Chinatown Overview
Canada’s largest Chinatown, among the largest in North America, is in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, in the blocks around Main, Pender, and Keefer Streets with the Gastown and Downtown districts to the west, Downtown Eastside to the north, the residential district of Strathcona to the east, and False Creek to the south. Chinatown remains a popular tourist attraction despite the growth of the newer Chinese immigrant business district in the suburb of Richmond south of Vancouver on Lulu Island in the Fraser River. Many affluent Hong Kong and Taiwan immigrants in Richmond have developed successful Chinese businesses in the area now named Golden Village by the City of Richmond, which once proposed the name “Chinatown” only to encounter strong resistance from the original Chinatown in Vancouver and from non-Chinese Richmond residents and merchants.
Asian Influx
The Greater Vancouver Regional District received large numbers of Asian immigrants during the late 20th Century, primarily Chinese, whose population reached 300,000 by the mid-’90s. More immigrants settled in Richmond than in Vancouver Chinatown for its lower costs of living and closer distance to the Vancouver International Airport. The development of suburban Asian shopping districts with plenty of parking space like Richmond’s Aberdeen Centre, visibly impaired the business heart of historic Chinatown.
Decline
Chinatown businesses today consist mostly of working-class retailers, small groceries, tea shops, and souvenir stores. Some restaurants stand out, but there are no longer so many, and their declining numbers brought less foot traffic and nighttime activity than in former times. The 10-percent Chinatown vacancy rate shows the need for a fresh approach to development to replace businesses that have moved to suburban locations, retired, or simply closed. Redevelopment opportunities are clearly present. Chinatown lease rates from $15–30/square foot are the cheapest in the city, much lower than those in Vancouver’s Downtown shopping district.
The Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Area
In the 1990s, the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association searched for an effective vehicle for projects to revitalize the area. Gastown and Downtown Vancouver had formed business improvement areas (BIAs) with evident success. With the consent and support of merchants and property owners, the association planned to establish a Chinatown BIA.
After several attempts, the association succeeded in winning the community support necessary establish a Chinatown BIA. The Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Area (VCBIA) incorporated in 2000 on a model of BIAs successful in other areas of the city to improve Chinatown’s cleanliness and safety, expand and promote its events, and work with media and external partners to make Chinatown popular and prosperous again. A voluntary board of property owners and tenants manages the VCBIA. The city assists with annual funding through a special property tax like a local improvement levy. Each property’s contribution to the annual BIA budget is according to its proportionate share of the total BIA taxable value.
Information Links:
http://vancouver-chinatown.com
http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/chinatown-revitalization.aspx
Redevelopment Prospects
A new Chinatown business plan now encourages entrepreneurs to move in to rehabilitate storefronts, attract a young crowd, and make visitors more comfortable. Attracted by low rents and heritage buildings, new businesses have moved in with owners in apartments above the shops. Chinatown’s priority now is to attract people of all backgrounds in the belief that non-traditional stores will bring a new flow of energy and income. Commercial activity is increasingly diverse with vintage stores, two art galleries, bars, and now a nightclub at the location of the former Ming’s restaurant, an attempt to bring back some of the nightlife atmosphere of the 1950s and ’60s. The diversity of new shops and businesses has created a new Chinatown image of vibrancy to compete with suburban districts and complement nearby Gastown and Downtown Vancouver.
New Chinatown Live MLS Listings
Chinatown, Vancouver, BC, Real Estate
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441 - 449 E PENDER Street in Vancouver: Strathcona Land for sale (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2790993
441 - 449 E PENDER Street Vancouver V6A 1V2 
$3,950,000Land Only- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2790993
Corbel Commercial presents 441 & 449 East Pender Street - rare vacant lots situated in the coveted neighbourhood of Strathcona. The property is minutes away from downtown Vancouver and is in close proximity to Railtown, Chinatown, and Gastown, and is strategically located approximately 4 blocks north of the new St. Paul's Hospital lands - a $2 billion,800,000 SF technology, research, and medical state of the art campus. A Vendor Take Back Mortgage upto a 70% Loan to Value is negotiable! Please contact the listing agent for further details. More detailsListed by Corbel Commercial Inc.
- Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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521 UNION Street in Vancouver: Strathcona House for sale (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2812932
521 UNION Street Vancouver V6A 2B7
$3,800,000Residential Detached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2812932
- Bedrooms:
- 6
- Bathrooms:
- 7
- Floor Area:
- 2,741 sq. ft.
Offering this newly built stunning house on Union Street in picturesque Strathcona, with excellent transit access and downtown proximity. Sitting on 3050 sq. ft. lot, features a main house with separate basement suite and an incredible detached lane-way house, and huge yard with plenty of outdoor entertainment space. Dramatic rear elevation. Built to the highest standards of construction and design. Main house showcases three levels of living and features many exciting attributes including a kitchen with plenty of cabinets and adjoining eating area, simple and cozy living room, skylight staircase leads to three bedrooms on upper level including a master and ensuite, etc. Laneway house also features two bedrooms, kitchen and living room, beautiful hardwood flooring, adequate storage space and Garage. Close to new St. Paul's Hospital & City's top cafes & restaurants. You can’t miss out on this fabulous house in such a dynamic and welcoming neighborhood. Opportunities like this don't come often; act quickly! More detailsListed by Sutton Group-West Coast Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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40 133 KEEFER Street in Vancouver: Downtown VE Condo for sale in "The Keefer" (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2776440
40 133 KEEFER Street Vancouver V6A 1X3
$1,999,000Residential Attached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2776440
- Bedrooms:
- 2
- Bathrooms:
- 3
- Floor Area:
- 2,557 sq. ft.
Welcome to The Keefer, one of Vancouver's most exclusive boutique buildings. This one-of-a-kind residence is located in the pulse of the historic Chinatown, was originally built in 1910 & restored & converted in 2009. This unit is an extremely rare find w/ private elevator access directly to your suite, spanning over the entire 4th floor & boasting 2,550+ SF of living space with an open concept floor plan perfect for entertaining. Built w/ unparalleled attention to detail, some of the finishings include, Bulthaup Kitchen, Dual Sub-Zero Fridges, Miele Appliances, Wine Fridge, Custom Home Audio/Visual System & Wide-Plank White Oak Flooring. The building is in pristine condition. This truly is a one of a kind opportunity to own in one of Vancouver's most iconic buildings. More detailsListed by Century 21 In Town Realty and Bellevue Realty Group - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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901 239 KEEFER Street in Vancouver: Strathcona Condo for sale in "SPARROW" (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2763517
901 239 KEEFER Street Vancouver V6A 1X6
$1,949,900Residential Attached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2763517
- Bedrooms:
- 3
- Bathrooms:
- 3
- Floor Area:
- 1,211 sq. ft.
Awesome 2 bed-2 bath at SPARROW, this amazing home offers 9’ ceilings, full-height windows, and generous walk out patios. The living space features rift-cut white oak floors. The kitchens are a chef's paradise, stunning white oak and white lacquer cabinets, quartz countertops, under-mounted sinks, no-touch faucet, seamless Liebherr fridge, AEG European wall over & induction cooktop and Fisher & Paykel dishwasher. The bathrooms feature wall-mounted vanity and storage, Silestone Calacatta quartz countertops, Italian stone vanity, LED-lighting, rain & hand shower.. Beautifully appointed bedroom. 1 underground parking This is not an offering for sale. Any such offerings may only be made with a Disclosure Statement. E.&O.E. More detailsListed by Sutton Group-West Coast Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
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903 239 KEEFER Street in Vancouver: Strathcona Condo for sale in "SPARROW" (Vancouver East) : MLS®# R2763403
903 239 KEEFER Street Vancouver V0V 0V0
$1,849,900Residential Attached- Status:
- Active
- MLS® Num:
- R2763403
- Bedrooms:
- 3
- Bathrooms:
- 3
- Floor Area:
- 1,175 sq. ft.
Awesome 3 bed & 2.5 bath VIEW PENTHOUSE - MASSIVE ROOF TOP DECK, 9’ ceilings and full-height windows plus walk out patios. The kitchens are a chef's paradise, stunning white oak and white lacquer cabinets, quartz countertops, under-mounted sinks, no-touch faucet, seamless Liebherr fridge, AEG European wall over & induction cooktop and Fisher & Paykel dishwasher. Rift-cut white oak floors throughout. The bathrooms feature wall-mounted vanity and storage, Silestone Calacatta quartz countertops, Italian stone vanity, LED-lighting, rain & hand shower. Great bedrooms. 1 underground parking. Common outdoor courtyard garden. This is not an offering for sale. Any such offerings may only be made with a Disclosure Statement. E.&O.E. More detailsListed by Sutton Group-West Coast Realty - Aedis Realty
- 604-688-8669
- 604-657-1111
- Contact by Email
