1584 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

The building code is changing the built environment, indeed. It takes a huge sum of money to design something that can adapt to the code, and be architecturally significant.

 

I think this project will be in the magnitude of $175-$200 million to construct.

[Mike K.]

When I said some time ago this is going to be a 10-15 year build, note that we’re already one year in, just about, since approvals.

[baconnbits]

This is referring to just the first phase on the car dealership site?
How many units in phase 1?

[Mike K.]

All three phases. 550 or so in phase one.

[baconnbits]

Phase 1 will cost $220m+ alone just construction costs

[Mike K.]

Oh yeah, all day long.

[Franklloydwright]

Nothing about this topic since December.  I see that the Phase 1 (Harris Auto lot) is apparently dead (in the sense that nothing (zero, zilch, nada) is going on there.

 

It just looks like Berlin 1945.

 

I heard a "rumour" that there were financial difficulties preventing progress.

 

The other part of this project (London Drugs Square) starts only once the Phase 1 is completed.  Does anyone know how long is the lease for businesses in that square?  Reason for asking: I see that the coffee shop that used to be at that site (La Dolce Vita, now gone) is about to be replaced by a brand new coffee shop/cafe.  This suggests a lease of at least 5 years, no?

[Mike K.]

Hi FLW, yes, a typical lease is five years.

 

It would likely be that the final phase of development would take place where London Drugs/that coffee shop are, so it could be a while yet before anything happens even if construction were to take taking place on phase 1 starting today. Phase 2 is where Market on Yates is located (they'll be moving to phase 1).

 

It is peculiar that nothing has happened on the Harris lot just yet. Maybe nearby construction projects are using that land for staging construction equipment so it's economically viable for Starlight to continue leasing it.

[Nparker]

So if Starlight is under little pressure to build 1500 homes, one can assume the housing "crisis" is over?

[HarrisonGreene]

It’s been almost a year to the day that this was granted approvals. Also, it seems that the project’s website has been taken down?!

[sdwright.vic]

Hi FLW, yes, a typical lease is five years.

It would likely be that the final phase of development would take place where London Drugs/that coffee shop are, so it could be a while yet before anything happens even if construction were to take taking place on phase 1 starting today. Phase 2 is where Market on Yates is located (they'll be moving to phase 1).

It is peculiar that nothing has happened on the Harris lot just yet. Maybe nearby construction projects are using that land for staging construction equipment so it's economically viable for Starlight to continue leasing it.

First phase of phase two (London Drugs) will actually be the Market store coming down if they are the ones moving to Phase one

[Mike K.]

Yes, that’s right.

[corvus]

Are we assuming this project is dead for the moment? The website being taken down feels not promising, to say the least.

[Nparker]

I did not know there was no longer an active website.

[HarrisonGreene]

Yes it no longer works.

[Nparker]

What has changed in the 14 months since this project was approved to make it unviable? Interests were slightly up, but they have now come back down to pretty much the same as at the time of approval. I am genuinely curious.

[Mike K.]

These websites go stale all the time, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Did all of the delays force the project into a slower trajectory? Absolutely. Is it dead? Absolutely not.

[Doctor Detroit]

Are we assuming this project is dead for the moment? The website being taken down feels not promising, to say the least.

For what it's worth, I walked up the west side of Cook from Fort Street to Yates about four weeks ago (I think). Workers were installing new plastic mesh around the tree-protection zones, apparently replacing (or layering on top of) the deteriorated plastic mesh that had been in place. 

Can't be proactive on the city's part or the 25% Caucus would be claiming credit.

[HarrisonGreene]

How likely are we to see this project get underway this year?

[Nparker]

How likely are we to see this project get underway this year?

Less likely with each passing day I should think.