Located between First Avenue and the False Creek waterfront along Manitoba Street, the heart of the Southeast False Creek (SEFC) neighbourhood is to be a commercial 'town square' area that includes retail shops and restaurants.
According to the Official Development Plan (link here), the restored Salt Building will be located at the top of a community square within the new pedestrian-oriented commercial district.
The Salt Building was originally constructed in 1931, and was responsible for the refining and storage of all salt that was shipped into the city. The broader Southeast False Creek district has been an industrial area since the early 1900s, with sawmills, shingle mills, shipbuilding and steel mills located throughout the area.
Although plans for the Salt Building have not yet been finalized, some have suggested that it should serve as the area's community centre. Another interesting proposal from Ecotrust Canada would turn it into a sustainable development learning centre and 'trading post', where Canadian firms can showcase "products and services of the conservation economy".
For more pictures of the Salt Building and further discussion of the SEFC site, have a look at the following public consultation document from 2003 (link to pdf).
