Downtown Vancouver Real Estate

About Downtown Vancouver:

Bordered by the Coast Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver is recognized as one of the world's most liveable cities, with one of the smallest carbon footprints of any major city in North America.

The City of Vancouver is renowned for its innovative programs in the areas of sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity. In February 2009, Mayor Gregor Robertson launched the Greenest City Initiative with a goal to map out how we can earn the title of becoming the greenest city by 2020. This makes Vancouver downtown real estate an excellent investment.

In February and March 2010, Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with great enthusiasm. For Vancouver, the benefits of hosting the world will continue with memories to last a lifetime, but also leave Vancouver with Olympic-quality sports facilities, public transit, green buildings and arts and culture – legacies that residents and visitors alike will enjoy and appreciate for many years to come. There are two major sports facilities in downtown core. The NHL’ Vancouver Canucks play at the GM Place, while the CFL’s Lions use the neighbouring BC Place Stadium.

Downtown Vancouver also includes residential real estate in the form of high-rise apartments and condos in Yaletown, Coal Harbour, Downtown, Midtown, Chinatown, Gastown, the West End and False Creek North. Other downtown neighbourhoods include Granville Mall and Entertainment District, Downtown South, Japantown and Strathcona. In terms of MLS categorization, it is important to remember "Vancouver West Downtown" will only encompass an area smaller than the broader accepted use of the downtown label.

Consult Amalia Liapis, your Downtown Vancouver real estate professional, for more information.

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Downtown Vancouver Places:

Throughout the year, Robson Square is used as a public space where tourists and locals congregate, people-watch and take in the beauty of the city amidst the hustle and bustle. During the winter months, Robson Square is transformed into a public ice rink for all to enjoy! It's completely free if you bring your own skates but fear not, they also offer rentals for a small fee! It's a hot spot between the months of December to mid-February.

Robson Street is the iconic shopping and dining street in Downtown Vancouver. With ~150 shops along three blocks, Robson Street is the place to go for your shopping needs. For more retail therapy, Pacific Centre Mall is mere minutes from Robson Street and is Vancouver's premier shopping destination.

Granville Street is in the heart of Vancouver and is Vancouver's main Downtown entertainment district. With a plethora of restaurants, shops, buskers, bars, and nightclubs, this is a hot spot, especially on weekend evenings. The Granville Street strip was once believed to have the highest concentration of neon in the world behind Shanghai. Take a stroll down the Strip when it gets dark and you'll see the street come to life. For music lovers, the historic Commodore Ballroom is a live music venue which hosts many big names. The Orpheum Theatre is further south on Granville and is an ornate and beautifully decorated theatre and music venue with many events throughout the year.

Have a love for art? Look no further. Vancouver's very own Art Gallery is located across from Robson Square. It is home to a permanent collection of over 10,000 artworks and has pop-up exhibitions scattered throughout the year. The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) acquires work from local and international artists and builds on the collection's historical and contemporary strengths. Some of BC's finest artists have strong ties with the VAG and have works displayed there.

Community Events:

A highlight in the summer is the fireworks display and the activities that go with it by English Bay. The competition is a beautiful display of fireworks perfectly coordinated with music resulting in a breathtaking show. Take a nice stroll along the beach towards Sunset Beach where a festival takes place on the same day as the fireworks which includes entertainment, activities, nightly cultural performances and a beer garden.

During the BC Long Weekend, Vancouver celebrates Pride Week and puts on a vibrant, entertaining parade that goes on for blocks around the Downtown and West End areas. Many individuals and corporations participate in the parade with colourful, vivacious floats that are sure to entertain you. Sunet Beach puts on a festival right after the parade with live music, local vendors, food carts, a beer garden and much more.

The annual Santa Clause Parade goes around the Downtown area and attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators. The Parade has over 3,500 participants including marching bands, choirs, festive floats and community groups.