Chic Neighbourhoods: Where are the up-and-coming spots to live in Vancouver and Victoria?
Tired of the prices hip neighbourhoods command? Try these lesser known areas.
What is required to build a great city? The September issue of Azure magazine poses this very question, and identifies several key factors: availability of affordable housing, mixed commercial and residential areas, an extensive transit system, and pedestrian and bicycle pathways. Other factors are less specific,
Caper’s, haven of organic food,
in Cambie Street Village
(Photo by Lino Iacobellis) but seem no less important—a burgeoning artistic community, for example, or the appearance of quality eateries.
The same elements that make a great city also go into making a great neighbourhood, and in many ways a city can be seen as a collection of small villages, each with its own identity and attractions. Of course, there is more to creating a vibrant neighbourhood than a laundry list of desirable qualities. And the fact remains that by the time a neighbourhood is identifiable as a great place to dwell, chances are the housing prices have been increased to match. So while in Vancouver, for example, Main Street continues to become possibly the best place in the city to live, the cost to live there has risen accordingly.
The ideal situation would be to come across a neighbourhood in the act of becoming a hot spot. Alternatively, you could take a chance on a location that is undergoing quite a bit of change, or has seen its profile drop over the years. Here are some potential up-and-coming areas in Vancouver and Victoria that may be worth the gamble.
Victoria
The capital city of British Columbia has seen its share of “next big thing” neighbourhoods, and right now is no exception. Condo developments have been cropping up around the downtown core for several years, all in various stages of completion and, it seems, occupancy. One local business owner even described certain new developments, and their attempts to create neighbourhoods, as future ghost towns.
Given this atmosphere, and the current economic conditions, prospective homeowners and savvy renters might have better luck taking a chance on areas that are still on the cusp of reaching their potential.
Cook Street Village
The cafe strip in Cook Street Village, Victoria
(Photo by Deddeda Stemler/Tourism Victoria)The area known as Cook Street Village sits, appropriately, on Cook Street, beginning at Fairfield Road and extending to the water at Dallas Road. In a five-block stretch along its length are nine coffee shops, a testament to its urban-casual atmosphere.
As popular as the Village has been, both with residents and visitors, it has suffered in one important way—the complete lack of new residences. That looked to change when a block was purchased and plans to build a mixeduse development were announced; however, since 2002 when it became mired in funding problems, the lot has stood vacant.
Until recently. What a difference a few million dollars make. The former eyesore now houses Pharmasave, Cook Street Wine Shop, Serious Coffee, and Prima Strada Pizzeria—a Naplesauthentic pizza parlour. Add these to the already available amenities—a well-stocked video store, convenience store, hair salon, shoe repair, the aforementioned abundant coffee purveyors— and you have what is essentially the main street of a small town.
Currently under construction is the final piece, the Essencia Verde residential development. Set for completion in Summer 2009, the Essencia will add 22 residences to the Cook Street area— with prices starting at $420,0000—making all those coffee shops seem completely appropriate. In addition, several houses in the area have been renovated and divided to create four separate residences (the popular Victoria quadplex).
James Bay
On the other side of the hip spectrum from Cook Street is the area of James Bay, which sits behind the Legislative Assembly close again to Dallas Road. The oldest residential neighbourhood in Victoria, the area has several lovely parks and is home to many historical landmarks including Emily Carr House, Helmcken House, the Royal British Columbia Museum and Fisherman’s Wharf.
Lifestyle fever has swept the city, and suddenly a home is no longer a home but a design challenge. Areas are rated for their proximity to organic produce, workout facilities, and, of course, 24-hour coffee lounges.
James Bay has developed a reputation as being home mostly to retirees, and the businesses around it tend to reflect this, but lately a shift has been occurring in the area that runs counter to its otherwise sleepy exterior. While the retirees remain, moving into the ground floors of their houses or into new townhouse developments along Michigan and Parry Street are young artists and families. This blend has given the area an interesting flavour, and a few new touches.
Around the corner from the excellent Heron Rock Bistro (#4-435 Simcoe St.) is the new Spinnakers Spirit Merchants (425 Simcoe St.). While a new liquor store is not in and of itself a revelation, the tasting bar, also run by Spinnakers, going in next door could be. Mainstays include James Bay Coffee & Books (143 Menzies St.), an Internet café, bookstore and art gallery as well as a coffee shop; and the Bent Mast Restaurant and Pub (512 Simcoe St.), a homey establishment set in an old heritage house featuring an eclectic menu and often live folk, Celtic or bluegrass music. Furthermore, James Bay already functions as a community—the local businesses and art centres hold James Bay Community Days, and even the Thrifty Foods manages to feel more like a local market than a giant chain store.
Vancouver
There seems to be a new fashionable neighbourhood in Vancouver every four months, and for good reason. Lifestyle fever has swept the city, and suddenly a home is no longer a home but a design challenge. Areas are rated for their proximity to organic produce, workout facilities, and, of course, 24-hour coffee lounges. Naturally this has not escaped the notice of real estate developers who have wasted no time in labelling, shaping, and in some cases fabricating neighbourhoods out of a few connected streets.
For some areas the hype is, on the whole, justified. Main Street (rebranded as SoMa, or “South Main”) had long been the secret shopping destination for people wanting boutique brands and free-trade coffee. Then a few short years ago word of this escaped and suddenly there were five new condo developments in the area, practically overnight. As is always the case, the prices in the area have been steadily rising with the developments.
In order to escape this trend, contemplate areas with potential for future growth, or areas currently considered less desirable due to finite circumstances and stereotypical assumptions.
Strathcona
One of the many designated heritage
homes in Strathcona
(Photo by Matt Musselman/
Flickr-Mussels, www.onomatopoeia.org)To the young families and artists who call it home, multi-ethnic Strathcona is the most desirable neighbourhood to live in of those generally considered to be one of the least. It is also one of the few places close to downtown Vancouver where housing is still reasonable—you can still find a detached home costing around $550,000. Located between Hastings and Venables, it is only steps away from Chinatown and its inexpensive produce, exotic meat and seafood (and the tony condo development East). A few blocks the other way is the eclectic energy of Commercial Drive and its equally cheap produce. In fact, Strathcona is at the epicenter of what may be the most value-priced fruit and vegetables in the city.
Of course, Strathcona’s affordability does not come without reason. It borders one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada, with many unsuccessful attempts to change it having come and gone. The latest—a massive project on the old Woodward’s department store site—is set for completion in December of 2009. It remains to be seen if this will revitalize what was once Vancouver’s downtown core.
several buildings in the area have been converted to artists’ studios and live/work spaces, and many houses are designated heritage homes.
The many charming aspects of Strathcona can more than make up for this situation. Several buildings in the area have been converted to artists’ studios and live/work spaces, and many houses are designated heritage homes. Add to this narrower streets and tightly spaced buildings, as many houses in the area have been reconfigured or had their lots subdivided to allow smaller houses to be built behind them, and the place seems almost European.
Benny’s Italian Market (500 Union St.) has been here for decades, providing a great selection of pastas, imported cheeses and meats. A skip down the road is Union Market (810 Union St.), perfect for your morning coffee and a Portuguese egg tart or delectable cinnamon bun. Spring 2008 saw the rebirth of the quaint corner store in The Wilder Snail (799 Keefer St.), purveyor of mostly organic groceries complemented by an Italian coffee and sandwich bar. A little cafe called Truong Giang (392 Hastings St.), sells the best bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwiches on French baguettes) in town, and a few steps further along down Pender you’ll find two of the latest boutiques. Erin Templeton (511 Carrall St.) sells designer bags and accessories—her label is sold across North America and is now in Japan. Around the other side of the World’s Thinnest Building is Clack Clack Empire where owner Erin M. Wood stocks local and international labels such as Good Society and Paper Bird, and lines exclusive to her store like Wrath Arcane. And over on Venables, let’s not forget one of the best gelato spots in town—with over 500 flavours—La Casa Gelato (1033 Venables).
Cambie Street
Cambie has long been considered a fashionable place to live. The area between 16th and 21st avenues is known as Cambie Street Village and over the years has featured several distinguished eateries and the long-standing Park Theatre.
That all changed when the rapid transit Canada Line was placed under the Cambie corridor, and for the last three years construction has completely disrupted the area. Currently there is an application for a class action lawsuit against the project on behalf of area business and property owners, which claims that the project chose a more harmful construction method to reduce costs.
While the disruption, and the subsequent business closures, has been real, it does not completely overshadow the fact that Cambie is still one of the best places to live in the city. And when the line is eventually completed it will have rapid access to both the airport and downtown. Considering that construction has driven down both rent and housing costs, now may be the perfect time to consider Cambie Street Village.
If you can handle the construction for another six months you might wake up in a very different Cambie Street Village.
Cuisine and nightlife options include DaDeO (3305 Cambie), a New Orleans-style eatery; Kino Cafe (3456 Cambie) for regular flamenco nights with live music and dancers, and FigMint (corner of Cambie and 12th)—try one of their recently created wine-based cocktails that add a vintage twist to mojitos and margaritas.
Cambie is also the centre of a burgeoning organic foods war between Choices, Capers, and the Capers-owned Whole Foods (soon to be at Broadway). In the morning you have your choice of Beans Coffee and Tea (3365 Cambie), Blenz, Starbucks, or the Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe (3292 Cambie).
Eschewing the more saturated Main Street and Gastown for remaining on Cambie throughout the construction, Shop Cocoon (3345 Cambie) sells local and emerging designers such as Caroline Calvert Couture and Dru’s. For those who like their computers to be as fashionable as they are, head into Kube Computers (2921 Cambie) for custom-built computers and bags by companies like Crumpler. And for hip clothes for the zero to six set, EIO Kids (3404 Cambie) just set up shop last summer.
A few blocks away on 33rd Avenue sits the beautiful gardens of Queen Elizabeth Park; the shopping areas of Main Street and Granville are only a short drive (or a brisk walk) to either side. If you can handle the construction for another six months you might wake up in a very different Cambie Street Village.
