Vancouver Real Estate loneliness an epidemic.
It’s no secret the supply of land in Vancouver is extremely limited. Which is why developers are working to continue to densify downtown Vancouver with many new high-rise buildings planned.
However, developers, city officials, and even fire fighters are facing some very serious issues.
First there is something called The phenomenon of urban loneliness.This is becoming a more pressing issue recently where surveys have found that 43 per cent of those who live in high-rises do not know at least two of their neighbours’ names.
Some developers are taking this very seriously and are proposing what they call “sky gardens” which are basically common areas, like a green space on each floor where neighbours can go out; enjoy some fresh air and socialize with other neighbours on their floor. However, to make this happen they are also suggesting to get rid of people’s private patio’s in their units.
I live in a high-rise building here in Downtown Vancouver, and I can tell you not only from my building but other buildings alike not many people actually use the communal areas. People prefer their privacy. It’s evident by the fact that every time i’m in the elevator nobody even says hello!
Although I see where the developers are coming from I just don’t see more communal areas being the solution. Especially when you’re talking about taking away people’s private patios to make this happen. Living in a high-rise building some 30 floors up inside a 600 square foot unit without a patio would be enough to drive me insane. I would feel trapped and claustrophobic!
Another unforeseen issue in high-rise buildings is safety.
Tall condo towers, which are attractive to Asian buyers, present developers and the city with cultural challenges. Some developers renumber towers to eliminate certain numbers, such as 13 and anything containing a four, which Chinese buyers associate with death. For example, the Burrard Place tower is being marketed as 60 floors, even though it has only 53.
This has the potential to cause some confusion for Firefighters and is becoming a potential safety issue. Builders are having to change the way they identify floors in case of emergencies.
Thankfully, Vancouver just changed their policy on this. Vancouver will no longer allow new buildings to skip 4’s and the number 13. So if you’re looking for a deal in the future, you might just find one on the 4th or 13th floor. These floors will surely limit the number of potential Chinese buyers f, whether that makes any real difference in price, time will tell. But it definitely intrigues me!
Article in the Vancouver Sun http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/tall+towers+pose+challenges+vancouver/11438343/story.html
