Here is a quick look at Vancouver’s largest residential and mixed-use/residential projects that are either under construction or at the latter stages of planning and approvals. What is notable is that a large majority of the projects are transit-oreinted; if not built directly near a Skytrain station, then within a short walking distance of one. Planning efforts to densify around transit have been formalized in the Official Community Plans of cities such as Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond.

Now on to the list. Limited to developments of 400 units or greater, the list represents 34 projects totaling 39,647 units. Almost all of the projects are multi-phase buildouts of 2 to 10+ years. Telus Garden, Marine Gateway and 1400 Howe are the only projects being built in one go.

There are 10-15 other major projects in the works that aren’t yet at the stage of approvals or construction.

Owner seeks density increase before sale.

A bid to increase the density at a Marine Drive property currently occupied by a florist was met with resistance from neighbours at a West Vancouver council meeting last week.

If council OKs the added density, the building’s floor area ratio would rise from 1.75 to 2, making the property more attractive to potential buyers. Floor area ratio measures the total floor space of a building against the size of its lot.

The future of the property, located at 1821 Marine Drive, may be too murky to make a decision, according to Coun. Bill Soprovich.

West Van Florist Site

633 Main Street will be a 16-storey building at the Northwest corner of Main and E Georgia Street. Retail uses are located at grade, with the intention of providing small-scale retail along Main Street and Georgia Street in keeping with the type of retail prevalent in Chinatown. The retail space provided on Georgia Street adjacent to the rear lane is expected to animate the rear of the property across from the plaza space on the Chinatown Parkade site. The remainder of the building is residential uses. A total of 188 condo units are proposed. The total density as approved is 8.82 FSR. A CAC was offered as part of the rezoning in the amount of $1,237,725 as a cash payment.

White Rock council approves controversial waterfront development.

With cries of “shame” echoing throughout the council chamber, White Rock city council voted Monday to give final approval to a controversial development at the former site of the White Rock Mufflers shop.

Located at the corner of Marine Drive and Oxford Street, the development will see a total of 60 residential units built, as well as 116 parking spaces, and some commercial-use units spread among three buildings.

The decision was made after much back and forth between council members, during which some argued there were too many unknowns to move forward.

A Wall Street Journal article today continues to reinforce what we’ve been seeing in the Lower Mainland with real estate purchases by Government agencies lately including BCIMC’s acquisition of the Canada Post site downtown as well as Surrey City Development Corporation’s acquisition of two Surrey retail centres last year.  Recent real estate purchases by quasi-government entities are explored in the article which can be read HERE:

“At the start of 2010, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund had no property investments to speak of.

The fund manager has stated that it will invest up to 5% of its $690 billion fund in real estate by 2020, coinciding with a corresponding decrease in its bond holdings. It declined to comment for this article.”