Great article Brian - it certainly appeals to those of us with a philosophical bent - unfortunately this doesn't seem to include Kennedy Stuart or David Eby.
I (and some others) suspect that the major developers in Vancouver have purchased much of the developable land along Broadway and are land-banking it to release it slowly (as values rise) for development. I have also looked at "Quantity Surveyor" cost estimates for construction Vancouver, and then look at the cost of units for sale and really wonder if, in addition to developers mark-up, they are also making a significant uplift in construction costs. Oligopoly behaviour?
The only response to the possibility of land banking as you describe is NOT to upzone everything, removing the "land lift." As for construction costs, I have not checked, but it does happen that these costs may be inflated to create another place to store profit.
I recall listening to a documentary on CBC Radio a few years ago about Robert Persig and Zen.
It included archival excerpts of interviews with Persig. If I recall, what prompted him to leave his job and set out on the motorcycle trip in the first place was that he was fed up with "the man" and the stultifying conformity of the post-war age.
He was a progenitor of the hippy era. Tun in, turn on and drop out. Does this Chautauqua relate to the current era of urbanism in Vancouver and the wider world? Are you calling for a change in global perspective? I think I know the answer to this question.
Feb 17, 2022·edited Feb 17, 2022Liked by Brian Palmquist
When I arrived for my first class of a City Planning degree, I was ready to learn how to plan. But, the very first thing the professor told us was that "planning is impossible."
So, what were we paying them to teach us? Four year degree compressed into one sentence: facilitate dialogue.
So, an answer to your question: perhaps government could help so long as they don't pretend to know all the answers. They could ask questions.
I like your ‘ask questions’ recipe. I am part of a group trying to engage city councillors around a specific planning initiative that has so far been staff-curated so as to effectively exclude the affected neighbourhoods. We have some questions prepared. If we are able to secure meetings, I will report out in CCs how it goes. Stay tuned!
Rod, thanks for your kind words. Although I am an architect, not a planner, I engaged in much dialogue during my career. Until about a decade ago in Vancouver, no planning or significant architectural proposal would be considered until a rigorous community consultation process has been completed. Impatient politicians disarmed neighbourhoods, COVID has enabled them to be completely ignored. Planning in the metro Vancouver area has become pro forma-ordinary citizens need not apply.
Thanks for your comments and for reading CCs. Take care and stay safe.
When did we change the discussion from being about employment and good jobs to being about bringing the cost of housing down to meet what is affordable for crappy jobs? It wasn’t always about forcing costs and availability down. When I was younger it was always about getting good work then buying a place to live.
That was my time as well—first the good jobs, then the home. Somewhere along the way most incomes have been allowed to stagnate, while low interest rates and globalization of investment has brought inflated pricing. I see a massive housing recession in the not too distant future.
Great article Brian - it certainly appeals to those of us with a philosophical bent - unfortunately this doesn't seem to include Kennedy Stuart or David Eby.
I (and some others) suspect that the major developers in Vancouver have purchased much of the developable land along Broadway and are land-banking it to release it slowly (as values rise) for development. I have also looked at "Quantity Surveyor" cost estimates for construction Vancouver, and then look at the cost of units for sale and really wonder if, in addition to developers mark-up, they are also making a significant uplift in construction costs. Oligopoly behaviour?
The only response to the possibility of land banking as you describe is NOT to upzone everything, removing the "land lift." As for construction costs, I have not checked, but it does happen that these costs may be inflated to create another place to store profit.
I recall listening to a documentary on CBC Radio a few years ago about Robert Persig and Zen.
It included archival excerpts of interviews with Persig. If I recall, what prompted him to leave his job and set out on the motorcycle trip in the first place was that he was fed up with "the man" and the stultifying conformity of the post-war age.
He was a progenitor of the hippy era. Tun in, turn on and drop out. Does this Chautauqua relate to the current era of urbanism in Vancouver and the wider world? Are you calling for a change in global perspective? I think I know the answer to this question.
I will look for that documentary, sounds like essential listening. Thanks!
When I arrived for my first class of a City Planning degree, I was ready to learn how to plan. But, the very first thing the professor told us was that "planning is impossible."
So, what were we paying them to teach us? Four year degree compressed into one sentence: facilitate dialogue.
So, an answer to your question: perhaps government could help so long as they don't pretend to know all the answers. They could ask questions.
I like your ‘ask questions’ recipe. I am part of a group trying to engage city councillors around a specific planning initiative that has so far been staff-curated so as to effectively exclude the affected neighbourhoods. We have some questions prepared. If we are able to secure meetings, I will report out in CCs how it goes. Stay tuned!
Rod, thanks for your kind words. Although I am an architect, not a planner, I engaged in much dialogue during my career. Until about a decade ago in Vancouver, no planning or significant architectural proposal would be considered until a rigorous community consultation process has been completed. Impatient politicians disarmed neighbourhoods, COVID has enabled them to be completely ignored. Planning in the metro Vancouver area has become pro forma-ordinary citizens need not apply.
Thanks for your comments and for reading CCs. Take care and stay safe.
Indeed, this river of conversation is shallow and full of silt... "What is best?" Asks for for wisdom, not axiomatic dogma.
Not sure what you mean by that?
When did we change the discussion from being about employment and good jobs to being about bringing the cost of housing down to meet what is affordable for crappy jobs? It wasn’t always about forcing costs and availability down. When I was younger it was always about getting good work then buying a place to live.
That was my time as well—first the good jobs, then the home. Somewhere along the way most incomes have been allowed to stagnate, while low interest rates and globalization of investment has brought inflated pricing. I see a massive housing recession in the not too distant future.
Excellent article. Love the actual numbers and the suggestion that real planning use them.
The more often and the more folks look seriously at the numbers, the more the likelihood sanity will return. Thanks for reading.