Night Music: Blockheads

Without doubt the greatest punk band that ever was, and perhaps the tightest band of all time. This is sheer exuberance!

815-825 Commercial Open House

Yesterday afternoon I attended the Open House presentation for a proposed 6-storey rental building at Commercial & Adanac.

 

I’ve seen a lot worse designs.  There are to be 3 studios, 17 one-bed, 14 2-bed, and 4 3-bedroom suites which seems a reasonable balance.  They are planning 3 commercial units along Commercial, with 23 parking stalls plus 55 bike stands.  They also seem to have taken some care with the green envelope:

 

As I have mentioned in other forums, I have come to almost accept that 6-storeys is the new 4-storeys, and, given what will be its location behind the 12-storey monstrosity of the proposed Boffo Tower, I will not campaign against its height.

However, the very first thing I heard one of the developers’ reps say to someone else as I walked into the presentation room was “No, these aren’t designed to be “affordable” units. The one beds will probably start at around $2,200 [a month].”  And therein lies the crux of my opposition to this specific proposal.

In general, I am opposed to building any more unaffordable housing units until we have provided enough housing that can be afforded by the majority of the working families in Vancouver (as determined by the media family income in this City). More particularly, I am morally and politically offended that this unaffordable development will be going forward under the Rental100 policy that gives massive incentives to profit-driven developers.

Build it as market housing if you must (at least until we get a Council that sets better priorities) but don’t use taxpayers money to fill out the profiteers’ bottom line.

 

Happy 420!