Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Granville Island 2040 Plan Advisory Board Announced

When I arrived in the CMHC Vancouver office in 1974, my first assignment was to prepare a map of the businesses and buildings on Granville Island. CMHC had recently been given responsibility for the property, thanks to the efforts of Ron Basford, and the planning process was getting underway.

In the subsequent months I vividly remember walking the property with Public Works Canada (PWC) officials who announced "this building will have to go" and "that building will have to go". However, when my former UofT architecture classmates Norm Hotson and Joost Bakker were hired to develop the overall plan, they determined that many buildings slated for demolition by PWC could in fact remain.

There are many wonderful stories related to the planning and development of the island. CMHC tried to buy out the Ocean Cement lease but it was going to be too costly. Hotson said not to worry, its presence would add to the authenticity of the place. It is noteworthy that many years later, when the lease did come up, CMHC decided to extend it for many more years, rather than have them vacate.

Another involved a dispute over the colour of the building that is now Bridges restaurant. Hotson got his way and it remained yellow; the colour when the building was occupied by Arrow Transfer.

Over the subsequent years I remained involved with the island in a number of different ways. Following a mid-80s proposal from Imperial Parking to build a parkade on the island, my company was hired by CMHC to manage a proposal call to solicit other proposals. However, the thought of a parking barricade at the entrance of the island seemed wrong and we subsequently proposed that existing buildings be converted to interim parking uses, rather than turn the entire island into a giant Impark lot. I was very pleased CMHC and the City of Vancouver, which had to issue the permits, agreed with this approach.

Working with transportation consultants, my firm also recommended that the island's circulation pattern be completely reconfigured to essentially what it is today. (Although in those days, we did not have to deal with so many tourist buses.)

Norm Hotson often said the success of Granville Island was that it was not designed for tourists; it was designed to appeal to locals, which is partly why it became such a popular tourist destination, much to the chagrin of many.

It was for these and other reasons that I was delighted to recently be advised of my appointment to a new advisory board to help determine a vision for Granville Island 2040. I look forward to again working with former SFU President Michael Stevenson, with whom I worked for 6 years on UniverCity, and 19 very bright and creative people.

Below is yesterday's announcement by the minister responsible for CMHC, who I might add is a very impressive individual. A former head of the economics department at Laval University, he is a very good choice for the role. http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister/honourable-jean-yves-duclos

I am also looking forward to more meetings with Evan Siddall, President of CMHC, who also has impressive credentials. https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/corp/about/cogo/cogo_061.cfm.
We have a couple of things in common. He once lived in a laneway house, a form of housing I have been promoting for 40+ years since my days at CMHC, and he too drives a Tesla!



Granville Island 2040 Plan Advisory Board Announced
By Marketwired — Jun 27 2016
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBA--(Marketwired - June 27, 2016) - 

The members of the Granville Island 2040 Plan Advisory Board were announced today by Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

The advisory board represents a broad and diverse range of disciplines, including planning experts, entrepreneurs, artists, and representatives from the Granville Island business and cultural communities. The board will help guide the process and decisions of the plan for the continued long-term success of Granville Island. Dr. Michael Stevenson is leading the project on behalf of CMHC.

The plan, which will set out the future of Granville Island for the next 25 years, is being developed with the City of Vancouver and will set out plans for the Emily Carr University buildings, revitalization of the popular Public Market, and the advancement of the arts and cultural industry on the island.

"This esteemed group of community leaders, with the guidance of Dr. Stevenson, will ensure the continued long-term success and sustainability of the Island as a year-round cultural, recreational, and educational centre," said Minister Duclos.

It has been forty years since Granville Island was redeveloped from a derelict brownfield to a popular urban park and cultural hub for Vancouver. CMHC is the federal crown corporation responsible for managing Granville Island.

Schedules for broad community consultation will be announced in the coming weeks.

GRANVILLE ISLAND 2040 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Larry Beasley, Principal, Beasley and Associates
Douglas Coupland, writer and artist
Michael Geller, President, Geller Group
Anne Giardini, Chancellor, Simon Fraser University
Howard Jang, Professor, Professional Practice and Director, SFU Woodward's Cultural Unit
Am Johal, Director, SFU Vancity Office of Community Engagement
Sadhu Johnston, City Manager, City of Vancouver
Wendy Grant-John, Senior Aboriginal Advisor, Deloitte
Carol Lee, Chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation and the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee
Gloria Loree, Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations, Destination Canada
Dale McClanaghan, Chair, Granville Island Trust
Yashau Nijati, Founder, thisopenspace
Eric Pateman, President & Founder, Edible Canada
Robin Petri, Vice-President, Development, Catalyst Community Developments
Geoff Plant, Chancellor, Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Gordon Price, Director, The City Program at SFU
Jessica Schauteet, President, Granville Island Community and Business Association
Maged Senbel, Associate Professor, PhD Program Chair, and Associate Director of UBC's School of Community and Regional Planning
Ron Stern, President, Stern Partners
Erica Tao, Regional Director General, Heritage Canada

GRANVILLE ISLAND
Granville Island is Vancouver's premier artistic and cultural hub, located in an urban, waterfront location and steeped in a rich industrial and maritime heritage. A unique public space that attracts millions of visitors each year from Vancouver and around the world, the charm of Granville Island lies in its unexpected mix of uses, including its famous Public Market. The Island is home to 280 businesses employing about 3,000 people.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Mathieu Filion
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Duclos
613-716-8613
mathieu.filion@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Thursday, June 23, 2016

From Nexthome Publication by Diane Duflot




Diane Duflot
Michael Geller's alternatives to single-family living

Was that a townhouse, a rowhome or terraced housing? YP NextHome chats with Michael Geller, principal of Geller Properties and well-known advocate for innovation in sustainability and affordable housing, about some of the creative outcomes of this new housing dialogue.

YP NextHome: Many industry insiders say that townhomes are the new single-family home. What are your thoughts on the viability of this housing option? Will the townhouse or rowhome format continue to gain popularity?

Michael Geller: Yes. In fact, in many areas like Surrey or Richmond, the majority of new development is already either townhouse or mid to highrise towers. Where it hasn’t happened is Vancouver or the North Shore, primarily because they don’t have large tracts of undeveloped property.

YPNH: Townhomes, or rowhomes, have traditionally been sold as strata units. Recently though, some developers like Portrait Homes and Vesta Properties are building fee-simple rowhomes. What are some of the differences between fee-simple and strata townhomes?

MG: One significant, and challenging, difference is the fact each fee-simple home has to sit on its own lot. Another consideration is that an apartment building or conventional strata townhouse development requires only one municipal sewer and water connection for the entire project. But if every home is individually owned, each ‘door’ requires its own connection.
Also, if access roads are needed, it’s easy to make their construction and ongoing maintenance part of the overall costs of strata development. In the case of fee-simple, however, it might require a hybrid arrangement. It’s similar to a strata but in a far more simplified form.

YPNH: But what happens if my neighbours decide they want to change the look of their home? If there are no design regulations in place, doesn’t that mean the entire neighbourhood could end up as a mismatched, architectural hodgepodge?

MG: It could. But Amsterdam is an excellent example of how taking a less heavy-handed approach to regulating architectural design can create a rich and interesting streetscape. Each building is individual and built right against the adjacent one.

YPNH: What new innovations would you like to see in the townhouse marketplace?
MG: One day, I would like to build a checkerboard development. Imagine regular townhouses, then shift each unit so they only touch at the corners. There are other variations and modifications, but I think that one would be fun.


Former Vancouver Editor of New Home Guide, New Condo Guide and Home Decor and Renovations, Diane Duflot is currently enjoying the life of a freelance writer and editor. She can be reached at diane.duflot@ypnexthome.ca

Photo from torontolife.com

Opinion: How Prime Minister Trudeau can address affordable housing crisis Vancouver Courier June 23, 2016

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Re: Affordable Housing in Vancouver

Thank you for your recent visit to Vancouver during which you made an announcement regarding transit funding and discussed housing affordability with various media and local experts.
I’m sorry I did not have the opportunity to share my thoughts on what the federal government might do to address our growing affordability crisis. However, since I once advised your father on urban issues during a 10-year stint with CMHC, I’m pleased to offer you some suggestions on what the federal government might do to make Vancouver housing more affordable.

As you acknowledged, this is a complex issue requiring a variety of solutions. Ending foreign investment is not the answer; nor is taxing vacant homes. We need to do more. Much more.
In your opening remarks to the housing experts, you said you wanted to know what the federal government should do, and what it might ‘nudge’ provincial and municipal governments to do.
With respect to controls on foreign investment, while I agree something must be done, before imposing new rules, I suggest CMHC and the Bank of Canada undertake a thorough analysis of what has worked in other countries since I, too, worry about unintended consequences.

What I do know is that your government needs to do a better job of enforcing federal taxation rules already in place. Many in the real estate community know foreign buyers are abusing our principal residence tax exemption and avoiding taxes on capital gains achieved through the flipping of houses. This is costing the government money, and is unfair to those who play by the rules.

A Vancouver housing academic has suggested you intervene in municipal zoning matters and make it illegal for municipalities to zone certain lands for single-family housing. Please don’t listen to him. This is beyond your federal jurisdiction. However, I do agree you might impose rezoning conditions in return for your cash. For example, it would not seem unreasonable that you require municipalities to commit to increasing densities along new transit lines as a condition of federal funding.
There are many other things the federal government and CMHC might do.

For example, as you know, the operating agreements for CMHC funded cooperative housing projects are due to expire, along with ongoing subsidies to lower income households. You are being asked to extend the subsidies. As the former CMHC Program Manager who approved many of these projects, I would suggest you only extend subsidies provided the cooperatives agree to relocate widows currently occupying two-, three- and four-bedroom units. This could free up hundreds of family social housing units for needy families.

You could also encourage and facilitate the intensification of lower density social housing projects through redevelopment, to increase densities and create a broader mix of housing. Furthermore, higher income residents, who own ‘principal residences’ elsewhere, should be required to move out of government-subsidized housing.

Your government should also promote more innovative forms of affordable housing in Vancouver and elsewhere across the country. In 1970, while your father was Prime Minister, CMHC launched a $200 million ‘innovative low-cost housing demonstration program.’ While the program had its critics, it resulted in a number of affordable housing solutions. One of my favourites was Bradwin Court in Toronto, completed in 1972 and billed as Canada’s first high-rise rooming house. It offered what today we call self-contained micro-suites.
 
A new federal affordable housing demonstration program could result in other new, innovative housing solutions. CMHC’s ‘seal of approval’ on these projects would help them get through the myriad of provincial and municipal regulations and red tape that too often stifle innovation.

You might even consider reviving the Canadian Housing Design Council (CHDC), which for many decades, promoted design excellence and innovative housing ideas through its publications and bi-annual competitions. While today there are numerous industry award programs, none in my opinion help spread good affordable housing ideas across the county the way CHDC once did.

There is so much more I would like to suggest, but I’m out of space. But please call when you are next in town. I would like to talk about CMHC’s research and lending programs.

Twitter @michaelgeller
- See more at: http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/how-prime-minister-trudeau-can-address-affordable-housing-crisis-1.2285809#sthash.UfmQIsK8.dpuf
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
Re: Affordable Housing in Vancouver
Thank you for your recent visit to Vancouver during which you made an announcement regarding transit funding and discussed housing affordability with various media and local experts.
I’m sorry I did not have the opportunity to share my thoughts on what the federal government might do to address our growing affordability crisis. However, since I once advised your father on urban issues during a 10-year stint with CMHC, I’m pleased to offer you some suggestions on what the federal government might do to make Vancouver housing more affordable.
As you acknowledged, this is a complex issue requiring a variety of solutions. Ending foreign investment is not the answer; nor is taxing vacant homes. We need to do more. Much more.
In your opening remarks to the housing experts, you said you wanted to know what the federal government should do, and what it might ‘nudge’ provincial and municipal governments to do.
With respect to controls on foreign investment, while I agree something must be done, before imposing new rules, I suggest CMHC and the Bank of Canada undertake a thorough analysis of what has worked in other countries since I, too, worry about unintended consequences.
What I do know is that your government needs to do a better job of enforcing federal taxation rules already in place. Many in the real estate community know foreign buyers are abusing our principal residence tax exemption and avoiding taxes on capital gains achieved through the flipping of houses. This is costing the government money, and is unfair to those who play by the rules.
A Vancouver housing academic has suggested you intervene in municipal zoning matters and make it illegal for municipalities to zone certain lands for single-family housing. Please don’t listen to him. This is beyond your federal jurisdiction.
However, I do agree you might impose rezoning conditions in return for your cash. For example, it would not seem unreasonable that you require municipalities to commit to increasing densities along new transit lines as a condition of federal funding.
There are many other things the federal government and CMHC might do.
For example, as you know, the operating agreements for CMHC funded cooperative housing projects are due to expire, along with ongoing subsidies to lower income households. You are being asked to extend the subsidies. As the former CMHC Program Manager who approved many of these projects, I would suggest you only extend subsidies provided the cooperatives agree to relocate widows currently occupying two-, three- and four-bedroom units. This could free up hundreds of family social housing units for needy families.
You could also encourage and facilitate the intensification of lower density social housing projects through redevelopment, to increase densities and create a broader mix of housing. Furthermore, higher income residents, who own ‘principal residences’ elsewhere, should be required to move out of government-subsidized housing.
Your government should also promote more innovative forms of affordable housing in Vancouver and elsewhere across the country. In 1970, while your father was Prime Minister, CMHC launched a $200 million ‘innovative low-cost housing demonstration program.’ While the program had its critics, it resulted in a number of affordable housing solutions.
One of my favourites was Bradwin Court in Toronto, completed in 1972 and billed as Canada’s first high-rise rooming house. It offered what today we call self-contained micro-suites.
A new federal affordable housing demonstration program could result in other new, innovative housing solutions. CMHC’s ‘seal of approval’ on these projects would help them get through the myriad of provincial and municipal regulations and red tape that too often stifle innovation.
You might even consider reviving the Canadian Housing Design Council (CHDC), which for many decades, promoted design excellence and innovative housing ideas through its publications and bi-annual competitions. While today there are numerous industry award programs, none in my opinion help spread good affordable housing ideas across the county the way CHDC once did.
There is so much more I would like to suggest, but I’m out of space. But please call when you are next in town. I would like to talk about CMHC’s research and lending programs.
michaelarthurgeller@gmail.com
@michaelgeller
- See more at: http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/how-prime-minister-trudeau-can-address-affordable-housing-crisis-1.2285809#sthash.UfmQIsK8.dpuf