Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum

Early this afternoon, City Council unanimously passed a motion to allow a density bonus equal to 100% of the cost of the restoration and renovation of the York Theatre. This means that the developer, who can now be named, who wants to buy and restore the theatre can proceed with negotiations to purchase. His name is Bruno Wall, and he is a long time supporter of the arts, and a theatre enthusiast.

It is his intention—and we enthusiastically agree—to put the restored facility into the hands of the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. This will guarantee sound operation and rental agreements affordable by local arts groups. It now remains for the current owner Paul Phillips and Mr. Wall to sit down together and work out an agreement acceptable to both parties. Once that is done, we can look forward to construction, not demolition. What a jewel will now be added to our community!

This is a great day for Vancouver! It clearly demonstrates that we now have a City Council that is sending a positive message of support to arts and culture groups and their audiences. Please email the mayor and members of Council with your thanks and appreciation.

Thank you for your support and help in getting this to happen.

Sincerely,
Tom Durrie
Save the York Theatre Society

Related News

The Province
By Christina Montgomery

Agrees to buy, renovate and hand over theatre in exchange for tower

Council is trying to help save the York Theatre, also known as The Raja Cinema. – Photograph by: Arlen Redekop, The Province

Vancouver developer Bruno Wall has offered to spend up to $12 million to buy and restore the historic York Theatre, now slated to be torn down Jan. 15 to make way for townhomes.

Wall has also offered to hand ownership to the city — in exchange for development rights equivalent to a 20-storey building, to be built on an as-yet undetermined city site.

The 500-seat theatre, opened in 1912 near the north end of Commercial Drive, was home to the Vancouver Little Theatre, where a number of local actors launched their careers. It later hosted musical acts and Bollywood films.

But it has been empty for several years. EDG Homes bought the property for $960,000 in August 2007 after being assured by city staff that there was no historical significance or interest in the theatre.

The city has approved EDG’s townhouse proposal, which is now eligible for building permits. Demolition of the theatre is legally permitted as of Jan. 15.

Yesterday, EDG’s Peter Phillips warned council that ongoing development costs and liabilities would force him to demolish the theatre and proceed with the townhouses if no deal for a sale is completed.

In March, the city’s attitude toward the site changed. The Vancouver Heritage Commission ruled that it was eligible for listing in the Vancouver Heritage Register.

Arts groups that want the theatre saved argued its restoration would provide the hub for a cultural district when combined with the nearby Vancouver East Cultural Centre and the cafes and galleries bordering Commercial Drive.

Yesterday, after learning that Wall had stepped forward with cash that arts groups and theatre fans have failed for years to raise, council agreed to offer Wall the unusual density deal to encourage him to proceed with the purchase.

Heather Redfern, director of the Vancouver Eastside Cultural Centre that would run the new theatre, applauded the move.

Redfern described the theatre as “the perfect place” — an ideal, mid-sized venue that would provide affordable space for small projections and art showings in a city where theatre space of any kind is at a premium.

cmontgomery@theprovince.com

Our Last Opportunity to Save the York Theatre

On Thursday December 18th, 2008, at 10:00 am, City Council will consider a staff recommendation.

Council’s decision will determine the future of the York Theatre.

If Council approves the staff recommendation to grant a transfer of density to cover one-third of the restoration costs, the York Theatre will be demolished.

If Council approves the prospective buyer’s request to grant a transfer of density to cover 100% of the restoration costs, the York Theatre will be restored.

The Save the York Theatre Society is asking Council to approve a density transfer of 100% of the value of the restoration.

Our Last Opportunity

This is our last opportunity to save the York Theatre.

To register to speak at City Council this Thursday, email Denise Salmon click here.

To express your views by email to the Mayor and Council click here.

To contribute to the conversation on the Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum use the comment box below.

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From the Save the York Theatre Society

A group of community members who are interested in saving and restoring the York Theatre met at City Hall on December 6, 2007 with the new owner of the York Theatre and a number of representatives from the Planning Department, Cultural Affairs, and Heritage Group for the City of Vancouver.

The History and Vision for the York Theatre tells the story of why the York Theatre should be saved and restored. Click here

It was clear from this meeting that the new owner and developer, Paul Phillips of Edge Homes, has no interest in preserving the theatre. During the city strike, he was led to believe there would be no opposition to the demolition of the theatre and a townhouse development.

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Friday, January 18, 2008
Vancouver Courier
By Cheryl Rossi

Time is running out for those keen to save the York Theatre

The York Theatre on Commercial Drive once home to Vancouver Little Theatre Society – Photo – Dan Toulgoet

If city council doesn’t get behind a campaign to save the building that was most recently the Raja Cinema, it could be demolished within four months, says Tom Durrie.

That’s why Durrie, founder of the Save the York Theatre Task Force and former manager of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, is arranging meetings with individual councillors. Tom Durrie heads up the task force that hopes to save the York Theatre, more recently known as the Raja Cinema, which was built in 1913.

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The York Theatre holds a significant place in the history of Vancouver theatre. It is the only purpose built theatre with fly tower and proscenium stage on the east side of the city and one of only two or three such theatres left in Vancouver. The York Theatre seats approximately 500 people and, according to a survey conducted by the Coal Harbour Arts Complex Society, there are 915 potential uses annually of a theatre in this size range.

The Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance wishes to express its strongest possible support for a civic initiative to help preserve and revitalize this precious and historic cultural facility.

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The York Theatre is the last remaining purpose built building for legitimate theatre in the City and was the home of Vancouver Little Theatre for many years. The theatre was recently purchased by a developer who has plans to demolish the theatre and build a townhouse complex.

Proposed street front of the restored York Theatre – Downs-Archambault design 1982

A History and Vision for the York Theatre has been created by the Save the York Theatre Society. The Forum on the Future of Theatres reflected the community’s concerns about our last remaining opportunities to preserve and restore our heritage theatres. The need for theatre space in Vancouver is clear. The Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance confirms there is strong support from the theatre community. The City’s report on the Coal Theatre Arts Complex concluded there is a shortage of performance venues in the City. And the Vancouver East Cultural Centre indicated it could operate the theatre on an interim basis if it was returned to early use and restored fully later.

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December 6, 2007
News from the arts world
Georgia Straight
By Jessica Werb

Townhouses planned for York site The new owners of the York Theatre on Commercial Drive plan to replace the theatre with eco-friendly townhouses.

Paul Phillips, president of EDG Homes Inc., which purchased the property last October as Vintage Development Corp. with business partners Small Favours Pictures Limited and 0805122 BC Limited, told the Straight he is not interested in preserving the theatre.

“Our interest is to develop an environmentally sensitive, LEED-certified townhome development there—a cutting-edge property in line with the EcoDensity of [Vancouver mayor] Mr. Sullivan’s dreams,” he said by phone. “It will be townhomes with attached garages, with roof gardens and low-toxicity materials.”

Phillips said he and his partners will submit their plans to the city within the next week or two, and expect development to begin in May or June this year.

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December 6, 2007
News from the arts world
Georgia Straight
By Jessica Werb

The new owner of the York Theatre on Commercial Drive is set for a face-to-face meeting with advocates of the venue’s preservation on Thursday morning (December 3) at Vancouver City Hall, under the auspices of the city’s planning department.

According to Tom Durrie, former general manager of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and leader of a campaign to save the York Theatre from demolition, the new owner of the property is Paul Phillips of EDG Homes Inc. Durrie said he has rounded up a group for the meeting, including the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s executive director, Heather Redfern; architect David Galpin of Downs/Archambault & Partners; and Philip Boname, president of development planning firm Urbanics Consultants Ltd. “I think we have at least accomplished getting the whole thing on the city’s agenda,” Durrie told the Straight.

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How many theatres are there in Vancouver?

The question is always: Do we need another theatre, and who would use it? Here’s the answer: In 2006 the Coal Harbour Arts Complex Society led an inventory of existing performance spaces and a survey of potential theatre users. The following is a condensation of the results.

The inventory found that there were 22 venues seating under 500, divided up as follows:

• Under 200 seats: 9
• 200-350 seats: 9
• 350-500 seats: 4
• Total Theatres: 22

A closer look is more revealing.
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The York Theatre has been sold!

A purchaser has come in with a strong offer and has bought the York Theatre. It’s a done deal.

Because of privacy legislation, the realtor is not allowed to tell us the name of the purchaser or what their intentions might be. We can only hope that it is someone who is going to use the building for its original and intended use otherwise we can say goodbye to one of the finest and most historic theatres in Vancouver.

Thank you all for your support, letters, and interest. Who knows, there may be more work ahead, especially if a demolition is planned. As most of you know, we’ve just lost the Imperial Theatre, built in 1912, running as the Venus Theatre for the past 20 or so years, now demolished without notice. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that those of us who work in the arts spend a lot of time talking about “if only” and “what if” without any action.

The York Theatre was on the market for over a year, and, except for Jayne Holmes valiant effort, for which she deserves full credit, no one in the arts community has stepped forward and said, “I’m going to make this happen!”

Please again accept my thanks for everything. Maybe we’ve learned a  valuable lesson.

Onwards and upwards,
Tom Durrie

Save the York Theatre Society

From Herb Auerbach

There are several major issues to be addressed in the preservation and restoration of theatres in Vancouver, like the York and he Vogue. They are Heritage, Cultural Infrastructure, Cultural Development, and Economic Development. There are also environmental issues around the use of materials and energy required for new construction, and around the disposal of the proceeds of demolition that should also be a consideration if we take a holistic approach to these projects.

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