The iconic East Van Cross might be moving.
Adjacent to the current location of the East Van Cross sculpture created by Vancouver artist Ken Lum is the new headquarters for local organic food company, Nature’s Path.
The Hastings North Business Improvement Association (HNBIA) is advocating for the sculpture to be relocated from the edge of the False Creek Flats north to the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood. They have even launched their own petition to gather public support for the relocation.
Further adding to this uncertainty of where the sculpture should stand: Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association feels the sculpture should be moved to their neighbourhood.
“The perfect location is to see it driving up Main Street from downtown and you see this beautiful iconic work and know you’re in East Van,” he said, noting that Ontario Street, two blocks west of Main, marks Vancouver’s official east-west divide.
Aside from this tug-of-war, the present issue is the sudden appearance of a new office building. While False Creek Flats is seeing an intense spurt of development, this new office location for Nature’s Path is perhaps too close to the monument to East Vancouver.
To its credit, Nature’s Path has stated they intend to be a good neighbour to the widely-known sculpture and try to include public space enhancements to their new corporate presence.
However, Ken Lum and local activists have concerns over the impact of the new building on the sculpture which has become a regional touchpoint.
East Van resident Marc Lindy is asking why the city approved an eight-storey development in a neighbourhood where nothing else is allowed to be built to that height. He wants an impact study done that considers the artist’s opinion and community concerns.
Ken Lum’s East Van Cross, foreground. Nature’s Path new office building, background. (Dialog/BentallGreenOak)
Nature’s Path moving from Richmond to False Creek Flats
The new corporate headquarters for organic foodstuffs company Nature’s Path is going to be located at 2150 Keith Drive in the False Creek Flats neighbourhood in East Vancouver. While it’s currently uncertain whether Nature’s Path will occupy all of the 170,000 sq. ft. office space, the majority of the company’s office jobs are at its current location near the Bridgeport SkyTrain Station in Richmond.
The new office building is designed by architecture firm DIALOG for BentallGreenOak. This 10-storey, 45-metre building, much like other new office buildings in the area, will be a mass timber construction. Mass timber construction is being favoured as a more sustainable method of building due to its substitution of carbon-intensive building materials in favour of engineered wood products, like glue-laminated (glulam) wood beams or cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels. The exterior has a honeycomb structural pattern which also uses a mass timber construction while offering opportunities to create balconies and expansive windows to allow both natural light and unimpeded views of the area.
As has been previously stated in media releases, the office building could provide employment space for up to 2,000 workers and the earliest estimation of completion is 2025. An underground parkade is going to provide 193 vehicle parking stalls. The building will also boast wellness & social spaces, along with flexible meeting areas and a green rooftop deck.
Render of Nature’s Path new office in False Creek Flats. (Dialog/BentallGreenOak)
