Urban Tech Links: UTL

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Riverside Centre, Brisbane and QV1, Perth

https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1097 40floors, 466ft

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverside_Centre,_Brisbane "Completed in 1986, it contains 40 storeys and rises 146 metres (479 ft) above ground." https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=170&searchname=timeline , https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=170&status=15

Brisbane and Perth have a similar looking office tower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QV1 "QV1 is a 40-storey modernist skyscraper in Perth, Western Australia. Completed in 1991, the 163-metre (535 ft)..."

https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1263 40 floors, 533ft https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=168&searchname=timeline

The big question is, will WA ever permit some Gold Coast size resedential towers? https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=712&status=15

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=51&status=15

https://www.quora.com/Why-doesn-t-Australia-build-up-the-west-coast-north-of-Perth-with-resorts-as-in-Queensland-It-could-bring-in-people-from-the-UK-to-help-develop-it-then-settle-there-afterwards

While cold Canada has a lot more towns that could gradually be expanded into proper cities, the warm coast of WA has tremendous potential for urban growth. Yet, most of the state can or will likely remain undeveloped.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WesternAustralia/comments/19azez6/is_there_a_reason_why_there_are_so_few_cities_on/

The Typical Vancouver Size Stump Building

Given that most proper big cities around the world are permitted to build much taller & wider buildings than what is allowed in strict & stubborn Vancouver, BC, a curious thing has happened over the decades. When a tall tower is built in another city, next to it will be a Vancouver size stump of a building. However, the Vancouver stump isn't always part of the complex, The Vancouver Size Stump might be across the street or a block or so away. Yet, such a stumpy building can provide an excellent example of the larger scale that most big cities are allowed to exist upon.

The Royal_Banck_Centre_in_Vancouver, B.C. The windows only go up to the 36th floor, but there are 3 more levels above that. It's only 475 feet in height.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Centre_(Vancouver) "The skyscraper stands at just under 145m tall and 37 storeys. Royal Centre was the tallest building in Vancouver upon completion in 1973..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Canadian_Place The windows go up to 72 stories, plus a few levels above that. The BMO tower in Toronto is about twice the height of the RBC in Vancouver. The 32 story BMO tower in Vancouver is a stump when compared to the 72 story BMO tower in TO.

The Scotia_Tower in Vancouver, stands at 138 m or 35 storeys tall and completed in 1977.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Scotia_Tower_Vancouver The windows only go up to 34, but there are a few levels above that. The Toronto version has its windows go right to the 68th floor. Its twice the height & twice the width as the stump in backwater Vancouver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotia_Plaza 275 m (902 ft) with 68 floors.

A Vancouver Size stump in tall Toronto.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_Tower It's a 36 storey 146 m (479 ft) tower in the First Canadian Place complex of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Due to the strict zoning restrictions in Vancouver, its difficult to even have an office building with 36 floors.

A Vancouver Size Stump in Perth, WA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_Tower,_Perth It's a 40-storey skyscraper in Perth, Western Australia. Completed in 1992, the 146-metre (479 ft). Stubborn Vancouver just won't permit any office building to have a 40th floor.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Perth_skyline_from_KS1%2C_November_2017.jpg The former AMP has become a stump in Perth, yet in Vancouver, it would still be a predominant tower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/140_St_Georges_Terrace "140 St Georges Terrace is a 30-storey skyscraper in Perth, Western Australia. Opened in 1975, the 131-metre (430 ft) tower was known as the AMP Building..."

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Elizabeth_Quay_February_2016_%28cropped%29.jpg/640px-Elizabeth_Quay_February_2016_%28cropped%29.jpg The former AMP is a good example the stump size building that stubborn Vancouver wants to hold onto.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/AMP_Bankwest_gnangarra.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Perth

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perths-mining-boom-to-blame-for-lack-of-heritage-20130315-2g4xl.html

Vancouver is a very tiny part of the BC land area. Even in the Greater Vancouver Region, Vancouver is a small component. Thus, while stubborn Vancouver wants to keep its stumpy agenda, other BC cities are more accepting of allowing significantly taller structures. https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=1&status=15

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=stump

BMO Tower in Chicago and Toronto...

A Toronto bank tower exists in Chicago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMO_Tower_(Chicago) 51-story, 727 feet (222 m)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Union_Station

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chicago+Union+Station/@41.877568,-87.6397406,525m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x880e2c3cd0f4cbed:0xafe0a6ad09c0c000!2sChicago,+IL,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d41.8781136!4d-87.6297982!16zL20vMDFfZDQ!3m5!1s0x880e2c8dbbb32f5d:0x5f985dc0044b1109!8m2!3d41.8786897!4d-87.640311!16s%2Fg%2F1tj7wzcm!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Canadian_Place (BMO Tower Toronto) 298 m (978 ft) 72 stories

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/First_Canadian_Place_August_2017_01.jpg/320px-First_Canadian_Place_August_2017_01.jpg 72 stories in Toronto, while its Vancouver counterpart, or stump is only 32 floors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Canadian_Place#History_and_architecture

"Exchange_Tower is a 36 storey 146 m (479 ft) tower in the First Canadian Place complex."

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/130_King_Street_West_2022.jpeg Whether its in Toronto, Chicago or Calgary, there is usually a Vancouver size stump that's part of the official complex, or close by.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentall_Centre_(Vancouver)#Three_Bentall_Centre "Completed in 1974, it stands at 122 m or 32 storeys tall. Bank of Montreal is the main tenant of this building."

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Bentall_Centre_2018.jpg/960px-Bentall_Centre_2018.jpg

Interstate 90

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_90

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_90#History

The sinkhole opens up on I-80 in Wharton, New Jersey

https://abc7ny.com/post/new-sinkhole-opens-80-wharton-nj-westbound-lanes-closed-exit-34/16052839/

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/i-80-center-median-collapses-near-wharton-nj/

https://nypost.com/2025/03/19/us-news/massive-new-sinkhole-opens-up-on-i-80-in-new-jersey-with-all-traffic-now-detoured/

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-jersey/i-80-nj-closed-both-directions-wharton-collapse-sinkhole/6193465/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_80

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_80#History

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Vancouver developer pitches 43- and 39-storey towers next to Commodore Ballroom

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouver-developer-pitches-43-and-39-storey-towers-next-to-commodore-ballroom/

Of course, nothing to rival the tallest in Edmonton or Calgary & especially not Seattle, SF & Sydney, NSW.

https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applications/800-876-granville-st/revised-introduction.pdf

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=800+Granville

Burnaby Hospital seeks 170 new staff as first phase of redevelopment nears completion

https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/burnaby-hospital-seeks-170-new-staff-as-first-phase-of-redevelopment-nears-completion-10394956

This is supposed to be the Burnaby medical centre, so all the new buildings should be designed to be able to add more floors as demand increases.

Revamped 800 Granville proposal drops offices for rental housing and hotel uses

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/800-876-granville-street-vancouver-revised-design-bonnis-rental-housing

A taller version of 800+Granville, but still stumps when compared to what many other cities allow.

https://storeys.com/bonnis-properties-800-granville-revised-rezoning/

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/800-876-granville-st

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Few-developers are-building-homes-in Toronto, as the market-plunges

https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2025/03/few-developers-building-homes-toronto-market-plunge/

Gordie Howe International Bridge

https://www.blogto.com/city/2025/03/gordie-howe-international-bridge-ontario-trade-war/

https://dailyhive.com/toronto/gordie-howe-bridge-canada-border-crossing-trade-war

https://www.gordiehoweinternationalbridge.com/en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge

Fortunately, no one from Vancouver or NW was able to get it to be like a 4 lane BC bottleneck bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge#Design

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge#Interstate_75

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge#Walking_and_cycling

unité urbaine - urban unit

An Urban_unit is an area that should always be keeping up with various urban infrastructure needs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_urban_area

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/FrenchTop25Cities.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_unit#French_urban_units_with_over_200,000_inhabitants

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_urban_area#List_of_functional_urban_areas_by_population

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_areas_in_Europe#Metropolitan_areas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_the_European_Union_by_population_within_city_limits#Cities_by_population_within_the_city_boundary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom#Demographics

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany#Demographics

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cities#List

Canada has less than 1% of the worlds population. BC has less people than Switzerland. Yet, the area of Switzerland can fit into BC 23 times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_areas_in_British_Columbia#Metropolitan_areas

Monday, March 17, 2025

Granville bar owners demand immediate action ahead of FIFA

https://globalnews.ca/news/11085900/never-seen-it-this-bad-granville-bar-owners-demand-immediate-action-ahead-of-fifa/

There seems to be an unofficial, LET THE CITY GO TO $HIT attitude. That's especially the case with Granville Mall and Gastown.

https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/share-your-thoughts-on-granville-street-feb-2025.aspx

The city & region desperately needs thousands of new hotel rooms. Yet, the extreme height limits in Vancouver doesn't allow developers to put 30-40 floors on top of a 30-40 story hotel. Some cities can get enough steady business that a hotel can be over 70 stories.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westin_Peachtree_Plaza_Hotel Atlanta

The Marina_Bay_Sands in Singapore was possible, because nothing like the Vancouver building restrictions gets in the way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Bay_Sands#Expansion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JW_Marriott_Marquis_Dubai

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_hotels#Completed_or_topped_out

Metro Vancouver's new housing construction starts down by 48%

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-housing-starts-february-2025

The Case of Some Buildings That Couldn’t Be Bought and Torn Down

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holdout_(real_estate)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Macefield#House

https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2024/04/09/Del-Mar-Hotel-Vancouver

https://placesthatmatter.ca/location/del-mar-inn

https://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/2016/08/22/kingston-hotel-richards-street/

https://changingcitybook.wordpress.com/2016/05/28/telus-the-residential-tower/

https://www.canadianarchitect.com/complexity-contradiction-telus/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kingston+Hotel/@49.2807768,-123.1167149,191m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m17!1m7!3m6!1s0x548673c783a3a10f:0x522d4ed6632343b2!2sTelus+Garden+Residences!8m2!3d49.2805764!4d-123.117455!16s%2Fg%2F11byyjzmzf!3m8!1s0x5486717ee5828b11:0xa4521fe2a862c268!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d49.2807309!4d-123.1173501!16s%2Fg%2F1thpwjhl!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/development-permit-board-minutes-feb-20-12.pdf

https://www.canadianarchitect.com/complexity-contradiction-telus/

https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/telus-garden-residential-tower/14081

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/telus-garden-office-tower-boasts-street-overlapping-protruding-box-architectural-features

Of course at least half a dozen floors were cut from the project.

https://vancouverstreetblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/with-news-that-all-428-units-have-sold.html

https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2022/08/01/the-two-holdout-houses-that-forced-rockefeller-center-to-be-built-around-them/

Some gas, hydro or electric company office towers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_Company_Tower It has 52-stories, at 749 ft (228.3 m).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Gas_%26_Electric_Building It has 34 stories, at 150 m (490 ft).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_Power_and_Light_Building

I wish that the old BC_Electric_Building had at least 44 stories, but it only has 22 floors.

Even today, it would be a big building if it were in Victoria-Prince+George-or-Kamloops.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Electra_Building.jpg

https://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/homer-street-500-block-east-side/

https://ounodesign.com/2010/12/03/bc-hydro-building-now-and-then/

BC_Hydro never got very tall buildings constructed.

https://karen-magill.blogspot.com/search?q=The+BC+Hydro+building

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_Hydro#History

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-hydro-rates-increase-2025

https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/province-launches-bc-hydro-review-8253022

Vancouver is stuck in a multigenerational trap of overlapping restrictions, which prevent it from reaching the scale of what Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-SF-Boston-and-Toronto permit. As long as Vancouver can do things that are impressive by Kelowna-Victoria-Prince+George-and-Kamloops standards, that's good enough, apparently.

Parts of Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills will be closed for LA Metro's D Line extension

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/wilshire-boulevard-beverly-hills-la-metro-d-line-extension

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/traffic/wilshire-boulevard-beverly-hills-metro/3656285/

https://la.streetsblog.org/2024/01/25/at-new-wilshire-subway-stations-metro-ignoring-l-a-city-street-standards

https://www.metro.net/projects/westside/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_Line_Extension

https://www.metro.net/projects/purple-section1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilshire/La_Brea_station

https://www.parsons.com/project/westside-purple-line-extension-section-one-los-angeles

https://la.curbed.com/2017/8/17/16163326/purple-line-extension-wilshire-la-brea-photos

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Telus Boot site in Burnaby approved for five new towers

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/central-park-commons-telus-boot-burnaby-approved

B.C. government to abolish its carbon tax after 17 years

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-carbon-tax-abolish

The carbon tax was mostly another sad B$ joke in the history of backwards BC! Such a carbon tax should have gone towards the transportation infrastructure in the most populated parts of BC. Backwater BC has been so far behind in resolving transportation bottlenecks for several generations. Thus, an infrastructure carbon tax could have really improved things.

Instead, after 17 years, Greater Vancouver is still struggling to have a proper regional network of bus+lanes. In order the have such a proper regional BRT network, there has to be a series of bus-bridges and that hasn't happened yet. Most of the existing bridges are so narrow that there was no consideration for bus lanes, let alone HOV lanes.

The two SkyTrain bridges don't have 2 bus-lanes, despite the lines not being open 24-7. The first SkyBridge doesn't even have 2 sidewalks & 2 bike-lanes. However, the 2nd bridge has a shared bike & footpath, but there should be 2 of each.

The first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that are barely half the length of a Montreal Metro station. The Canada embarrassment Line only has 50m station vs. the 152.5m Montreal Metro stations. Having half-length & one 3rd length stations is not indicative of planning for high volume rapid transit. But this is half-assed BC, so apparently its OK.

Where did all the money go? Evidently, not enough of it went towards the transportation infrastructure, because almost everything is still half-size, or worse.

Friday, March 14, 2025

Big payment approved to remove social housing in a future Vancouver tower

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1059-1075-nelson-street-vancouver-the-curv-social-housing-removed-cacs

The city & region has to work out a way so that there can be more affordable housing built. Unfortunately, little provincial Vancouver with all its extreme height restrictions make things more difficult. If a developer can actually build a Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Toronto size tower, if they also build an affordable housing structure, that can make a big difference in motivation. However, Vancouver has been a multigenerational trap which prevents it from becoming a proper city.

City of Surrey to plan for new waterfront entertainment district next to Pattullo Bridge

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-waterfront-entertainment-district-fraser-river-study

A lot of potential, but there shouldn't be any scaling back of the riverport facilities.

Unfortunatly, for several generations, there wasn't a keen sense to properly develop the Surrey side of the river. NW never pushed for more bridges over the past few generations.

No 10 car trains to Surrey, but at least there is a hope of 5 car trains. No 8-10 lane bridges, because it's better to just omit bus & HOV lanes on the new version of the narrow Pattullo+Bridge. So narrow that at only 4 lanes, there isn't enough width to accomodate 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes & certainly no provision for a future lower LRT deck.

Unfortunatly, the Queensborough_Bridge in NW has only 2 lanes each way & no emergency lanes. Had there been 2 wide emergency lanes, the bridge could have become a 6 lane crossing. A new parallel bridge with wider sidewalks & 2 bike lanes, could also provide 2 general traffic lanes, a bus lane & a HOV lane & the same for the old bridge, minus any bike lanes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensborough_Bridge Apparently, it's better to just keep funneling everything into one narrow 4 lane bridge. There is no direct train from NW to the airport, so a direct bus with its own lanes to YVR would be a good idea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensboro_Bridge The NYC version has 9 lanes.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge

Former city-centre-motel-at 2111-Main-street-in Vancouver, redevelopment is approved

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/city-centre-motel-2111-main-street-vancouver-redevelopment-approved

Despite being on the edge of the downtown, only half-size buildings were approved.

Massive Jericho Lands development will be 20-times denser than its neighbourhood

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/massive-jericho-lands-development-will-be-20-times-denser-than-its-neighbourhood-architect-says

Once again, what might seem big by backwater BC standards is small or average in some parts of Australia.

None of the tallest buildings on the Jericho Lands will be as tall as the tallest in, Parramatta, NSW.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Parramatta#Tallest_completed_and_topped_out_buildings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Parramatta#Proposed,_approved_and_under_construction_buildings

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/tag/jericho-lands

Thursday, March 13, 2025

What’s next for the Hudson’s Bay flagship store in downtown Vancouver?

https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/whats-next-for-the-hudsons-bay-flagship-store-in-downtown-vancouver-10366197

Despite Vancouver_City_Centre_station being right across the street from The Bay store, it's much smaller than Churchill_station_(Edmonton) and Seattle's Westlake_station_(Sound_Transit). Having short trains, narrow streets & mostly narrow bridges, all helps to maintain Vancouver's congestive planning approach to things.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Bay+Building+in+Vancouver

City National Plaza in L.A.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_National_Plaza 52 stories at CNP.

Several decades later, Vancouver would have The+Post, which doesn't even have 25 floors.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Post+building+complex

Bankers Hall in Calgary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankers_Hall 52 stories, but The+Post in stumpy Vancouver wasn't even permitted to have 25 floors, let alone 50.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Post+building+complex

The Post building in Vancouver

The+Post should have been the first 2-3 million sq.ft. building+complex in Vancouver. However, due to the rainy cities watering down agenda, it's only a little more than one million sq.ft. Thus, instead of being in the 55-60 story range, it wasn't even permitted to have 25 floors.

https://www.mcmparchitects.com/projects/the-post-on-georgia-archived

Not only did The-Post-on-Georgia Street have to be shorter than Toronto's small Simpson-Tower, The Post had to be shorter than the Old+City+Hall+in+Toronto.

https://storeys.com/quadreal-graeme-scott-the-post-vancouver-heritage-revitalization-amazon

https://thepostvancouver.com/experience While its a nice looking structure, its amazing how short the complex is.

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/photos-take-a-behind-the-scenes-look-inside-amazons-new-vancouver-office-7577284

While one side of Manulife+Centre+in+Toronto was Vancouverized with a stump of less than 25 stories, the other side of the complex has more than 50 floors.

If you are visiting from Calgary or Montreal and especially Toronto, you might be shocked to see how short the buildings are in Vancouver.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Post+in+Vancouver

The Old City Hall and The Simpson Tower in Toronto

The Old_City_Hall opened in 1899 at a height of 103.64 m (340.0 ft). Even in the 21st century, many parts of Downtown Vancouver aren't allowed to have buildings taller than Toronto's Old City Hall.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Torontos_Old_City_Hall_2009.jpg If you are visiting from Toronto or Montreal, Sydney or Melbourne, you might be shocked as to seeing how small and backwards Vancouver is. Various imposed restrictions have cause a multigenerational watering down of what should actually be a properly functioning big city and greater metropolitan region.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Front_of_Old_City_Hall_in_July_2024.jpg Being from backwater Vancouver, its always amazing to see what cities like Toronto, Montreal, Sydney, Melbourne, Seattle, SF & LA are permitted to do. They and most other cities just don't have anything like the Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) to thwart them.

The Post is a stumpy building+complex in Vancouver. Despite the high land costs, strict Vancouver wouldn't permit it to be taller than Toronto's Old City Hall. The Stump, rather The Post, should have been taller than the LA City Hall, the Philadelphia_City_Hall and the Manhattan_Municipal_Building. It should have really been closer in size to that of the Seattle_Municipal_Tower or even the Tokyo_Metropolitan_Government_Building.

Library Square in Vancouver just like The Post, wasn't allowed to have 25 floors, when they both should have been well over 50 stories.

https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/library-square/25126 84.1 m / 276 ft

https://www.da-architects.ca/projects/library-square Strict Vancouver just doesnt allow buildings in that part of the downtown to be taller than The Old City Hall in Toronto.

https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2018/10/05/library-square-best-new-public-space-in-vancouver

https://montecristomagazine.com/design/secret-garden-top-vancouvers-library-stayed-hidden-20-years#gsc.tab=0

Unfortunatly, Library Square and The Post are so scaled back or watered down, they would hardly be impressive in most proper big cities around the world. Library Square and The Post should have both been in the 50-60 story range, but don't even have a 25th floor. This was a lost opportunity for Downtown Vancouver to have a proper size big city and government complex.

The Simpson_Tower opened in 1968. It has 33 floors and is 144 m (472 ft) high. It would be equivalent to being the tallest building in BC until 1973. Even in 2025, most office towers in Vancouver aren't allowed to be taller than this 1968 Toronto stump.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Simpson_Tower_2022.jpg

The Simpson-Tower is only 18 feet taller than the LA+City+Hall.

The Simpson Tower has become just like another Vancouver size stump in Toronto.

It's really astounding that not only did The+Post+in+Vancouver have to be shorter than the Toronto Simpson Tower and the LA+City+Hall, it had to be shorter than the Old City Hall in Toronto. Now that's very small, but it fits in with the small-minded Vancouver mentality. Indeed, Vancouverization is about a backward, rainy city that has a multigenerational restrictive agenda to water everything down. Even the mountains north of Vancouver are shorter than the mountains north of L.A. WTH?

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Post+building+complex

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

10 busiest of the 145 bus routes that could be cut without new TransLink funding

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fiscal-cliff-bus-routes-at-risk

This is so stupid! Why even bother to have a BC carbon tax, if it's not going towards improving public transit in BC? Busses & routes should be increased, not reduced. There should be a regional network of bus-bridges, which can bypass the congested narrow bridges. There should be long trains that are part of a long-term, high capacity plan.

Mass timber hotel proposed near Granville Island

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1500-1580-west-3rd-avenue-vancouver-hotel-granville-island

Vancouver is Canada's top hotel market

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-canada-hotel-market-us-visitors-tariffs-impact

"Without major policy changes, the number of hotel rooms in Vancouver will continue to stagnate, making it harder and more expensive to visit the city.

If the City is serious about addressing Vancouver’s hotel shortage, it needs to introduce real incentives to make big hotel development attractive.

The City must allow condominiums to be integrated into hotel developments, providing an essential financial cushion for developers. At the same time, building height restrictions need to be relaxed — without taller buildings, there’s not enough strata residential use to subsidize hotel construction." https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-hotel-room-shortage-crisis-solutions

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=hotel+rooms

The One in Toronto is soon to become Canada's tallest building

https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2025/03/one-toronto-canada-tallest-building

In order to provide a sense of scale, a couple of short bindings in the area are referenced. These small buildings would be among the tallest in stumpy Vancouver.

Two_Bloor_West is like a classic Vancouver stump building, but in Toronto.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Bloor_West#History In 1972, it was already taller than any building in BC at, 148.74 m (488.0 ft) with 34 stories. Even in 2025, its equivalent to being the 2nd tallest office tower in Vancouver & BC.

2_Bloor_East opened in 1974 at 135 m (443 ft) with 35 stories. It would still be among the 10 tallest office towers in Vancouver. However, in Toronto its just another stump of a building.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Bloor_East#History

Even The+Simpson+Tower from 1968, would still be among the tallest office towers in Vancouver. Yet, it's just another stump in Toronto.

Vancouver just isn't allowed to have buildings as tall as those in Seattle & Calgary, Toronto & Montreal or LA & SF. However, stumpy Vancouver is allowed to build what would be impressive by Victoria-Prince+George-Kamloops standards. Its all part of the backwards Vancouver and think small BC mentality.

If you can't build a wall around BC, the next best thing is to constantly remind everyone with imposed small-scale symbolism. Unfortunatly now, BC is several decades behind with its infrastructure.

West Point Grey Safeway redevelopment

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/4545-4575-west-10th-avenue-vancouver-point-grey-safeway-redevelopment-approved

https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-council-approves-rental-towers-west-point-grey

Very short and small, but a lot of people would be upset if Mr. Bulldozer crashed through their yards and cleared a larger area. Of course that won't happen, because the building permit doesn't go beyond the designated site.

However, the very delayed Safeway redevelopment in East Vancouver could soon be a nice playground for Mr. Bulldozer. Some people might be afraid of Mr. Bulldozer ploughing through their properties. But again, the Broadway Safeway redevelopment doesn't extend onto anyone else's property.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Port of Vancouver

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/national-business/tariff-tumult-is-shaking-consumer-confidence-says-port-of-vancouver-ceo-10348885

The Port of Vancouver is several decades behind with its infrastructure. Perhaps the new series of tariffs & subsequent slowdown will help to ensure that Vancouver's port infrastructure will remain stunted for may more years.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/thornton-tunnel-burnaby-fake-house-canadian-national-cn-railway

At a time when it would have been so much cheaper in the 1960s, the Second+Narrows+Rail+Bridge and the Thornton_Tunnel should have been built wide enough to eventually accomodate 2 sets of tracks.

https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/access-upgrades-complete-from-burnaby-rail-corridor-to-north-shore-port-terminals-cn-5422775

The New_Westminster Rail_Bridge should have been twinned a few generations ago. Really, a new 2-4 track bridge should have been built at least a few decades ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster_Bridge#Proposed_changes

https://events.decorporate.ca/TAC2024/abstract/submission-summary.php?y=cGFwZXJJZD0xMDI5OTI=

Great Northern Tunnel in Seattle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Northern_Tunnel Unlike in Vancouver, BC, Seattle made sure that this is a double track, freight & passenger train tunnel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsiPzr_zKO8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GcpG0naFLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuhyRY84xfU

New company takes over Metro Vancouver incinerator amid expansion plans and opposition

https://www.nsnews.com/economy-law-politics/new-company-takes-over-metro-vancouver-incinerator-amid-expansion-plans-and-opposition-10350987

New acute care building at North Shore hospital opens

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/paul-myers-tower-lions-gate-hospital-north-vancouver

In some cases, BC isn't just decades behind on infrastructure upgrades, but generations.

https://www.vch.ca/en/lions-gate-hospital-redevelopment

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/photos-heres-a-first-look-at-the-new-lions-gate-hospital-expansion-in-north-vancouver-9509230

Trump drops new tariff after Canada threatens to 'shut off electricity completely' to three US states

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14484583/Trump-drops-new-tariff-bombshell-Canada-threatens-shut-electricity.html

Monday, March 10, 2025

The Precarious state of Hudson's Bay made clear in creditor protection

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hudsons-bay-canada-creditor-protection

https://vancouversun.com/news/the-bay-vancouver-struggles

https://vancouver.thebaybuilding.ca Looks like an interesting building, but it's a 3rd of the height that it should be.

https://vancouver.thebaybuilding.ca/about/

Not 60 floors or 50, not even 25 stories.

https://www.urbanyvr.com/hudsons-bay-vancouver-redevelopment/

Just another bulky stumpy building+complex, like The+Post.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hudsons-bay-vancouver-redevelopment-proposal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Building_(Vancouver)

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Bay+Building+in+Vancouver

Columbia Center in Seattle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Center , https://columbiacenterseattle.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Center#Design

https://columbiacenterseattle.com/gallery/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Columbia_Center_in_Seattle.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Seattle

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Bank+of+America

Calgary vs. Denver and Dallas

The scale Calgary is impressive, but Alberta just doesn't have the same imposed restrictions as backwater BC.

Denver is a big city & metropolitan area in its own right, but somehow Calgary has more 50 story office towers than Denver. Dallas has more tall buildings than Calgary and Denver, combined.

Dallas is a landlocked_city like Calgary and Denver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas

From the town of Granville to becoming Vancouver, BC, Canada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville,_British_Columbia

https://story.vancouver-historical-society.ca/introduction/ii-formation-of-the-city

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/this-week-in-history-1877-a-glimpse-into-granville-townsite-when-it-was-rough

https://archives.vancouver.ca/projects/earlyvan/searchearlyvan/Vol1pdf/MatthewsEarlyVancouverVol1_Granville1885.pdf

The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge in Seattle, WA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_Point_Floating_Bridge

The new Evergreen+Point+Floating+Bridge is certainly an improvement over the old bridge.

https://seattletransitblog.com/2008/02/25/eight-lane-520

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/eight-lanes-for-the-520-bridge The 520 Bridge should have been designed to eventually have 8 lanes. Then in addition to having 2 general lanes each way, there not only could have been the 2 HOV lanes, but also 2 bus lanes.

At this point of the bridge is a remnant of what could have been an 8 lane section. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Evergreen+Point+Floating+Bridge

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Evergreen+Point+Floating+Bridge

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Vancouver, BC makes list of world's worst cities for traffic

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-worlds-worst-cities-traffic

After several decades of Vancouver & the metropolitan region trying to keep most of the roads & bridges as narrow as possible, the ineptness of such an agenda is really showing. While there was a legitimate concern for the region potentially being overrun with various freeways & expressways between the 1950s & 1970s, a few key things were ignored.

https://www.tomtom.com/traffic-index/vancouver-traffic/

A network of bus bridges was never implemented. There wasn't a proper regional HOV system either. Instead of proper long-range, high-capacity rapid transit planning, the first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that are barely more than half the length of the 152.5m Montreal Metro stations. The shortsighted Canada embasesment Line was only designed to have 50m stations.

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/02/22/vancouver-traffic-worst-north-america/

Such inept urban planning is a Vancouver, a regional & a BC problem. Fortunately, most major cities around the world aren't interested in following the backwards BC example. Where did all the money go over the coarse of several generations, because what was built is just a bunch of half-size infrastructure?

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/vancouver-among-worst-cities-for-rush-hour-traffic-in-north-america-6596249

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TomTom#Traffic_services

All-day bus lanes plan along East Broadway in Vancouver

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/east-broadway-vancouver-bus-lanes-proposal

Field testing begins for new SkyTrain cars

https://www.translink.ca/news/2025/march/field%20testing%20begins%20for%20new%20skytrain%20cars

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mark-v-skytrain-testing-expo-millennium

https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/rapid-transit-projects/skytrain-expansion-program

https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects

Friday, March 7, 2025

Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-SF-Boston-Toronto (B-S-M-SF-B-T)

Auckland, NZ, along with Perth, WA and Seattle, WA have no problems with taller buildings and wider bridges than what Vancouver allows. Established cities like London & Paris, NYC & Chicago, big L.A. and even smaller Singapore, all seem to plan, spend & build more infrastructure than backwards Vancouver does.

Cities like Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-SF-Boston-and-Toronto are all on a much larger scale, simply because they don't have anything like the overlapping restrictions that backwards Vancouver & BC has imposed for itself.

https://x.com/CityHallWchVAN/status/1517347123225718785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Escreen-name%3Acityhallwchvan%7Ctwcon%5Es1 What seems big in little Vancouver is small or just average in many other cities.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-Toronto

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane+Airport+Railway+Line

First new generation SkyTrain begins testing on Expo and Millennium lines

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mark-v-skytrain-testing-expo-millennium

While the stations on the Expo and Millennium lines can accommodate the new 5 car trains, as of March, it's still just 2-4 car trains. Since 2010, the Canada embarrassment Line is still only running a 2 car joke of a train. Those stations weren't even designed to accommodate a 5 car train, just a 2.5 car joke after spending billions to build it. This is another fine example of not building proper big city infrastructure for significant higher capacity.

Fortunately, most real cities can run 6, 8 or 10 car trains. All of the SkyTrain stations should have already been roughed out to accommodate 8-10 car trains. Then it would have been so much easier and less costly to complete long stations.

Jericho Lands project

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/jericho-lands-official-development-plan-vancouver

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/jericho-lands , https://www.inspirejericho.ca/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/jericho-lands-development-vancouver-bc-1.7360726

https://www.urbanstrategies.com/project/jericho/

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/jericho-lands-development-concept-west-point-grey-vancouver-june-2023

https://www.jarmanrealestate.com/jericho-lands-development-proposal/

People have gotten so used to Vancouver being a backwater in a vast country which doesn't even have 1% of the world's population.

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/02/10/jericho-coalition-demands-halt-draft-odp-jericho-lands

There is quite a reluctance for small-minded Vancouver to not allow what's big by Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto & SF standards.

https://x.com/CityHallWchVAN/status/1517347123225718785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Escreen-name%3Acityhallwchvan%7Ctwcon%5Es1 There are only a handful of cities in BC where an attempt of tall buildings can happen. That's because most of BC is a mountainous wilderness, or simply just wilderness.

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2020/03/06/lights-out-at-vancouver-house Some people might be jelouse that others might have 2 or 3 homes, just like having 2 or 3 motorized vehicles. Should people in BC be limited to only have 1 home & 1 moto-vehicle? The next step would be to impose an AI run point system to discourage people from having no more than 1 or 2 kids.

https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/priorities-priorites/agenda-programme.aspx?lang=eng

https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3923923?v=pdf

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-Toronto-SF

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Renderings of the City of Delta's $130-million new aquatic centre

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/winskill-aquatic-and-fitness-centre-delta-detailed-design

The Bentall Centre complex vs...

https://www.bentallcentre.com/burrard-exchange , https://www.bentallcentre.com

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bentall-centre-vancouver-buy-bc-initiative-free-retail-space

The shortest buildings at Bentall_Centre aren't even 25 floors.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Bentall_Centre_2018.jpg

The 3 tallest buildings at Bentall_Centre were not only forbidden to have a 50th floor, they don't even have 40 floors. Indeed, given Vancouver's strict height limitations, it was tough enough just to be permitted to have 35 floors.

Bow_Valley_Square in Calgary was permitted to build a little taller than the Bentall Centre complex.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Bow_Valley_Square.JPG

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto-Dominion_Centre

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/The_buzz_of_the_6ix_%28Unsplash%29.jpg

Of course one of the stump buildings in the Toronto complex is still a little taller than its stump counterpart in Vancouver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto-Dominion_Centre#Technical_details

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarcadero_Center SF

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/EmbarcaderoCenterHighlight.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Center Houston https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Center#Three_Allen_Center

Vancouver developer and philanthropist Peter Wall dies at 87

Born in Ukraine, he immigrated to Canada in 1948 and became one of Vancouver's biggest developers https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-developer-peter-wall-obituary

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/peter-wall-vancouver-developer-dies-1.7476721

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-peter-wall-vancouver-developer-philanthropist-and-political-insider/

https://storeys.com/peter-wall-financial-vancouver-obituary/

https://president.ubc.ca/communications/2025/03/06/ubc-tribute-to-peter-wall/

Future of London Drugs at Woodward's uncertain due to crime area

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/london-drugs-woodwards-vancouver-crime-theft-shoplifting

The old Woodward's_Building used to be in the old part of downtown. Then by the time of its redevelopment, the area was starting to decline.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodward's_Building#Redevelopment

Without an adequate amount of police patrols & security, a business area can easily decline. A lot of the crime & poverty is as a result of various socio-economic issues.

No building in strict Vancouver is allowed to be as tall as the new Hudson's_in_Detroit. Short and stumpy Vancouver buildings just can't attain the same scale of a Hudson's_Site.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2025/03/04/hudson-detroit-tower-last-glass-panel-installed/81399071007/

The tallest part of the new Woodward's complex wasn't even allowed to be as tall as the old Hudson's in Detroit. That's because unlike Detroit, almost everything in Vancouver is watered down in scale.

Detroit has had a rough & tough reputation for generations, yet its been able to gradually recover from its economic slide.

Of course the QLine streetcar in Detroit was up & running long before Vancouver might ever get around to reviving part of its streetcar network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QLine#Route Backwards Vancouver just might become one of the last cities to revive parts of its streetcar system.

Service cuts at City of Vancouver 311 and TransLink make it harder for citizens to get information

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/03/05/service-cuts-cov311-translink-harder-getting-info

Of course as Vancouver gets even more expensive, pay more for less services.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-operating-funding-fiscal-cliff-bc-budget-2025

Don't have enough funding put towards maintaining rapid and efficient public transit.

Living Shangri-La tower in Vancouver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_Shangri-La

The hotel component is just a small part of the building.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_Shangri-La#Residences

Paradox Hotel in Vancouver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_Hotel_Vancouver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_Hotel_Vancouver#History

Hotel Georgia and Tower

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Georgia_(Vancouver) The stump hotel building doesn't even have 15 floors, when it should have been 30, even back in 1927.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Georgia_(Vancouver)#The_Private_Residences_at_Hotel_Georgia

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Private_Residences_at_Hotel_Georgia_2015.jpg Another 48 story shortfall. However, the building still might be equivalent to having 51 floors.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Wall Centre Complex in Vancouver

The One_Wall_Centre tower could have and should have been the first 50 story residential building in Vancouver, but it's windows only go up to 48.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/One_Wall_Centre.jpg There is the equvalent of 3 aditional floors above the windows. However, if there is no 13th floor, then its actually 47 plus 3, so it is a 50 story building. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Wall_Centre#Construction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Centre_(Vancouver) The complex should have had a 50, 60 & 70 story arrangement. But the tallest building in the centre doesn't even have windows up to the 50th floor.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/peter-wall-financial-corporation-vancouver