Excavation has begun at the site of Concord Pacific's The Arc, the 29-storey residential highrise soon to join the ever-expanding Yaletown district of downtown Vancouver. Set to rise at the foot of the Cambie Street Bridge, The Arc's signature "gateway" design, complete with glass-bottom pool, will add a great deal of visual interest to the former parking lot site and junction. The development will place residents just steps away from transit, BC Place, and the Cooper's Park waterfront trail. 

The Arc, excavation site, with BC Place, Parq Vancouver, and One Pacific, image by Forum contributor City Of Rain

After breaking ground a few months back, the excavation site today is well below grade. Looming overhead, BC Place, Parq Vancouver, and One Pacific can be seen in the image above from left to right. The Arc will be but the latest of several large-scale developments either recently completed or under construction in the area. 

Excavation site bounded by elevated roadways, looking south, image by Forum contributor City Of Rain

While it will yet be some time before construction begins, The Arc will eventually rise to the height of 88 metres. The 29-storey residential highrise will house 588 units, with underground parking available for 520 cars. Forming a visual gateway, The Arc will become something of an entrance to the growing Yaletown waterfront district, where the unusual lot shapes have provided developers with ample opportunities to get creative in terms of how to best maximize the space allowed on a given build site. 

The Arc as it will appear from the Cambie Street Bridge, image via Concord Pacific

Viewed in the rendering above, The Arc will greet inbound traffic along the Cambie Street Bridge. The signature glass-bottomed pool, visible beneath the underside of the built-in archway, will help set the condo apart from the rest. The distinctive amenity space takes a page from a similar pool feature seen at Concord Pacific's One Pacific next door.

The Arc's signature glass-bottomed pool, image via Concord Pacific

Once complete, The Arc will be a welcome addition to the neighbourhood, where the downtown Vancouver skyline is rising in step with the soaring cost of real estate. 

SkyriseVancouver will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.