Vancouver Waterfront Project - thoughts? (crime, new home, neighborhood)

[cyberous]

Looks like they have a soft open, it's pretty awesome!

[Farmer15]

Thanks for the pics, cyberous. I'm really looking forward to seeing it the next trip out there.

[texasdiver]

The thing I'm looking forward to the most is a market building similar to Vancouver's Granville Island Public Market which is something they have planned. The big restaurants they have opening are mostly large upscale chain places. Well, not chains exactly, but not originals either as they have other locations and are fairly upscale. A market hall like the one on Granville Island would be something unique to the Portland area. The Saturday Market and food courts around Portland are OK as far as they go. But they are still outdoor temporarly type structures and tents. And honestly kind of trashy. A big indoor food court with local venders where one can go for a cheaper bite for say a Saturday or Sunday bunch or afternoon is something I'd use more than $30-40 a plate sit down fine dining places. Anyone who has been to the market hall on Granville Island knows what I'm talking about.

[cyberous]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

The thing I'm looking forward to the most is a market building similar to Vancouver's Granville Island Public Market which is something they have planned. The big restaurants they have opening are mostly large upscale chain places. Well, not chains exactly, but not originals either as they have other locations and are fairly upscale. A market hall like the one on Granville Island would be something unique to the Portland area. The Saturday Market and food courts around Portland are OK as far as they go. But they are still outdoor temporarly type structures and tents. And honestly kind of trashy. A big indoor food court with local venders where one can go for a cheaper bite for say a Saturday or Sunday bunch or afternoon is something I'd use more than $30-40 a plate sit down fine dining places. Anyone who has been to the market hall on Granville Island knows what I'm talking about.

I agree. The grandville market is one of my favorite places to visit in BC. I remember some 25+ years ago during my first visit how clean it was and the most memorable was the levels of first person recycling done (when little was done in the US)

I'm told that most of the 1mm condo's are already sold. I'm thinking this area will be more of a "be seen" area. Wonder what will happen to the thriving uptown/downtown, I hope they can all work together. I have to admit I have concern that this project is finally launching when the stock market has seen a 10 year bull run.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by cyberous

I agree. The grandville market is one of my favorite places to visit in BC. I remember some 25+ years ago during my first visit how clean it was and the most memorable was the levels of first person recycling done (when little was done in the US)

I'm told that most of the 1mm condo's are already sold. I'm thinking this area will be more of a "be seen" area. Wonder what will happen to the thriving uptown/downtown, I hope they can all work together. I have to admit I have concern that this project is finally launching when the stock market has seen a 10 year bull run.

Vancouver is 100% tied to the Portland economy. As long as Portland is growing and prices continue to skyrocket then Vancouver will absorb the spillover and central Vancouver will continue to grow and gentrify. If we see another "turn out the lights the party is over" crash in Portland then Vancouver will suffer the same as there really isn't any independent economic base in Vancouver that isn't tied to the regional economy.

So who knows. San Francisco and Seattle have reached stratospheric levels of cost and the Portland area is still cheaper and more attractive on many levels. But Portland (and especially Vancouver) lacks some of the major economic engines that both Puget Sound and the Bay Area have, namely world class major research universities. These new trade wars aren't exactly going to help the Pacific Northwest economy.

[jertheber]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

The thing I'm looking forward to the most is a market building similar to Vancouver's Granville Island Public Market which is something they have planned. The big restaurants they have opening are mostly large upscale chain places. Well, not chains exactly, but not originals either as they have other locations and are fairly upscale. A market hall like the one on Granville Island would be something unique to the Portland area. The Saturday Market and food courts around Portland are OK as far as they go. But they are still outdoor temporarly type structures and tents. And honestly kind of trashy. A big indoor food court with local venders where one can go for a cheaper bite for say a Saturday or Sunday bunch or afternoon is something I'd use more than $30-40 a plate sit down fine dining places. Anyone who has been to the market hall on Granville Island knows what I'm talking about.

Haven't heard about a public market area in the works, but it would be a great addition to the upscale bars, hotels, and restaurants scheduled to open soon. Like most around here I'm hoping that the waterfront will become a very public space, downtown Vancouver needs to become inclusive of the east side dwellers who usually don't think much of the town center at present. More music, theater, food and festivities (like Granville Island) will hopefully bring the greater Clark county population to the city core, not to mention the notion of the eastside becoming invested in those same activities. Some east--west cultural balance would be nice..

People living in high density urban areas are more likely to use the cities parks and other public places, if Vancouver developers expect to sell high end housing to those now in Portland they will need to be supportive of large public parcel set asides in order to be attractive. Too many cities have cut themselves up to the extent that they no longer have a large urban center, a hub, with spokes of city parks and a good mix of mercantile and residential spreading out from the city, Vancouver has that ability to grow in concert with modern city planning views, and hopefully a more inclusive form of gentrification.

[nestvine]

Originally Posted by jertheber

Haven't heard about a public market area in the works, but it would be a great addition to the upscale bars, hotels, and restaurants scheduled to open soon. Like most around here I'm hoping that the waterfront will become a very public space, downtown Vancouver needs to become inclusive of the east side dwellers who usually don't think much of the town center at present. More music, theater, food and festivities (like Granville Island) will hopefully bring the greater Clark county population to the city core, not to mention the notion of the eastside becoming invested in those same activities. Some east--west cultural balance would be nice..
.

Here is more info about the potential public market on the Port's land: https://www.portvanusa.com/key-proje...front-project/

[jertheber]

Went to the waterfront on Thursday eve, it was good to see the amount of riverfront set aside for a walking path across the entire project, the new restaurants are jammed and will, at last, offer another riverfront dining alternative to Beaches and McMenamins. I guess it remains to be seen how this will all connect to the downtown area. There are a lot of people moving to Vancouver's urban areas but the lack of a good grocery store in the center of downtown could be a deterrent to that area becoming a less car centric place.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by jertheber

Went to the waterfront on Thursday eve, it was good to see the amount of riverfront set aside for a walking path across the entire project, the new restaurants are jammed and will, at last, offer another riverfront dining alternative to Beaches and McMenamins. I guess it remains to be seen how this will all connect to the downtown area. There are a lot of people moving to Vancouver's urban areas but the lack of a good grocery store in the center of downtown could be a deterrent to that area becoming a less car centric place.

EZ solution... enough people show up, ... New Seasons / similar will come to town, (plenty of available CHEAP RE in Downtown Vancouver) OR... the main stores will augment 'delivery' services. I liked the 'provisioner services' we had while living in Singapore during the 1980's and Spain in 1990's

Vancouver will get there. (soon I hope).

[nestvine]

Originally Posted by jertheber

. There are a lot of people moving to Vancouver's urban areas but the lack of a good grocery store in the center of downtown could be a deterrent to that area becoming a less car centric place.

There is a plan in place for building a grocery store in downtown Vancouver. It is projected to be complete within 3 years. https://www.columbian.com/news/2018/...1-story-tower/