitalization Bylaw covers Highway 10 to 96th Avenue, west to 118th Street. Eligible projects qualify for a three-year freeze on municipal property taxes. This includes apartment buildings or other mixed-use buildings 10 storeys or more that involve more than $10 million in new construction or $5 million in renovation. Other incentives to promote development or re-development of environmentally friendly projects include the reduction or waiving of development cost charges and other fees.

Municipal council has also approved an “Incompatible Uses—Scott Road Corridor” bylaw, with the corridor being from 96th Avenue in the north to roughly the 6200-block in the south.

Council decided to bar certain businesses—porn stores, cash for gold shops, cheque-cashing centres, dating and escort services, gun shops, massage parlours, pawn shops, private smoking clubs and tattoo parlours among them—from opening along the Delta side of Scott Road, but the ones that were already there are grandfathered.

© Copyright 2013

Other

Fitch Ratings released a report Monday stating that the Canadian banks have yet to experience a significant decrease in their mortgage sales, despite the increase in interest rates that many thought would price consumers out of the market; though the agency does believe there is a possibility that the effects will be felt in the months to come.

“Canada’s largest banks have yet to report a significant slowdown in mortgage activity, as rising interest rates have failed to quell housing demand and home prices have continued to rise through the summer,” the report stated. “Still, Fitch Ratings sees the potential for both increasing household leverage and rising rates to begin affecting mortgage banking results in the coming quarters.”

Debt is continuing to rise in Canada, leading many to believe a downturn in the housing market is inevitable.

“Statistics Canada reported in September that the ratio of household debt to income rose to a record high of 163.4 per cent in the second quarter, up from 162.1 per cent in the prior quarter. In part, the increase in household leverage may have reflected normal seasonal patterns, as home-buying activity picked up in the spring,” the report read. “In addition, borrowers may have been pushed into the market as rates began to rise in May and June.”

And with housing prices rocketing to level highs, affordability for the average Canadian because a bigger question mark.

“Canada’s home-price index hit another record in August, suggesting that rising mortgage rates are not yet having a significant impact on overall housing market demand. However, as affordability becomes a bigger issue for borrowers, we expect some additional pressure on mortgage origination volumes, and perhaps home prices in certain geographies, over the balance of the year and moving into 2014.”

For its part, Fitch believes the housing market is due to level out in the next 24 months, which would have a negative impact on Canadian banks and, it logically follows, brokers.

“We continue to believe, in general, that the Canadian housing market and mortgage balances will begin to plateau over the next one to two years, which would unfavourably impact both earnings and balance sheet ratios of the largest Canadian banks.”

Copyright © 2013 Key Media Pty Ltd

Sales across the GTA were up 30 per cent in September, year over year, and prices were up 6.5 per cent over September 2012, according to figures released Thursday by the Toronto Real Estate Board.

Susan Pigg
Other

Toronto house sales – and prices – continue to climb despite the best efforts by Ottawa to cool a market that shows no signs of giving buyers a breather.

Sales across the GTA were up 30 per cent in September, year over year, and prices were up 6.5 per cent over September 2012, according to figures released Thursday by the Toronto Real Estate Board.

The average transaction price for houses and condos combined last month was $533,797.

So far, three-quarters of the way through 2013 – and what was looking, a year ago, like the start of a significant slump in the resale housing market in the wake of tighter mortgage lending rules imposed by Ottawa – some 68,907 houses and condos have changed hands across the GTA.

That’s down by just one per cent over the pace of sales recorded by TREB during the same nine-month period of 2012.

The average sale price during that same nine months of 2013 has been $520,118, up more than four per cent from the first three quarters of 2012.

Condos continued a surprising surge, which started this past summer, with sales up 28.8 per cent year over year – up 31.5 per cent in the City of Toronto and 22.3 per cent in the 905 regions.

Average sale prices, however, were down 3.7 per cent in the city but up 2.9 per cent in the suburbs. That resulted in an almost 2 per cent decline in condo prices overall across the GTA from September of 2012 to the same month this year.

“The price growth story in September continued to be about strong demand for low-rise home types, coupled with short supply of listings,” says Jason Mercer, TREB’s senior manager of market analysis.

“Even with slower price growth and month-to-month volatility in the condo apartment market, overall annual price growth has been well above the rate of inflation this year.

“This scenario will continue to play through the remainder of 2013.”

Much of the rush in the market the last few months has been blamed on an unexpected increase in fixed-rate interest rates that started in late spring and has seen buyers trying to purchase before their 90- and 120-day rate commitments expire and they are forced into more costly mortgages.

 

There has also been some pent-up demand after the cold, wet spring put a damper on what’s usually the peak season for sales. Many realtors had expected sales to be unusually high, as a result, well into fall – and the weather has been co-operating so far.

 

Detached sales were up almost 34 per cent year over year across the GTA, and prices up 7.9 per cent, bringing the average sale price of a detached home in the 416 region to $856,169 and $608,866 in the 905 regions, says TREB.

Semi-detached sales were up more than 20 per cent, with average prices hitting $616,049 in the city and $405,920 in the suburbs.

Townhouse sales climbed by almost 31 per cent. The average 416 townhouse sold for $455,518 in September and $388,727 in the suburbs, up 9.7 per cent overall from September of 2012.

Condo prices slumped 3.7 per cent in the 416 region to an average of $363,149 while the average price of a condo that sold in the 905 regions in September was $290,239, up 2.9 per cent.

© Copyright Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd.

Other

Other

The Montreal Board says they have had enough of broken promises and want to end their working relationship with the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).  
After 16 months of dispute over fees and services, the Montreal board are annoyed that out-of-province brokers are allowed to list Quebec homes on realtor.ca and MLS.ca.
Following an agreement between the Competition Bureau and CREA in 2010, homeowners can sell their properties on realtor.ca by paying a broker a flat fee. Unlike other Canadian provinces, Quebec brokers have to verify that the listing information is correct. The Montreal board,  under the guidance of President Patrick Juanéda, has asked CREA to respect its own Brokerage act and take down the listings which they call ‘illegal.’
The fallout between the two boards arose in July 2012 with Montreal threatening to leave the national association if they did not cut members’ expenses.
It has not turned into a war of words between the two. Montreal says CREA has failed to deliver on its promises, and they will make a final decision on whether to remain a member by mid-December.
CREA, on the other hand, says they remain ready to engage in conversation with all Quebec boards.

Elizabeth Wilson
Other

You have as little as three minutes to escape from a house fire once you hear the piercing squeal of the smoke alarm. About thirty years ago, it was estimated that you had about 17 minutes, but with all the synthetics used in homes now, a fire will grow much faster and release more-toxic smoke than a fire in the 1980s, cutting your chances of escape.

Across Canada, October 6 to 12 is Fire Prevention Week. It’s time to look at your home in terms of how to prevent fires and how to escape if fire happens. The theme this year is “Prevent Kitchen Fires,” like the one in the photo above. That one was caused by a batch of deep-fried chicken wings gone wrong. No one was hurt, but the fire caused over $300,000 damage.

Here’s a list of the simplest and smartest things you can do to make your home fire-safe. It was provided by Fire Chief D. Spence of the Maple Ridge Fire Department:

1. Test all the smoke alarms in your residence to make sure they are working. You should have one alarm located on every level of your home and outside the sleeping areas. You can recycle used or expired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms at an AlarmRecycle depot near you.
2. Prepare and practise a fire escape plan for your family; every member of your family should know what to do when fire strikes and where to meet. It is not uncommon for parents to risk their lives searching for children who are already out of the house.
3. Never leave your cooking unattended and made sure you have a tight-fitting lid close by when you are cooking with oil. Oil and grease fires burn very fast and hot and can cause serious burns if you try to move them or put water on them.
4. Store all flammables like gasoline or propane outside your home.
5. Keep all combustible materials well away from the front of furnaces and hot water tanks.
6. Never leave candles unattended.

For dozens more tips, take this interactive prevention, detection and escape drill from the Government of Alberta.

 

Martha Perkins
Other

The average income for a retired senior citizen in Canada is $30,000 a year, according to Stats Canada.

The average income for a retired senior citizen who worked in the arts or performing arts in Canada is $10,000 a year.

Now you know why the Performing Arts Lodge is not just a special place but an essential one.

Of the 111 units spread over eight floors in a mixed housing development on Cardero, 79 are one-bedroom apartments that offer rents geared to income. For some tenants the rent is $475; for others it ranges up to just under $900. The rule is that no one pays more than 33 per cent of their income on rent.

Then there are 20 suites which are rented out at just under market value, or, on average, $1,400 a month.

The last piece of the PAL housing puzzle are the 12 two-bedroom life-lease units, where people pay a monthly fee similar to that in a condo building. In an area like Coal Harbour, where affordable housing is an oxymoron, they cost considerably less than neighbouring condos — an average of $300,000 compared to $900,000. But there’s a catch: at the end of the lease, when the owner moves or dies, PAL buys back the unit at the original cost. The increase in value goes to PAL.

Not surprisingly, there are about 200 people on the waiting list for units. “We could open two more buildings and fill them immediately,” says Gary Glacken, PAL’s executive director.

For the Vancouver arts world, which helped founders Joy Coghill and Jane Heyman raise a large chunk of money to build PAL, it’s a way of saying thanks for the memories — and the sacrifices.

All this is possible without any government funding for operating costs. Possible, but very challenging.

Every year PAL needs to raise between $250,000 and $300,000 for the rental assistance program. Some of the money comes from renting the eighth-floor theatre and garden space for performances or meetings. Some comes from special events PAL hosts — and if the residents know how to do something, it’s put on a good show — and donations are always gratefully received.

“We go back to the provincial government every year to see if we could fit in a funding program,” says Glacken. “The operating end is where the challenges come into play.” But because PAL is so innovative, it’s hard to fit into any funding model.

The province did kick in $386,000 to get PAL off the ground but it was the City of Vancouver that made it all possible as part of Blue Tree Group’s development of a 25-storey building adjacent to Westin Bayshore Hotel. The city not only donated PAL’s land as a 60-year lease for $10 as part of a social housing initiative, but it also provided a matching grant of $1 million. In return, the Bayshore Garden Children’s Centre, operated by Vancouver Society of Children’s Centres, is on the second floor and has a large outdoor play area.

Arts unions and associations were also a big supporter, contributing $735,000 to the capital campaign while personal philanthropy and foundations kicked in an additional $800,000. PAL started fulfilling its promise that “no person in the performing arts community will live in isolation, fear or want” in 2006.

With PAL suites taking up eight of the 24 floors, private condos take up the rest of the tower.

“There are always hiccups in any communal model but it’s worked out well,” says Glacken. “It’s still an incredibly innovative and workable project.”

There are many ways the Vancouver community can support PAL. The 150-seat black-box theatre, with its stunning worthy view and beautifully landscaped terrace, can be rented out for performances, exhibits and meetings. Online donations are always welcome at DonateToPALVancouver.org. There’s also a need for volunteers in what’s being called a “supporting cast” — people who can come in and help some residents with their day-to-day activities.

Saving the windows deemed too costly

Cheryl Rossi
Van. Courier

The sound of shattering glass propelled neighbours to the Ridge Theatre into the street last Wednesday.

“All the neighbours came out of their house,” said David Chapman. “They were like what the hell? We all watched in disbelief. They just tore it all down.”

Chapman says he saw a crane smash through the stained glass windows that were to be salvaged from the cinema. The windows depicted an old film projector and were supposed to be installed and backlit at a new Cineplex movie theatre on Marine Drive.

Chapman didn’t protest the commercial and condo development that eradicated the site’s theatre and bowling alley, but he’s lived nearby for 14 years and is sick of seeing cultural institutions and old bungalows in the area disappear.

“I usually don’t speak up, but this one had me so riled,” he said.

Chapman is aware Kitsilano’s Hollywood Theatre may be redeveloped and wants the façade, at least, preserved.

“I look at places like Seattle where in one block you can find a building from the ’40s, ’50s, ’70s, ’80s, and say, 2010, and they make it work,” he said. “Look at Montreal.  Montreal is one of the most beautiful cities because they save part of their history, even if it means they’re going to modify it.”

Leonard Schein, retired president of Festival Cinemas that ran the Ridge and had the windows made and installed in 1978, said Tuesday that Cineplex decided about two weeks ago the windows wouldn’t fit its new multiplex.

Saving the windows would have been costly, especially on short notice.

“As you know, the person who took the bowling pin [that once sat on the roof of the complex], it cost about $25,000,” he said. “To take the windows was also going to be very expensive, renting scaffolding and everything because each one was four-feet-by-eight-feet and it was soldered into the building.”

The Ridge sign will mark the new development. The Vancouver Sun reported last week that Eric Cohen of RENEW Gallery and philanthropist Yosef Wosk saved the giant bowling pin.

The doors to the Ridge’s auditorium are now at the Rio Theatre. The screen, curtains, flooring, seats, projectors, audio equipment, ticket booth and popcorn are all being reused elsewhere.

Donald Luxton, president of the board of Heritage Vancouver, is less concerned about the loss of heritage features when it comes to cinemas and more concerned about the loss of cultural, gathering, rehearsing and performance space.

He says the pace of loss in Vancouver is accelerating and residents are noticing the deficits.

“Their communities are just becoming less serviced, less interesting, there are less amenities and… density without amenities is not livable,” he said. “We’re making things much denser to make them affordable… We’re finding that the more the land values go up, the more they’re putting pressure on all these other parts of our city, some of which we don’t necessarily want to lose.”

Luxton says the city needs to pay more attention to preserving heritage and cultural space. But he blames the provincial and federal governments for lacking significant heritage programs.

“B.C. is probably the worst province for heritage programs in the country,” he said.

© Copyright Courier 2013