Estimated $2.6 million cost for Vancouver's new Waterfront Station planning process

2022 theoretical concept; artistic rendering of reimagining the Waterfront Station precinct in downtown Vancouver. (Perkins&Will)

Another urban planning exercise could be initiated by the City of Vancouver later this year, specifically the Central Waterfront area of downtown Vancouver, which includes Waterfront Station and the railyard to the north.

This planning process for the area has been on the back burner since the 2000s when the municipal government created a preliminary area concept in response to the Vancouver Whitecaps’ proposal at the time to build a new 15,000-seat outdoor soccer stadium (expandable to 30,000 seats) over the railyard, which has since been cancelled.

The intent of the forthcoming strategy is to create a master plan for upgrading and expanding Waterfront Station into a world-class transit hub, build high-density, mixed-use development, and introduce major new public spaces that connect the Central Business District and Gastown to the waterfront.

You might also like:

In a recent memo to Vancouver City Council, City of Vancouver staff states a governance group is in the process of being formed, comprised of the area’s property owners and key stakeholders. This includes TransLink, Transport Canada, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, BC Ministry of Transportation, Tourism BC, Pavco (Vancouver Convention Centre), Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, VIA Rail, and GHD Developments.

Moreover, private landowners in the area have already contracted consultancy firms specializing in major infrastructure and development projects to advise and support the governance group, which could lead the effort.

Vancouver Central Waterfront Hub Framework

2009 concept: Artistic rendering of the Central Waterfront Hub Framework area in downtown Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

2009 concept: Artistic rendering of the Central Waterfront Hub Framework area from Canada Place. (City of Vancouver)

Artistic rendering of the final concept of the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Waterfront Stadium. (Vancouver Whitecaps)

According to City staff, the upcoming exercise to create the master plan is expected to cost $2.6 million over two years for City staff and consultancies. The planning process could launch later in 2024.

“The future redevelopment of the Central Waterfront district is a once-in-a-lifetime city-building opportunity for Vancouver, bringing together a world-class transportation hub, and new mixed-use development, park space, and a vibrant public realm connecting Gastown, downtown Vancouver, and the waterfront,” Peter Meiszner, a Vancouver city councillor, told Daily Hive Urbanized.

“There is a working group formed, and the City has had future discussions with the landowners’ group. Right now the group is working towards establishing the structure needed to drive the project forward — whether that’s a development corporation or something similar. Staff will update City Council over the next few months as they learn more.”

In 2009, the City’s preliminary concept for the area envisioned towers with 1.4 million sq ft of building floor area for offices, hotels, restaurants, dining, and other service-based uses, as well as a major expansion of Waterfront Station’s transit hub functions with an indoor transit concourse, additional train platforms for service expansion, a bus exchange, and a new ferry terminal for both SeaBus and interregional passenger ferry services, such as routes reaching Nanaimo, Victoria, and Seattle. There would also be extensions of the Canada Place Way viaduct and new public spaces and a northward extension of Granville Street north of West Cordova Street through the demolition of the Granville Square parkade.

2009 concept: Artistic rendering of the Granville Street extension looking north from the intersection with Cordova Street. (City of Vancouver)

2009 concept: Artistic rendering of the transit concourse at Waterfront Station. (City of Vancouver)

2009 concept: Artistic rendering of the Central Waterfront Hub Framework area in downtown Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

2009 concept: Layout of the Central Waterfront Hub Framework in downtown Vancouver. (City of Vancouver)

2009 concept: Site plan of the expanded Waterfront Station. (City of Vancouver)

Cadillac Fairview, the owner of the Granville Square tower and the heritage Canadian Pacific railway station building, now synonymous with Waterfront Station, previously proposed building a 26-storey, origami-shaped office tower on the parking lot immediately east of the station, but that proposal is now on hold.

In April 2022, the previous makeup of Vancouver City Council directed City staff to look into restarting the planning process for the area.

Then in late 2022, Daily Hive Urbanized exclusively reported on architectural firm Perkins&Will’s substantially more ambitious transit hub redevelopment concept that builds on the City’s 2009 concept. Their unsolicited theoretical concept calls for an integrated precinct with significant towers replacing existing buildings, and a landmark glass-covered canopy spanning a large deck over the railyard. Below the deck, there would be expanded platform space for more West Coast Express commuter rail service, and dedicated platforms for the terminus of the high-speed rail service to Seattle and Portland.

vancouver waterfront station hub perkins&will

2022 concept: artistic rendering of reimagining the Waterfront Station precinct in downtown Vancouver. (Perkins&Will)

Perksins&Wills’ concept also includes a major civic/cultural hub, a new marine terminal facility for SeaBus new additional passenger-only ferry services, and a westward expansion of Crab Park.

Some of the previously identified challenges for building over the railyard not only relate to the high cost but also safety, with the railyard used to hold freight trains carrying hazardous cargo. The area’s various landowners also have a wide range of conflicting and differing priorities, such as the port authority’s focus on maintaining cargo capacity, efficient freight train movements, and retaining future flexibility to support the neighbouring functions of the port.

Due to land constraints, this site is also one of the last remaining opportunities to provide the Vancouver Convention Centre with a seamless expansion, with its existing facilities seeing growing use and competition from new and larger facilities in Seattle and Calgary.

Several years ago, TransLink also contemplated a major redesign of the SeaBus terminal to greatly improve the passenger experience, but it never went ahead.

Artistic rendering of the new waiting area for the SeaBus terminals. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers inc/TransLink)

Artistic rendering of the renovated walkway to the SeaBus terminal at Waterfront Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers inc/TransLink)

Artistic rendering of the new cafe and outdoor patio space at the SeaBus terminals. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers inc/TransLink)

Diagram of a potential concept for the renovations of the SeaBus terminals. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers inc/TransLink)

You might also like: