A Vancouver heritage advocacy organization has included two commercial streets on its annual list of endangered heritage sites.
Both Commercial Drive and East Hastings Street from Heatley to Campbell are in danger of losing their unique character to rapid development and recent city policies, according to Heritage Vancouver, who released its 2014 list of most endangered heritage sites April 11.
"In 1996, Vancouver City Council approved a policy to 'let go' of the industrial frontages along East Hastings from Heatley Avenue to Victoria Drive," said the organization on its website.
"The draft Local Area Plan proposes the creation of a 'high-street' along East Hastings from Heatley to Clark as a part of the renewal of the area. Ill-considered development along this corridor could impact critical heritage and cultural landmarks at an accelerating rate."
Commercial Drive has evolved organically over time to the unique street it is today, said Heritage Vancouver. The organization labels it the best pedestrian street in the city.
"As Vancouver continues to grow eastward, the pressures to develop this site to its allowable four-storey height limit could create a dreary blandness that would destroy what is important about 'The Drive.'"
Janet Leduc, executive director of Heritage Vancouver, told Business in Vancouver that commercial streets in Vancouver are increasingly under pressure as available land becomes more scarce.
Commercial Drive is particularly at risk, in part because a new community plan for the area was put on hold after opposition from residents. While the community plan included some protections for Commercial Drive, those don't apply while the plan is on hold.
"It's not so much that all those buildings are heritage buildings," Leduc said.
"Their overall design, building heights, the setbacks and the sidewalks, all of that creates a really vibrant street, and if you went in and put new retail at grade with residential at grade it would completely change the character of the street."
Commercial Drive and East Hastings are number 10 and number nine on the list, respectively. The Hollywood Theatre is number one on the list. A current proposal to develop the theatre into a two-storey chain fitness centre would keep only the façade of the Hollywood.
Heritage Vancouver notes that several cultural spaces, including the Pantages Theatre and Ridge Theatre, have been lost to development over the past few years.
The April 15 issue of Business in Vancouver will feature an in-depth story about the concerns of local businesses in Vancouver who say they fear city hall is not doing enough to protect independent businesses in the face of ongoing development and increasing property values.
