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: s.regan@westendbia.com

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