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
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368 - 370 POWELL Street in Vancouver: Strathcona House for sale (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2427233
368 - 370 POWELL Street Vancouver V6A 1G4 
$4,198,000Residential Detached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2427233
- Bedrooms:
- 2
- Bathrooms:
- 4
- Floor Area:
- 5,561 sq. ft.
A truly rare offering - 368 Powell St, formerly the building that housed Canada Bank of Japan pre-WWII was substantially remediated and upgraded in 2008 by Kirsten Reite Architecture and Bon Constructors Inc. The result, a stunning mixed use building with a sprawling 1827 SqFt residential loft above with a full roof deck, over 2000 SqFt of industrial/office space on the main level, 676 SqFt enclosed/heated garage AND an 942 SqFt sound proof music studio below. This is every business owners dream to occupy an entirely private building where you can both live and work with ample space in a truly unique setting. This property deserves to be viewed in person. It will take your breath away and open your mind to a world of possibilities. More detailsListed by Engel & Volkers Vancouver
- Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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15 GORE Avenue in Vancouver: Strathcona Condo for sale in "THE EDGE HARBOURFRONT LOFTS" (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2444485
15 GORE Avenue Vancouver V6A 2Y8
$2,388,000Residential Attached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2444485
- Bedrooms:
- 2
- Bathrooms:
- 2
- Floor Area:
- 1,968 sq. ft.
Spectacular and truly unique corner, split level, WORK/LIVE loft in Railtown's EDGE development on the waterfront. Prominent ground floor access to this 1968 sq. ft. open plan with 18' ceilings and expansive Burrard Inlet and North Shore Mountain views featuring the Port, Cruise Ships and Seaplanes. This bright and airy layout with 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a very generous living room is ideal for it's current use but easily adaptable to LIVE/WORK use or your fabulous residential use only. Includes 4 secured parking spots. 7,000 sq. ft. amenity building with exercise facility, recording studio, woodwork, metal and ceramics workshops. Prime location steps from many of Vancouver's trendiest restaurants and a short stroll to Gastown, Chinatown and the Central Business District. More detailsListed by Maude, MacKay & Company Limited - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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35 GORE Avenue in Vancouver: Strathcona Condo for sale in "The Edge" (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2444697
35 GORE Avenue Vancouver V6A 1R2
$1,398,000Residential Attached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2444697
- Bathrooms:
- 1
- Floor Area:
- 1,522 sq. ft.
35 Gore Avenue is situated in the Edge Development, which is strategically and conveniently located in the coveted Railtown district, just east of Gastown and minutes to the downtown core. With several of the city’s most renowned homegrown businesses such as Aritzia and Herschel Supply Co. based in the area, Railtown has become a thriving home to a number of Vancouver’s creative entrepreneurs. The Edge is a large-scale mixed-use development that features creative and inspirational spaces for living and working. The subject property features double height ceilings, a funky concrete finish, a generous storefront entrance way, with large glass window panels, grade level roll-up loading door at the rear, 2 parking stalls, a nicely improved washroom and shower, kitchen and much, much more. More detailsListed by Corbel Commercial Inc. - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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299 ALEXANDER Street in Vancouver: Strathcona Condo for sale in "The Edge" (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2447804
299 ALEXANDER Street Vancouver V6A 1C2
$899,900Residential Attached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2447804
- Bathrooms:
- 1
- Floor Area:
- 989 sq. ft.
Talk about timing! The PERFECT property for a WORK/LIVE home in Railtown. Rare zoning allows for residential living with commercial use such as retail, office, production or artist studio. Open loft industrial style corner ground floor unit with high ceilings, huge corner windows, floating bamboo floor, plus updated kitchen w/ granite, S/S appliances. TWO underground parking spaces and TWO dogs or cats allowed. RENTALS allowed too - YASSS! And talk about Amenity Heaven...Bike room, fitness centre, wood and metal workshops, band room, pottery studio Private streetfront entrance on a traffic-calmed block with a walkscore of 91 - minutes to Gastown, off-leash dog park+beach and some of Vancouver's best restaurants (yes, they will open again one day 🙂 Be sure to check out the virtual tour. More detailsListed by RE/MAX Crest Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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