Quite a lot has changed since our original post on the redevelopment of the Woodwards site.
On February 27th, the Development Permit Staff Committee recommended that the latest designs for the Woodwards project be approved (link to pdf), with the most prominent change being the increased height of the development's tallest building, from 19 storeys to 41 (400 feet).
Three other buildings will complete the Woodwards site, including the 32 storey (315 feet) Abbot Building, the Hastings Building, and the rehabilitated Woodwards heritage building, which will retain the landmark 'W' sign.
In total, 536 units of market housing and 200 units of social housing will be built. The developer also aims to achieve LEED Silver certification.
As for amenities, apparently the proposed 'day and night market' is no more, although the site will include a public open space and several retail shops, including a grocery store. The SFU School for the Contemporary Arts is still signed up as a tenant on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Hastings Building.
For the project's main marketing site, click here - there's photos of the building models, plus links to newspaper articles.
Original Post (June 2005):
Although it doesn't appear that a return to $1.49 Days is imminent, construction is scheduled to begin this fall at the new Woodwards Square, located on the downtown East Side.
Last September, Westbank Projects was selected as the site's developer, based on it's design proposal (pdf link) that promises to restore the original 1908 heritage building (as well as the Woodwards "W"), build a new 19 storey "Green Flatiron Building" and add 16,700 square feet of street level retail space, in addition to a 31,000 square foot public plaza, to be used as a "Day and Night Market." Rooftop gardens are planned as well.
Most recently, in March of this year, SFU announced that it will relocate its School for the Contemporary Arts to the Woodwards site.
According to the developer's initial plans, there will be 135 lofts built in the restored heritage building, while the new building will house the SFU facilities on its first 8 floors, and at least 100 units of "non-market" (low-income) housing on the floors above.
The City of Vancouver has more details about the Woodwards Square development on its website, with further sketches of the site available here.
More illustrations from Westbank can be found here.
