[CLOSED] To what degree should office development be a priority in the VMC?

by Mae Caldarelli,
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

The VMC will be the City’s central business district and a significant employment hub. Office development will be an important part of fulfilling that vision. However, to date, there is more interest in residential development than office development.

To what degree should office development be a priority in the VMC?


HERE ARE THE OPTIONS:


Option 1: Allow office development in much of the VMC, but require it as a part of new development in a limited area.

Option 1 maintains the densities (i.e. the amount of development permitted on a site) from the current secondary plan and maintains a requirement for office uses in a limited area around the subway station. Option 1 also maintains the employment lands along the east and west boundaries of the VMC, which permit a wider range of employment uses.

What does this mean?
  • Option 1 permits employment throughout the VMC.
  • Option 1 provides a wider range of permitted employment opportunities throughout the VMC.
  • Option 1 would likely result in stand-alone office and employment buildings.
  • Option 1 would likely result in a modest amount of office employment relative to the number of people living in the VMC.


Option 2: Increases density permissions in exchange for office development

Option 2 extends the requirement for office development over a much larger area and increases the permitted densities (i.e. the amount of development permitted on a site) to encourage office development. Option 2 replaces the “Employment” lands from Option 1 with mixed-use development with the goal of creating additional areas for employment.

What does this mean?
  • Option 2 creates a focus on office-type employment.
  • Option 2 results in more office development throughout the VMC.
  • Option 2 results in a mix of stand-alone office buildings and buildings with integrated office space (i.e. office space as well as other uses such as residential, retail, community uses, etc.).


WHAT DO YOU THINK?
  • To what degree should office development be a priority in the VMC?
  • Should offices be stand-alone buildings or integrated into mixed-use development (i.e. buildings that also contain residential, retail, community uses, etc.)?
  • Should employment be located more broadly throughout the VMC to disperse employment opportunities? Or should it be concentrated around transit stops?
  • What do you think is more important for a downtown – less jobs but more diversified employment types? Or more jobs and a concentration on office-type employment?
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