A new creative arts centre for Vancouver is burgeoning along Great Northern Way. It’s part of the False Creek Flats in an area dominated by the new Great Northern Way Campus (GNWC), roughly situated between Thornton Ave. on the west side, Glen Drive on the east, the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) on the north, and Great Northern Way on the south. This is a parcel of land formerly belonging to Finning International, the world’s largest dealer of Caterpillar tractors, established in this area by the Finning family in 1933. In 2001, Finning donated almost 19 acres of this land to a consortium of four major schools of advanced education: UBC, SFU, BCIT and Emily Carr University who jointly administrate the GNWC.
What is arising is the amazing transformation of a former industrial area to an educational mecca for the arts as well as galleries and other businesses. The first major development was The Centre for Digital Media (CDM) which began in 2007. It’s roughly in the centre of the land parcel with two buildings, the first a former Finning Caterpillar tractor factory, and a second which houses the majority of learning spaces as well as 76 student apartments. CDM offers a master’s program in digital media as well as being home to industry studios that it leases. Students are well positioned to serve the film industry.
Another major development is Emily Carr University, now relocating just to the west of CDM, of course with a much bigger footprint than what is now has on Granville Island. We can see its construction cranes in the top right part of the picture, with all the construction trailers at the bottom. With its needed expansion, Emily Carr hopes to be internationally known as one of the top schools for graduate and undergraduate programs in Media Arts, Design and Visual Arts. It sees itself as a dynamic connector between art and industry, research and entrepreneurship as well as invigorating the Great Northern Way district into becoming a new cultural hub for the city of Vancouver. The campus will be built to LEED Gold Environmental Standard.
There are also a variety of other businesses locating here which help financially and otherwise to support the GNWC.
On the eastern side of the Campus we have BCTIA Innovation Hub. It helps tech companies to grow by providing support and space. It features technology and art installations from more than 25 local technology companies and artisans.
Mark Anthony Brands, fine wine merchants, has a facility behind BCTIA. The Mountain Equipment Coop head office is a bit further to the east near Glen Drive. It’s built to LEED Platinum Environmental Standard.
Just a bit to the west of the Emily Carr site and closer to the BNSF Railway are two of Vancouver’s well-known galleries, Monte Clark and Equinox. They are in the red rectangular building in the upper left of the picture, formerly a repair centre for Finning tractors. They now enjoy abundant space at more reasonable rents than was the situation at their former south Granville St. locations. They serve as a great complement to Emily Carr and the CDM. Unfortunately, future plans for the Skytrain which will go west to UBC may be built in their exact location.
Between 1st Ave. and Great Northern Way, just to the west of Thornton Ave., the GNWC has sold 2 parcels of land it gained from Finning to Onni Development. There is a low rise condo building of about 6 storeys and at this point the prices seem somewhat reasonable for Vancouver with a fair amount of square footage offered for the price. Next to this is Artech, not related to the GNWC, built in 1994 with 67 steel and frame artist live/work units.
There are other businesses fairly new to the general area. Just a little to the west of Artech, adjacent to the BNSF railway tracks, is Red Truck Beer Company together with its own diner. It’s one of many small brewing companies located in the area historically known as Brewery Creek, which had a booming brewery industry during the 1890’s.
Heading towards Main we have the Catriona Jeffries Gallery, the Winsor Gallery and Gallery Jones along East 1st Ave.
It’s a dynamic area transitioning from an industrial neighbourhood ripe for development of all kinds; let’s hope it can keep some of its authenticity and relatively low rents for artistic endeavours.
