Do these drawings reveal a new St. Paul’s Hospital at False Creek?

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      Project renderings for a new facility that could replace St. Paul’s Hospital are being passed around Vancouver social media circles.

      The drawings appeared in previous annual reports published by Providence Health Care, the regional health authority that operates St. Paul’s. They are described in those documents as ideas that could comprise part of “a ‘two site solution’ to rebuild St. Paul's.”

      The plans resurfaced shortly after the MLA representing Vancouver-West End, the riding that serves as a home for the existing St. Paul’s Hospital, made public rumours the B.C. Liberal government is preparing to demolish the old hospital to make way for condo towers.

      “I’m getting it from business people, from real-estate people, from health-care people, from enough sources within and outside of government that I’m taking it seriously,” Spencer Chandra Herbert told the Straight on April 2.

      “I’ve heard rumours before and I’ve been able to discount them because, well, we’ve made the government stand and promise to deliver on site,” he continued. “The fact that they have not delivered on site and now won’t commit to a timeline to deliver a renewed St. Paul’s Hospital and now we’re hearing this—that’s what has me so concerned. It seems that they’ve been backing away from their promise.”

      According to Chandra Herbert, a new hospital that would replace St. Paul’s could be constructed at False Creek, just east of Olympic Village. An October 2005 press release issued by the Hospital Employees' Union supports that claim. It states the Vancouver Esperanza Society purchased a parcel of land adjacent to Station Street "for the redevelopment of St. Paul’s Hospital".

      Farrow

      The concept drawings are available at the website of Farrow. They are listed as a drafted in partnership with Busby Perkins + Will Architects.

      Farrow

      At Farrow’s website, the drawings are described as a “comprehensive site master plan” for "St. Paul's Hospital Legacy Project".

      "The Legacy Project is an initiative launched by Providence Health Care to better meet the needs of their acute care patients," it's stated there. "The project will include the design of a new acute care facility to replace the existing St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver."

      Farrow

      Following Chandra Herbert’s call, the Ministry of Health refused to grant the Straight an interview but shortly after issued a public statement.

      “Government remains firmly committed to revitalizing St. Paul’s Hospital,” it reads. “St. Paul’s Hospital is an important part of the network of hospitals in the Lower Mainland, serving a large and growing population from downtown Vancouver, and from across the region. We are continuing to work with Providence Healthcare on the best way to revitalize the hospital for the communities it serves. We must make sure that this fits within the future long term vision of health care in the region and across the province, focusing on more comprehensive community services and a partnership between Lower Mainland hospitals.”

      Comments

      12 Comments

      Anonymous

      Apr 8, 2015 at 4:09pm

      In other words, tear it down and put up a big ugly spike of glass - the Vancouver motto.

      Noone

      Apr 8, 2015 at 5:54pm

      These are renderings from the legacy project that was tabled 10 years ago.

      twisted logic

      Apr 8, 2015 at 7:26pm

      Why have a hospital when you can have more condos in the West End?
      Seriously folks, lives and emergency response times don't matter. There's a lot of money to be made: profits over people. Brought to you by Vision and the BCLibs.

      I thought so

      Apr 9, 2015 at 8:10am

      Thanks to Noone for confirming what I suspected. These are drawings from the very open and non-secretive proposition from years ago, when they were planning on rebuilding St. Paul's on this barren site. It would make more sense to have one there, closer to the poor people who make the most use of hospitals in general. What sank it was gay activists who didn't want to lose the HIV help facilities in St. Paul's. I remember the proponents being labelled as homophobic, which is injurious to a politician running for office.

      Although St. Paul's has tremendous value as a historical structure, and I would hate to see it destroyed, the fact remains that it does not come up to code for seismic safety nor for modern technology. It's hard to keep clean and usually people complain vehemently about it when it's not under threat of being razed to the ground.

      critical thought

      Apr 9, 2015 at 8:30am

      I don't pretend to have examined in depth. But, at first, glance, building a new hospital at Main and Terminal does not seem like a bad idea. My guess is that the construction costs will paid in part by the revenue from the sale of the existing property. The new site would serve a badly underserved segment of the city - the east side. The Main St. Skytrain station makes it more accessible. It is much closer the the DES and that would provide badly needed care to that population. And is the False Creek property a larger site - ie. more room to expand? Honestly, apart from the fact that residents of the West End want to keep their local hospital (and that's understandable), what's the case for keeping that aging (aged) facility where it is?

      Who Cares

      Apr 9, 2015 at 10:36am

      I do not care where it goes; who would want to live on a piece of land that was previously a hospital?

      Kevin ONeil

      Apr 9, 2015 at 11:25am

      yes at present it is a historical building and can be restructured to fulfill the needs of the downtown incorporating the historical iconic features and deploying modern architectural designs to compliment the full delivery of health services in the centre of a large urban area. On the otherhand the proposed site is toxic and the rogers ice arena could notbe built there, and the proposal as then as in now may be privitized for profit and 3p'd as the property was retained for that purose with a 25 million dollar retainer fee by Dr Day and company a proponent of privitization. I suggest leave it where it is deploying the best in achitectural engineering for the public to enjoy and use in the downtown area

      cranky mom

      Apr 9, 2015 at 12:40pm

      If this is correct then they are planning to tear down Mount St. Joseph hospital as well, it is only a short distance away from this proposed location. I am sure the developers are drooling over both pieces of land that St. Pauls and Mount St. Joseph sit on.

      You'veGotToBeKiddingMe!

      Apr 9, 2015 at 11:10pm

      If they are going to build it, add 10 additional stories in height and 5 additional levels of PARKING to it NOW for future expansion for a growing city! By the time it is finished 50% of the city population will be over 65 years old!

      You'veGotToBeKiddingMe!

      Apr 9, 2015 at 11:16pm

      Mt. St. Joseph should be converted over to an addiction treatment center and/or half way transitional housing for homeless, as a larger part of a strategy to shift the social housing and social services away from the DTES core, and out towards Terminal and Evans St