Archive for April, 2006

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Games workers may get their own village

Friday, April 7th, 2006

1,000 Olympic workers could be housed

John Colebourn
Province

Alvaro Ponce de Leon stands at the site of a proposed modular village for workers in Vancouver. Photograph by : Nick Procaylo, The Province

A Lower Mainland entrepreneur hopes to open a temporary lodge to house up to 1,000 people working on Olympic-related projects.

Alvaro Ponce de Leon, a North Vancouver architect and businessman, said he has approached Vancouver’s planners with plans to build a modular village for trades workers a half-block north of Terminal Avenue between Begg Street and Glen Drive.

“I hear there is going to be a shortage of workers and I know the construction companies are concerned about it,” Ponce de Leon told The Province yesterday.

The two-hectare vacant property in the False Creek flats that Ponce de Leon would like to see turned into a complex for up to 1,000 people is zoned for industrial use.

Ponce de Leon, who manufactured trailers in Colombia before moving to Canada nine years ago, would have to get the property rezoned for modular homes.

He said False Creek was chosen because it is close to the construction sites and would have little impact on existing infrastructure.

The workers’ accommodation would include recreational amenities and there would be a shuttle to move workers to the job sites.

Following the Olympics, Ponce de Leon said, the group of investors he represents would donate the modular housing to the city for it to use as low-income affordable housing.

“The challenge for us is to prove the need,” said Ponce de Leon. “This is all new, but it is fascinating.”

Rob Jenkins, Vancouver’s assistant director of current planning, said he is reviewing the proposal and will be in touch with Ponce de Leon in a few weeks.

“It is being reviewed and we have flagged a number of issues,” he said.

One concern is whether the soil in the industrial area is contaminated. Another is the issue of providing services such as water and sewage to the temporary units.

The site is also isolated from the type of amenities workers would need. “It is still an open question whether we are going to support the proposal,” he said.

Keith Sashaw, president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association, said there is concern about a labour shortage for Olympic projects.

“The issue of a skills shortage is a real one,” he said.

“All our members are looking for skilled workers, and the issue of accommodation for workers has been raised. There’s no doubt we will be attracting a lot of people into the province, so there is going to be a demand for housing.”

© The Vancouver Province 2006

 

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Gap bridged between Macs, PCs

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

COMPUTERS I Apple

Posted in Technology Related Articles | Comments Off on Gap bridged between Macs, PCs

Average west side house now $1 million

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

Sales in Vancouver have dipped slightly but demand still outstrips supply

Wency Leung
Sun

The average price of a “standard” two-storey home on Vancouver’s west side broke the million-dollar mark during the first three months of 2006. Photograph by : Vancouver Sun

The average price of a “standard” two-storey home on Vancouver’s west side broke the million-dollar mark during the first three months of 2006 as housing prices surged throughout the city, real estate firm Royal LePage reported Wednesday.

A standard two-storey home on the west side reached an average $1.05 million, up 16.7 per cent compared with the first quarter last year, according to Royal LePage’s House Price Survey.

The survey defines a standard two-storey as a three-bedroom home with a detached garage and full basement but no rec room, totalling 1,500 square feet, and located on a 3,500-square-foot lot.

The same type of home located east of Main Street appreciated 12.9 per cent compared with last year, to $470,000.

“Prices have historically always been greater on the west side of Vancouver,” said Bill Binnie, president of Royal LePage Northshore. While the same amenities are available in both areas, Binnie said people are simply willing to pay more to live in the west side.

While sales activity in the city dipped slightly, housing price increases throughout Vancouver were among the most dramatic in the country, next to Calgary and Edmonton, the survey said.

Royal LePage attributed the city’s rising home prices to strong consumer confidence and solid economic growth, which has caused demand to outpace supply.

An influx of Chinese visitors as a result of an expected easing of travel restrictions by Beijing, and the 2010 Winter Olympics, will likely to continue to push job growth in Vancouver and boost the housing market, the company said.

Binnie noted that relatively low interest rates also keep the housing market upbeat.

Binnie said the rate of price appreciation this year will likely not be as sharp as last year, however, as he anticipated affordability issues will keep prices in check.

“Prices are starting to moderate,” he said.

The average price of a two-bedroom condominium in the city was up 17 per cent from the year-ago period at $353,000; a detached bungalow increased 16.9 per cent to $668,500; and a two-storey house rose 15.7 per cent to $757,750 — all well above national averages.

Rising housing costs, however, are making it increasingly difficult for lower- and middle-income households to afford to live in the city, said Leslie Stern, project coordinator for Lower Mainland Network for Affordable Housing.

Families earning $40,000 to $60,000 a year are hard pressed to obtain mortgages, Stern said, adding that single people are finding it even tougher to purchase residential property.

“Whether it’s young families, seniors, youth . . . they’re all losing out,” Stern said. “We really need a strategy to create housing that is affordable for all income levels.”

Victoria‘s housing market showed more modest appreciation in the first three months of this year, stabilizing due to a 10-per-cent increase in available homes on the market, Royal LePage said.

A standard two-storey house in the provincial capital rose 13.6 per cent to $399,900 compared with last year, while the average price of a condominium rose 11.5 per cent to $223,00, and a detached bungalow edged up 8.3 per cent to $352,000.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

In real estate, it is often said, location is everything, and that is clearly demonstrated in Vancouver

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Restaurant listings For April 6, 2006

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

Sun

– WEST COAST

Aurora Bistro The first fine dining room on Main St. Inventive food, hip spot. 2420 Main St., 604-873-9944. $$

Bishop’s Consistently one of the city’s best. Almost 100 per cent organic foods. 2183 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-2025. $$$

Bin 941 Tapas bar in tiny eclectic space. 941 Davie St., 604-683-1246. $$/$$$

Bin 942 Creative, delectable tapas dishes. 1521 West Broadway, 604-734-9421. $$/$$$

Bridges For fine dining, head upstairs, and for casual, try the downstairs bistro. 1696 Duranleau, 604-687-4400. $$/$$$

Brix Large tapas selection, 60 wines by the glass. 1138 Homer St., 604-915-9463. $$/$$$

Chartwell Beautiful food, wonderful service. Four Seasons Hotel, 791 West Georgia St. 604-689-9333. $$$

Cru Blurs the lines of fine dining, lounge and bistro. Lovely “small plates” or a four-course prix fixe. 1459 West Broadway, 604-677-4111. $$

Diva at the Met High-end food, gorgeously presented. Metropolitan Hotel, 645 Howe St., 604-602-7788. $$$

Feenie’s Comfort food with a modern tweak and quality ingredients. 2563 West Broadway, 604-739-7115. $/$$

Fiction Young crowd, great tapas dishes. 3162 West Broadway, 604-736-7576. $$

Glowbal Grill and Satay Bar Hip, happening destination. Creative chef. West Coast:

Lift Bar and Grill Gorgeously perched over Coal Harbour. Sibling to Monk McQueen’s. 333 Menchions Mews, 604-689-5438. $$$

Lucy Mae Brown Intimate space, assertive dishes. 862 Richards St., 604-899-9199. $$

Nu A sophisticated version of casual dining. Beautiful flavours, great atmosphere. 1661 Granville St., 604-646-4668. $$

Parkside Handsome room in residential West End, richly flavoured food. Great spot. 1906 Haro, 604-683-6912. $$/$$$

Raincity Grill A Vancouver moment by English Bay. Regional food. 1193 Denman St., 604-685-7337. $$$

Show Case West Coast menu that doesn’t shy from adventure. Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel, 1128 West Hastings St., 604-639-4040. $$$

Watermark Stunning Kits Beach view, sexy architecture, casual food. 1305 Arbutus St., 604-738-5487. $$

West Vies for best restaurant in the city. 2881 Granville St., 604-738-8938. $$$

– ITALIAN

Adesso Neighbourhood Italian spot with light, elegant food. 2201 West First Ave., 604-738-6515. $$

Amarcord Food from the Bologna and Emilia Romagna area of Italy, elegantly presented. Clear, natural flavours. 1168 Hamilton St., 604-681-6500. $$

Borgo Antico Tuscan looks. Fine Italian food. 321 Water St., 604-683-8376. $$/$$$

Cin Cin Restaurant and Bar A well-coiffed crowd. Entrees, pasta and pizzas. Nice summer patio. 1154 Robson St., 604-688-7338. $$/$$$

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill Fine Italian cuisine with a light touch. 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466. $$$

Don Francesco Ristorante Romantic, classic Italian restaurant with heart. 860 Burrard St., 604-685-7770. $$$

Il Giardino “New Italian” food, light with exotic elements. Big on game. 1382 Hornby St., 604-669-2422. $$$.

Incendio Great wood-oven pizzas, robust lineup of pastas. 103 Columbia St., 604-688-8694. $/$$

Incendio West Same as above, but in modern digs. 2118 Burrard St., 604-736-2220. $/$$

La Terrazza Knock-out looks, intelligent and friendly staff, traditional Italian food. 1088 Cambie St., 604-899-4449. $$$

Lombardo’s Pizzeria and Restaurant Serving pizza lovers for years. 1641 Commercial Dr., 604-251-2240. $

Quattro on Fourth An Italian restaurant with flair. 2611 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-4444. $$/$$$

– CHINESE

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Slurp noodles and chomp on delicious potstickers. Huge menu. 1339 Robson St., 604-685-0871. $

Imperial Seafood Fine Cantonese food, (expensive) in the lovely Marine Building. 355 Burrard St., 604-688-8191. $$$

Kirin Seafood Exquisite Cantonese food. City Square, 555 West 12th Ave., 604-879-8038. $$$

Pink Pearl It’s been around forever and is still a going concern. 1132 East Hastings St., 604-253-4316. $

Sun Sui Wah Cantonese cuisine with light, finely tuned flavours. 3888 Main St., 604-872-8822. $$

Szechuan Chongqing An institution for those who love the incendiary fare. 2808 Commercial Dr., 604-254-7434. $$

Wild Rice Modern Chinese food in a sophisticated, hip setting. 117 West Pender St., 604-642-2882. $$

– JAPANESE

Ajisai Sushi Bar Small neighbourhood spot with sushi that sings. 2081West42nd Ave., 604-266-1428. $

Bistro Sakana Exciting Japanese food with French and Italian curve balls. 1123 Mainland St., 604-633-1280. $$

Black Tuna Tapas style Japanese dishes, sushi, lovingly cooked. 202 — 1184 Denman St., 604-408-7557. $$

Chopstick Cafe/Shiru-Bay Great atmosphere, intriguing izakaya food, budget prices. 1193 Hamilton St., 604-408-9315. $$

En Japanese Restaurant Bucks the usual conformity of Japanese restaurants. Splendid food. 2686 Granville St., 604-730-0330. $$

Gyoza King Gyozas reign supreme. Open late. 1508 Robson St., 604-669-8278. $

Hapa Izakaya Young and stylish; great izakaya-style Japanese food. 1479 Robson St., 604-689-4272. $/$$

Japone Wonderfully inventive dishes on the ‘chef’s specials’ menu. 8269 Oak St., 604-263-6708. $$

Sushi Wabi Sabi Exciting contemporary Japanese food. 4422 West 10th Ave., 604-222-8188. $$

Tojo’s Restaurant The topper in this category. Japanese food at its best. 202 — 777 West Broadway, 604-872-8050. $$$

Toshi Sushi Tiny place always packed for the fresh, tasty sushi. 181 East 16th Ave., 604-847-5173. $/$$

Umami A hybrid of Japanese and Mediterranean, the food is ambitious and creative. Good value wines. 572 Davie St., 604-696-9563. $$

Yuji’s Expect the unexpected. Food takes some creative turns. 2059 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-4990. $$

Zest Japanese Cuisine Grazing style modern Japanese menu in cool modern room. 2775 West 16th Ave., 604-731-9378. $$

– FRENCH/BELGIAN

Bacchus Restaurant Some classics, some nouveau. Expect the best. Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby St., 604-689-7777. $$$

Cafe de Paris Traditional French bistro. Lots of character. 751 Denman St., 604-687-1418. $$

Cassis Bistro Low budget but mod interior. Delicious traditional French bistro fare. Good value. 420 West Pender St., 604-605-0420. $$

Chambar Modern Belgian food. Hot hipster scene. Chef has cooked in a three-star Michelin restaurant. 562 Beatty St., 604-879-7119. $$

Elixir French brasserie in Yaletown; bistro food, haute quality. 322 Davie St., 604-642-0557. $$/$$$

Le Crocodile Refined French with incredible wines to boot. 909 Burrard St., 604-669-4298. $$$

Le Gavroche French food in a charming old house. 1616 Alberni St., 604-685-3924. $$$

The Hermitage Beautifully controlled classic French cooking. Quiet atmosphere. 1025 Robson St., 604-689-3237. $$$

Lumiere Chef Rob Feenie redefines restaurants in Vancouver. Tasting menus. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$$

Mistral Authentic Provencal food cooked by former Michelin chef. 2585 West Broadway, 604-733-0046. $$

Pastis French bistro with a lightness of being. 2153 West Fourth Ave., 604-731-5020. $$/$$$

Salade de Fruits Very good value French country bistro. 1551 West Seventh, 604-714-5987. $$

The William Tell A Swiss-French restaurant. Service excels. Georgian Court Hotel, 773 Beatty St., 604-688-3504. $$$

– GREEK

Apollonia Well-prepared Greek food and very good pizzas. 1830 Fir St., 604-736-9559. $/$$

Bouzyos Greek Taverna Lively atmosphere, better than average Greek food. 1815 Commercial Dr., 604-254-2533. $$

Kalamata Greek Taverna A popular souvlaki stop dressed in the familiar white and blue. 478 West Broadway, 604-872-7050. $$

The Main Friendly, funky spot. Wonderful roast lamb. 4210 Main St., 604-709-8555. $$

Maria’s Taverna Friendly service. 2324 West Fourth Ave., 604-731-4722. $$

Simpatico Thirty-plus years old; traditional Greek restaurant with the addition of good pizzas. 2222 West Fourth Ave., 604733-6824. $/$$

Stepho’s Nightly lineups because of low prices. 1124 Davie St., 604-683-2555. $

– INDIAN

Akbar’s Own Mogul-style Indian cuisine. 1905 West Broadway, 604-736-8180. $$

Chutney Villa South Indian cuisine, with dosas, idli and vadas. 147 East Broadway, 604-872-2228. $/$$

Clove An alternative Indian restaurant, funky, cheap beyond belief. 2054 Commercial Dr., 604-255-5550. $

Clove Upscale sibling to Clove on Commercial. Modern Indian cuisine. 735 Denman St., 604-669-2421. $/$$

Indica Indian dishes with western tweaks. Charming. 1795 Pendrell St., 604-609-3530. $

Maurya Fine Indian food in glam surroundings. 1643 West Broadway, 604-742-0622. $$$

Rangoli Vij’s casual and take-out next-door sidekick. Impressive. 1488 West 11th Ave., 604-736-5711. $

Samosa Garden Smooth sauces, lovely food, good service. 3502 Kingsway, 604-437-3502. $$

Tamarind A hip spin-off from the traditional Rubina Tandoori restaurant with modern elements. 1626 West Broadway, 604-733-5335. $$

Vij’s Dishes are a symphony of wondrous flavours. 1480 West 11th Ave., 604-736-6664. $$

Yogi’s Hip, contemporary Indian food, perfect for The Drive. 1408 Commercial Dr., 604-251-9644. $

– SOUTHEAST ASIAN

Banana Leaf Homestyle Malaysian food. 820 West Broadway, 604-731-6333 and 1096 Denman St., 604-683-3333. $$

Chi Modern take on Malaysian and Thai cuisines. 1796 Nanaimo St., 604-215-0078. $$

Kedah House Halal Restaurant Malaysian food with a light, nimble touch. 5750 Fraser St., 604-325-9771. $

Monsoon An “East-West” brasserie with tropical Asian dishes, loads of atmosphere. 2526 Main St., 604-879-4001. $$

Montri Thai Restaurant Some of the best Thai food in the city. 3629 West Broadway, 604-738-9888. $$

Phnom Penh Largely Cambodian but includes Chinese and Vietnamese flavours. 244 East Georgia St., 682-5777. $

Pondok Authentic Indonesian dishes, freshly cooked. 2781 Commercial Dr., 604-872-8718. $$

Salathai Thai Dishes are freshly prepared and consistent. 3364 Cambie St., 604-875-6999. $$

Sawasdee Thai Gracious service keeps the regulars hooked. 4250 Main St., 604-876-4030. $$

Simply Thai On the A-list for Thai food. 1211 Hamilton St., 604-642-0123. $$

– SEAFOOD

Bluewater Cafe and Raw Bar Handsome spot. Impressive seafood, impressive wine list. 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078. $$$

C Chef Robert Clark takes seafood to a new level. 1600 Howe St., 604-681-1164. $$$

Cannery Seafood Fine dining in rustic nautical decor on working waterfront. 2205 Commissioner St., 604-254-9606 $$$

Coast Restaurant Yaletown chic, shares kinship with Glowbal Grill and Satay. Seafood emphasis. 1157 Hamilton St., 604-685-5010. $$$

Fish Cafe Unpretentious, straight-ahead seafood at bargain prices. 2053 West 41st Ave., 604-267-3474. $

Fish House in Stanley Park Bold and imaginative seafood dishes by the creative Karen Barnaby. 8901 Stanley Park Dr., 604-681-7275. $$$

Go Fish Fab fish and chips and much more, dished out of a catering truck, made with fish from the adjacent Fisherman’s Wharf. 1505 West First Ave., 604-730-5040. $

Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House Fresh shucked oysters, cedar plank salmon, grilled chops. High energy. 777 Thurlow St., 604-669-1940. $$$

Rodney’s Oyster House Specializes in very fresh shellfish and oysters. 1228 Hamilton St., 604-609-0080. $$

– AMERICAN

Memphis Blues Barbecue House Slow-cooked, southern style BBQ. Delish. 1465 West Broadway, 604-738-6806; 1342 Commercial Dr., 604-215-2599. $

– VEGETARIAN

Bo Kong Buddhist-based menu using very fresh ingredients. Mild flavours. 3068 Main St., 604-876-3088. $

Greens and Gourmet Meals priced by weight. Flavours from around the world. 2582 West Broadway, 604-737-7373. $

Habibi’s Lebanese food. Not the same old, same old. 1128 West Broadway, 604-732-7487. $

The Naam Wide variety of vegetarian fare. Quiet patio in summer. 2724 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-7151. $

Om Vegetarian Flavourful, fresh Buddhist-based vegetarian food. 3466 Cambie St., 604-873-6878. $

Raw Raw veggie and fruit dishes (preserves enzymes) as well as cooked. Food is 80 to 90 per cent organic. 1849 West First Ave., 604-737-0420. $

– LATIN AMERICA

Banano’s No-frills Venezuelan/Colombian cafe. Delicious arepas. 1223 Pacific Boulevard, 604-408-4228. $

Baru Casually chic South American food for discerning diners. 2535 Alma St., 604-222-9171. $$

Havana Cuban food, tweaked for Commercial Drive. 1212 Commercial Dr., 604-253-9119. $

Latin Quarter Mexican and Mediterranean tapas dishes as well as music in the evenings. 1305 Commercial Dr., 604-251-1144. $$

Lolita’s South of the Border Cantina Casual Mexican food with sparkle. Lots of buzz in the room. 1326 Davie St., 604-696-9996. $$

Mexico Sabroso A slice of Mexico. Very inexpensive, authentic Mexican cafe. 440 West Hastings St., 604-688-7426. $

Mouse and Bean Fresh, homey Mexican food, in a funky space. 207 West Hastings, 604-633-1781. $

Rinconcito Salvadorean Restaurant Fresh Salvadorean cuisine. Lovely pupusas. 2062 Commercial Dr., 604-879-2600. $

Tio Pepe’s Yucatan food, nicely prepared. 1134 Commercial Dr., 604-254-8999. $

– MEDITERRANEAN

Circolo Italian, French, and a little bit of New York. Awesome wine list. 1116 Mainland, 604-687-1116. $$$

Provence Mediterranean Grill The menu is a marriage of French and Italian. Lovely flavours. 4473 West 10th Ave., 604-222-1980 and 1177 Marinaside Cres., 604-681-4144. $$

– EASTERN EUROPEAN, CENTRAL ASIAN

Accent Eastern European, French, Russian accents on a continental theme. 1967 West Broadway, 604-734-6660. $$

The Budapest Big doses of Hungarian comfort. Smouldering goulash soup. 3250 Main St. 604-877-1949. $

Rasputin Large selection of vodkas, wonderful live music and dishes such as grilled Georgian cornish game hen. 457 West Broadway, 604-879-6675.$$

– NORTH SHORE

Beach House at Dundarave Pier Spectacular setting for brunch by Dundarave Beach. West Coast cuisine. 150 25th St., West Van, 604-922-1414. $$$

Beach Side Cafe Elegant room, summer patio, fine Italian cuisine. 1362 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-925-1945. $$$

Bravo Cucina Traditional Italian, cooked with care. 1209 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-985-3006. $$

Brown’s Restaurant and Bar Casually chic and bustling bistro with burgers, rice bowls, entrees. 1764 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-929-5401. $/$$

Dundarave Fish Market Charming spot; fabulous seafood from the adjoining fish market. 2419 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, 604-922-1155. $

Gusto Di Quattro Cosy, warm. Italian food. 1 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-924-4444 . $$/$$$

La Regalade A truly, deeply French bistro. Wonderful atmosphere. 2232 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-921-2228. $$/$$$

Mythos Whitewashed walls, azure blue trim say “sun-drenched Greece.” 1811 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-984-7411. $$

Nobu Tiny, with just enough room to make the lovely sushi. 3197 Edgemont Blvd.,North Van., 604-988-4553. $

Palki An Indian restaurant with a good grip on the spices. Fresh ingredients. 116 East 15th St., North Van, 604-986-7555. $$

Saltaire Gorgeous roof patio. Good value West Coast food. 2nd floor – 235 15th St., West Van, 604-913-8439. $$

Zen Japanese Restaurant Creative kitchen, quality ingredients. Good sake list. 2232 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-925-0667. $$/$$$

– BURNABY/NEW WEST

Anton’s Gargantuan portions of pasta. No reservations. 4260 Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-299-6636. $$

Bombay Bhel Lovely Indian food. Menu features Mumbai-style snacks. 4266 Hastings St., 604-299-2500. $/$$

The Hart House In Tudor mansion. Exacting West Coast fare. 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278. $$$

Stefanos Restaurant Live music and dancing, Friday and Saturday nights. Mediterranean food with Greek dishes. 315 Columbia St., New Westminster, 604-520-9911. $$

Taverna Greka Greek cuisine. View of Fraser River. 326 Columbia, New Westminster, 604-526-6651. $$

– COQUITLAM, POCO, PORT MOODY

Joey Tomato’s Mediterranean Grill Casual family retaurant. 550 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam, 604-939-3077

John B Pub Above-average pub food. 1000 Austin Ave., Coquitlam, 604-931-5115. $$

Kirin Seafood Restaurant Chinese food for the discriminating palate. 2nd floor, Henderson Place, 1163 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, 604-944-8833. $$/$$$

– RICHMOND

Also Lounge and Restaurant A blend of Italian/French with Asian accents and high-end presentation. 4200 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-303-9906. $$

Big River Brewing Co. Pub, serving casual food. 14200 Entertainment Blvd., Richmond, 604-271-2739. $/$$

Bo Kong Restaurant Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. No alcohol. 8100 Ackroyd Rd., Richmond, 604-278-1992. $

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Noodles and delicious pot stickers, panfried or steamed. 4600 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-273-0871. $

The Rainbow Vegetarian Restaurant Deliciously prepared vegan and vegetarian Buddhist Chinese food. 8095 Park Road, Richmond, 604-273-7311. $

Sun Sui Wah Impressive way with seafood. 4940 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-8208. $$

Zen Fine Chinese Cuisine Multi-coursed tasting menus and personalized dinners. Excellent. 2015 — 8580 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, 604-233-0077. $$$

– SURREY, WHITE ROCK, DELTA, TSAWWASSEN

Big Ridge Brewing Co. A Mark James restaurant and brew-pub. Families welcome. 15133 Hwy. 10, Surrey, 604-574-2739. $$

Crescent Beach Bistro Rustic country spot. Straight ahead food. 12251 Beecher St., 604-531-1882. $$

Giraffe Charming place, eclectic West Coast menu. 15053 Marine Dr., White Rock, 604-538-6878. $$/$$$

Northview Golf and Country Club High-end dining, nestled amid acres of golf fairways. 6857 168th St., Surrey, 604-574-0324. $$$

Pearl on the Rock Modern Pacific Northwest cuisine with emphasis on seafood. Delicious fare. 14955 Marine Dr., White rock. 604-542-1064. $$$

– FRASER VALLEY

Bacchus Bistro At Domain de Chaberton Estate Winery. Limited hours. Mediterranean food. 1064 — 216th St., Langley. 604-530-9694. $$

Bravo Bistro Swish little bistro, run by former Delilah’s restaurant veterans. 46224 Yale Rd., Chilliwack. 1-604-792-7721. $$

– SQUAMISH AND WHISTLER

Araxi Restaurant & Bar Handsome Tuscan looks, regional cuisine. Outstanding wine list. 4222 Village Square, Whistler, 604-932-4540. $$/$$$

Fifty Two 80 Bistro Every dish a ‘wow’. Gorgeous room. Four Seasons Hotel, 4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, 604-935-3400. $$$

Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co. The brew pub serves casual fare. The Red Heather dining room offers a finer menu. 37801 Cleveland Ave., Squamish, 604-892-2603. $/$$$

La Rua Refined tastes of the Mediterranean with B.C. backups. Romantic. Le Chamois Hotel, 4557 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, 604-932-5011. $$/$$$

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

 

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Downtown land prices soar 350 per cent

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

Wency Leung
Sun

The cost of land in downtown Vancouver has jumped, in some cases as much as 350 per cent, over the past three to four years, contributing to the rising cost of housing as demand far outstrips supply, according to the president of the Urban Development Institute.

Ward McAllister, who is also president and CEO of real estate development firm Ledingham McAllister, said some residential developers are now paying at least $110 to $120 per square foot for buildable land in city, compared with about $35 per square foot four years ago.

“Land prices have gone up everywhere,” McAllister said, adding that land for highrises in Richmond has increased in value by 80 per cent during the last three years, while land costs in areas like Langley and Surrey have shot up about 70 per cent.

“We have a real shortage of land in the Lower Mainland,” he said.

Cameron Muir, senior analyst at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, agreed that the amount of buildable land in the region is limited by the ocean to the west, and land reserved for agricultural use to the east. The U.S. border to the south and mountains to the north further limit land for development.

“That constrains the overall geography,” Muir said.

He added that there is still land available, but the asking price is often too high for developers to build profitable projects.

According to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, the average price of all lots sold for residential development in 2003 was $246,872, whereas in 2005, the average was $324,689. Last month, the average was $590,844. Those figures are for the average of all sizes of lots sold, where there was either no existing residence on the property or where the buyer intended to demolish the structure for its land value only.

Meanwhile, the value of land for the Olympic athlete’s village in southeast False Creek hit a national record, as local development company Millennium Group bid $193 million for the 2.6-hectare site.

McAllister said existing communities will have to allow for denser developments if the region is to see sustainable growth.

“It’s incumbent upon all of us … to accept our fair share of growth,” he said.

McAllister pointed to Coal Harbour and the Concord Pacific lands along False Creek as examples of areas that have incorporated higher-density populations in their development.

Some neighbourhoods, however, have resisted growth, delaying the approval processes for new projects, he said. This, in turn, hurts affordability, he added.

While creating denser communities will help stabilize housing prices, McAllister said, it will not likely bring costs down.

“I probably don’t see land costs decreasing, but I see more supply coming on into the market to create more equilibrium,” he said.

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

 

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Olympic village bid not good news

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

Developer of ‘workplace housing’ fears results of ‘theme park for high-end’ homes

Pete McMartin
Sun

The news, trumpeted on the front page of The Vancouver Sun yesterday, sounded as if the city had just won something. It was just the opposite.

The headline was:

“$193-million Olympic village bid blows away competition.”

All that headline needed was an exclamation mark. But it was there, nonetheless, in absentia, in its implication of either “Hey, we’re world-class!” or “Hey, the world’s gone mad!” It was hard to decide which. Possibly, it was both.

No matter. It’s not good news any way you look at it.

The winning bid to develop the southeast False Creek lands — which will house the Olympic village — was $23 million above the next closest bid, which at $170 million was substantial enough. This makes what is at present a hodgepodge of outdated industrial land into the most expensive piece of residential real estate in the country, and it makes the Millennium Group, which submitted the winning bid, either (a) foolhardy or (b) prescient. Time will tell.

Howard Rotberg was not so unsure when he heard the news. He described the bid as “a disaster” for Vancouver — the latest example of the city’s drift toward high-end housing.

This is a curious view, since Rotberg is a developer. But he’s a different kind of developer.

“I used to call what I do building ‘affordable housing,’ ” Rotberg said, “but I’ve changed that. I call it building ‘workplace housing.’ “

Why “workplace” and not “affordable?”

Because he tries to build housing for the middle class, he said, families whose combined incomes are between $50,000-$100,000, and who want to live near where they work. Most people, he said, associate “affordable housing” with government-subsidized social housing for low-income people. That segment of the market has been well-serviced in Vancouver, Rotberg said.

“But we have an equally serious problem for affordable housing for what we know as the middle class. And for middle-class earners in the workforce — such as firemen, policemen, teachers, nurses, the people who pour your coffee, who work in the downtown offices, the salespeople who work in downtown shops — the possibility of affordable housing is increasingly becoming out of reach for them or their children here. Vancouver seems to think the [middle class] workforce should work in Vancouver but live in Surrey.”

Which is to say, there is such a thing as affordable housing for the middle class: It’s called the suburbs. But that, Rotberg said, creates a whole new range of problems for the urban landscape and the people who live in it — long commute times, pollution, traffic congestion, stress, high debt load, and possibly worst of all, an increasing stratification of society. High housing and land prices dictate that developers and home buyers maximize the worth of their properties, which squeezes out more modest housing, which turns cities like Vancouver, he said, into “something of a theme park for high-end housing.”

“You can see it in cities like Paris. The inner city is this beautiful theme park of expensive housing. But outside the inner city, it’s a different story. You send all your troubles to the peripheries, and you don’t care about your young. And what’s happening there? The outer areas of Paris are surrounded by grim suburbs. The young there are rioting.

“We must do something to make sure that doesn’t happen here because this theme park will not stay like this here forever.”

His company, Rotberg Development Group, has done almost all its work in southern Ontario, where he used to practise law specializing in real estate. Government policies there are more conducive to the work he does, he said, and his most recent project was the conversion of an old fire department headquarters in Kitchener.

Working with the CMHC’s Residential Rehabilitation Assistance program, which provides loans to developers, he built 19 affordable units that, because of built-in income criteria and rent caps, meant the units went to middle-class earners. The City of Kitchener sold him the land at a fair price, he said, because it made a political decision to get that kind of housing built.

But the most enlightened policies for the building of affordable workplace housing, he said, originate in the U.S. There, governments have pioneered a variety of policies to create workplace housing for the middle class: community land trusts that set aside portions of land; demolition levies against buyers who tear down modest homes to put up high-end residences; affordable housing investment funds, which can give investors returns of 12 to 16 per cent (Rotberg cited the Genesis Workforce Housing Fund in Los Angeles, which specializes in downtown townhomes for middle-income earners); flexible zoning laws that introduce a mix of housing into single-family residential neighbourhoods, or allow residences among industrial or commercial properties.

“Our zoning bylaws have to move into the 21st century,” Rotberg said. “The effect of single-family zoning is meant to maintain your property values. You don’t want denser properties or guys who drive pickup trucks near you, because that would affect your property values. And I understand why people don’t want that.

“However, in our effort to give everybody increases in property values — which, in my opinion, are now obscene — we are no longer living in a real world.”

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

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GVRD begs to differ on Port Mann twinning

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

But provincial transportation minister insists bridge project will definitely proceed ‘because it is critical’

William Boei
Sun

LOWER MAINLAND – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon rejected a regional district report Thursday that offers qualified support for the $3-billion Gateway Program but says the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge clashes with long-term regional growth plans.

The report, written by Greater Vancouver Regional District chief planner Hugh Kellas, recommends the GVRD support the program if the province drops its plan to twin the bridge and agrees to several other conditions.

Falcon said “No,” when asked if there was any chance the province will agree to leave out or change any major components of the Gateway Program.

Asked if that means the province will definitely go ahead with the twinning of the Port Mann, he said, “Absolutely. There is no question about it, because that is a critical part.”

The government is in the first phase of public consultations about the Gateway Program but has been talking to municipal and regional officials about it for two years, and Falcon said in a telephone interview that the region can’t pick and choose among the parts now.

“If we just built the South Fraser Perimeter Road without the twinned Port Mann Bridge, then what we would do is create a traffic calamity on the Pattullo and the Alex Fraser,” he said.

“If you try to pull out that portion of it, you create significant challenges for the other portions. And we’re not going to do that.

“This is why you have a provincial government, to kind of look at the broader picture to make sure that we make a decision in the broadest interest.”

Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, who chairs the GVRD’s land use and transportation committee, said Falcon’s comments were disappointing.

“It’s obvious to me that consultation has never been Kevin Falcon’s strong suit,” said Corrigan, whose committee will be presented with the Kellas report on Friday.

But he predicted the regional district will stay the course.

“Of course we will,” he said. “I think the GVRD will be more inclined to dig in its heels if Kevin Falcon isn’t willing to listen to any of the comments we might have about whether or not the Port Mann Bridge twinning fits within our plans, or how it might be made to fit within our plans.”

Asked what recourse the GVRD has, Corrigan, said, “Public opinion. I’m expecting that there will be significant public pressure on the government to re-look at its plans once all of the information is out.”

The Kellas report says the GVRD can support the overall goals of the Gateway Program, such as improved movement of goods and people, better connections to transit and reduced vehicle emissions.

The program includes the twinning of the bridge, widening the Trans-Canada Highway from Langley to Vancouver, building a new four-lane highway on the south shore of the Fraser River and upgrading a truck route on existing roads on the north shore of the river, including a new Pitt River bridge.

Kellas says the Port Mann twinning, widening the Trans-Canada west of the Port Mann and the new Pitt River bridge clash with regional plans. Those plans call for transportation demand management to be used to create space for goods movement before road capacity is expanded.

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

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Apple’s Mac opens door to Windows

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

Jim Jamieson
Province

In what analysts characterized as an industry-changing development, Apple Computer has unveiled software to allow users of its new Intel-based Macs to run Microsoft Corp.’s rival Windows XP operating system.

When it introduced its first Mac/Intel models in January, Apple insisted it wouldn’t aid such efforts, but yesterday introduced Boot Camp, a test-version software available as a free download, which lets computer users with a Windows XP installation disk load that OS on the Mac.

The upside for Apple is obvious. Users who have a need for both a Windows and Macintosh computer can now get by with one machine. As well, it will allow Apple to attract loyal Windows users who are curious about trying the Mac OS.

“Windows users can try out the Mac without a heavy psychological impact on their part. They’re not breaking away from the Windows world completely,” said Stephen Gully, president of Vancouver’s Atimi Software, which does contract programming mainly in the Macintosh environment. “This allows them to take an interim step to get their feet wet.”

Gully believes Apple’s hand was forced by open-source coders who have been working on ways to accomplish the same thing since January’s product launch.

“This is an attempt to provide some control over the process and not let the market run wild and have people infringing on copyrights or using solutions that might damage a machine,” said Gully.

Simon Fraser University professor of communication Richard Smith agreed with analysts who predicted the capability would significantly increase Apple’s personal-computer market share — which is currently about four per cent globally.

“This is a real threat to Dell and HP,” said Smith. “People forget that Apple is primarily a hardware company, so this is just a way to sell more hardware.”

Smith said the most obvious customer for a dual-OS Mac is large corporate or academic deployments.

“It gives you a lot of flexibility if you want to change a lab full of computers,” he said. “Anywhere people use Windows, Unix and Mac, this is a great step forward.”

© The Vancouver Province 2006

 

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Citywide WIFI service coming soon to Vancouver

Wednesday, April 5th, 2006

Keen or not, no company wants to be left out of citywide service

Gillian Shaw
Sun

Fatport co-founder Michael Kuhlmann uses his laptop computer in a Seattle’s Best coffeeshop that subscribes to the Fatport wireless system. Photograph by : Ian Smith, Vancouver Sun

One way or another, Vancouver is going to get a city-wide WiFi network, and that means that major players are already scrambling to position themselves to reap the spoils.

Those jostling to get into line range from Telus — which says the city doesn’t really need such a network but is willing to participate if it goes ahead — to feisty little wireless hotspot operator FatPort, which sees itself as the perfect company to run such an enterprise.

It’s a trend that has already hit other cities, such as Toronto. And San Francisco is even vowing to offer free WiFi service to all its residents. WiFi is a short-range technology that relies on multiple transmitters spread throughout an area and already is available in many hotels, coffee shops and other businesses

But offering WiFi wireless connectivity city-wide, either free or at a nominal cost, has the potential to cannibalize wireless network offerings from some of the bigger players.

That dilemma has not escaped companies such as Telus, which are trying to balance solidly on the fence. In one breath, Telus dismisses city-wide WiFi as unnecessary, given its high-speed paid wireless services; and in the next breath pledges its enthusiasm to be part of a solution should the city go the WiFi route.

“It is a matter of when and how, not if. And as always, who pays for it,” said city councillor Peter Ladner, who has requested a staff report on potential options.

Ladner realizes the prospect may be unsettling for wireless companies, but points out that it also may open new business opportunities.

“Maybe this is another reason people are so fascinated with all this,” he said. “It becomes a whole new business paradigm.

“It blows up all the old winners and losers and leaves you with a new world where everybody has to fight for position.”

Chris Langdon, vice-president of wireless solutions for Telus, is quick to point to that company’s EVDO wireless service offers close-to-broadband wireless speeds in major centres across Canada, including Vancouver. But he allows that Telus would be interested in any WiFi plans the city may have.

“We would certainly be interested in talking to the city to understand specifically their plan,” he said. “At this point, it would be hard to speculate on how they plan on rolling it out, and what they are planning on rolling out.”

EVDO and other wireless data transmission offerings from traditional carriers provide anywhere, anytime Internet connectivity in the areas they serve. However EVDO ranges from $30 to $100 a month, and comes with limits to its usage. It’s a built-in price barrier that puts it beyond the reach of many residents.

Google has already offered San Francisco a free WiFi service that would give residents a 300-kilobit a second speed. That’s considerably slower than EVDO — which can be up to 700 kilobits a second, a speed comparable to wired broadband connections.

In Toronto, Toronto Hydro is capitalizing on its wireless meter-reading capability to offer WiFi service across the city. Earlier this week, the corporation announced its telecommunications subsidiary Toronto Hydro Telecom was to install radio access points on streetlight poles throughout a six-square-kilometre area downtown.

For the first six months of operation, the service will be free. After that customers will be offered a range of access packages at what Toronto Hydro terms competitive rates.

So far, BC Hydro has said it is watching Toronto Hydro’s developments with interest, but it adds it is not moving ahead with any similar plans in B.C. due to economics. BC Hydro says the technology of automated meter reading still evolving.

TransLink is also dabbling in WiFi, with a traffic-signal priority system it is testing on the 98 B-line buses that can prompt lights to change or hold green lights for buses. However, TransLink spokesman Drew Snider said since this is only a test that uses WiFi, any speculation about a city-wide TransLink WiFi service “a little premature.”

Ladner said determining the objective of a city-wide system is part of the study, as is figuring out how best to deliver the service.

While one might expect a company such as FatPort, which offers paid WiFi service throughout the city, would feel threatened by the city’s proposal, that company’s reaction makes it clear it is nimble enough to recognize an opportunity.

“FatPort would welcome such a network in Vancouver. We’re obviously proponents of wireless technology, in particular public WiFi technology,” said Michael Kuhlmann, a co-founder and vice-president of business development at FatPort.

Although the company has only been around for three years, it is a pioneer in the WiFi hotspot business, and Kuhlmann is keen to be part of a city-wide solution. “At the end of the day we are entrepreneurs, so it has to be an opportunity for us,” he said.

Kuhlmann suggested the optimum solution wouldn’t be one in which one provider gets the go-ahead to provide a city-wide service, and he said FatPort would welcome being part of the project.

“There is no reason whatsoever we wouldn’t participate,” he said. “We have expertise built over the last three years that could facilitate such a network.

“It would be in everybody’s best interest if all the best players in Canada were at the table.”

A hybrid option, one in which various players take part, is one preferred by Matthew Asham, president of the British Columbia Wireless Network Society, a non-profit that builds local networks and content and promotes community wireless networks.

GET IN ON THE WIFI:

Here are some WiFi websites for further information:

– www.muniwireless.com

A portal for news and information about citywide broadband projects around the world.

– www.bcwireless.net

A volunteer, non-profit organization focused on building community networks using wireless technology.

– www.canadianhotspots.ca

A Web site endorsed by Canada’s four major wireless carriers that offers a guide to hotspot locations across Canada.

– www.fatport.com

A broadband wireless hotspot service that businesses can offer free to their customers, or can offer as a paid service with subscription rates that start at $9.95 for 120 minutes that can be used anytime over a 60-day period.

– www.wi-fi.org

The Web site of an alliance of more than 250 companies involved in WiFI, whether through hardware, software or connectivity. Canada ranks fourth after the U.S., the UK and Italy in the alliances top 10 countries for WiFi hotspots.

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

 

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Second homes 40% of market

Wednesday, April 5th, 2006

Noelle Knox
USA Today

This 3,000-square-foot vacation home near Bend, Ore., is located within a private country club.

Americans snapping up second homes — as investments or vacation properties — accounted for four out of every 10 sales of existing homes last year, a record that helped drive the real estate market to new highs, according to a report being released today by the National Association of Realtors.

Nearly 28% of homes bought last year were for investment purposes, and an additional 12% were vacation homes, the figures show. Most of the buyers were baby boomers in their top earning years, looking toward retirement and hoping to build wealth or find a more desirable place to live.

“Baby boomers are such a powerful economic force,” said Dave Jenks, co-author of The Millionaire Real Estate Investor. “They’re using their wealth to go buy second homes.”

The typical investment buyer last year was 49 years old with annual income of $81,400. He or she paid $183,500 for the median-priced investment home, up 24% from 2004.

“Real estate, over the past five years, has outperformed virtually every other investment vehicle,” said Ron Peltier, president and chief executive of HomeServices of America, the country’s second-largest residential brokerage firm. “A lot of people have just speculated in real estate.”

The trend really started after 1997, when Congress changed the tax code, allowing most homeowners to duck capital gains taxes when they sold their homes. The exemption is $500,000 for married couples, $250,000 for singles, if it was their primary residence for two of the past five years.

Under the old system, the only way to avoid the tax was to “roll” the gains into another home of equal or greater value. Americans bought bigger and costlier homes. But now, they can downsize and use the equity built up in their homes to buy second homes.

“That’s what spurred all this on in the beginning,” says David Lereah, the NAR’s chief economist. “It’s like all the stars are aligned. The tax situations helped, but at the same time, baby boomers were entering their peak earning years. That’s why we just boomed in second homes.”

He thinks the trend crested in 2005. With rising interest rates, tighter lending standards and slower price appreciation, Lereah expects second-home sales to drop this year to 30% of all existing-home sales, and maybe into the 20% range.

“What’s going to be leaving the market right now are the speculative investors who came into the market and were trying to flip homes,” he said. “They were buying one, two, three or four properties at a time, and that was distorting the numbers.”

Sales of vacation homes, though, are expected to stay strong for years, because the youngest baby boomers are only 42 this year.

The typical vacation home buyer last year was 52 years old, earning $82,800 a year, and purchased a property that was about 200 miles from the primary residence. The median price was $204,100, up 7.4%.

More than three-fourths of the buyers had no interest in renting their property. About 20% said it would one day be their retirement home.

Joe Klein and his wife bought their first vacation home last year on Lake Wabedo in Minnesota, three hours from their primary residence. He says he might like to retire there but might have to persuade his wife.

“It’s something that we could hand down to the kids,” says Klein, 42, a program manager for a medical company. “But secondly, I see it as an investment. If we had to, we could sell it to help pay for their college.”

BUYING SECOND HOMES

As Baby Boomers hit their peak earning years, they are buying up second homes for investments or vacation properties. Last year, second-home purchases accounted for almost 40% of all home sales (in millions):

Vacation

2003

0.8

2004

0.9

2005

1.0

Investment

2003

1.6

2004

2.0

2005

2.3

Source: National Association of Realtors

 

 

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