The Value of Investing in Canadian Downtowns - International ...

Context Map: Key Assets and Features in the Downtown
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Vancouver Art Gallery (1)
The Vancouver Art Gallery is the
largest art gallery in western Canada.
It was established in 1931 but moved
operations to the neoclassical
provincial courthouse in 1983. The
Vancouver Art gallery boasts 41,400 sf
of space and has 10,000 permanent
collection pieces.
Waterfront Station (2)
Waterfront Station is Vancouver’s most
prominent transit hub. This was
originally a Canadian Pacific Railway
property but it was transformed into an
intermodal transportation station in
1979 for the SeaBus, SkyTrain
Canada Line, SkyTrain Millennium
Line, SkyTrain Expo Line, West Coast
Express and other commuter transport
systems.
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Rogers Arena (11)
The Rogers Arena opened in 1995.
The arena can hold 19,000 people for
hockey, basketball and other similar
indoor events. Office and residential
towers will be built adjacent to the
arena. The new buildings will provide
more than 1 million sf of space.
Gastown (12)
Gastown is a national historic site in
British Columbia, at the northeast end
of Downtown. It was the City’s first
downtown core.
Granville Island (13)
Granville Island is a gateway into the
downtown district. Various vibrant
activities occur on the island including
galleries, performances, restaurants,
shops and a market.
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SeaBus (3)
SeaBus is a ferry that crosses the
Burrard Inlet. This passenger ferry
carries approximately 400 passengers
with every trip and connects the
Lonsdale Quay terminal in North
Vancouver with the Waterfront terminal
in downtown Vancouver.
Canada Place (4)
Canada Place is located on the
Northern border of downtown along the
waterfront. This multipurpose facility
serves as the home to Vancouver
Convention Centre East, VINCI
parking facility, Port Metro Vancouver
Corporate Offices and Cruise Ship
Terminal, Pan Pacific Hotel and the
World Trade Centre office complex.
More than 3 million people visit
Canada Place annually.
Harbour Centre and the Vancouver
Lookout (5)
The Vancouver Lookout opened on
August 13, 1977 and stands 168.8m
high, providing panoramic views of the
city and the surrounding landscape.
The Lookout is on top of the Habour
Centre that provides 28 floors of office
space, a satellite SFU campus and
other commercial activities.
Granville Entertainment District (6)
Inheriting its name in 1998 by the City of
Vancouver, this strip of Granville St. was
designed to be a one-stop-shop for bars,
clubs and assorted nightlife. Between 2002
and 2010, the area underwent a significant
streetscape project to enhance the vitality
of the street.
Vancouver Central Library (7)
Located in Liberty Square, the library is
part of a large mixed-use development that
includes a government office tower, retail
stores and below grade parking. This
development occupies an entire city block
and represents one of the largest capital
investments by the City of Vancouver.
Important Assets just outside of
the Downtown
BC Place (8)
Opened in 1983, this huge multi-purpose arena seats 55,000 and has
hosted major events such as the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Approximately,
28 million people have utilized the BC Place since 1983. An investment of
$400-$500M was made for the refurbishment of the Provincially-owned
stadium downtown (completed in 2011)
Chinatown (9)
Chinatown remains a popular tourist attraction at the north east end of the
downtown east side. It is one of the largest historic Chinatowns in North
America.
Woodward’s Building (10)
The old Woodward’s Department Store in the lower East-side was
readapted and repurposed in 2006. The site was redeveloped and includes
the new mixed-use W43 building.
Yaletown (14)
Formerly a heavy industrial area
dominated by warehouses and rail
yards, since the Expo 86 it has been
transformed into one of the most
densely populated neighbourhoods in
the city with marinas, parks, high rise
apartment blocks and converted
heritage buildings.
Stanley Park (15)
Stanley Park is Vancouver's largest
and oldest park, attached to the north
end of the downtown. The seawall
extends the circumference of the park,
accommodating numerous modes of
transportation from the downtown
core.
Coal Harbour Waterfront (16)
The Coal Harbour Waterfront is the
portion of the waterfront and harbour
between Stanley Park and Downtown
Vancouver's financial district. The
adjacent land is home to many
luxurious high rises, restaurants,
retailers, boat docks and the extension
of the sea wall. The waterfront is
notable for its highly walkable public
realm. It has undergone extensive
redevelopment and has been
transformed into a mixed-use, high
density residential community now
known for its livability and amenities.