Site Analysis Context Plan The site located in Crosstown, occupies an entire city block bridging between the Downtown, Gastown, False Creek North, and Yaletown neighborhoods. It is bounded by W Georgia St, Dunsmuir St, Hamilton St and Homer St. W HASTINGS ST W PENDER ST ROBSON ST SMITHE ST NELSON ST 6 ANALYSIS GRNAVILLE ST
Context Aerial The area around the former Main Post Office building is home to a number of significant buildings and presents an opportunity to connect the multiple neighborhoods that surround it. 7
Land Use This area has become known as Crosstown. Home to commercial buildings, significant open space, and a concentration of cultural and educational institutions. The main office core of the CBD is to the west, however office developement is moving towards the site. The residential foci are to the east (False Creek) and south (Yaletown) with a significant amount of new residential use planned around the stadia. The site is within four blocks of the two major downtown retail arteries of Robson Street and Pacific Centre. Hotels are clustered in the downtown core, with specific emphasis to the waterfront. Educational and cultural institutions are focussed in this smaller area. DOWNTOWN CROSSTOWN GASTOWN YALETOWN Office Residential Retail Future Developments Cultural Hotels Educational 8 ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
Central Business District Extention GASTOWN The former Main Post Office building sits in the centre of the Central Business District (CBD) shoulder between Gastown / Chinatown, Yaletown, False Creek and Downtown an area of developing workspace activity. CBD CBD EXTENSION DOWNTOWN CROSSTOWN YALETOWN CBD Extention CBD 9
Open Space There are 12 public open spaces within a one block radius of the site. VICTORY SQUARE ANDY LIVINGSTONE CATHEDRAL SQUARE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY SQUARE LIBRARY SQUARE UBC ROBSON SQUARE Open Space Proposed Open Space 10 ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
HARBOUR GREEN CRAB W CORDOVA ST Parks There are approximately 18 acres of park space within a 10 minute walk or 5 minute bicycle ride of the site. W HASTINGS ST ANDY LIVINGSTON 10 W PENDER ST VICTORY SQUARE FUTURE CREEKSIDE EXTENSION THORTON CREEKSIDE BUTE ST THURLOW ST BURRARD ST HORNBY ST HOWE ST ROBSON ST SMITHE ST NELSON NELSON ST COOPERS Park Proposed Park 11
Mass Transit Circulation The site is well served by transit with two SkyTrain stations SEA BUS WEST COAST EXPRESS 10 within short walking distance and bus amenity on all four fronting streets. W CORDOVA ST W HASTINGS ST W PENDER ST BUTE ST THURLOW ST BURRARD ST HORNBY ST HOWE ST ROBSON ST SMITHE ST NELSON ST Canada Line Millenium/Expo Line West Coast Express SeaBus Main Bus Routes 12 ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
Bicycle Circulation The major Dunsmuir St cycle artery into the City is directly to the north of the site. W CORDOVA ST W HASTINGS ST W PENDER ST ROBSON ST BUTE ST THURLOW ST BURRARD ST HORNBY ST HOWE ST SMITHE ST NELSON ST Bicycle Routes Main Transit Routes Realignment 13
Pedestrian Circulation Support and enhancement of the existing pedestrian and bicycle network will reinforce and enhance this transit connectivity. Fewer pedestrians use Dunsmuir St. Dunsmuir St is also a major artery into the city currently. This may change in the future with the removal of the viaducts. VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTER CANADA PLACE T HARBOUR CENTER W CORDOVA ST W HASTINGS ST W PENDER ST DR. SUN YAT-SEN GARDENS The decline in pedestrian traffic is indicative of the reduced intensity of retail on Georgia to the east. 10 24,000 25,000 10,000 7,500 4,000 5,500 3,500 T QUEEN ELIZABETH T THEATER 45,000 36,500 11,000 12,500 6,500 6,000 4,000 ROGERS ARENA VANCOUVER ART GALLERY T ROBSON ST VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY BC PLACE STADIUM BUTE ST THURLOW ST BURRARD ST HORNBY ST HOWE ST SMITHE ST NELSON ST Main Routes XXX Pedestrian Volumes Secondary Routes 14 ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
Traffic Patterns W Georgia St represents the ceremonial entry point to Vancouver s downtown from the east with pedestrian emphasis to the west and constant vehicular traffic. FUTURE Potentially decresed by 40-60% in the future with viaducts removed 8,000 8,000 6,500 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,500 11,000 1,500 5,500 3,000 2,500 2,500 3,000 2,500 Potentially incresed by 10-15% in the future with viaducts removed 15,000 15,000 14,000 15,500 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 Bus / Taxi One Way XXX Pedestrian Volumes XXX Future Two Way Two Way Vehicle Volumes 15
Development Trend Major development pressure is occurring from Downtown (west), while secondary development trends from Chinatown / Gastown (north), Yaletown (south) and False Creek (east). The former Main Post Office site acts as both catalyst and intersection point for expanding development trends in multiple downtown neighbourhoods. GASTOWN DOWNTOWN CROSSTOWN YALETOWN?????? 16 ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
Views to Site Due to the low level institutional uses to the east of the site, the setback on W Georgia St and open spaces on Dunsmuir St, the site is highly visible within the local urban landscape.?????? 17