CD-1 Rezoning 800-876 Granville Street

Statement Watch

Oh, okay. Hi. Good evening. My name is Jane Colbert. I'm the president and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver BIA. Our organization represents 8,000 businesses over 90... blocks of the Central Business District, including Granville Street and the Granville Entertainment District, I'm calling in this evening to express our full support for the proposed redevelopment of 800 Granville. Granville Street is one of Vancouver's most significant entertainment and cultural corridors, but it continues to face challenges related to public safety, storefront vacancy, underinvestment, and declining confidence. This corridor is under significant strain. And projects like 800 Gramble are essential catalysts to drive momentum forward. This project achieves a careful balance between heritage conservation, entertainment, hospitality, and active street use, including preservation and long-term viability of the Commodore Ballroom and the Commodore Building. This is a critical cultural asset in our district, and it's critical that it's saved. Downtown Van believes projects of this scale and quality are essential to restoring confidence in Granville Street, attracting investment, and supporting the street's long-term success.

We thank Bonnish Properties for their ongoing investment to Granville Street and to Council for your careful consideration this evening.

Statement Watch

Good evening, council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening. Royce Schwinn, CEO of Destination Vancouver, president of Vancouver. And I'm speaking in support of agenda item number three, the rezoning of 800-876 Gravel Street. Destination Vancouver welcomed the opportunity to be part of the consultation process that helped shape the outcome of the Granville Street plan, which council approved last June, as you know. And the result of that plan reflected real listening and a shared ambition to see Granville thrive again. As I said at the time in its heyday, Granville Street just wasn't a place to go. It was where Vancouver went to feel alive. It was glamorous. It was a little spicy. and unmistakably vital to the city's identity. It's a street that holds the city energy, its memory, and now its potential. But that appeal long ago began to fade and it continues to slide into some decay. And it took another heartbreaking hit perhaps just a few weeks ago when we watched the Hudson's Bay sign come off the gravel in Georgia location, a site that that company started business in 1914. So council's adoption of the gravel street plan set a clear direction to restore gravel as a safe, welcoming and economically vibrant arts and entertainment district. The focus now is on implementation. So the rezoning of 800 Granville Street would be a long overdue example of that implementation in action. The proposal before you today supports the plan's objectives by encouraging uses that increase activity on the street throughout the day and into the evening. That consistent presence is essential to revitalization of this once iconic corridor. It really was reinforced during COVID that public safety and street animation go hand in hand. Streets that are active, well used, and economically viable feel safer for everyone, residents, and visitors alike. ELSA's work with province to support the relocation of SROs away from the gravel strip to a more appropriate location is an important and welcome step in laying the foundation for the revitalization of the street alongside investments in housing services and public ground improvements. The inclusion of hotel use is particularly important in this context. Council has been consistently engaged in support of the destination Vancouver's work on hotel capacity. Thank you for that. and recognizing the role that well-located new supply plays in supporting the visitor economy and the city's broader socioeconomic goals. This proposal aligns with Council's hotel development policy and would introduce a steady mix of people beyond typical retail hours. That regular foot traffic supports nearby businesses, helps animate the public realm, and contributes to a safer, more welcoming environment. Hotels, of course, also deliver tangible benefits, local jobs, increased spending at nearby restaurants and venues, and stronger support for the arts, culture, and entertainment uses that define gravel's identity and take advantage of Vancouver jewels like the Orpheum Theater and, of course, the loved Commodore Ballroom. Revitalization will not happen through a single project, but will not happen without projects like this. Incremental policy-aligned investment is how momentum is built and confidence is restored. Proving the rezoning of 800 gravel sends a clear signal that Council is committed to moving from planning to action. AND TO SUPPORTING A GRAVEL STREET THAT IS ACTIVE, SAFE AND ALIVE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESOLUTION TO THE PROCESS. DESTINATION VANCOUVER SUPPORTS THIS APPLICATION AND ENCOURAGES COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. IT'S A LONG TIME COMING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

Statement Watch

Thank you. Good evening, counsel. My name is Aaron Chapman. I'm the author and Vancouver historian. I have a number of books about the history of Vancouver, including Live at the Commodore, the story of Vancouver's historic Commodore Ballroom. While the Commodore was built and opened in 1930 and has provided a great night out for the last 96 years to generations of Vancouverites, as well as hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of visitors to the city over the years, it's not without its challenges in keeping up with the times. and the current state of the live music industry, or how it fits within the Granville Entertainment District. which is why I'm pleased to be here to speak in favor of the Granville Street development. But I'm also somebody for the last 20 years who worked in the local concert industry, my night job, I guess, or maybe my day job, as a production manager putting on concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Theater, the Orpheum, the Vogue, and indeed the Commodore Ballroom for Live Nation concerts, which is a position I actually just left in December. So as somebody who wrote the book but also worked at the venue itself in the past, I like to think I know the needs of the venue and the potential of what this project does to the to benefit the Commodore itself and really the whole city as a whole. And that shouldn't be underestimated. Let me even cite one example. When any concert tour comes to Vancouver, whether they arrive on a GMC in a trailer in the back like my old bands used to do or if they were lucky enough to be in a tour bus or perhaps in a couple of tour buses in a semi-truck, all that gear has to go into the alley, Ackery's alley, between the Orpheum and the Commodore and has to go up a very, very small lift that's about as big as your bathroom at home and up to the second floor of the Commodore. and whether that's not just the amps and drum kit, maybe it's a backdrop, maybe it's stage props, any kind of set pieces. That all takes a considerable time going up that narrow little gear elevator. Now, the Commodore sees some of the biggest acts in the world on the way up and sometimes even on the way down. And one example that I can remember offhand when I was at was in 2009 when the Lady Gaga show was at the Commodore. And yes, that same Lady Gaga that was just at the Super Bowl last weekend. Now, her tour carried a number of props, including a very heavy plexiglass piano shell, as big as a piano in itself. And that didn't fit in the gear elevator. There was no way of getting in. That part of the show couldn't happen. So there were about eight very brawny stagehands that managed to carry that up the front steps of the Commodore. I remember staying clear away from them because I thought, geez, if those guys lose a grip... I'm going to be done for. And it did make it up there, and it was a great visual element of the show that perhaps had that not happened, it would have been a completely different show than she was doing. So the new development of the Commodore adds that larger gear elevator loading dock potential, even giving the ability for a tour bus in closer to park. to unload is really inarguably a game changer in terms of what happens at that venue. Not only allowing it easier to produce many shows at the venue, many more of them, but being able to answer the logistical needs better of concert tours which are changing and getting bigger and bigger and more complex as the years go by. What the development also offers with the more back-of-house space will no doubt help as well. For the last 20 years, my colleagues and I worked in a production office the size of a broom closet. In fact, it was a broom closet, because in 1930, when the Commodore was built, they never had any idea to make any modern production office facilities. So the fact that it adds that, I know my colleagues who are working down there will be enthused about that. Some of the initiatives that create a safer, pedestrian-friendly environment, day and night, in the proposal, I think are important, too. Now, the history of Granville Street has long been hotly debated and written about by people like myself. And beyond the value of nighttime, Connie, what's often left out of that discussion is the raison d'etre about what happens there during the daytime. And I think the hotel and commercial space do much to help bring visitors and business to the area. There's no question this is a big proposal. I don't know how often the city gets something like this in front of its desk for a project this size. But I believe this is the right kind of development that adds a great deal, not only to Granville Street itself, but much to the entertainment district and really secures the future and long-term viability of the Commodore. Myself and many other people think Granville Street is worth fighting for. So let's get to work and see a better Granville Street for everyone. Thank you very much for your time.

Statement Watch

Yeah, thank you very much. And perfect pronunciation. That's like the first time I've heard somebody say that. Yeah, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak here tonight. And prior to starting, I'd just like to tell you a bit about myself. I'm a wildland firefighter and a student at the University of British Columbia. I come from a small town in the southeast Kootenays, and when moving to Vancouver, I feared homelessness. My job as a wildland firefighter pays lower base wages than most retail jobs, and being faced with up to $2,000 a month in rent for a one-bedroom apartment was overwhelming and forced me to consider if I could even live in the city at all. Like many other essential workers, I contribute to climate resilience and public safety, but face significant blocks in accessing equitably-priced housing. I also would like to voice my support for the 800-876 Granville Street proposal. The development offers people like me the opportunity to live, work, and study without the fear of an increasingly volatile housing market. Furthermore, this proposal offers the City of Vancouver the opportunity to accelerate growth in the Granville Entertainment District while simultaneously allowing for below-market housing initiatives to have a stake on the street. Currently, housing insecurity is one of the most substantial issues facing the City of Vancouver. Below-market housing has long been shown to be one of the best ways to combat housing insecurity and the issues surrounding public safety, particularly when integrated in the heart of Vancouver's entertainment district. Locating below-market housing on Granville Street ensures that residents have access to transit, work opportunities, and services, rather than being pushed to the outskirts of the city. This proposal also brings one of the most substantial approaches to Granville Street revitalization in recent years. addition of 100 hotel rooms ensures that direct tourist expenditure is reaching one of the areas that it is needed most the increased foot traffic on gravel street ensures that local businesses are receiving increased revenue while residents of the tower in turn benefit from the amenities provided by the neighborhood beyond housing and economic benefits this proposal aligns with the city's agenda to make a more safe and inclusive city The mixed-use development has the capacity to bring in thousands to Granville Street, bringing 24-hour activity to the area. This natural surveillance has been shown in several studies to reduce overall crime, contributing to what can be a revitalized strip of Vancouver. This project is pivotal in Vancouver's growth, as it reflects how both tourists and residents can benefit from one single project. I strongly urge the Acting Mayor and Council to approve of this project, as it ensures that Vancouver can be a place to live and play at the same time. Thank you, Acting Mayor and Council, for your deep considerations, and please vote to approve the development at 800-876 Granville Street.

Statement Watch

Hello, and thank you so much for the opportunity to speak tonight. I am speaking in support of the 800-876 Granville Street project. I think this is a wonderful project that will help support safer and more vibrant Granville Street. I also am really interested in the heritage aspect of the Commodore Ballroom, and I think that it protects it and revitalizes it in a very positive way. And I'm also... really interested in the fact that it adds more hotel space to downtown i think that with having fifa coming to vancouver we're really recognizing that we have a deep hotel shortage in the city and we want to invite more visitors and and more people and more events to vancouver and i think this brings a much needed um support for the hotel space not to mention of course the the purpose-built rental housing being incredibly valuable as well So I really encourage all council members to approve this application. Thank you very much.

Statement Watch

Yeah, hi there. Thank you so much.

Go ahead.

Can you guys hear me?

Yes, go ahead, David. Perfect.

Thank you so much. Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you for the opportunity to speak in front of council. I'm just speaking in support of the project of 800-876 Granville Street. I'm particularly interested in a couple factors, one being the protection of the future of Commodore Ballroom as a historic venue in Granville Street and the revitalization of the street, but also, as noted from the previous caller, the hotel space as the city prepares to host for FIFA. I think one of the things that the city is lacking is hotel space, and as we welcome all these visitors from around the world, we need to be prepared for that. So I just wanted to make this call in support of the project. Thank you so much, and thank you for your time.

Statement Watch

Certainly. My name is Daniel. I'm not a Vancouver resident. I live on the University Endowment lands, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to speak here this evening. And I want to speak in support of the proposed redevelopment at 800-876-GRANDVILLE. Just from my perspective as a student and a renter who lives in very, very close proximity to the city, I really think downtown would benefit more from rental housing that's close to jobs, transit, and amenities, and I think this proposal directly responds to that need. I think the project also really contributes to the overall health and safety of the downtown core. I think a big part of keeping Vancouver a vibrant city that we all love is making sure that all of our streets are active, safe, and welcoming at all hours, and that includes especially Granville Street. I also think that from a planning perspective, the site is really well-suited for this level of density. Being just a few minutes walk from the SkyTrain station, it's exactly where housing and the 100 hotel units and commercial activity really should be concentrated. And I think it makes a great use of the city's development plans. And overall, I think the proposal is really balanced. It's forward-looking. It's something that will allow students and renters like me the chance to live in the city, to live in a vibrant and a very safe community. And for all those reasons, I'd really urge council to support this application. Thank you.