Vancouver residences...I got a question Alexander Street/

[gizmo8]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyi5yibYWRI&feature=plcp

Im planing to move to Vancouver in a few years and love the view from these lofts...is this a good area of Vancouver?.....Im looking to buy a hard loft with a view.

[FunSave22]

No, it is not a good area.


You're just two blocks north of one of the worst drug problems in North America.

Main and Hastings is ground zero for Vancouver's drug problem. And Oppenheimer park is a well known hangout for addicts.



Some developers have tried to build nice developments right on the edge of the Downtown Eastside in a hope that they will cause the neighbourhood to gentrify. So far it hasn't worked.

[DavidY]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyi5yibYWRI&feature=plcp

Im planing to move to Vancouver in a few years and love the view from these lofts...is this a good area of Vancouver?.....Im looking to buy a hard loft with a view.

Better areas in Vancouver include: Yaletown, False Creek, Kitsilano, Kerrisdale to name a few. Pricey!

Dave

[gizmo8]

I was looking at False Creek and Yaletown.....any streets you recommend that has a view of the water and mountains...I want to narrow it down on the MLS mapping...

[IanXP]

one of my clients was planning to buy in a similar building on Alexander street a few years ago. Ended up deciding against it. You get nice views but it's also right by the train tracks. It's nice during the day but pretty sketchy at night.

False Creek North: Beach crescent, Marina crescent, you would get water views (if you're facing South of course) but you'd have to be high up if you want mountain views as well. Even East of Cambie bridge, Cooperage way has nice water views. For the most part, it just depends on the building.

Yaletown, not as many buildings have water views unless you're high up. You might get corridor water views though.

[DavidY]

I was looking at False Creek and Yaletown.....any streets you recommend that has a view of the water and mountains...I want to narrow it down on the MLS mapping...

With all the high building going up, what might be a suite with a great view today, won't be in the near future.

Other areas include those near Stanley Park or Coal Harbour.

Dave

[gizmo8]

Dave Im looking at more of a warehouse conversion not a condo....

[FunSave22]

Dave Im looking at more of a warehouse conversion not a condo....
Yaletown did have some warehouses converted into lofts in the late 80s and early 90s.

However soon after they finished the conversion they spent the next 10-15 years building a large number of tall condos in Yaletown. So I could be wrong, but I doubt many of the lofts have any type of view.



If you head further east of downtown to Commerical Drive, or Main or maybe even Cambie there might be some lofts. I'm honestly not certain.

But you probably want to ensure you're not too close to Hastings (unless you are quite a distance east of downtown). And south of Hastings is probably better. And heading south means you likely are not going to have a good (or any) water view, although you still might have the mountains.

[gizmo8]

great so get as far as Hastings as possible and look toward the west...of course when the time comes I make sure I got a good agent that can narrow my choices....hopefully the prices would come down a bit or at least stay the same in a few years :)//...I dont mind seeing the train tracks if I can see mountain and water also.......

[msqrade]

Stay away from East Hastings... West Hastings, (West of Granville or so) would be OK in my opinion. Yaletown, Coal Harbor are right downtown, but Kerrisdale and Kits and Point Grey are more 'up-town'. I prefer that to the downtown area, but to each his own.

[doberman_baby]

Check out the Beach Avenue, Pacific Blvd area. Facing English Bay.

[gizmo8]

How West Cordova and Water Street area?...

[gizmo8]

Check out the Beach Avenue, Pacific Blvd area. Facing English Bay.


Im looking for hard lofts not condos...price out of my budget ($400k).

[quatchi]

Did a search on mls.ca with waterfront view less than 400,000 and got 80 or so results. Yaletown and North Van lonsdale were highly represented. North Van lonsdale is not bad if you are willing to take the Seabus everyday?

[FunSave22]

Did a search on mls.ca with waterfront view less than 400,000 and got 80 or so results. Yaletown and North Van lonsdale were highly represented. North Van lonsdale is not bad if you are willing to take the Seabus everyday?
But he's looking for a loft, not a condo. I was under the impression North Van was all condos. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[TheDogAteMyName]

Check out the area of East Village. I live in a loft, converted from an old warehouse. I opted to face South so no view of the mountains but it is nice and quiet. I have access to the roof top garden which has a remarkable view of Downtown, North Shore and of course the water.

[gizmo8]

Thats correct Im looking for a hard loft with a view in a decent area...I live in downtown Toronto all my life and am used to scene of city living but of course I dont want a place where (addicts) are hanging out at your front door......

[fotoapparat]

Main Street corridor/Gastown are probably your best bet. If you want a hard loft and view, you're going to have to put up with a little of the Vancouver gritty charm. Stay away from Main/Hastings, but 5-10 blocks out, you're alright. I have a friend with a place on Alexander @ Carrall. It was fine, but there are undesirables in the neighbourhood. That's just the way it is. If you don't want that, you can go uptown/north shore/english bay, but you won't get a hard loft. Remember, most of the conversions are in areas which were/are transitioning. Thus, there is till a lot of social services, vacant lots, parking lots, etc. With that said, I lived at Granville and Broadway and still had the odd issue with people sleeping in the back stairwell. It's just part of the fabric of Vancouver.

[gizmo8]

Another question its seems parking is not available at most warehouse conversions...is this the norm in Vancouver?..most listings dont show parking...

[TheDogAteMyName]

I have a parking spot. Not all the lofts in the building got one. It's underground. This is an old warehouse slash department store. Most warehouses had to have somewhere for the vehicles to park.

[mslolo]

Another question its seems parking is not available at most warehouse conversions...is this the norm in Vancouver?..most listings dont show parking...

Are you sure there is no parking at 41 Alexander? I walked by it yesterday and noticed that it looked like it had gated parking access. I should have taken a picture of the outside of the French Building for you. I like the area - it has lots of character even though it can be a little gritty at night. If I didn't have a family I would love to live in the area.
There are lots of great restaurants/bars in the area and new ones opening all the time. I had lunch on Chill Winston's patio, which is just at the end of the block, and watched how many people were walking their dogs in the neighborhood. There is also a grocery store (Nestors) and drug store (London Drugs) located in the old Woodwards building a couple of blocks away.

[gizmo8]

ms lolo it seems the listings of the loft units dont mentioned parking so I assumed they dont have it...in Toronto they always list if parking is included..again I have zero issues with the "gritty" night life if its not near my future loft and they arent partying at 2:00am on the streets.........by the way what time does Vancouver bars stop serving?..

[mslolo]

They vary, some as late as 3 am, so you would want to do due diligence on any in the areas you are looking at. Closest to this loft is Chill Winston's which is open until 1 am. Nice thing about this loft is that it isn't on a very busy street but right on the edge of things.

[gizmo8]

They vary, some as late as 3 am, so you would want to do due diligence on any in the areas you are looking at. Closest to this loft is Chill Winston's which is open until 1 am. Nice thing about this loft is that it isn't on a very busy street but right on the edge of things.

your talking about Alexander Street right?...I love the fact it feels industrial but you can actually live there ...the view of the ocean,mountains,etc is very appealing...hell even the tracks add abit of character to the view...ah the trains dont run at night in this area right?.

[gizmo8]

Im going to heading to Vancouver next month..going to borrow my buddy bike who lives in downtown Van and take a bike tour of this area...trying to get a vibe about this place day and night...still set on hardloft with a view so Alexander area and Water Street be my main interest.....