Growing Pains in Railtown

The Nascent Neighbourhood

The Vancouver Observer, an online independent newspaper, in an October 2013 article describes Railtown as “A taste of Brooklyn in Vancouver” and as “Vancouver’s final frontier.” The article defines this small area as within Alexander Street on the south and the railyards on the Burrard Inlet waterfront on the north between Columbia Street and Heatley Avenue. A May 2014 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) online article defines the area as somewhat larger extending from the waterfront as far south as Hastings Street between Main Street and Hawkes Avenue, a slight shift eastward, but both articles include a core area from Alexander Street north between Main Street and Heatley Avenue, and both express concern over gentrification.

The Gentrification Controversy

In a sidebar, “A brief history of gentrification in Vancouver,” The Observer defines gentrification as “people being pushed out of their neighbourhood by people with more money,” noting that the gentrification boom follows a long period of deterioration in which property values fell to very low levels. During this period, nobody paid property taxes, the city seized land for delinquent taxes, then sold it for bottom-level prices to buyers eager to profit from the 1966 Strata Titles Act, which for the first time made mere apartments real estate. Before that law there were no condos, just single-owner or cooperative properties. Condominium construction and conversion accelerated gentrification of neighbourhoods and displacement of their residents unable to buy into the change.

The Observer concludes that the city should explore “more creative modes” of property ownership by cooperative, shared ownership of whole buildings, cohousing, and laneway housing, small structures typically built in the rear of pre-existing. The CBC laments the facts that rapid growth in Railtown may be good news for business but that 13,000 Downtown East Side low-income residents living on pensions or welfare benefits face the threat of eviction.

New Attractions

Once a rough industrial district of dives and brothels, Railtown today is home to the avant-garde Railtown Design District, six affiliated businesses aiming to make the neighborhood a centre of architectural advancement. In addition to the Design District, Railtown has seen several new businesses and cafes arrive as old warehouse and factory buildings convert to new uses. The Vancouver Urban Winery has an historic building in which it manufactures, packages, imports, and distributes wine for multiple brands and hold functions and parties around wine themes. So popular has this new venture proven to be with patrons that it started in 2012 with two employees and now has thirty.

Information Links:

http://strathconabia.com/
http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/dtes-local-area-plan.aspx

Downtown Eastside Development Plan

Railtown, Gastown, and the rest of the Downtown Eastside may see major changes from the city council approval in March 2014 after two days of public hearings of a plan to guide future development. The mayor says the plan reflects “aspirations for safer and more stable housing, protections for low-income residents, stronger support for mental health and addictions, and a more vibrant local economy.”

The plan is ambitious in its aims to accommodate developers who have driven up land values by purchasing, redeveloping, or speculating on neighbourhood properties and to protect low-income residents increasingly struggling to afford rent and food as neighbourhood costs increase. Plan critics say provisions for new or replacement “social housing”* units, upgrades to single-room occupancies, and rent-subsidized units may help some area residents but will leave others in squalor or on the streets. Whether the plan does enough for all 6,300 residents on social assistance and 6,000 others on low incomes is uncertain, but in a no-condos zone along Hastings Street new structures must be at least 60 percent social housing, and one third of those new units must rent at shelter rates. The plan protects heritage buildings and designates Railtown as a potential location for office use.

* The British/Canadian term “social housing” is synonymous with “public housing” in the USA.

New Railtown Live MLS Listings

Railtown, Vancouver, Trendy

Login with:

Forgot password Extend Verify Contact Signup Login

-- Sort by: -- Price (low-high) Price (high-low) Date (recent first) Date (oldest first) Fin.Area (small-large) Fin.Area (large-small) Sold Date (recent first) Sold Date (oldest first)

1-1/1

• 609 289 ALEXANDER Street in Vancouver: Hastings Condo for sale (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2338985

  

  609 289 ALEXANDER Street Vancouver V6A 4H6 Hastings

  $979,000
  Residential Attached
  Status:

  Active

  MLS® Num:

  R2338985

  Bedrooms:

  1

  Bathrooms:

  2

  Floor Area:

  888 sq. ft.82 m2
  Welcome to THE EDGE - One of the most sought after and desirable buildings on the edges of Gastown and Railtown. This 2-bath double height (16 foot celing) corner loft features incredible natural light, a 296 sqft wrap around South facing patio. Finished w/ polished concrete floors, updated kitchen with gunmetal S/S appl. package, convenient powder on the main and ensuite bath up in the large loft fit for a king. 16' ceilings, windows on 2 sides and cozy gas fireplace. It also comes with one large pkg, and is the only building w/ 7000 sqft amenities space incl: woodworking, metal shop, gym, band room, pottery studio + darkroom. The best purpose-built loft building in the city. OPEN HOUSE MONDAY FEB 18TH 230-400 PM More details

  Listed by RE/MAX Select Properties

  
  LISTING DETAILS
  • View photos
  • Contact about details
  • Send listing
  • View on map
  • Mortgage calculator
  • Aedis Realty
  • 604-688-8669
  • 604-657-1111
  • Contact by Email

-- Sort by: -- Price (low-high) Price (high-low) Date (recent first) Date (oldest first) Fin.Area (small-large) Fin.Area (large-small) Sold Date (recent first) Sold Date (oldest first)

1-1/1

 <  1  > 

Listing information last updated on February 18, 2019 at 01:23 AM (UTC)

The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the REBGV, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the REBGV, the FVREB or the CADREB.

powered by myRealPage.com