On Friday afternoon, I was pleased to join Councillor Suzanne Anton at a reception organized by Stein Gudmundseth, the Honorary Consul of Norway for Norwegian paralympic athletes. In attendance was the Princess of Norway, a very beautiful thirty something woman named Princess Marta Luisa.
Upon being introduced to her, I had to tell her my story. I once slept on her front lawn.
It was 1969 and my friend Eli Harari and I were touring Europe. Eli had taken our little NSU Prinz 30 up the Norwegian coast to visit the fjords, and worrying that the car wouldn't make it, I decided to stay in Oslo for a while on my own. Each night I would go to a bar or club to find someone who could provide me with a place to sleep; however, one night, I was unsuccessful.
After wandering around the city, eventually it was time to find a good place for my sleeping bag. I saw a large park, and decided to hop the decorative metal railing and went to sleep.
At about 4:30am I was awoken by a soldier in full military dress, pointing a rifle and bayonet at my neck. He said something in Norwegian but I didn't understand. I pulled out my British Passport and he then said, "You can't sleep here. This is the palace". He then escorted me off the grounds. As I left, I took a photo, to remind me of the event.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be telling this story 40 years later to a resident of the palace!
The Princess was very graceful and invited me to come back to Oslo in the summer. She said the Palace is open to the public and I can see inside. But she didn't invite me to sleep over.
Thank you Stein, Suzanne and Princess Marta for a wonderful opportunity to re-live a memorable episode from my past.
I was really bothered by this story in Thursday's 24Hours...please read it...I think you will know why.
EXPECT MORE TENTS IN THE CITY
MATT KIELTYKA -Look out Vancouver, more tent cities are heading your way.
About 30 people were left at 58 West Hastings Wednesday to gather the last of their possessions before vacating the Concord Pacific-owned land, which served as a demonstration of the city’s homeless issues during the Olympics. The protest spurred BC Housing into action and discussions are underway to find all the homeless at the site a place to live.
The lesson? “Tent villages work,” said social advocate Wendy Pedersen,
of the Carnegie Community Action Project. “That’s the wave of the future,
when [cold weather] shelters close April 30, there will be more tent cities.
When people put themselves in front of the media and public with their friends, they get housing.”
Richard S. Buttery recently arrived from Toronto and bounced around
between shelters and hospital stays before landing at the tent city.
Now he’s looking forward to the clean, warm bed that awaits at the end.
“There was no place to put me, but I had a good experience here,” he said. “I
agree what the people here are saying, it did something for the people here.”
But while a few dozen people can look forward to a fresh start, Buttery said the
struggle isn’t over. “Go outside this fence and go up a block or two,” he said,
pointing towards Main and Hastings streets. “Those are the people the government needs to get off the street any way they can.
So what's my problem?
It's Richard S. Buttery, who recently arrives here from Toronto, and 'bounces around' between shelters and hospital stays, but thanks to the organizers of the Red Tent Campaign, now has a clean, warm bed.
I am also disturbed by thought that we will have to see more tent cities because in a way, Wendy Pedersen is right...they do seem to work. At least, they did in this instance.
Mayor Robertson, Minister Coleman. I know you want to end homelessness by 2015, so this can't continue. We simply can't afford to find housing for everyone who decides to come from Toronto, or other parts of Canada because they know that Wendy Pedersen and Judy Graves and BC Housing will all be working together to help them get a free, nice warm bed.
Let's stop and review what's really going on here. We can't continue like this.
Here's my story from today's Vancouver Sun on the incredible housing 'deals' in the Phoenix market area, and what some developers are doing to attract visitors to their sales centre. The pictures featured in the story are of a house built by my friend Craig Waddell, which, as I note in the story, is currently on the market for less than what you would pay for a house half its size on a 33' lot in Dunbar!
Phoenix value decline creates opportunities
Two-bed, two-bath sells for $34,500, for example; builders now pursuing Canadian customers
By Michael Geller, Special to the Sun March 20, 2010
While homelessness and home affordability dominate real estate stories in Vancouver, Phoenix is dealing with some different housing problems.
During a recent visit to the Valley of the Sun, I discovered that stories about falling house prices, "short sales", foreclosures and evictions are front-page items in the local papers.
The Phoenix housing market is unlike anything in Canada. The median price of a home has dropped from $250,000 to $130,000. Since mid-2009, purchasers have been able to snap up incredible deals, and current listings reveal that it is still possible to buy a house at a fraction of the price of a comparable home in Vancouver.
In a recent North Scottsdale Times I came across a feature called "After the Bubble", which illustrated recent sales. An attractive two-bedroom, two-bathroom, double-garage home that sold for $175,000 in 2002 had just sold for $34,500.
A 10-year-old, three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached home of 1,182 square feet that sold for $212,000 in 2006 recently went for $89,100.
In Carefree, just north of Scottsdale, a 4,400-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom house on an acre of land that features a 1,000-square-foot guest house, pool, movie theatre and elevator sold last month for $630,000. In 2006, it sold for $1.75 million.
Each was a "short sale" -- that means the lender allowed the homeowner to sell for less than the amount owed on the mortgage. Selling the property at a loss was a better option than foreclosing and attempting sale by auction.
The auctioning of foreclosed properties has become a daily occurrence in Phoenix. Sadly, increasing numbers of homeowners are not aware their homes have been sold until the new buyers show up at the door with eviction notices. Generally, owners have five days in which to vacate. In some instances, a new purchaser will agree to rent the home back to the original owner. In many others, however, upsetting events can occur, leading to property damage and violence.
REOs, or real-estate-owned properties, often sell for a third of their peak prices. These are properties that are owned by a lender after they fail to sell at foreclosure auctions. "Short sales" and REOs have accounted for a significant percentage of home sales in the metropolitan Phoenix area over the past year.
Not surprisingly, some local developers, especially operators of retirement communities, are now targeting Canadian buyers. A full-page ad in the Arizona Republic recently promoted the "O Canada Weekend" at Robson Ranch featuring Tim Horton's coffee and a 50-per-cent discount for a round of golf for those who could present a Canadian driver's licence.
During my stay in Phoenix, I was guided around by Craig Waddell, a former Vancouver architect and developer who has been active in the local market for the past 25 years.
He told me that leading up to the bubble, it was much too easy for borrowers to arrange mortgage financing. However, now the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. Many locals cannot take advantage of the excellent deals since they cannot qualify for bank financing. Furthermore, real estate appraisers who have been spooked by fluctuating markets in recent years are now often too conservative in their valuations. As a result, sales that could be closing are not closing.
Waddell's companies built a variety of projects, including some very luxurious homes at DC Ranch, one of Scottsdale's most exclusive gated communities. (When you are cleared for entry by the gatekeeper, you are given a printout with the address and detailed directions to the designated property.)Waddell lives in a spectacular 4,650-square-foot DC Ranch home that overlooks the sixth hole of the golf course. Like many Scottsdale properties, it is planned around a majestic great room with a huge entertaining kitchen. A variety of outdoor living spaces surround the pool and open-air fireplace. After seven years, he is ready to downsize; however, like many owners of luxury properties, he is having difficulty selling at a price that is less than what one would pay for a home half the size on a 33-foot lot in Dunbar.
Given the number of existing homes on the market, new home developers face difficult challenges. To attract buyers to sale centres, some are experimenting with new product types for the area. On one rainy Sunday afternoon (yes, it rains occasionally in the winter) Waddell and I set off for "Spaces", developed by Shea Homes, one of the area's larger builders. Designed with what the architect called a "mid-century modern" esthetic, the homes offer a surprisingly high degree of flexibility and energy efficiency.
The flexibility is created by expansive spaces and numerous sliding doors. To help potential buyers appreciate it, the project's website allows users to try out different furniture arrangements using furniture cut-outs. At the click of a mouse, a living room becomes the dining area, or an office, or den.
Energy-saving features include an electric vehicle charging outlet, radiant-barrier roof sheathing and "solatube" day lighting. A compact, on-demand hot water system eliminates the need for a bulky, conventional hot water tank.
As my plane was taking off, I calculated that Metro Vancouver's median house price is about four times that of Phoenix. I could not help but wonder whether Metro Vancouver could ever experience similar drops in house prices.
While between 1980 and 1983 we did see some homes drop almost 50 per cent, I do not think Vancouverites will ever witness what has happened in Phoenix. For one thing, our banking system is very different, and recent changes will further control who can build and who can buy into the market.
Secondly, Vancouver's land supply, unlike Phoenix's, is constrained by the ocean, the mountains and protected agricultural lands.
However, an old Blood, Sweat and Tears song did come to mind: "What goes up, must come down ..." It's a song many are singing in Phoenix.
Michael Geller is an architect, planner, development consultant and SFU adjunct professor and occasional Westcoast Homes contributor.
As a former trustee of the Art Gallery until 2006, and member of the expansion/relocation committee under the chair of Michael Audain, I have a particular interest in the discussion currently taking place regarding the need for expansion and possible relocation of the Vancouver Art Gallery. As a result of my time on the board, and subsequent discussions with with various individuals, I have an appreciation of the pros and cons of the different proposals.
While my preference has generally been to more fully explore the design and development options to expand on the current site, there are some convincing arguments to relocate to Larwill Park.
Here are a few considerations that have not been fully reported:
1. Some say the gallery could expand underground, like the Louvre. The gallery already has some space underground. While the idea of further underground expansion seems a possibility, I am not aware of any planning studies to assess just how much space could be created. I doubt whether the current expansion program could be accommodated by underground expansion.
2. Another possibility that intrigues me is the concept of enclosing the current building in a glass box to create a more inviting structure, with additional area. However, this would likely result in the loss of the front plaza, which many regard as a cherished open space…(especially if the current fountain could be removed.) In the past, others (including Arthur Erickson and Larry Beasley) have also been concerned how an above grade expansion might compromise the design integrity of Robson Square.3. The proposed expansion program effectively doubles the current facility. This expansion was contemplated to allow the gallery to exhibit much more of its permanent collection, as well as accommodate travelling exhibits. I suspect that if the decision is made not to move, it will be necessary to scale back the program, and/or contemplate a second facility at some time in the future. There are examples of art museums with more than one facility. Most Directors and administrators do not like this approach, but it is another option.
4. Many people in the art world believe that it would be easier to raise private donations for a fabulous new facility, rather than a renovated facility. This is an important consideration that should not be ignored.5. While I was opposed to the relocation to the False Creek waterfront site, I disagree with those who suggest that the Larwill property is too far away….it’s really just a few blocks away, as many of us discovered when we wandered around the city during the Olympics. It is also part of an emerging ‘cultural precinct’ with the renovated theatre, an expanded CBC, the library and other related facilities.6. I can understand why the gallery would like the site for itself. A stand alone building would offer the potential for a truly magnificent structure. (Maybe even designed by some of the city’s own accomplished architects). However, we must acknowledge that the city previously agreed to generate approximately $50 million or more from the sale or lease of the property’s development rights. One option could be a major office tower adjacent to a gallery; another would be an exclusive residential tower (although it should be noted that this site is not zoned for residential since it falls within the area being reserved for commercial development).
I personally would support a significant residential or mixed use ‘Shaw Tower’ model adjacent to to a new gallery, provided the building was allowed to be tall enough…(you’ve got to watch out for those view corridors, you know!) to help generate revenues from the property to support both the theatre renovations and the cost of a new gallery.
7. I appreciate that some will argue that once again, I am trying to accommodate everyone with my opinions, but that’s because in this case there is no one obvious solution (at least not to me). However, before a decision is made, I do think the gallery should revisit the earlier planning studies to determine just how much expansion potential there is on the current site, and whether the earlier concerns re: the loss of the public open space in front of the gallery, and impacts on Robson Square are still valid.7. Finally, I would like to completely disagree with Bing Thom’s claim that relocating the gallery will suck the life out of this part of the city. If the gallery goes, the Vancouver Museum or other museums/public attractions would likely move in. Depending on the design approach, the space in front of the existing building along Georgia will always be a special place. And as we have seen during the Olympics, much can be done with the spaces behind.
All of this will take a lot of public and private money. But when I compare Vancouver with Seattle or other major cities, it is apparent that a lot of money should be spent to bring us up to par in terms of cultural facilities and amenities.
Special to the Jewish Independent Published March 11, 2010
By Michael Geller B.Arch, MAIBC, FCIP
While younger households dream of moving into a larger home, many of us often find that our house is getting too big.Our concern is not necessarily the size of rooms, but rather the number of rooms, some of which are no longer used as children have grown up and left home.There is also the cost and inconvenience of looking after gardens and having to carry out repairs…a new roof, water tank, or often much more.
Years ago, when your house was too big, you moved into a rental apartment.But over the past few decades, developers have stopped building rental projects in Vancouver, favouring condominium apartments.In a few cases, new condominium townhouse developments have been built, but often in locations where we do not necessarily want to live.
As we get older, not only do we want smaller homes, but we want different features.We want a large, modern kitchen with the latest appliances and pantries, and large spacious bathrooms with vanity drawers for an increasing amount of ‘toiletries’. We are often willing to forego separate living, dining and family rooms for one large, well designed space as long as there is room for the family Seder.We want fewer stairs and better lighting and security features.
In response to the need for new housing choices in the community, fifteen years ago, in partnership with the beloved community leader Morris Wosk, I redeveloped four large single family properties on Oak Street into OakGardens. It offered a choice of apartment sizes along with a live-in caretaker suite, a guest suite for visitors, a card room and other communal spaces.
In Kerrisdale, I helped transform seven lots along West 41st Avenue, between Carnarvon and Balaclava Streets into what is today The Lanesborough, offering a mix of attractive apartments and two level townhomes.At Larch and W41st Avenue, I turned the former Shell gas station into Elm Park Place providing single level suites with larger terraces and garden areas.I promoted the building as apartments for people who do not want to live in an apartment!
While condominium apartment living is the right choice for many people, it is not for everyone.Many of us would prefer to move into a nearby duplex or smaller ‘cottage style’ single family home on a smaller lot.If only we could find one. Alternatively we might prefer a larger townhouse, especially if it could be individually owned, and not part of a condominium.Some of us might even consider moving into a ‘Laneway Home’ if it was well designed, with parking and an attractive outdoor space.
One of the problems in Vancouver is that most residential areas are zoned for single family houses and there are virtually no, undeveloped multi-family properties nearby. However, as Vancouver starts to plan for a growing and aging population, city planners and politicians are increasingly willing to consider the rezoning of single family lots, parking lots, and other properties to allow more housing choices.One goal is to accommodate aging households who want to remain in their neighbourhoods.
Considerable attention is now being given to the future rezoning of land along Cambie Street.The new development at the corner of Cambie Street and W33rd Avenue is one example of a new housing form and tenure, offering three, individually owned townhouses, each with a laneway suite over the garage. Another variation, that I am currently designing offers three separate townhouses designed to look like one larger house.In some instances, these could be individually owned; in others they would be a condominium.
I am also exploring opportunities to redevelop larger single family lots into three or four detached or semi-detached houses, each with its own private outdoor space.The homes would be designed with the features many ‘empty nesters’ are seeking including two ‘master bedrooms’, and large open kitchens and living areas.In desired, the original homeowner could move back into a smaller home on the same property.This happened at both OakGardens and The Lanesborough.
In order to have more housing choices, I think it will be necessary for more of us to speak out.Too often, much needed innovative developments do not proceed because the opponents have a louder voice than the supporters.
I am often reminded of a couple who came to see me when I was planning a high rise building in Point Grey.“Do you have something available with a view?” the lady asked.“Unfortunately, they are all sold.” I had to reply.As they were ready to walk away, the husband turned to me and said “You know, it’s funny.For years my wife and I opposed the development of high rise apartments in this area, but now that we are ready to move into one, we can’t find anything suitable.”
Over the final weekend, I tried to check out some of the venues I had missed during the previous two weeks. One was the Richmond Ozone...a clever name for the city's Live City site near the Richmond Oval. I was particularly impressed with an exhibition of speed skating gear on display in the City Hall, and enjoyed watching this young girl trying on a suit...As I watched the curling on the outdoor screen, I couldn't help but think that curling is a lot like playing chess on ice...you really do have to think a few moves ahead...Wondering around the city, I thought the newspaper boxes told the story...We watched the game on large screens at John Furlong's previous assignment...the Arbutus Club and then headed off to the streets. In addition to the very big party downtown, there were spontaneous parties around the city, including this gathering on West Broadway which I enjoyed with my daughter Claire. I watched the Closing Ceremonies with Claire, Georgia and Patrick. While I very much enjoyed the self-deprecating humour, the fine words by Furlong (although his French made Joe Clark sound like a linguist) and the magnificent staging, (the audience looked terrific on TV and I'm sure it was even more fantastic in the stadium) I couldn't help but wonder how the program played in Slovenia or elsewhere around the world. Will it bring people to Canada? Was it a good and appropriate closing to the two week extravaganza?The ending was somewhat abrupt, and I couldn't help but agree with Patrick that it seemed like the organizers had added the final group at the last minute to provide some ethnic diversity...without leaving enough time to properly wind up the ceremony.
But I want to end on a positive note. The Olympics far exceeded my expectations in terms of bringing the city and country together. They did reflect very well on our country, and the athletic performances by participants from around the world were outstanding. One of media outlets is asking us to pick one word to describe the entire event. For now, I'll go with INSPIRING...and UNFORGETTABLE.ps I can't help but wonder what will happen to all of the Olympics paraphernalia...the CTV banners, etc...hopefully it will all get auctioned off with funds going to support Canadian athletes. But I will never part with my Canadian scarf, hoody and Russian hat, modelled by the lovely little girl on West Broadway.
On Friday afternoon, I was pleased to join Councillor Suzanne Anton at a reception organized by Stein Gudmundseth, the Honorary Consul of Norway for Norwegian paralympic athletes. In attendance was the Princess of Norway, a very beautiful thirty something woman named Princess Marta Luisa. 
