remind me again how the Woodwards project is going to revitalize the DTES?

We can always leave it to the poor to eat themselves, not take care of their surroundings, hell even each other.

Just wait and bitch and whine about needing another handout.

After all, 'you're owed it'.

God forbid, you dare better yourself, show some human inner strength and determination.

Why bother? Its Vancouver. That handout should be coming any day now....

This is unbelievable! And just a short time before it's supposed to open as well.

Let's hope that everything is safe!

I worked on the woodwards building, that tower was built by mexican migrant workers with little or no skills or training, I worked on the building on hastings that will house the bums and junkies as well as SFU. that building was built by a company called j-forming also known as the Hells Angeles; The hells Angels hired very few qualified employees (yes I was one of the few) most employees were full blown junkies, drunks, or just plain unqualified. if you want to know why it's falling apart before it's even finished, it's because the Hells Angels and ITC construction have pocketed most of the budget.

Lupo: how can we take what you're saying seriously if you don't even know how to properly use a comma? Periods were invented for a reason, you know.
The "bums" and "junkies" of the world need homes too. Maybe if they have homes they will cease to be "bums" and "junkies." Sometimes a safe, dry place is all one needs to get some serious thinking accomplished. Having a home to go to is like taking a time-out from life and all its worries. Once they are housed, the "bums" and "junkies" can start working on ways to be better human beings. Oh, and maybe they'll feel a little bit better about themselves if you stop referring to them as "bums" and "junkies." Life is FUCKING TOUGH. Have some sympathy.

I think Lupo's point is that the building crews lack training and are funding by corrupt companies. I don't think harping on his spelling or the term junkie is really productive. Most of my friends who were junkies and bums and who are now recovering addicts used that term about themselves and are not offended. There will probably people that don't fall into that bracket that will probably live there as well, but i think his point is that when they build these places they don't spend the money on experienced workers.

Shon: how can we take what you're saying seriously if you don't even know how to properly read somebody else's post?

Who are the "Hell's Angeles?" Besides, what's that got to do with who the contractor is or isn't. Members of the so-called Mafia were involved in a lot of construction companies and probably still are. That doesn't detract from the quality of the building. The workers on this building were hired during the boom cycle when there were few 'qualified' people available. The only way for the 'junkies' and others with no qualifications to get the experience is to work. If the project is falling apart, then the inspectors should be on the hook. That may be a bad pour of cement and may not have properly cured. Don't blame the immigrants the company brought in to fill the labour gaps or the unskilled workers who may end up becoming your boss in the future when they clean up and get off drugs or whatever they're addicted to. Blame the developers for cutting corners in order to satisfy the timelines their political masters have placed on completion.

lupothebutcher:

I worked on the woodwards building, that tower was built by mexican migrant workers with little or no skills or training, I worked on the building on hastings that will house the bums and junkies as well as SFU. that building was built by a company called j-forming also known as the Hells Angeles; The hells Angels hired very few qualified employees (yes I was one of the few) most employees were full blown junkies, drunks, or just plain unqualified. if you want to know why it's falling apart before it's even finished, it's because the Hells Angels and ITC construction have pocketed most of the budget.

All I can say in response to this, knowing less than zero about construction or the qualifications required to work in construction, is that I have seen many times (and this not a judgement) construction workers (mostly white actually) smoking crack a half block away from Woodwards in the alley. They had their hard hats on and tool belts as well. Now let me point out one more thing : THIS WAS AT LUNCH. Go nuts after the whistle guys but fuck at noon ?

You do see that the rebar is bent UPWARDS, right? As in, possible accidental crane impact? As in, an accident on the work site that's unrelated to the structural integrity of the building?

"Crumbling". Sure, the construction had a mishap, but to use the word "crumbling" when it's so obvious from your own flickr link that the structure is definitely not just randomly dropping chunks of concrete to the ground.

Why can't you just report on the fact that something broke and it's going to need to be fixed? Why do you have to sensationalize it into "OMG IT'S CRUMBLING IT'S NOT SAFE IT'S GONNA FAAAAAAALL"? Oh, right, let me guess, just because you didn't actually say that in the headline, it's not actually implied, right?

PS : Sean - this might qualify as an actual scoop. Crazy.

Looking closely at the picture, that rebar looks really abnormally effed up.
As to lupothebutcher's claims, I would walk by the King Edward Village construction site at Knight and Kingsway on a daily basis and the (predominantly white) construction guys would be shotgunning Budweisers ON SITE and hotboxing their trucks half a block away.

Firstly I would like to applaude this bulliten board for it's on going support in allowing people to write open and freely regarding things they know nothing about and give them an outlet for all their speculations and babbling.

To start, that concrete piece never broke off, never fell to the ground and certainly never had a crane hit it. That spot was never poured in the first place and the rebar was bent upwards to allow for 1m clearance of the crane swing; which is a WCB regulation.

As for Paul and his vast knowledge of the forming work on the SFU building. I'd like to point out that Paul who apprently worked on this building as a skilled worker didn't even know the name of the company that he was working for. Since the forwork company for the entire site was Newway. Newway being one of the premium formwork contractors in Vancouver and have completed jobs such as the Shangri La and the Firenze towers.

As for the company that Paul knows so much about and their dealings with the Angels - I don't even know where to start there. In regards to the Angels and ITC pocketing the budget, keep in mind paul that ITC is working on a construction management basis for the owner. Meaning they get paid a flat fee, so until you understand the actual process of construction management and budgets I would recommend you not comment on them.

So in closing I would like to say that the sky hasn't fallen at Woodwards and this forum is a excellent source of entertainment, written by skilled reporters with all the facts at hand and a place where sarcasm runs free.

LOL! Beyond Robson is full of hipster idiots who know nothing other then spewing socialist rhetoric. 149Tuesday just fucking smoked all of you know it alls.

damn Sean you so damned ignorant

anonymous:

LOL! Beyond Robson is full of hipster idiots who know nothing other then spewing socialist rhetoric. 149Tuesday just fucking smoked all of you know it alls.

Hey, I resent that! I'm not a hipster...

why would you pour an entire building and leave a 10' square section in the middle unpoured? that is peculiar. i don't buy it.

beckett:

PS : Sean - this might qualify as an actual scoop. Crazy.

Yeah I was going to call the post Breaking News. Haha.

Regardless, it sounds like 149 tuesdays knows what they're talking about. I saw a bunch of concrete on the ground, people pointing upwards, the street closed off. So i asked someone what was going on and they said a piece of concrete had just fallen. Like I said I never phoned Woodwards to get conformation, so that was a caveat (or a cop-out).

149 Tuesday is correct. This is far from "breaking news". That piece of concrete has been missing for months. It would have interfered with the safe operation of one of the cranes on site.

First of Sean, I truly wonder why on earth would anyone allow you to print such garbage, I know for a fact that this piece of slab of concrete has been missing for over 3 months, are just trying to make a name for yourself based on lies, well karma will get you back.
Shame on you

Maybe Sean should work for TMZ.com?
You write absolute trash. "Too lazy" to contact Woodward's to confirm this? HA. That's investigative journalism at its best! What a loser.

Thank you 149Tuesday! Finally an educated response.

If it were crumbling, then the rebar would still have kept its shape from when the pour was done. However, the rebar is bent and so does suggest a forced impact, thus stretching it. This does happen from time to time, no big deal. What irritates me, is how people who know nothing about construction think they have a right to take it up to form an opinion about a subject they have no right to say anything on.

Everyone has a right to an opinion, but any one forming an opinion on zero knowledge and experience is only an ignorant, condescending and arrogant fool. I support any body, especially some of you here, to have every right to be as foolish as you like. But just don't go around making trouble for others, and talk like this, is stirring trouble.

Find something more positive to do. You people obviously have to much idle time on your hands. This whole discourse is ridiculous.

I live in the DTES and I see guys wandering around in construction gear (harnesses et all) openly smoking rock cocaine in the morning, noon and night. As for w/e happened to woodwards it looks like the crane smashed into it with something. This does not 'happen for time to time', or WCB would shut the site down.

dudez:

I live in the DTES and I see guys wandering around in construction gear (harnesses et all) openly smoking rock cocaine in the morning, noon and night. As for w/e happened to woodwards it looks like the crane smashed into it with something. This does not 'happen for time to time', or WCB would shut the site down.

wait I'm retarded, they purposely had to cut away that section for some reason.

Cute.

My dad works for ITC construction, the company is well run and is indeed paid a fixed amount for the project, they do not "make" the money per se, they provide a service, and are paid for it. There was a time I thought BR was a fabulous source of information for local living and actually offered some intelligent opinion. Now I basically check in for Ryan Weal's amazing food reviews....om nom nom. Sean, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to stop trying to concoct the stories.

Heres the real facts!
- the building is not crumbling MR. Lupothebumcatcher contact the head office ITC or the head build inspectors or WCB for there facts.
-With the wieght of a double skinned (2 sheets think of plywood) panel 20Ft high by 20ft wide the crane on SFU would bend down enough to possibly hit abbott tower. So everytime the crane was jumped (SFU crane)the floor (slab) of abbott tower would have to be chipped out with a chipping gun and rebar bent up with a hickey bar and a WCB offical would take pictures and give a safe bill of health.
- Never has any work on SFU or for that matter any of the other buildings ie:SFU, Abbott or woodwards tower EVER been unsafe or crumbling! Lastly the fact that you call these workers junkies or bums is just down right insulting. Who are u MR. Lupothebumcatcher? These people taht u call bums and junkies may well have been addicted to drugs at one time in there lifebut when they worked on the SFU buildind they were clean and clean i mean not on drugs or alcohol as far as im concerned everybody deserves a second chance and even if some werent ticketed carpenters most were and the ones that weren't ticketed carpenters so they to could become a great carpenter themselves one day like you say you are Mr. Lupothebumcatcher.Instead of putting others down fabricating crumbling tower stories why dont you try helping your fellow man or women that need a chance to become all they can be? I wonder why you have the time to sit around and put others down instead of being at work supporting your family and community? I wish i knew your real name Mr.Lupothebumcatcher so i could meet and talk to you in person.I wish you all the best.
Signed: S.F.U Tower