The garage will integrate technology: indicators letting people know which levels have open spaces, fast elevators and good lighting.
“I think it’ll be a really positive thing,” said Cain.
The parking garage building will have 11,200 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. The side of the building facing Columbia Way will have canopy-covered storefront windows on the lower level and elevator exits. The other three sides will be covered with white perforated metal screening or black mesh screening.
According to planning documents, the garage will follow a green building certification process by Green Building Initiative, a sustainable certification that was also used for the development’s Block 6, which contains an office building and adjoining apartment building.
The parking garage is meant to not only relieve pressure of the high-demand parking at The Waterfront Vancouver, but it’s also meant to help with parking at the city of Vancouver’s upcoming Waterfront Gateway development to the north, across the railroad tracks, according to Patrick Quinton, executive director of Vancouver’s City Center Redevelopment Authority. The Waterfront Gateway includes four buildings of apartments, office and retail, and the city expects to break ground by the end of next year.
