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Save-On-Meats is located on West Hastings at Carrall. Most Vancouverites are familiar with the 4-story building for it has stood since 1957.

Image Source: foodists.ca

Last year, the former owner has sold the property. In July 2010, it is in possession of Vancouver restaurateur Mark Brand of Mark Brand Inc., adding to his sister venues – Boneta, The Diamond, Sea Monster Sushi and Shark & Hammer.

The new Save-On-Meats will reopen coming June, with a million-dollar renovation ongoing for the past year. Many neighbourhood fans and Vancourites are looking foward to see whether Mark Brand has decided to continue the tradition or to bring new changes.

From the Vancouver Sun article, it seems the space have some wonderful concepts.

The first floor will remain a market, with addition of street-level cafe or restaurant to attract foodies. Second floor will be supplies and labor, rumors have it, even cooking classes. Third floor will be office space or alike. Nonetheless, the fourth floor rooftop will be a private space overlooking downtown Vancouver.

The concept and rebranding of Save-On-Meats is supported by the Downtown Eastside Kitchen Tables Projects, whose moto:

“The DTES Kitchen Tables Project is unique in that it is a comprehensive and collaborative approach to reforming the DTES food system in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders. The approach is intentional and comprehensive, filling a formidable gap as it addresses the inadequacies of the DTES food system. It operates by organizational collaboration, includes residents and embraces existing food providers and processes.”  -BC Food Security Gateway

This 22,000 square foot 4-story market is scheduled to reopen next month.

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/Restaurateur+keeps+neon+glowing+Save+Meats/4769684/story.html

Gentrification, defnitely, is in the city’s favor. Higher-end shops enhances the community in term of esthetics and community establishments.

I remember strolling through the streets in Chinatown and Downtown Eastside, and seeing high-end retail shops and restaurants such as Caffe Brixton, Peking Lounge, Storm Salon, London Pub and others. It started out impressive, then gentrification and what it can potentially do to the lowincome Carnegie Community and neighbouring areas came into the picture.

The Downtown Eastside and Chinatown area is an area inhabited by lowincome residents. The community is built of elders, alcoholics, drug addicts, sex-traders, artists, pensioners, and others that are barely affording $500 for rent. Yet, from an article from the Vancouver Sun, the city has approved a Historic Area Heights Review:

“The plan allows for an increase in building heights to nine storeys without an application for approval, and 12 to 15 storeys in Chinatown South and along Main Street, with an application.”  
-Vancouver Sun, May 3rd, 2011

Sure, Economic Revitalization is prioritized in the gentrification, along with the government’s decision to “wipe out” the homeless and the sketchy East Hastings scene. However, the “social mix” that they are proposing in adding high-end shops and approving for taller condos to be built in Chinatown is somewhat hypocritical. Seems like the “social mix” is always in favor of the capitalists, who want to bring the rich into poor communities and “enhance” it, but never the other way around.  We seem to hear a strong voice from the Westend when we want to add a detox/rehab centre or a mental healthy facility in their neighbourhood.

The bigger truth is instead of setting a division for Downtown Easide and Chinatown, seems more obvious there is a contrast and border drawn between the lowincome residents and the capitalists interests.

Next time you stroll down the streets of Chinatown and East Hastings, have this in mind.

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Vancouver+approves+Chinatown+condo/4715796/story.html

Exceptions always exist and Vancouver is definitely in a category of its own when it comes to real estate prices.  What to make sense of the 8.2% sales drop reported May 4, 2011 in the Vancouver Sun?  What isn’t happening is a “selling price” drop.  The only rationale still is when land has two physical boundaries, the mountains and the ocean plus a political boundary aka the US border, there really is nowhere for the demand to go but east and up.  

 Plus the 20,000 net new migrants every year into the area fuels the demand even more.  The make up of the city is now home to the largest concentrations of people outside of China and India.  Just look around at the stop light next time and notice the cultural origins of the passengers.   Continue they migrate into Vancouver.  So will prices drop ever drop probably not.  At least not to the extent being felt in the USA. 

 What is interesting to note is the transformation of the city with the number of tear downs and new homes going up in their place especially on the West Side.  The higher prices for land are justifying a higher standard in what is going up.   We think that is a good thing.  There is no substitute for quality and good taste.   Designing is becoming a necessity whereas it was a luxury if you could afford it.  

 As proud Vancouverites, Vancouver being known for the best designed homes in the world would be a good thing, yes?  Goes well with the future Stanley Cup Winners for 2011, eh?

In the home-building industry, design and construction companies try to implement as much eco-friendliness in their work as possible.

Many decking companies now offer eco-friendly materials for building your beautiful deck while contributing to tree preservation. The eco-friendly decking material consists of “95 percent recycled content, featuring a combination of wood and plastic fibers that come from reclaimed or recycled resources such as sawdust and used pallets from woodworking operations, and recycled plastic grocery bags” -silive.com .  Compared to wood, these eco-decks are much more durable and low-maintainence.

Home-owners do not need to compromise the look for the environmental-friendliness neither! As discussed in Silive’s article, the eco-decks now come in a variety of different colours to achieve the look and style you want.

Reference: please visit the article on Silive.com.