first to be seen going up at the south
end of Chinatown, the International
Village development, in 1990.

Construction has since also began
on the Yaletown edge, as well as the
Roundhouse development, with all
the zoning and by law applications
approved. All three of these present
complexes are high priced condo
developments and office space, with
high end retail space allotted for the
street facade. Prices on all three
start at the $200,000 range for a 400
sq. ft. single bedroom, with prices
rising up the height of the building to
the $900,000 penthouses. One of the
developments is sold out, with the
other two being at 3/4 % occupancy.
All three of the developments were
offered on the Asian markets before
the rest (leftovers) where open for
sale here. This caused a series of
uproars in the affluent possible
buyers, grabbing headlines in the
upper-middle classes anger over
favouritism.

Concord has a policy in place that a
building will not be built on the site
unless it is already 3/4 % sold, and
admitted that it will prolong the full
development of the site, by even 15
years. Now, are we noticing a little
flip flopping going on here? What
about the schools and childcare?
What about the parks and community
centres, promised in the original
plan? And what about the lower
income housing? The fact that huge
parts of the site could sit barren,
fenced off for 15 years seems a might
different from the original plan, that
was to be completed in 10. This is
known as the “lie through your teeth
while you do what you want” mode of
development we are becoming
increasingly familiar with.
SOS
THE ACTUAL REALITY -

FALSE PROMISES

Let’s look at the 20% lower income
housing promise. This was included
in the original plan at the constant
pressure applied at public meetings
by community groups like DERA
(Downtown Eastside Residents
Association), and others such as; Jim
Green, COPE, and the NDP at city
and provincial levels, respectively.
Originally Concord planned to build
the housing, and sell it off in co-op
style arrangements. Then it changed
to providing land for someone else to
build the complexes, and arrange for
the selling. The provincial govern-
ment is the only institution building
lower income co-ops, and they have
an ever increasing debt to interna-
tional banks, like the KKKanadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce, whom
happen to also be major shareholders
in (surprise!) Concord Pacific. So the
lower income housing is not being
built, nor is it going to be, not on the

’ Pacific Place development, anyway.
You see, Concord makes a killing
building units that sell for a minimum
of $200,000 each. Building units that
sell for $70,000, or rent for under
$500 a month (ha), just are not up to
profit margin. So the ever helpful
Provincial government and the City |
of Vancouver have allov ed the
promise of 20% lower in.come
housing, about 2,000 units, to be
added to the provincial total of future
LIH (lower income housing) develop-
ment to be built whenever in that
grand place the provincial housing
plan. This year, about 300 units will
be built across this province. The
proposed site for one of the LIH

communities has now been replanned
into a 10 acre park, under the
Georgia Viaduct, ironically the main
area of homeless folks in the west
end. Instead of a 700 unit housing
co-op, we are getting a park to sleep
in (benches not included).

The schools, chidcare, and parks
are still at the iorefront of Concords’
promotional material. These are key
elements in the “community” they
wish to build, already a drastically
different community minus the lower
income housing. Will they be built?

There are no plans in the immedi-
ate future for these to be con-
structed. In fact, with Concords’
declaration of set backs in the
completion date for the whole of the
project, if ever, the dates for these
facilities to be in place and operating
is into the years beyond 2000. These
facilities are integral to the function-
ing of any community, and Concords’
“commitment” shows their real
agenda in regards to what those
mean. Prices to high for young
families, forget it. Single mothers
need not apply, unless you can afford
it. They are building a nightmare
community for the rich, right next to
the poorest area in the city. The
commitment is not community, but
the highest bidder, the prices and
complexes reflect that. The differ-
ence between promises and the
reality is so obvious when the
promises are shattered by action. In
a recent Vancouver magazine
interview, Concords’ prez Terry Hue
raised the spectre of condo develop-
ments linked by mud flats behind
chain link fences. This is the reality
of the situation. Long term Vancou-
ver architects that I have spoken to
professed a great unease at the
Pacific Place development, and the
condo boom in and around the area,
citing an over glutted market, and
high prices as an overly idealistic
planning department in city hall,
eager to turn this city into a New

W 5b 3222 Saat

ED
NEW YORK WANNA BEES
I would like to look closely at the

’ marketing strategies being used in

one of the developing communities;
the Yaletown edge. Around this
whole area, the popular message
being produced is one of New York,
specifically the East Village and
Soho. From the names of the
complexes to the names of the styles
of shops is at one with this yuppie
idealism of New York, one of glamour
and high fashion, reflected in the
decor and the prices. Forget about
living Vancouver, now your in New
Yaletown, with names like The New
York Plaza, SoHo Billiards, etc.
This is an area that once had a
thriving underground club scene, like
the Arts Club and the Edge, long
since gone under the rise of rents and
local prices. The cost of a muffin in
Yaletown is $2:50, and swanky
furniture stores are everywhere. At
night the area returns to the prosti-
tutes and the night shape shifters.
This whole area is in the midst to
raise the roof to squeeze out the
original street dwellers, to gentrify
for the salivating yuppie invasion,
that is potentially right around the
corner. Whether they can find those
desperate to pay the astronomical
rents remains to be seen, but an
exodus from the west end by the
upwardly mobile is the best bet. The
position of prestige in this city as a

cultural determining factor is growing
steadily. We are living in the land of
concrete condo bunkers, young trying
to fit and make it work, and the
illusion of wealth from where one lives
is a very powerful commodity in this
city, the land of the living dead, as
desperate and devoid of identity that
they have taken to believing they live
in New York. HA!

All around us this city is changing
rapidly, of which Pacific Place is one
example.

2 EIT TT
VISIONS OF THE PRESENT
LEADING TO THE FUTURE

Twenty minutes away, an equally
huge development is happening on the
rail yards of Burrard Inlet, developed
by Marathon Realty. The province
and city is drawing hundreds of new
street people every few months,
because of better welfare and climate,
job possibilities and scenes. We

od
collectively face a huge transition, and

everyone just holds their breath and
waits, ‘till we turn into the huge
Metropolis that seems to be the
developers and planners vision. The
locals are growing increasingly restless
and bored, the youth are becoming
increasingly violent, the street
population is growing, and the services
are shrinking. With the rise of the
right through the reform party and the
fascists, I am in the belly of the beast,
burning and picking my spots. We are
writing the history of this city and had
better take charge in our own commu-
nities, because those in power are
proving their disdain for life and their
real agenda, the conquest of all who
are in their way, through bulldozers to
the all mighty dollar, they will stop at
nothing to suck this city dry and no
promise means what is said.

first to be seen

upat the south
end of Chinatown, the International
Village development, in 1990.

Construction has since also began

‘on the Yaletow as well as the
Roundhouse development, with all

the zoning and by law applications

approved. All three of these present

complexes are high priced condo

developments and office space, with
high end retail space allotted for the
street facade. Prices on all three
start at the $200,000 range for a 400
1. ft. single bedroom, with prices

rising up the height of the building to
the $900,000 penthouses. One of the
developments is sold out, with the
other two being at 3/4 % occupancy
Al three of the developments were
‘offered on the Asian markets before
the rest (leftovers) where open for
sale here. This caused a series of
;proars in the afflu
buyers, grabbing he
upper-middle classes anger ov
favouritism,
Concord has a policy in place that a
building will not be built on the site
ly 3/4 % sold, and
‘admitted that it will prolong the full.
development of the site, by even 15
years. Now, are we noticing alittle
ip flopping going on here? What
about the schools and childcare?
‘What about the parks and community
centres, promised in the original
plan? And what about the lower
income housing? The fact that huge
parts ofthe site could sit barren,
fenced off for 15 years seems a might
different from the original plan, that
tobe completed in 10. This is
known as the “le through your teeth
while you do what you want” mode of
development we are becoming
increasingly familiar with.
‘THE ACTUAL REALITY -
FALSE PROMISES
Let’ look at the 20% lower income
housing promise, This was included
in the original plan at the constant
pressure applied at public meetings
by community groups like DERA
(Downtown Eastside Residents
Association), and others such as; Jim
Green, COPE, and the NDP at city
and provincial levels, respectively.
Originally Concord planned to build
the housing, and sell it off in co-op
style arrangements. ‘Then it changed
‘to providing land for someone else to
build the complexes, and arrange for
the selling. The provincial govern-
‘ment is the only institution building
lower income co-ops, and they have
an ever increasing debt to interna-
tional banks, like the KKKanadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce, whom
happen to also be major shareholders
in (surprise!) Concord Pacific. So the
lower income housing is not being
built, nor is it going to be, not on the
Pacific Place development, anyway.
You see, Concord makes a killing
building units that sel for a minimum
‘of $200,000 each. Building units that
sell for $70,000, or rent for under
$500 a month (ha), just are not up to
profit margin. So the ever helpful
Provincial government and the City
of Vancouver have allov ed the
promise of 20% lower in.come
housing, about 2,000 units, to be
added to the provincial total of future
LIH (lower income housing) develop-
ment to be built whenever in that
grand place the provincial housing
plan. This year, about 300 units will
be built across thie province. The
proposed site for one of the LIH

ossible

lines in

unless itis alre

‘communities has m

been replanned
into a 10 acre park, under the
Georgia Viaduct, ironically the main

area of homeless folks in the west

end, Instead of a 700 unit housing
ting a park t
3 included)

in (benches

The schools, chideare, and parks
are still at the Jorefront of Concords’
promotional material. These are key
elements in the “community” they
wish to build, already a drastically
different community minus the lower
income housing. Will they be built?
‘There are no plans in the immedi
ate future for these to be con
structed. In fact, with Concords?
declaration of set backs in the
‘completion date for the whole of the
project, if ever, the dates for these
facilities to be in place and operating
is into the years beyond 2000,
facilites are integral to the functi

ing of any com
agenda in regards to what those

-an. Prices to high for young
families, forget it. Single mothers
need not apply, unless you ean afford
it. They are building a nightmare
‘community for the rich, right next to
the poorest area in the city. The
‘commitment is not community, but
the highest bidder, the prices and
complexes reflect that. The differ-
cence between promises and the
reality is #0 obvious when the
promises are shattered by action. In
recent Vancouver magazine
interview, Concords’ prez Terry Hu
raised the spectre of condo develop-
‘ments linked by mud flats behind
chain link fences. This isthe reality
of the situation. Long term Vancou-
ver architects that I have spoken to
professed a great unease at the
Pacific Place development, and the
condo boom in and around the area,
citing an over glutted market, and
high prices as an overly idealistic
planning department in city hall,

eager to turn this ety into a New

unity, and Concords

hows their real

poe es
NEW YORK WANNA BEES

T would like to look closely at the
sat tgs belay od in
‘one ofthe developing communities;
the Yaletown edge. Around this
whole are, the popular message
betg produced la one of New York,
specifically the East Village and
Soho. From the names ofthe
complexes tothe names ofthe etyles
Of shops is atone with this yuppie
idealism of New York, one of glamour
tnd high fashion, reflotedin the
decor and the prices. Forget about
living Vancouver, now your in New
Yaletown, with names like The New
York Plaza, Soff Billiards, et.
hiss an area that once had a
thriving underground cub scene, like
the Arts Club and the Ede, long

ince gone under the rive of rents and
local price. The cost ofa muffin in
Yaletown is $2.50, and swanky
furniture stores are everywhere. At
night the area returns tothe pros

tes and the night shape shifters

“This whole ares in the mide to
raine the roof to aqueeze out the
triginal street dweller, to gentrify
foc the salivating yuppie invasion,
that is potentially right around the
toroer, Whether they can find thoes
desperate to pay the astronomical
rents remains to be seen, but an
exodus from the west end by the
upwardly mobile ithe bout bet: The
postion of prestige inthis city asa

cultural determining factor is growing
steadily. We are living in the land of
concrete condo bunkers, young trying
to fitand make it work, and the

mn of wealth from where one lives
very powerful commodity in this
city, the land of the living dead, as
desperate and devoid of identity that
they have taken to believing they live
in New York. HA!

All around us this city is changing
rapidly, of which Pacific Place is one
example.

VISIONS OF THE PRESENT
LEADING TO THE FUTURE

‘Twenty minutes away, an equally
hhuge development is happening on the
rail yards of Burrard Inlet, developed
by Marathon Realty. The province
and city is drawing hundreds of new
street people every few months,
because of better welfare and climate,
job possibilities and scenes. We

collectively face a huge transition, and
‘everyone just holds their breath and
‘waits, ‘till we turn into the huge
Metropolis that seems to he the
developers and planners vision. The
locals are growing increasingly restles
1d bored, the youth are becoming
jreasingly violent, the street
population is growing, and the services
are shrinking. With the rise of the
right through the reform party and the
fascists, Lam in the belly of the beast,
Durning and picking my spots. We are
‘writing the history of this city and had
better take charge in our own commu
nities, because those in power are
proving their disdain for life and their
real agenda, the conquest ofall who
are in their way, through bulldozers to
the all mighty dollar, they will stop at
nothing to suck this ety dry and no
promise means what is said.