LOWER ROBSONMARKET PROFILE
January 2015 | Volume 1 / Edition 1
DOWNTOWN
STANLEYPARK
VANIERPARK
GRANVILLE ISLAND
ENGLISHBAY
FALSECREEK
LOST LAGOON COAL
HARBOUR
DAVIE STREET
DAVIE VILLAGE
LOWER ROBSON
ROBSON VILLAGE
BURRARD ST
PACIFIC ST
CARDERO ST
BUTE ST
GRANVILLE ST
W GEORGIA ST
W PENDER ST
ROBSON STREET
DENMAN STREET
SUNSET BEACH
ENGLISHBAY BEACH
GENERAL CHARACTER:• Commercialprecinctincludesthe211commercialbusinessesalonga5-blockareabetweenJervisStreetandDenmanStreetplusthosebusinessesalongDenmanStreetlocatedbetweenGeorgiaStreetandHaroStreet.
• LowerRobsonisapopularshoppingareawithbothlocalarearesidentsandregionalvisitors.• ThereisasignificantgradechangebetweenNicolaandJervis.• MostoftheretailactivityisconcentratedwestofNicola.• RetailcharacterisinfluencedbynearbyStanleyPark,particularlyonDenmanStreetbetween
Georgia and Robson Street.• Thereare10hoteldevelopmentsinLowerRobsonprovidinganimportantsourceofretail/servicedemand.• AsianrestaurantclusterdominatedbyKoreanfoods;attractsESLstudentsevenings&weekends.
KEY DEMOGRAPHICS:• Highdensityresidentialareawithapproximately8,200personswithina3-blockwalkingdistance.• 51.7%ofthepopulationisintheprimespendingyearsbetween20and44yearsofage.• MedianpersonalincomeslevelsareaboutthesameasMetroVancouveraverage.• 50.8%ofthepopulationissingle(nevermarried)comparedto34.1%inMetroVancouver.• Visibleminoritiescomprise35.0%ofthepopulation(41.7%inMetroVancouver)• 98.7%ofresidentsliveinapartmentbuildings(76.3%arerentedunits).• Themedianageofthepopulationis38years.• Only5.7%ofthepopulationisaged0-14years(16.4%inMetroVancouver).• Demographicssupporthighdemandforretailgoodsandservices.
TRAFFIC: • Highlevelsofbothvehicularandpedestriantrafficthroughoutthedayandevenings,sevendaysperweek.• Vehiculartrafficiscomprisedofbothlocalandregionaltraffic.• Bikerentalstotalover200,000annually.
PARKING: OnStreetParking:Approx.83Stalls,($1.50-3.00perhour)Off-StreetParking:545Stalls,ratesvaryfromfree-$4.00perhour
24-Hour Vehicle Traffic Counts:Approx. 8,500 vehicles
2-Way Pedestrian Traffic Counts:Approx. 8,950 pedestrians per day
To look at the West End today is to see 45,000 folks who willingly trade density and congestion for convenience and amenities… that being the very definition of urban living in a downtown core.”
– Vancouver Sun, September 2014
“
RECENT/EXPECTED ACTIVITY:• RedevelopmentofSafewaysitehashelpedmodernizetheareaandestablishedaretaillandmark.• 1675RobsonStreet-futureredevelopmentopportunityforcurrentWholeFoodssite.• 1401RobsonStreet-futuredevelopmentopportunityforvacantsite.• Albernistreethas3-4residentialdevelopmentsites.
• Atotalof211businessesarelocatedintheLowerRobsonprecinct.• Well-anchoredwithalarge/modernSafeway,aBCLiquorStore,andWholeFoodsMarket.• SecondaryretailanchorsincludeCIBCandVanCity(bothpartoftheSafewaydevelopment)and7-Eleven.• AnchorsestablishtheprimarilyroleofLowerRobsonStreetasalocalneighbourhoodshoppingprecinct.• Personal,financial,andprofessionalservicescomprise29%ofallbusinesseshelpingretainlocalshoppers.• 49restaurantsand13fastfoodbusinessescomprise29.4%ofallbusinesses.• StrongdrawtotheareacreatedbyconcentrationofAsianrestaurants.
*11 of the 27 vacancies are located off-street within the Robson Public Market; street level vacancies closer to 7% of available space.
MERCHANDISING HIGHLIGHTS:
BUSINESS CATEGORY #OF BUSINESSES % OF TOTAL
MAJOR/ANCHOR STORES 4 1.9 SPECIALTY RETAIL 21 10.0 HOME FURNISHINGS/HOME DECOR 0 0.0 CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES 0 0.0 FAST FOOD/TAKE OUT 13 6.2 RESTAURANT 49 23.2 CAFE 9 4.3 RETAIL FOOD 8 3.8 PERSONAL SERVICES 29 13.7 FINANCIAL SERVICES 2 0.9 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 31 14.7 AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES/PARTS 0 0.0 RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT 2 0.9 VACANT* 27 12.8 HOTEL 10 4.7 COMMUNITY SERVICES & INSTITUTIONAL 4 1.9 NEW CONSTRUCTION 0 0.0 SCHOOLS/COLLEGES/LEARNING 2 0.9
TOTAL 211 100.0%
1.9%
0.0%
10.0% 0.0%
6.2%
23.2%
13.7%0.9%
14.7%
0.0%
12.8%
4.7%
1.9%0.0%
0.9%
4.3%3.8%
0.9%
ZONING GUIDELINES:• Buildingheightscangenerallybeupto: Area‘A’:64metres(210feet) Area‘B’:91.4metres(300feet)• Podiumheightscangenerallybeupto: Area‘A’:2storeys Area‘B’:3storeys• Density: Area‘A’:upto7FSR Area‘B’:upto8.75FSR(minimum1.2commercial)• Supportmixed-usedevelopmentwithcontinuousactivecommercialfrontages.• Considerincreaseddensitythroughcontributionstosocialhousingorrentalhousing.• Allowlargercommercialfloorplates,appropriateforhillsides,inArea‘B’.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:Stephen Regan, Executive Director, WEBIAOffice: (604) 694-0144 email: [email protected]
MERCHANDISING GAPS & OPPORTUNITIESBased upon a detailed analysis of the merchandising mix, area character, and traffic, the following merchandising opportunities have been identified to better serve the local area population and regional traffic:
Personal, Professional, and Financial ServicesIt is important to maintain and enhance the local service role of Lower Robson. The Service category is quite well represented in Lower Robson. A couple of possible additions in the category include:
• printing/copying• courier/deliverystore
Restaurants and Fast FoodThe fast food and restaurant character is essential to Lower Robson.• Thereareopportunitiesforestablished/popularbistrotype restaurants along Lower Robson to serve both local and non-local traffic drawn to this area.
• Popularlocalrestaurantchains are preferable to large national/internationalchainsto help maintain the unique character of the area.
Specialty Food • fish/seafood• freshpasta• icecream/gelato• fresh/frozenmeats• cookies/muffins• delis• cheeses• bakeries• finechocolate• producestore• confectionary
Specialty Retail Lower Robson could support additions in the Specialty Retail category due to the large local population base plus the opportunitytodrawregional/visitor traffic generated by Upper Robson Village, several hotels located east of Nicola, nearbyStanleyPark,andupperincome residents living in the Bayshore/CoalHarbourarea.
• bookstore• soaps/lotions/fragrances
METRO VANCOUVER RESIDENTS’ SURVEY[Notes: November 2014; 600 adults; Telephone-online hybrid methodology; +/- 4% error]
• 84%ofsurveyrespondents‘very’or‘somewhat’positiveabouttheWestEnd.• 4/5ofresidentsintheregionvisittheWestEndatleastonceayearandmorethan1/3visit
the area on a monthly basis.• Mainreasonsforvisitingincludedining,sightseeing,recreational/entertainment,shopping
and attending events. • Whenaskedwhatonechangewouldencouragemorevisitationimprovingparkingandtransportationcitedmostoften.Addressingstreetdisorderlikepanhandling,areacleanlinessandcommunitysafetywere[combined]referencebyonly5%ofrespondents.
• Mostresidents64%gettotheWestEndbydrivingfollowedbytransit53%andwalking/cycling18%.
Specialty Retail cont’d• worldnews/magazines• sportinggoods/sportswear• fashionaccessories• hobbies/games/crafts• camerasandaccessories• cards/stationery• officesupplies• florist• vitamins/supplements• art/prints/framingfabrics• gardening/patiosupplies• petsupplies
Home Furnishings/Home Decor • paint/wallpaper• bathroomboutique• beddingandlinens• kitchenaccessories• homedecorations• smallhomefurnishings• pottery/ceramics• prints/paintings• balcony/patiofurniture• patiogardenaccessories