A Straight survey of Vancouver city council members shows that none are prepared at this point to turn over a city-owned downtown block to the Vancouver Art Gallery for its sole use. In an interview earlier this year, VAG board member Michael Audain said that the VAG didn't wish to share the site across from the Sandman Hotel with any other cultural organizations.

“We're dead set on obtaining the exclusive use of that block,” Audain told the Straight, referring to the parking lot bounded by West Georgia, Cambie, Dunsmuir, and Beatty streets. VAG director Kathleen Bartels said at the time that they preferred not to share the site with an office tower. They both acknowledged that there could be retail space and restaurants at that location.

Vision Vancouver councillor Kerry Jang told the Straight that it “seems like a good idea” for the VAG to have a signature building. However, he emphasized that the land is very valuable, which is why he's more in favour of a mixed-use project. This could include an office component.

Vision councillor Heather Deal echoed Jang's point, saying that the VAG “should be prepared to share” the property. “That's a big site and there is a $48-million encumbrance on it already, so donating it [to the VAG for its use] is a $48-million donation,” Deal said.

Vision councillor Raymond Louie noted that his biggest concern is the encumbrance, but said that if the city could recover that, he would be open to looking at whether the VAG should have exclusive use. Mayor Gregor Robertson, on the other hand, passed a message along through his spokesperson, Kevin Quinlan, that the VAG “should be prepared to share the site as there are encumbrances on it”.

Vision councillor Tim Stevenson indicated that he's leaning toward not supporting the VAG having exclusive use. “It's hard to imagine one institution having that much property,” he said.

NPA councillor Suzanne Anton told the Straight that she favours the VAG coexisting on the site with an iconic tower, which could be as tall as the 62-storey Shangri-La Hotel. “This council kiboshed that notion and said 15 storeys max,” she said.

COPE councillor Ellen Woodsworth and Vision councillors Geoff Meggs and Andrea Reimer told the Straight that it was too early to offer an opinion. COPE councillor David Cadman and Vision councillor George Chow were unavailable for comment by deadline.